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Everyone loves a road trip, and with the humble staycation becoming more popular these last couple of years, the roads are busy with domestic vacationers. If you have yet to get your hands on a license, then start practising with Zutobi so you can ensure to be driving by the summer. It is crucial to ensure that your vehicle is not going to let you down mid-trip. Here are our five essential car checks to perform before taking any trip.
Oil & Coolant
The oil and water level in your car can be the difference between a costly and time-consuming breakdown and an enjoyable trip. It’s easy to check the oil level; all you need is a clean cloth, pull the dipstick out of the engine and wipe any excess oil from the end, put it back in and out, and check the level; there are indicator bars on the stick showing the minimum and maximum levels of oil needed. The coolant level is even easier to check; there is a transparent tank with markers on the side, simply check it is not near or under the minimum level.
Tyre Pressure & Tread
We should regularly check our tire pressure and tread, as these can affect both performance and safety. Under-inflated tires will cause uneven wear to the tread and lead to weak spots, meaning our tires won’t last as long and blow out while driving in extreme cases. The low tread will give us less friction on the road, decrease fuel efficiency, and make braking less intense. It’s easy to check your tire pressure and can save these issues before they appear.
Service & Roadworthiness
If you are behind in our service schedule, we must ensure we sort this out before we embark on any long journey. If we are buying a second-hand car for the trip, we need to know its history and use the webuyanycar.com car check tool to find this out. Once we have this all covered, we can drive with the peace of mind that we are unlikely to get into bother.
Insurance
Having insurance is a legal minimum for all driving, but it is more important than ever to be sure you have the correct cover if we are far from home. Firstly check what your current policy covers? We want to see that it covers out of state travel. Does it include theft or accidental damage? Other considerations are the excess we might pay in the event of a claim? If we are due to run out, then we can find a new policy that meets our travel needs.
Breakdown Cover.
Investing in breakdown cover is a wise decision at any time, but especially if we are going to be far from home. There are so many operators offering breakdown cover these days that it can be a task to decide which is best for you? Make sure you don’t opt for the cheapest option, you will want to have options such as a courtesy car, onwards travel, and even accommodation costs. You can even get extras such as key replacement and 24-hour service.
Once you have all of the above in place, then kick back and enjoy your trip.