Getting Your Car Ready for Vacation




This is the time of year when many people are planning a family vacation. For most, that means a long car ride. Before you hit the road with your family, there are some things you need to do.
First, make sure someone knows where you are going, the route you are taking and when you expect to arrive. You should have your cell phone and charger with you.

Since you will carry the most precious cargo, your family, you will want to make sure your car is up for the trip. You can start by checking the condition of your tires and their pressure. Replace any that show signs of wear. You do not want to risk a blow out at high speed. Also, check the condition of your windshield wipers and fill the washer fluid reservoir. It is always a good idea to put an extra gallon of washer fluid in the trunk. Then check to make sure your brake lights and headlights are working properly.
You will also want to check your brakes. Many repair shops will check them for free. While your car is up on the lift, have them check your struts, shocks, tie rods, etc. Since you will be carrying more weight than usual, they need to be in good shape. If you are a do it yourself, you can visually inspect them and make repairs if necessary.

Then, you should open the hood and examine the condition of all the hoses and belts. Any that are worn, cracked or have small leaks should be replaced. The last thing you want is to have one brake while you are miles from home. Then check the posts and connections on your battery to make sure they are free of debris. Next, check all the fluids in your car including the oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc. You will want to check not only the fluid levels but the condition of the fluid. Any fluids that are dirty should be flushed and replaced.

If the color of the oil is brown or milky, it is not a good sign. It means that coolant is getting into one or more cylinders in the engine. It usually indicates that a head gasket is bad or cracked. This is a serious problem and needs to be fixed immediately. If you do not fix it and take the car on a long trip, you will run the risk of blowing the engine.

If the inspection of your car makes you uncomfortable about taking it on a long trip, there are some things you can do. This is a good time to get a good price on a new car. Car dealers will want to get rid of the current model year before the new ones arrive.
The car dealer will not want your current car since it has a major problem. One excellent alternative is to donate your car to charity since the charity will not care about its condition. In addition, you will get a very nice tax deduction for your car donation.