Prepare your car for the summer holidays

It’s that time of year again. You’re thinking of the annual summer trip to Cape Cod, the New Jersey shore, the beaches of Florida, or the mountains of California. However, there are a couple of things you need to take care of before loading the car with luggage and getting everyone to fasten their seat belts. A blown tire or overheated radiator are just a couple of things that can greatly mess up your ride.

Have your car checked and do any maintenance it needs at least a couple of weeks before your trip starts, that way if something important comes up during the vehicle inspection, you can take care of it without postponing cancellation. your summer vacation.

Schedule an oil change and service for your car

The first thing you should do is take your car in for an oil change. During the oil change, make sure your dealer or service station does more than just change the oil. They should check their tires, both the air pressure and the level of the tread; check all fluid levels in your transmission, brakes, radiator, windshield, etc.; and also check all of your belts, hoses, and wipers for wear. In addition, they should also check all of their lights. You don’t want to get pulled over for having a burned out brake light. Go over the inspection report with the auto technician and make sure they haven’t missed anything and that you understand what maintenance work needs to be done.

Replace worn belts, hoses, and tires before you leave.

Do you need new belts and hoses or new tires to replace the frayed ones currently on your car? Schedule that work to be done before you even leave the store, then make sure you stick to it. While tires can be a bit expensive to replace, belts and hoses are quite inexpensive. Always replace at least two tires at a time, even if only one of them is damaged. You always want your tires on the front or rear of your car to have the same tread level. So if only one of your front tires is damaged, replace both that tire and the tire with the second lowest tread level and then rotate your tires.

Prepare your radiator for summer

It also makes sense to schedule a radiator flush. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of a hill or in heavy summer traffic near a toll booth with your overheated car, so clean out your radiator and get it ready for the summer heat. I lived in Los Angeles for several years and every summer it was inevitable that some cars would overheat while trying to cross the hill from the San Fernando Valley into Los Angeles and would end up backing up traffic for miles or have to sit and wait on the side of the road. highway that Roadside Assistance arrives with water for your radiators. A radiator flush could have prevented most of these situations.

Also check your air conditioning.

Low freon levels will reduce the efficiency and performance of your air conditioner, but it is a fairly inexpensive solution to top up your car’s air conditioner freon levels. If you need additional freon, ask your mechanic to double check the AC system for leaks. It might be something you can wait until you get back from your trip to fix, but chances are if you need freon, you have a leak somewhere.

Be prepared for emergencies

Now that your car is prepared for your trip, make sure you’re prepared for any additional emergencies that arise. Keep a flashlight and jumper cable set in your trunk, and consider getting an emergency kit on the road. If you have AAA, make sure you have your membership card in your wallet. Also make sure you know where your registration and insurance information is kept so you can access it quickly in the event of an emergency or police stop. Organization will keep your mind at ease while you’re on the road.

Now all you have to do is refuel the car and enjoy your ride!