Going on a long voyage is no short of an adventure. You’re leaving your comfort zone, both geographically and pragmatically and you’re heading out into the unknown. Sure, you may have some idea what to expect, but what happens along the way will often come as new, random or outright exciting. In order to enjoy this trip to the fullest, you need to make sure that your car is prepared for a long voyage. Here are five tips to help you out.
Study your route
The first thing you need to understand is that not every route is the same. Depending on the road conditions and the stops that you’ll encounter, you may approach the preparation completely differently. The main thing here is that you study your route so that you know how big portions of the road you’ll have to pass in order to get to the next gas station, lodging or populated area. Believe it or not, this might even affect your packing habits. Sometimes, you need an additional gas tank in your truck, just to stay on the safe side.
Take the season into a consideration
The season that the journey is going to take place matters, as well. For instance, if it’s a colder part of the year, you may want to replace your tires, have your chains in the trunk and replace your windshield blades. Even the viscosity of the oil is affected by the temperature, which is why you might want to replace the oil before you head out. Checking that your fog lights are working properly can be life-saving under these conditions.
Another thing you should do is take your car for a service. Now, this can be somewhat expensive, but there are a couple of ways to make this project somewhat more frugal. For starters, you can buy your own parts. Previously, we’ve talked about the importance of planning your voyage during the right part of the year. If you go during the warmer part of the year, you will encounter dust and similar debris, which will prevent the airflow through your vehicle. In that scenario, considering quality AEM induction systems for your car may completely turn the game around.
Prepare a repair kit
Getting in touch with roadside assistance is an important thing on a road trip; however, you shouldn’t bother them over every minor inconvenience. By having the right repair kit on your side and some basic understanding of your car’s mechanics, you will be able to make some minor repairs on your own. You need some screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches and a hammer. Other than this, you should have some jumper cables and a flashlight, seeing as how you never know if the malfunction will happen at night. Having a towing rope or a chain is something that will not just come in as handy to you but to others experiencing difficulties on the road.
Make sure your tires are in order
Finally, pay attention to your tires. If you haven’t replaced them in the last 6-7 years, now’s the time to do so. Second, if you’ve gone more than 5-8 thousand miles since their last replacement, you might want to rotate them. Check the proper inflation of the tires in order to get greater control and achieve a better fuel economy. Look at it this way, on a long voyage, this might make quite a bit of a difference. In the end, having the right tire tread for the journey is a safety measure that you have to consider.
Preparing your car for a long voyage is not a difficult task. Namely, there are just several mandatory points that you should focus on and all the rest are just something extra that you can add to increase your safety and satisfaction. The key lies in knowing how to anticipate what lies ahead and being ready for potential problems even before they happen. Now, the car itself doesn’t have to be in pristine shape. All that matters is that it can take the trip that you have planned.