Have you ever dreamt of hitting the road with complete freedom? Well, road trips are the staple of holiday adventures. They fill your pockets with memories, and you get time to spend with your loved ones.
But, for driving down to your destination, you need a roadworthy vehicle and your car need maintenance. Car maintenance is not just about ensuring that your vehicle holds the proper value when you sell it.
It should be done in a way that you offer your passengers a smooth ride, and you drive safely. And, not bothering with the required maintenance will leave your car feeling uncomfortable. Here are some car maintenance tips to ensure a safe ride on the road:
Keep Your Vehicle Clean:
Bumping in the muddy puddles, dust, tree sap, rain showers and the general grime will make your vehicle look messy. Of course, there should not be any dirt or mud on the exteriors as the build-up can affect the car’s paint. But, is it just about the appearance of the vehicle? Perhaps not! Your vehicle should be cleaned from inside.
It’s very easy to toss a used napkin or a pack of empty can in the car. And don’t forget that stinky sock, if you have removed footwear in the car. These things will make the interiors look and smell bad. And the worst thing? These things can get rodents, ants and other nasties in the car.
Check Your Car Tire And Brakes:
Do check your car tyres to ensure your vehicle drive smoothly on the road. Keep a check on tread wear, bulges or cracks that might have appeared in the rubber. If you are driving with an old tyre, replace them, or you might suffer a blowout, which can put you and vehicle at risk. Also, keep the needy tools like
tire Inflators in the car for smoother car trips.
Furthermore, brake discs should be changed often. If you drive in heavy traffic areas and need to put brake disc, you break become worn. And when they become so, you hard push the pedal, wearing them more. So, be gentle on breaks and keep your discs in good order to get less jerks in the ride.
The Light Check Should Be Checked:
Before taking your car, ensure that your lights are in working condition. Keep a check on blinkers, brake lights, headlamps and more. Also, don’t forget to switch on the hazard flashers and fog lights. If there’s any bulb that is no longer working and you have to rely on side bulbs only, you might find difficulty in seeing hazards coming on the road.
Further, a smoother ride is only achieved by seeing problems and adjusting for them beforehand. So, make sure your car lights are in working condition.
Do A Wiper Test:
Even if you are driving in summers and there’s barely any hint of rain in sight, don’t forget to check your
car’s wipers. There might be situations when you observe a freak downpour, and your dusty windshield needs a quick wipe.
You don’t want to take any risk on roads just because you forget the wiper check. Replace blades that are torn and tatty and not working well.
Do Check Shock And Suspensions:
Car’s suspensions are the one that is most affected on the ride; so don’t forget to check them. Too hard shocks will make you feel like sitting in a pothole on the road. However, too soft suspensions mean you are bouncing around in the car when moving over bumps.
Steering And Tracking:
If the car steering is out of alignment, the driving wheel will pull in different directions. This further can make the car look shudder. While short trips and slow rides will not make you feel that you are driving an out-of-align wheel, these things are noticeable at high speeds.
Road trips are a fantastic trip, and automatic care can make it more fantastic and smooth. Keep above things in mind and take your engine on the roads.