What to Check on Your Car before a Long Journey

by Lily White
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Most modern vehicles nowadays are fitted with warning lights and symbols that will let you know exactly if there is a problem however if you are planning to drive a long journey then you should definitely be doing some pro-active checks beforehand to make sure that any potential issues are resolved beforehand.  You cannot always rely on the instruments on your car to keep you right.  Here are some checks that you should complete before embarking on that long ride.

Tires

Probably the most important check of them all is the tire checks.  If these are faulty then not only can this be a safety hazard but it can get you into some legal problems.  Depending on the type of journey you are doing also there may be different recommended tire pressures – for example if you are going off-road then the recommendation is to reduce tire re pressure slightly.  If your tires are not the correct tread then you will need to replace them.  You can go to a dealership or websites such as AutoAnything to get prices for a replacement tire.  They have options from as little as $100, which will be dependent on what you’re after exactly.

The tire size you will require will be either within your handbook or it will be on the current tire you have on side wall.  The quality of tire you purchase also will vary significantly in price where you can purchase remoulds for a cheaper rate.  As the tire and the grip of this is your safety, make sure you don’t just immediately go for the cheapest option.

Oil and Water

Make sure that you physically check your own levels regularly, especially if going on a long trip.  This is really simple to do and will only take a few moments.  In addition to this, make sure there is enough water in your car.  This includes for your windscreen as if you come across bad weather you may regularly need to use this to keep dirt off your screen and make it safe for you to see.  Another tip would be to have a bottle of water stored in the trunk of your car just in case you physically run out and you have emergency supplies. Your instrumentation lights will help you here and should indicate when things are running low.

Lights

It may seem a no brainer to check this out but you would be surprised the amount of people that don’t.  If any of your headlights or rear lights are not working effectively then not only are you a danger to yourself and passengers but you are a hazard to other road users.  It is not only your headlights that you should check out but also your indicator lights, break lights and even your fog lights.  If any of these are faulty then you need to replace them immediately and can be purchased from Auto Anything.   If you don’t do this then you can expect to be pulled over by the local authorities and given a potential fine.

By Nina Mosely

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