Summer Road Trip Checklist

Few things represent the carefree days of summer better than the road trip.

And to make your travels truly carefree, take care to follow the below tune-up basics offered by Mr. Hamman, a top Technician on JustAnswer before you journey off.

Road Trip Checklist

1) Make sure all your basic maintenance is up-to-date. The scheduled tune up items will be listed in the maintenance schedule of the owner’s manual.

2) Have the engine’s hoses and belts checked out.

3) Inspect the tread on the tires for wear. Use the quarter trick to check if the tread is too worn: Hold the quarter upside down inside the tread. If you can see George Washington’s head, the tread is too worn down. Then check the air pressure. Don’t forget to check out condition/pressure in the spare tire as well. I would also check the tire jack and lug wrench to make sure it is all there and add a few drops of oil to the jack’s moving parts.

4) Check all fluid levels as part of the pre-trip maintenance and then continue to check them throughout the duration of the trip.

5) Check to make sure your battery is clean.

What to take on the road with you

Mr. Hamman also suggests the following supplies in case you need to do any emergency fixes on your own:

·      For starters, make sure to purchase a repair manual for your car, along with a good compact set of hand tools, including sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters and a hammer. If you do some repairs yourself, the repair manual and tools will allow you to make some emergency repairs.

·      I like to carry a tire plug kit, and a 12volt air compressor, which can really save the day.

·      I would carry a set of jumper cables, and a few road flares too. If you have to change a tire at night, the road flares make it a lot safer. Road flares are a little strange for some, but they are incredibly effective especially at night.

·      Some people really feel safer with a GPS system. You can purchase a portable one if it’s not built into your car already.

Ask your own road trip question now. Mechanics and technicians can offer 1-on-1 customized answers based on your car’s specific make and model.