10 Car Care Tips for Long Trips

Nothing says spring break like a road trip! But, before you venture off on a long trip, be sure you’re taking care of your car so that it runs smoothly throughout your journey.

1. Take Care of Repairs

If you have any warning lights in your dash that you have neglected taking care of, make sure you start at least a month before your trip in order to ensure you have enough time to get yor car ready for the road.

If you are running short on time (or just want to save a lot of money!) MAS Repair’s convenient mail-in service can help refurbish your vehicle’s electrical components such as ABS consoles, ECUs and more quickly and for a fraction of the price of dealerships and auto body shops.

2. Check Tire Tread

Make sure your tires have sufficient tread to be safe and maintain traction with the road. The weather may change as you travel and you may encounter snow, ice, sleet or other inclement road conditions and your tires need to be in good enough shape to handle it.

3. Test Alignment

Your tire alignment helps you drive straight without having to adjust the wheel, which is very important for long car rides on the highway or interstate!

Observe whether your vehicle is pulling to one side or the other when you are not turning the wheel. If it is, you will need to get your alignment adjusted.

4. Check Fluid Levels

Get your oil changed and ask that they check all your fluid levels and top them off if necessary. Coolant levels are especially important as your engine will likely be running for long periods of time and coolant helps keep it from overheating.

 5. Replace Filters

Your air filters help keep the air in your car and engine clean and fresh so your vehicle can run efficiently and smoothly. Clogged filters can cut down on fuel efficiency and make your vehicle run loudly.

Check to see if your filters are clogged or overly dirty and replace them if they are.

6. Get a Spare Tire

If you don’t already have a spare tire, invest in one just in case. If you do have a spare tire, pull it out to inspect that it is still in good condition.

 7. Clean Out Your Vehicle

The more your vehicle weighs, the harder it will have to run and the less fuel efficient it will be during your trip. Remove anything from the trunk, backseat and glove compartments that isn’t necessary during your journey to help lighten the load.

8. Change Tire Pressure

The night before your journey, or the morning of, you may want to change your tire pressure to the higher setting listed on the tires or in your owner’s manual. Many tires and vehicle manufacturers recommend a higher setting for journeys with heavy loads or high speeds. This will help your tires wear better during your journey, and be more fuel efficient.

 9. Load Cargo Evenly

Try to evenly distribute the weight in your trunk, the backseat, and roof racks. This will help balance the car and optimize fuel economy. If you have a lot of heavy objects, load them forward in the trunk and evenly distribute the weight from side to side.

It’s also important to not overload your vehicle, as it can put too much strain on the engine to run at that weight for an extended period of time.

 10. Take Frequent Breaks

Long car journeys put a lot of strain on your vehicle and its engine. Take frequent breaks to let your car cool down to keep it functioning as well as possible and not overheating. Stay tuned to how it is driving and use these brakes to frequently check the tire pressure and ensure that everything is running normally.

Let MAS Repair Help Get Your Ready for the Road!

If you need any repairs done before your long journey, or have a warning light or issue with your vehicle when you return, MAS Repair is here to help. Our mail-in repair and refurbishment service can have your malfunctioning part repaired within 24 hours of receiving it at our Buford workshop. It will be back in the mail to you the next day, regardless of whether you live in Atlanta or anywhere in the country.

Fill out our online contact form for more information and to get started.