Road Trip!! Part Five: Car Care and Maintenance

When I started doing my research for this trip, I found all the mommy blog posts on how to pack, and how to keep the kids entertained while in the car. They are some great resources too! There is tons of information on how to pack to make life easier, as well as plenty of car games, and how to get the kids to behave. Their lists and resources are all invaluable.

But, what I did notice was a significant lack of information on how to prepare and maintain your car before and during a road trip. I know a lot of us usually have a partner who could be termed a ‘gear-head’, but if you’re not that lucky because your partner knows less than you do (or, in my case, if your non-gear-head partner isn’t going with you), I’m gonna go over the basics you need to know here.

Engine Maintenance

The first thing to know about your engine is that you NEED to check your engine’s fluids. Yep. There’s fluid in there, and you’ve got to check it regularly. Hop on YouTube, and search your car’s make and model and then the phrase ‘how to check the fluids’. I guarantee you someone has made a video about how to do this very thing. The videos will also show you how to fill them if they’re low.

Next, make sure you get an oil change! Your car needs fresh oil in order to stay functional. If the oil is too old, or too low, your engine can seize up and stop working all together, and then, well, it’s cheaper to buy a new car. You can get your oil changed at a number of different places (including Walmart), and you should have it done every 3000 miles. So, on my upcoming trip, I’ll need to have it changed before we leave, halfway through, and when we get back, because it’s a 6000-mile-round-trip. Unless your car is already over 100,000 miles and you’re using a full synthetic oil, then you just need to change it before you leave.

You should also get your trusted mechanic to give your engine a tune-up. This involves your mechanic giving your engine a once-over to make sure everything is in working order, as well as changing out the spark plugs (they wear out) and all of the fuses (they wear out too). If something is wrong, it’s best to know now, so that you can have it repaired before you leave, rather than have it break somewhere along the way.

Tires and Brakes

Next to your engine these things are probably the most important thing on your car. If ANY of your tires do not pass the Penny Test (Take a penny, turn it upside down, and hold it in between the treads on your tires. If the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head is visible, it’s time for new tires.) it’s time for new tires. I highly recommend that you also have the tire store do a balance (it’s where they level your wheels) and alignment (it’s where they re-align all your tires and your steering wheel so they all match). It saves wear and tear on your new tires. You should also search YouTube for a tutorial on how to use a tire pressure gauge to check your tire pressure. There is a sticker on the inside frame of your driver’s door that tells you what the pressure should be for your car’s tires. If your tires are low, you can take your car to any gas station, car wash, or tire store and use (or have the store use) the air compressor to fix the problem. Beware, though that the air compressors at car washes and gas stations often require quarters (some take cards).

Brakes are just as important as your tires are, because if they’re going bad, you’re not gonna be able to stop very well at all, which leads to car accidents, and no one wants that. If your brakes are squealing when you use them, it’s time to change them. You’ll know the sound when you hear it. The easiest answer is to take the car to your mechanic and ask them to change your brakes for you. Always do them in pairs, at the very least! And, if the mechanic says you need your rotors machined/turned, give him/her the approval to do it. Your rotors are part of your braking system on your car, and you want your brakes to do their job to the best of their abilities.

You should also YouTube a video for your car to learn how to change the tire, and then practice doing so before you leave. Practice in areas that aren’t just your driveway! You won’t always be lucky enough to be on a flat, level surface doing this job. Be sure to double check your car for your tire iron and jack before you leave to make sure that they’re packed.

One smaller item that you’ll also want to check is your windshield wiper blades. If you can’t remember the last time you changed them, it’s time to change them. Places like Auto Zone, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, and even Walmart carry wiper blades for all the common models of cars. Stop in, find a pair for your car, and replace them. They just clip into place, so anyone can do this job! If you’re not sure which set you need, most auto parts stores can look it up for you.

Insurance, Registration, and Driver’s Licenses

I know paperwork doesn’t seem like it belongs in a blog post about car maintenance on a road trip, but it does. You need to check and double check that your insurance and registration, and driver’s license are all up-to-date before you leave. You need to have updated copies printed so that you can take them with you. I recently checked my driver’s license and realized that it was set to expire about a week before we leave on our road trip. Can you imagine what could have happened if I got pulled over for any reason with an expired license? Personally, I don’t want to, so I got it renewed a couple weeks ago, and I’m waiting for it to come in the mail. I also know most of us have our insurance readily available in an app on our phone, but phones also tend to die right when we need them the most, so paper copies are always nice to have.

Tollways and Other Pay-to-Drive Roads

I recently learned that a lot of the highways in Florida are also toll roads, but that instead of being able to pay at each entrance, that they scan your license plate and send you a bill later. I certainly don’t want that, so I figured out how to sign up for their local transponder service called SunPass. I also plan on keeping change in the car to pay for toll roads in other states. It’s certainly something to think about, and to keep in mind while you’re traveling.

I certainly hope that this information fills some of the gaps about car maintenance before, during, and after a road trip! Your car needs to be taken care of so that you can get to where you’re going and back safely. It certainly needs to be high on your road trip priority list. I also hope it helps you to better understand what you need to check and do before you leave!