Prepping Your Car For A Road Trip: Don't Forget These 3 Steps Before You Go
Preparing for a road trip isn’t just about packing the car with plenty of snacks, extra water bottles, and making sure there’s a blanket available for when you need a nap. It’s not only about pre-planning your rest stops, or making sure you’ve got alternative routes ready in case traffic gets too bad.
You also need to make sure the car you’re taking is genuinely ready for the journey. And while there are a few obvious things most people remember to do before setting off, some important pre-trip checks often get missed. We’re simply here to put them back on your radar.
In this article, you’ll find the top three vehicle checks that are most commonly forgotten before a road trip—quick, practical steps that can help prevent delays, damage, and avoidable stress once you’re on the move.
As such, here are the top 3 most commonly forgotten vehicle checks to get done before you go on a road trip.
No. 1
Check Your Fluid Levels
You’ve probably checked all over the car by this point, made sure your tyres have the right pressure, and confirmed you’ve got a proper tool kit in the back for handling an issue on the side of the road.
But don’t forget about your fluid levels as well. You need to be sure you’ve got the right amount of engine oil, brake fluid, and coolant in the car before you set off.
And of course, make sure you’ve got enough fuel in the tank as well. So many road trips have suffered from false starts simply because the driver has had to stop at a station only an hour into the journey.
If you’re headed somewhere remote—where you’d be in real trouble if the engine ran dry—make filling up your first priority before the journey really gets underway.
No. 2
Protect Your Paintwork
Going to be heading off-road at any point? Might get bogged down in the mud along the way?
There’s a chance you could run into these conditions on a road trip, especially with changeable weather—and accidents can always happen.
Take the wrong turn and end up on a dirt road, or park on a grassy verge when you’re off for a hike—your car can take a beating without you even intending it to.
As such, you may want to protect your paintwork with some ppf installation before you go. Adding an extra protective layer to the body of your vehicle can go a long way in helping ensure pebbles, rocky crags, and sharp branches don’t leave marks that aren’t easily fixed.
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No. 3
Learn How to Use Your Emergency Tools
You don’t want to discover you have no idea how to use jump cables or a car jack when you’ve broken down and need them working as soon as possible. Get familiar with them before you go.
Have a quick practice with the tools in your driveway or garage, or at the very least watch a tutorial that walks you through the steps clearly. A little preparation now can save a lot of panic later.
Remember, your car is going on your road trip too—so make sure it’s ready for the journey!
Takeaways
A smooth road trip starts before you turn the key. Alongside the obvious checks, taking a few minutes to confirm your fluid levels, protect your paintwork, and learn how to use your emergency tools can prevent minor issues from becoming major interruptions. With these commonly forgotten tasks handled, you’ll be able to focus less on what could go wrong—and more on enjoying the drive.
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