Road Trip Checklist: Prepping your vehicle for those long summer drives

JACKSON, Tenn. — Summer road trips can be the best times of the summer. However, it is so important to make sure your car is ready to go on a long road trip.

We spoke with Audra Fordin, who is an ASE-certified mechanic, on what we need to check before our road trips.

“It’s so important that, when you’re on a road trip, that you have your car ready to go,” Fordin said. “Polishing your headlights is so important. If you take a look and you see a film over them, it’s oxidation from the sun, which limits the light that’s going through. So an easy restoration kit, a little bit of elbow grease, can help polish those headlights so you can have clear visibility while you’re driving.”

Fordin says checking your tires is also a very important thing to do. She says they will only last about three to five years. She says you need to check the manufacturer’s date to see when your tires might need to be changed. She also says to look for bulges, rips, or tears.

“Well that’s an indication that you definitely need to replace your tires, because that’s a potential blowout that’s waiting to happen,” said Fordin.

Fordin says that people will come into her shop all the time and ask for them to quickly check everything. However, she says that is not the best thing to do.

“The truth is, you don’t want to have a onceover,” Fordin said. “You want to be specific and check things that might cause you to have a mechanical breakdown on the road. Check your battery, check your tires, check your filters, check your belts and hoses, and check your fluids. It’s going to ensure that you will have a successful road trip.”

Doing all of those things regularly can help prolong the life of your car.

Road trips are a great way to explore the country, however you never want to have to stop due to a problem with your vehicle.

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