Car Advice And Prep Suggestions For Uneventful Long Family Journeys
Posted by admin at 18 January 2018, at 11 : 22 AM
Planning long family road trips is a great way to see the country without having to spend a fortune on air travel. It’s something that thousands of families do every single year. However, it’s possible that you might face lots of headaches if you don’t consider some of the car advice and prep suggestions from this article. With a bit of luck, anyone who reads this post and then puts the information to use should end up having an enjoyable and uneventful journey. Just remember that you might have to tailor some of these tips based on your family and the type of vehicle you drive. However, for the most part, the advice below should cover all the bases.
Clean your car thoroughly before the trip
It makes sense that you will want your car to shine at the beginning of your road trip according to specialists like those at Activly. So, take it down to your local car wash and pay the people there to ensure it sparkles. You could even wash the automobile at home if you have decent weather and the kids want to get involved. Also, don’t forget about the interior because your family is going to spend a long time sitting in the cab. Pay for a professional valeting service for the best results, but if you don’t want to spend a lot of cash; you just need to get your vacuum. Once the car is clean and smelling fresh; you’re ready to start packing and planning the first section of your journey.
Get a mechanic to check your oil and other essentials
The last thing you want is to cause lots of damage to your engine during a lengthy drive. For that reason, it’s vital that you take your vehicle to a mechanic and ask them to give it the once over before you leave the state. Hopefully, that service shouldn’t cost much money, and you won’t require too many repairs. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry because you’re going to kick yourself if something goes wrong when you’re in the middle of nowhere cruising down Route 66 or something similar. Also, experts like those at David Christensen Law say that many accidents can occur if a vehicle doesn’t function as it should. So, there are lots of safety-related reasons you need to pay for a car check.
Invest in a sat nav, so you don’t get lost
Unless you know the route you plan to drive like the back of your hand, buying a satellite navigation device is essential. You already know that you’re going to spend a long time on the road. So, you don’t want to extend that period by getting lost and doubling back. That is something many people do from time to time, and it’s incredibly frustrating. That is especially the case when you have the entire family in the back of your vehicle. Thankfully, sat navs have come down in price during the last few years, and you can pick them up now for next to nothing. So, there is no excuse for not following that advice. You’ll regret it if you overlook that tip!
Research and plan gas station stops along the way
Running out of fuel in the middle of the Nevada desert is not ideal, and you will probably have to call someone to come and rescue your family. Nobody wants to deal with that embarrassment, and so you should take the time to check online before you leave home. Work out how many miles you can get for each gallon of fuel, then get a map out and plan your gas station stops accordingly. That way, you should never risk damaging your engine when the fuel runs out, and your car is moving on fumes. No matter where you plan to travel in the US, there are always ways of planning your route, so you encounter enough gas stations along the way. You just have to use some common sense.
Keep a number handy for your breakdown company
If you don’t pay for a national breakdown service at the moment, now is the best time to give some relevant companies a call. You never know when your car is going to stop working or where in the country you might find yourself when that happens. So, you need protection from a nationwide breakdown service that will fix or retrieve your vehicle from anywhere in the country. With a bit of luck, that should mean you never find your family stranded for more than a couple of hours, even if you travel out into the sticks. Just remember to keep your smartphone charged at all times because a flat battery could leave you stuck in the desert or the mountains.
Store some essentials in the car just in case
Just in case something goes wrong and you end up stranded, it’s wise to keep some essential survival gear in your trunk. That should mean having enough sleeping bags or blankets for every passenger, and a stock of food for everyone to eat. You might also think about storing a spare phone battery and some first aid equipment. Hopefully, that would ensure your entire family can survive happily for a few hours until someone comes to your rescue. If you need some inspiration for the type of items to keep in your car, just search online because there are many advice articles that focus on that subject.
As you can see from the information on this page, sometimes you have to think long and hard before lengthy car journeys if you want to ensure your experience goes down without a hitch. Of course, there are lots of things that can go wrong, and so you might encounter something unexpected at some point. However, if you make the preparations suggested in this article’ you should have no need to worry. Whatever happens, you will have all the tools and assistance you require to come to a solution. Good luck with that, and see you back here soon!