How to Get Your Car Ready For Summer Road Trips

Road trip across North AmericaAfter being cooped up at home for so long, most of us are looking forward to our summer road trips across Canada and the US. We are fortunate to be living in such a spectacular part of the world where we can safely travel with our families in our vehicles and visit places where we can enjoy our time-off and get away from our day-to-day routine.

If you are planning on taking road trips this summer, you should get your vehicle ready in order to avoid any issues that can spoil your trips. The last thing you would want to do is interrupt your trips in order to look for repair shops.

Getting Your Car Road Trip Ready

Service Your Vehicle

It is highly advisable to visit your trusted local auto repair shop before you set off on your road trip. None of us would want to have to deal with brake issues, radiator problems, fluid leaks, clogged filters, or broken belts instead of having fun with our family or friends. At Supertech Auto Repair North Vancouver, we inspect your vehicle’s brakes, belts, fluids, and filters to make sure that your vehicle is in top condition. This will help you avoid any unfortunate and unexpected breakdowns or accidents. The last thing you want is to cut your trip short or try to find a reputable auto shop hundreds of kilometres away from home.

Tire Inspection

Don’t forget your tires! Most people neglect to check their vehicle’s tires even though they are one of the most important components on any vehicle. It’s a fact that when our vehicle tires fail, we can put at risk the safety of our passengers as well as that of vehicles around us. At Supertech Auto, we will inspect the condition of your tires and check your wheel alignment. Your vehicle’s performance and fuel efficiency can be significantly reduced if your tires are in poor condition. To avoid dangerous and inconvenient situations, you need to ensure that your tires and wheel alignment are in an optimal state.

Service Your Air Conditioning  

If you plan to spend a considerable amount of time in your car or SUV during the summer months, servicing your A/C system is a must. Since we don’t use our A/C most of the year, it is highly recommended to turn on your A/C system to make sure it will keep you cool on your summer road trips. If you notice that your A/C system is not responding as effectively as it used to or if it makes strange noises or emits unusual odours, you may need to have it cleaned, recharged, or checked for possible leaks.  

Put Together An Emergency Kit

Always being prepared is not just for boy scouts, we all need to put together an emergency kit in our vehicles, especially if we plan on taking long road trips. Accidents or emergencies don’t only happen to other people, unfortunately, they can happen to us as well. If our vehicle breaks down for some reason or if we have an accident, having an emergency kit can help us deal with such situations more effectively.

When taking road trips, especially those in isolated or mountainous areas, we can’t always rely on our cell phones because we may not be in the range of a cell tower. It is also possible that even if we contact someone for assistance, it may take hours until it arrives. Consequently, we all need to prepare an emergency kit. Even though there are numerous pre-packaged kits available, they may not contain everything we need.

These are just some of the items that should be included in a basic emergency kit:

  • First aid items
  • Car cell phone charger
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Extra engine oil
  • Gas can
  • Tools: jack, crowbar, jumper cables, and a simple tool kit
  • Duct tape
  • Properly inflated spare tire
  • Reflective triangles
  • Water and a few nonperishable, high-energy foods
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Road flares
  • Warm/reflective blankets
  • Tire sealant
  • Elastic tie-downs
  • Rain poncho

Everyone at Supertech Auto Repair North Vancouver wants to wish you a happy and relaxing summer and we want you to get the most out of your road trips. To do that, you really need to ensure your vehicle is in proper working order before you set off. You shouldn’t waste your vacation time looking for random auto repair shops. Service your vehicle for that all-important peace of mind and protect your family.

Please book your summer-time service in advance. Waiting for the last minute before you leave for your road trip could mean postponing or delaying it. Give us a call at 604-980-9801, or book an appointment online today. Our Red Seal Certified mechanics will conduct a thorough service of your vehicle.