This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Advance Auto Parts. As always, the opinions and text are all mine!
Those of you who have been reading Momof6 for a while might remember our family's big road trip out West last summer… and how it started off with a bit of a mishap with my wheel during our travels through Illinois on I-80. Because IT FLEW OFF OF MY CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING! Now this was indeed a crazy (and scary) accident that was the result of our local tire service center not properly tightening the lug-nuts on my wheels after rotating my tires- and we were fortunate that I was able to bring to the car to a safe stop on the side of the road, and get it towed and repaired rather quickly so we could continue on our way.
But what this accident really underscored for me is how important it is to be prepared. Because I had made preparations for the possibility of a problem, I knew exactly whom to call for help. I knew where to locate my spare tire and the tire changing kit. And I can't tell you how comforting it was to be able to handle the problem vs. feeling helpless.
There are important things you can do to make sure that both you and your car are ready before you hit the road… so here are my best tips on how to prep your car for a family road trip!
1. Paperwork and Spare Parts
Make sure that you have copies of your vehicle registration, insurance information, and your car's owner's manual. Know whom you are going to call if your car breaks down. Many car insurance companies offer roadside assistance for a small fee, or you can look into joining AAA, but you definitely need to have a plan. Know where your spare tire is and where all the tire changing parts are located (you look this up in your owner's manual). I also suggest traveling with a extra bottle of windshield wiper fluid, a blanket, some bungee cords and duck tape- you never know when it might be helpful to be able to tie something down or tape it together! We also pack a few spare fuses for our car's outlet system, in case my kids blow a fuse while watching DVDs!
2. Know How to Jump Start Your Battery
Nothing spoils a road trip faster than returning to your car after a nice dinner out with the family, only to realize that you left your lights on and now your battery is dead. Don't know how to jump a battery? No problem- check out this article on “How to Jump Start a Car Battery” or watch this video:
3. Make Sure That Maintenance is Up to Date
You don't want to set out for a road trip without making sure that your car's maintenance is up to date. This includes things like oil changes, fluids replaced and topped off, and tires properly inflated and checked for undue wear. You can absolutely learn to do many of these maintenance checks yourself- here's a video that shows you how to check the oil level in your car:
And because my “Mommy bus” is a non-standard vehicle that requires a special motor oil, we also travel with a few bottles of the kind of oil my car needs- just in case we need to top off our fluids while on the road.
4. Headlights Should Be Clean and Bright
On many of our family road trips, we like to leave super early in the morning so that we can get lots of driving in while the kids go back to sleep in the car for a few hours. So making sure that we can see clearly while driving in the dark is important. But if your car has a few years under its belt and lots of mileage, sometimes the headlights start to become dim and murky- due to the oxidation that occurs on the headlight covers. This is easy to fix at home with a repair kit- and will leave your headlight covers cystal clear- greatly improving your ability to light up the night!
Head on over to Advance Auto Parts to learn more tips on how to prep your car for your next family road trip!
What special preparations do you always take to get your car ready prior to a road trip? Please leave me a comment and share them!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Advance Auto Parts. As always, the opinions and text are all mine!
car wash Boonton says
If you do not know how to do any of it. Better bring it to a certified mechanic.
Ronald Burke says
Any road expedition whether it is short or long is an alarming trial for the automobile. It is mainly because a small problem during the trip can cause a serious trouble. Performing various inspections is the best way to prepare the vehicle for the road hike. A vehicle parent should wait for the last moment to execute the maintenance task, rather he should do all the required inspections and servicing a few days before the trip so that he can get enough time for an effective car aftercare. By following the owner’s manual, he can perform some maintenance tasks on his own, but it is advisable to appoint a skilled auto technician- who can fulfill the major maintenance needs of his speed machine.
Graham says
One other (smaller) thing to make sure of is to bring trash bags! If your family is anything like mine, they’ll be snacking pretty much the entire time the car is moving between destinations. Having a trash bag at the ready is a good way to make sure you won’t have to spend an entire day cleaning out the car when you get home!
Dorothy Davis says
Most of the family road trips happen in the summer days. And like any other days, summer times also demands a regular preventive maintenance of our car to run smoothly without any failure in the middle of the road. Last summer, I got trapped into a very horrible situation when my car refused to start. I got scared and wondered what should I do. Had I maintained the car properly before, I would not have to suffer that day. Apart from that, as you have mentioned many car owners forget to take the necessary documents of their car. These are vital things and could help us significantly.
Anna Parker says
Before making a journey, you have to keep few things ready in order to make the trip more enjoyable. You have to check the vehicle at a perfect garage and if it would have any issues, fix them out. Ask the mechanics not to compromise with the issues. Always fill the vehicle tank at the first fuel station. You have to carry an emergency kit to deal with any minor car related problems, if arises in the middle of the trip. Also, do not forget to carry snacks and water with you for refreshment purposes.
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Saini Flange says
Great Share!
Make sure the level of oil is up to the surface as the lack of oil can cause big worries on a trip. It may cause internal damage to it or it may get freeze which means only a mechanic can fix out the fault.
So properly test your vehicle before you move on.
Christina says
That’s an extremely unfortunate incident with the wheel of your car. Thankfully. you were able to find a resolution quickly and made it safely to the side of the road.
Gokhan Degirmenci says
Most people remember to check their oil, but how about checking the rest of your fluids? Coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and window-washing fluid are all vital parts of your car’s operation. (Okay, so window-washing fluid isn’t vital, exactly, but it sure is convenient to have when you’re rolling down a beach road being peppered by bugs.) Make sure all your fluids are properly topped off.
Westly Smith says
I like how you mention that your headlights should be clean and bright. I see a ton of people on the road with dim headlights. It drives me crazy because it’s so easy to fix. Like you say, it can be fixed in a few minutes if you take it to a repair shop.
Kayla Rogers says
I had no idea that wheels could just fly off your car like that! That would be so scary to have happen during a road trip, and also completely unexpected. I’m glad that you were able to get it towed quickly after that accident, but it is still a good idea to be prepared for anything to happen.
Michael says
Thanks for these great tips. I really enjoyed reading the information regarding how to prep car for a family road tip. I’m thinking of a road tip next week, this post info pretty much inspired me to make my plan successful.
Freddy Palander says
These are great tips for those of us with well-used cars. Thanks for sharing them.
Meg Lund says
Your third suggestion to make sure that your maintenance is up to date not only is an important thing for a long road trip, but to also make sure that your car is always in proper working condition. Always making sure that your car is up to date will reduce more extreme problems down the road. I like that you say that you can do many of the checks yourself too. It is a simple thing, however, a lot of people don’t know how to do these things, so it’s cool that you included a small video to show just how to do a few of these things. Thanks for your insight to proper car maintenance and care!
Jammie says
We make sure the tires are aired up and we have snacks, blankets, jumper cables and extra fluids like oil and antifreeze in the car. We also make sure we have enough entertainment items for the kiddo.
Sharon says
Yes- plenty of entertainment and snacks for the kiddos is critical!
Alison says
Checking the tires and safety components of your car regularly is so important – especially before taking off on a long road trip! We always make sure to check tire pressure and lug nuts (but that’s partly because hubby was a tire man for several years).
Sharon says
So smart! We can all take lessons from your hubby!
Joshua Berg says
Test out your jack is a great idea. Often people go to change a tire and realize they have no idea how to use a jack!
Sharon says
Great tip! And I have to admit- I don’t know how to use my jack either…. but when my wheel flew off of my car, I least needed to know where it was, because the tow truck driver had to use it to put the spare tire on my car so that I could then be towed. My car needed to be towed from the front since that’s the way I was facing on the side of the highway, and they would have had to close the highway down in order to turn my car around…. and since it was the back wheel that came off, they had to get the spare on right there.