5 tips to get the car ready for vacation

We love to travel all year round, especially in the summer. We will go back to our hometown to visit my parents. We will go to Hilton Head, where my wife’s grandparents lived for 30 years. We will make the occasional daily trip up to the mountains to just getaway for the day.

All in all, we love to travel, but I will say that traveling with four kids can be a little hectic at times 🙂

Our kids are now getting older, and by the end of the summer, they will be 14, 12, 10, and 8. (Time sure flys!). Even though they are getting older, being prepared is something that we have to do if we want to keep our sanity. Seriously! We have to have everything ready to go, days in advance, including the car! No matter what kind of trip we’re going on… we want to be prepared, and everyone pitches in to help out.

(here are some pictures of the boys at the lake this summer, one of our favorite places to have a ‘daily’ trip)

Here are 5 tips to get your car ready for vacation. These are things that I make sure I do before we head out on the road.

1- Check your tires if you have a long trip planned.

1. CHECK THE TIRES

I always check the tires: the air pressure and the tread before going on a trip. Check the weather, too, because you need your tires to hold up in the rain (summer rainstorms can come out of the blue, but try to be prepared.) Do it a few days in advance, that way you can either fix your tires or you can get new ones. Good tread wear and proper tire inflation will help improve traction and just an overall better drive for our fun summer trips.

There is nothing more frustrating than getting ready to head out on a long trip to find a nail stuck in your tire. I’ve been there, and not a fun way to start a vacation!

2.CLEAN OR VACUUM OUT THE INSIDE

You wouldn’t believe how much ‘stuff’ can accumulate in our car. If you have kids, I’m sure you know what I mean! I think when you have a clean car when you are leaving for vacation, it is just refreshing. You are getting away from everything and going in a clean car helps to relax everyone, especially the driver! (Which is usually me :))

Ps- if you go to the beach… take your car to a local car cleaner before you head home to get the sand out of the car and to help wash away all the salt from your car!

3. CLEAN THE WINDOWS

I love to clean my cars, but I can honestly say I hate cleaning the windows. My wife can drive with her windows smudgy and it drives me crazy. Cleaning your windows is so important for visibility! Remember, cleaning the inside of your windows is just as important as cleaning the outside of the windows. I try to clean the windows with a good glass cleaner and a squeegee for the best results. ( I like to wash the full car before leaving)

4. CLEAN THE MIRRORS

This is the same concept as the windows – the mirrors are important. Be sure to get all of them, especially the rearview mirror.

5. CHECK YOUR FLUID LEVELS

Make sure your coolant is at the maintenance level, to help keep the engine cool. Remember to check the window-washer fluid. A good rule of thumb is to refill the washer fluid every time you change your oil. Change the oil before you leave if you are getting close to the mileage limits. (Or check it to make sure there are no leaks and it has the proper amount – check your owner’s manual to get the right info).

We love to travel… and explore new places, but we need to be safe in our car to keep our family safe (to enjoy memories like this one…)