While some parents might quake at the idea of spending more time than necessary in the car with their kids, family road trips are becoming an increasingly popular, and surprisingly affordable way to create a memorable travel experience.
Sure, there’s likely to be plenty of ‘are we there yet’ and probably a fair amount of backseat bickering, but the chances are that you’ll see these hassles as more than worthwhile when you get stuck into the sights and experiences that are only possible from a road-based trip.
That being said, for the sake of everybody’s sanity, you’re going to want to keep even your road trip moving at a pace that keeps the whole family happy. You’re especially going to want to avoid the potentially lengthy delays that can happen if anything goes wrong with your car while you’re away.
Unfortunately, when you face taking your car on what is likely the most extreme trip of its life, you may quickly come to realize all of the breakdown risks that you face along the way. That’s an unappealing prospect for sure, but trust us when we say that you can take pretty reliable steps to reduce the risks of this happening as much as possible.
To prove it, we’re going to talk you through a quick crash course for keeping your car running well the entire road trip long.
# 1 – Get your engine up to speed
Hence why, before you take care of anything else, you’re going to need to ensure that your engine is up to speed. Predominantly, this means completing a full engine check before leaving, including checking (or getting a professional to check) things like your engine oil, any visible leaks, and the condition of your radiator.
If you spot a problem now, then getting booked in for a proper service is essential, allowing you to either invest in new parts or even consider new performance engines that you can trust. This will save you a great deal of money compared with what you’d pay for roadside assistance otherwise. Plus, it means you can all set off knowing without a shadow of a doubt that your engine is up to the challenge you’re about to set for it.
# 2 – Take care of general checks
Admittedly, most road trip breakdowns happen due to engine trouble, but it’s important to remember that there are also other things worth considering. For instance, general checks on things like your tire pressure and brake pads are also vital for ensuring the smooth functioning of your vehicle, especially considering the use it’s about to be exposed to.
Equally, you’re going to want to check things like the charge left on your car battery so that you can invest in fully-charged replacements where necessary. And, of course, checks on equipment like your puncture repair kit or spare tire (if you have one) mean that, even if the worst does happen, you’ve at least got the tools you need all ready to hand to ensure that you can get back on the road before the kids can start to complain.
# 3 – Map your gas stops
Most often, car-based advice regarding any road trip will revolve solely around the checks that we’ve already mentioned. The reasons for that are obvious considering that this is the best possible way to avoid breakdown, but it’s also worth remembering that even a well-running vehicle won’t serve you if you land in the middle of nowhere without any fuel.
That’s why avoiding breakdown is as much about mapping your gas stops as it is about completing those general checks in the first place, particularly considering that you’ll otherwise have no clue where much-needed gas stops are, or even whether it’s possible to make it from one to the other without risking an empty tank.
Luckily, tools like Google Maps (which are generally great for road trips) enable you to map your entire route and even make it possible to select gas stations based on mileage alone. As a general rule, this is more than worth doing, as is writing out a clear list of gas stations that you’ll reach within plenty of time of your gas light coming on each time.
It’s especially worth remembering here that you’re going to have a car loaded with your family and your things, meaning that you really can’t take any chances when it comes to those distances between options.
# 4 – Make room for rest
Given that you’ve got a potentially impatient family in the car with you, it’s tempting to head from one location to the next in a straight, consistent drive. But, as well as taking a large part of the exploratory joy out of your road trip, this is guaranteed to be bad news for your vehicle.
Driving for unbroken periods on hot roads, in particular, can quickly lead to overheating, and subsequent breakdowns as a result. Hence why experts recommend resting your car for as often as 15 minutes every two hours of your trip.
Admittedly, this will often be possible during your gas stops themselves, but even between that time, pinpointing a nice local park or cafe that you can all crowd into while the car gets some shut-eye will ultimately help you to reach your destination far faster, and with far less hassle, than if you risked pushing through to the detriment of even your new, high-power engine.
Road trips require a fair amount of planning, and if you want a smooth journey, then your car needs to feature within that using these crucial pointers.
