We’re heading into the warmer months and everyone is thinking about a well earned break. Driving holidays are great ways to get out on the wide open road and enjoy everything Australia has to offer.
It’s just you, your family or friends and the open road – an institution of the Australian holiday scene.
However, if your car falls into a heap halfway through, your holiday road trip won’t be nearly as much fun. Making sure your car is up to road trip standard is integral before a long trip. If you’ve been using your vehicle as a runabout car for a majority of the year, it could struggle under the arduous travel involved with the big trip. Your car might have up to date car insurance and all the fancy mod-cons, from air-con to in seat DVD players, but is everything working under the hood and in the key performance areas?
Here are the areas that need your attention before you head off on a holiday road trip.
Tyres
Your tyres must be of a high standard and must be pumped to the right level for long, high speed driving. Check the placard on your car, often on the inside of the driver’s door, to find out how much your car tyres should be pumped up. Also make sure you check the spare tyre – there’s nothing worse than pulling out the spare tyre after a puncture only to find it is flat as well!
Car Fluids
Your car relies on a host of fluids to achieve optimal performance. From brake fluid to engine coolant, wiper fluid to oil, all these important car liquids must be checked before long travel. If one, or all, of these fluids aren’t filled up the right level, you could be left stuck on the side of the road waiting for emergency roadside assistance.
Luggage
It’s a feature of any car holiday, and often takes up more room than it should. It’s vital to check that all your luggage is going to fit in your car without impeding the driver – something we often forget about when we just want to get out of the house and onto the road. Do a practice run with your luggage to see how it’s going to fit before the trip. Then, get everyone travelling with you to stick to their luggage guidelines – if you can’t see the road, you’re not being a safe driver.
Keeping Sane
Having something for everyone to do whilst you drive is also very important. You’re likely to have a wide age range if you’re travelling with children, so things like varied tastes in music and DVD’s (if installed) are going to be common. Have something on hand for everyone to avoid fights and tantrums, and you’ll go a long way to enjoying a stress free trip.
Follow these guides to have an enjoyable holiday road trip this summer!
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