Planning For A Road Trip? Here Is How To Prepare Your Volkswagen

Planning For A Road Trip? Here Is How To Prepare Your Volkswagen

Now that the snow has melted off the roadways and summer is finally here, it is time to take the winter tires off your Volkswagen and take it on the vacation of your dreams. Before you take your vehicle on an adventurous road trip, there are a few things that you should do first. Keep reading to find out if you and your vehicle are ready for a summer road trip.

How to Ensure that Your Car is Ready for a Road Trip

It can be stressful to be in an unknown area and have your vehicle malfunction. Before you get your vehicle out on the open road, you need to make sure that it is ready to travel a lot of kilometres.

1. Get a Tune-Up

A tune-up is a broad term. But basically, it means that you are going to get a thorough inspection of your vehicle's mechanical components. An experienced service technician will check vital parts of your engine to make sure everything is working properly. They will also inspect the hoses, spark plugs, and belts, and check the fluid levels. If anything seems to be wrong, the technician will fix it then. Getting a tune-up before a big trip will give you peace of mind knowing that your vehicle is ready for a long road trip.

2. Check the Tires

Check all four tires to ensure that they are properly inflated. If it is possible, check the air pressure during the coldest part of the day, this will help to give you a more accurate reading. Also, you will need to check the tread of the tire. When a tire's tread is worn down, it will eventually cause the tire to become bald. Your tire will have almost no traction on the slick paved roads. To check the tread, you can get a depth gauge and place it flush against different areas on the tire. The tread should read at least 5/32" or more. If you do not have a depth gauge, you can use a nickel. Turn the nickel to where the Queen's head is pointing down and place it in a standing up position on the tire. If the tread touches the crown, the tire is fine. If it is below, the tire should be replaced.

3. Check the Battery

It is also a good idea to get the voltage of your battery checked. The winter months can be tough on a battery. Once the summer is here, it is good to always check the battery to make sure that it is held out during the winter. You will also want to give the battery a visual inspection. Look for corrosion around the connectors or any cracks or other damage.

Road Trip Check List

Once you have ensured that your vehicle is ready to go, you need to make sure that you are ready as well. Some must-have items that you will need o to carry with you include:

  • Your driver's license 
  • Everyone's passport 
  • Medical insurance card (Just in case) 
  • An extra set of car keys (Also, just in case) 

You may also want to bring some cash with you as well. For the most part, we have turned into a cashless society. Almost everything can be paid by using an app, debit card, or some form of cryptocurrency. However, there are some things that may require cash-only.

How to Pack the Car for Your Road Trip

Depending on where you are going and what you are doing, there could be a lot of things to pack, including your clothes, blankets, toiletries, electronics, and more. When trying to decide what you need to take, you should consider the following things:

  • What type of vehicle you are travelling in 
  • Whether or not your vehicle has roof rails 
  • Are you planning on hauling a trailer to carry your extra cargo? 
  • If you are in an SUV, will you be utilizing all of the available seats, or will you be able to fold some of them flat to make more interior space? 

Once you figure out exactly how much room you will have, you will be able to know exactly what you are able to bring with you. 

Find Your Perfect Road Trip Vehicle Today

If you are looking for a vehicle that has a better fuel economy or you need more interior space, feel free to contact us today. We have a wide range of versatile vehicles that would be perfect to take on an adventurous road trip.

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