How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
If you’re the type of person who loves to travel, you know there’s no better feeling than getting in your truck and hitting the road. However, to do it without problems, it is important to keep your vehicle in good condition and ensure it is ready for an extended trip.
This will help keep you safe while traveling to an amazing new destination in Peru and save you money on potentially expensive repairs.
If you still need to learn how to take care of your car while traveling, don’t worry. At Mitsubishi Motors, we offer tips to protect your truck whenever you’re looking for a new adventure.
Table of Contents:
- 1. Keep it clean
- 2. Check the lights
- 3. Check the tires
- 4. Test your wipers
- 5. Make sure you can accelerate and stop without problems
1. Keep it clean
Chances are your car gets pretty dirty when you’re traveling. Finding yourself with muddy puddles, dirt, torrential rains, and dirt, in general, will make your SUV lose that attractive look that it usually has.
In addition to the exterior appearance of your truck, did you know that the accumulation of dirt can affect your car’s paint? Avoid unnecessary paint erosion and rust by taking at least 20 minutes to wash and wax your vehicle in certain spots the road allows.
And remember, remember the interior! When traveling in the privacy of your car, it’s all too easy to leave a bottle or packet of your favorite snacks on the seat or floor, even if you intend to dispose of them later.
Remember that cleaning the interior promptly will look good, and an unpleasant smell will permeate your vehicle.
Always keep it clean!
2. Check the lights
Before hitting the road, it is essential to check your truck’s lights. Remember to check the emergency lights just like the lights we use daily, such as headlights, turn signals, reverse lights, and brake lights.
Replace any component that is no longer working. If you’re traveling to a remote destination, consider an extra pair for the road as prevention. It is not a considerable expense, so it does not require a large investment. Plus, you need to know when you might need them.
Check the tiresDon’t wait until you suspect a problem with your tires. Those damaged, depending on where you are, can be a danger.
Make it part of your travel routine to check the air pressure in your tires to monitor for any possible problems. It is also super important to ensure that the spare tire is in good condition and that you are bringing all the necessary equipment to change them.
- Test your wipers
Even if it’s summer and there’s not a drop of rain in sight, it’s important to check your wipers and make sure they’re working properly before heading out on a new adventure.
You inevitably find yourself in the middle of the road, and suddenly a heavy rain falls. We are sure you want to avoid taking risks and losing the possibility of observing the road correctly by forgetting to clean your windshields. Therefore, replace damaged and malfunctioning windshield arms and avoid losing the beautiful view of the road.
- Make sure you can speed up and stop without problems.
Remember the basics: accelerator, brake, and clutch before your trip begins, and be sure to check that the steering wheel works correctly and does not present any problems.
You must learn to identify strange sounds in your engine, whether a roar or a purr-like sound. The fundamental thing is that as soon as you hear a different sound than normal, you approach a mechanic.
Knocking sounds usually indicate a problem with the oil; Do a review and, if necessary, stock up on this component. If it persists, don’t risk it on the road; go to the nearest specialist.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
9 tips for a comfortable and safe road trip
When planning a road trip, be sure to keep a few tips in mind to get to your destination safely and comfortably and to keep your new pickup truck in the best condition possible.
You need to plan for your road trip, and we’re not just talking about luggage. It is common for travelers not to prepare for the demands of a long trip. More than 60 percent of drivers report getting behind the wheel while drowsy.
With this statistic in mind, you should take steps to prepare for long drives before you get behind the wheel to keep yourself alert and energized throughout the journey. These tips for long trips will help you on the road.
Table of Contents:
- 1. Get enough sleep before driving
- 2. Bring healthy snacks for the road trip
- 3. Stay hydrated
- 4. Plan your rest stops
- 5. Chew gum
- 6. Use energizing scents
- 7. Sit up straight
- 8. Keep passengers entertained
- 9. Listen to audiobooks
Get enough sleep before drivingThink about exhaustion before you start your trip, not after. Get at least seven hours of sleep for two consecutive nights before the road trip to build energy reserves.
It’s best to start in the morning after a good night’s sleep, not after a long, exhausting day at work (unless you plan to stop). Take regular breaks to stay fresh and alert, stopping approximately every two hours.
Also, as recommended by doctors, try to avoid driving between 1 and 3 pm, when body temperatures are lowest and people are naturally tired.
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- Bring healthy snacks for the road trip.
Packing various healthy, vitamin-packed foods will allow you to manage small snacks during the long journey while skipping the fast food stops.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
To be alert, carrots and almonds are very good alternatives.
- Stay hydrated
Keep your water supply well stocked for maximum power. One possible downside to this is that you’ll have to make more bathroom stops, but you can coordinate with your companions before you leave on your trip so you’re clear about where they’ll be stopping.
- Plan your rest stops.
One of the most important road trip tips is to get out of the car and stretch your legs every two hours or so, some experts suggest. Plan these stops on your long trip, whether they fall at lunchtime or can be timed to allow you to see interesting places.
- Chew gum
The repetitive process increases circulation and alertness. According to various health specialists, the sugary type of gum is unnecessary to achieve the desired effect.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
- Use energizing scents
During long-distance driving, it is also recommended to have a source of mint scent nearby. When you feel like you need a boost, inhale this scent. It is a pleasant, all-natural stimulant that reduces fatigue and increases alertness.
- Sit up straight
Ensure your seat is snug against your body, angled for maximum blood flow. Sit down if you feel the “trance” of driving coming on. Take a deep breath and scan your body for tension if your hip hurts on the right side; for example, lean to the other side.
- Keep passengers entertained
Long trips, especially with children, can lead to arguments. That kind of aggravation leads to driver fatigue. So make sure the kids are entertained with books, puzzles, and other distractions that make time go by faster. On the other hand, road trip games like “Find the license plate” are great for keeping everyone engaged with each other.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
- Listen to audiobooks
Audiobooks help keep your brain active without creating a dangerous distraction. Listening to humor books or even comedy CDs is recommended. Laughing will keep you awake.
These long-trip tips can help protect you and your car on the road. Enjoy your trip, but always take the necessary precautionary measures!
5 tips to protect your car while the confinement lasts
Checking elements such as the battery or the tires are essential for the ‘health’ of the vehicle.
The pandemic ravaging us these weeks forces us to remain confined to our homes for as long as possible. And this has a derivative for our vehicles, which remain stopped for days and days, either on the street or in the garage, with the consequent risk that this implies for their ‘health.’
For this reason, we recommend to you, through five simple tips, how to protect your car’s good condition. Keep in mind that when the confinement ends, you will have to use it again for your trips, and it would be a chore not to be able to do so due to lack of battery maintenance or because you have not monitored the pressure of the tires, and they have deformed. Please pay attention to what we are going to tell you next.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
1.- The battery
Everyone knows that long periods of inactivity are very harmful to the battery of our vehicles. Modern models consume electricity even when stopped, given the large number of electronics they use. Although you may think this is a ridiculous consumption, the truth is that the sum of days or weeks without starting the engine for the alternator to recharge the battery can be fatal and compromise the available energy.
Other practical tips that will help you
For this reason, the simplest advice is to start the car for a few minutes every four or five days. If you do, you’ll need to keep it running until the engine reaches its operating temperature. Remember that in a gasoline engine, this will happen sooner than in a diesel cycle.
On the other hand, if your car is already a few years old (more than 10), you can always opt for the installation of a current breaker. It is a relatively affordable part installed on one of the battery terminals. With this activated device, which is like a switch, you can maintain the battery charge for long periods since it interrupts any electricity consumption of the vehicle.
In this way, you will lose the operation of the alarm or the vehicle’s central locking, and you will have to close the doors manually, one by one. In a modern vehicle (already with much more electronics), it is not advisable to opt for a current breaker.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
2.- Tire pressure
Whether in a period of confinement or conditions of total freedom, it is advisable to check the pressure of our tires at least once every 15 days. If we are forced not to move the car for a long period, this preventive maintenance makes more sense to prevent our tires from deforming, with the consequent danger that this entails for driving.
Either with a portable compressor or taking advantage of the trip to a gas station (the service stations remain open), it is best to inflate them once every 15 days. Since we will not drive the vehicle daily, we can raise the pressure bit. It is recommended by the manufacturer, depending on each tire.
In this way, if the recommended pressure is 2.8 or 3.0 bars, as an exceptional measure while the vehicle is immobilized, we can raise that value to a maximum of 3.3 bars. In this way, we will help prevent the tire from deforming. Logically, when this period ends and you return to driving the car normally, you must return to the pressures the manufacturer recommends.
3.- Car cover
The best way to protect bodywork is to use a cover to cover the car completely. If it’s parked on the street, all the more reason. That is what the theory says, although, in practice, it is almost impossible to see vehicles parked on our streets, covered by a protective cover.
If your car remains parked in a private garage, you can resort to a cloth cover, which is much more affordable, although less effective than canvas or plastic ones. On the contrary, if your car is parked outside and you want to protect it in the best possible way, you should resort to a plastic cover, the most effective against rain, hail, or snow. Depending on the vehicle, its price is around 60 euros on average.
4.- Windows
It is an element that often goes unnoticed on many occasions. If the vehicle is outside, dirt, dust, or tree pollen can form a film that seals the windows, preventing them from opening correctly. For this reason, we must periodically check its proper functioning, removing this dirt with a cloth or cloth.
As mentioned before, a good time to do it may be when we go down to start the engine for a few minutes. During that time, we can open and close all the vehicle windows to check that they have not been sealed.
If the vehicle remains stored in a private or individual garage, you can leave the windows open millimeters. With this action, you will get the air to circulate inside, avoiding the appearance of that annoying musty smell that usually arises when a vehicle is parked for a long period.
How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
5.- Gearbox
In models with a manual gearbox, paying attention to the gear we have engaged while the vehicle remains stationary is important. If the car remains parked in a garage and your space is perfectly level, activating the parking brake during a long period of inactivity is unnecessary. It will be enough to put a speed and, as an extra precaution, put some shocks on the wheels.
On the other hand, if your car remains parked outside and has a slight slope, you must use the parking brake and leave a gear engaged. Moving the vehicle as far as possible, a few centimeters forward and backward twice a week is recommended in this scenario.
With this simple maneuver, you will prevent the brake pads from getting ‘stuck’ to the brake discs. This usually happens when the vehicle remains stationary for many days, especially in winter when humidity and dirt intensify this effect.
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How to take care of your car while traveling on the road
