Preparing your car for the next jaunt


Significantly reduced costs, not being forced to put the pets into a kennel, and existing as a great option that the whole family can enjoy, are just a handful of the reasons behind thousands of Brits choosing the ‘staycation’ over a holiday abroad.
Packing up the car and driving a hundred miles down the road to a peaceful campsite is becoming increasing popular, however, do you know what you need to do before you take off?

Engine management

A blown head gasket can cost you anywhere between £300 and £700. On the other hand, checking your oil will cost you a maximum of ten minutes.  Grab a bit of kitchen roll, pull out your engine’s dip stick, wipe away the oil, and re-dip it to check your levels. If you’re running low, top it up. Most of us will ever only venture under the bonnet as soon as something goes wrong e.g. a Vesuvius-like cloud bellowing from the engine. Despite an exact timescale of how often you should check your oil not existing, experts suggest if you’re a regular driver, you should check it at least once a month. Let your oil run too low, or use the wrong one, and you could be looking at serious damage to your car’s components.

Tyre safety

The quality and state of your tyres are a crucial factor in regard to automotive efficiency and safety. Automotive testing has found that an underinflated tyre can increase your fuel consumption by around five percent. So not only will your fuel bill be much heftier that it should be, you’re also doing more damage to the environment.
A blowout at any speed can be catastrophic, but at 70mph on the motorway it could put you at a serious risk of crashing. Not only will you cause detrimental harm to other road users, it’s a nightmare to get fixed, and is likely to damage the rim. Handling levels are massively affected by tyres that are underinflated as well, with stopping distances increased and steering taking a similar knock. A car tyre inflator is easily stored in the boot, taking up limited space and will seem like a priceless purchase when you’re stood on the hard shoulder.
Most modern cars don’t come as standard with a spare wheel. Marketed as a space saver, most manufactures in recent years have opted out of providing consumers with a full-size spare wheel, and in its place, you will find tyre sealant foam. Be comfortable that you know how to use it before heading off into the abyss, and if it’s a spare, learn how to use a jack.

Visibility

Make sure you have topped up your washer bottles before heading off on your adventure. Country roads that lead to some of the nicest camp sites are also used on a daily basis by tractors and other farm machinery, which are likely to spray muck over the roads. Following Google maps can be tricky enough, never mind having to do so with darkened out, dirt covered windows.

Eating and entertainment

Of course, it isn’t just the car that needs to be fueled — you need energy as well. The last thing you want to do, particularly if you’re on tight budget in regard to time, is to devote half an hour to driving around trying to find something for lunch or dinner. Pack a picnic into a cool bag, ensuring you remain topped up in terms of nutrition. It’s important that you don’t overlook drinks either – remember to take plenty of cold and hot drinks such as water and organic coffee to keep you hydrated on your trip.
The radio, particularly on longer journeys, can often become monotonous, therefore, creating a playlist might be of interest. If you fancy a few laughs along the way, a nice addition to Spotify as of late is the Best of British Comedy playlist, which includes a range of excerpts from stand up shows and BBC series Mock the Week.
 
With the UK boasting such a host of opportunities, there is nothing stopping you from packing up the car and driving the lengths and breadths of the country.
 


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