5 WAYS TO PREPARE YOUR CAR FOR THE BIG FAMILY HOLIDAY
The summer holidays are creeping up on us now, which means if you’ve got a UK family holiday planned for the long school break then you’re probably starting to get prepared.
As well as packing everything you could possibly need into suitcases, you need to think about how you’re going to prepare your car for the wear and tear long drives can bring with them.
It can be easy to forget that there are certain checks that need doing before setting off on a long journey when the chaos of getting out the door sets in, so allow us to share with you 5 things to remember to do before hitting the road for your UK adventure.
Tyre Pressure
An important check to do before you start packing the car and to continue to do throughout your trip, both checking and adjusting your tyre pressure accordingly will help avoid flat tyres or unexpected disasters.
The AA recommend you check your tyre pressures every couple of weeks when the tyres are cold and we’d recommend doing a check before and after packing up the car to ensure your tyres are safe and ready for the journey ahead.
They also recommend checking for any cracks, cuts or bulges in the tyres when checking the pressure as these are signs of damage and weakness in the tyres and could lead to problems on the road.
Fluid Levels
At the very top of Aviva’s road trip checklist is your fluid levels and we couldn’t agree more with how important it is to check these before you head off.
Brake fluid, engine oil, window washer fluid, antifreeze – check all the fluid levels under the bonnet and top up where required. We’d recommend having spare bottles of the fluids packed away tightly in the boot in case you happen to need them on the go.
Lights
Just because you’re planning your trip to be during the daytime, doesn’t mean you don’t need to give your lights a proper check before setting off.
As well as being something that the police can pull you over for, having a brake light out or a broken headlight is really dangerous when driving, whether it’s a short or long distance trip.
The best way to check all your lights are working is to get a friend or family member to move around the car as you test your brake lights, headlights, fog lights and indicator lights are all working properly and you may want to stock extra bulbs in the car just in case.
Brakes
Whilst you’re checking your brake lights, you want to check your actual brakes too. An essential part of your vehicle and something that needs to be in perfect working order, especially when using a roof box, you need to check your brakes don’t need changing before you head off.
Kwik Fit recommend brake pads are changed when they reach a 3mm thickness or below and describe how you can tell your brakes need attention when you can hear grinding noises when braking, feel the car pulling in a certain direction when braking or the brakes may feel soft of spongey.
If you’re planning a lengthy road trip, it might be worth booking your car into a local garage for a mini service to ensure you’ve done all your checks right and everything is safe and ready to go.
Securely Attach Your Roof Rack and Box
Once you’ve checked your car is in perfect working order, it’s time to prepare it for the load it needs to carry by adding extra secure storage space. Fitted metal roof bars can be expensive and inconvenient when not in use, which is why the HandiRack is ideal for families who love a road trip.
Our inflatable roof rack is small to store and can be fitted to your vehicle in a matter of minutes and is then ready for you to add the HandiHoldall, our 320-litre soft roof box and fill with all your belongings to ensure you’ve got plenty of space to stretch out inside the car.
We hope this little guide has been helpful if you’re trying to get everything in order for your upcoming UK family holiday. If you’re looking to use one of our handy products as part of your travel set up, feel free to drop us an email at info@handiworld.com and one of our team will be happy to help.
