9 steps to prepare your car for a carefree vacation

9 steps to prepare your car for a carefree vacation

Have you ever wondered how to prepare the car for the holidays? Constant speed and a balanced fuel consumption are just two of the things that your car likes. But in order to give it these things and much more, you need to prepare it in every way before hitting the road.

Because the vacation season is fast approaching, checking the car and adjusting all the aspects that make it a perfect companion represent a priority.

Preparing the car for travel is a complex process, which becomes much easier if the car's inspections are made on time. Therefore, all you need to do is make sure that everything works as it should and that you have in the car all the items you need during a road trip.

If organization is not your strong point and you know that every time you plan a road trip you forget something, then the list below will come in handy for you.

A checklist of the most important things to be verified on your car before leaving on a trip:

  1. Check whether you should change the engine oil and the car's filters. By using an engine oil with fuel economy potential, you can also increase the budget for the vacation.
  2. Check the tire pressure and make sure that the car's weight is distributed in a balanced way.
  3. Check the status of the brakes in order to avoid safety hazards.
  4. Check the suspensions especially if you planned trips in areas with rough roads.
  5. Ask the mechanic to look for any malfunctions of the engine in order to prevent unpleasant events. Before making a visit to the mechanic, see if you can identify one of the 7 sounds indicating a possible engine malfunction.
  6. Make sure the air conditioning is working properly.
  7. Check for leaks of any kind and repair any causality.
  8. Make sure you have a spare tire in good condition. When having a flat tire there is nothing more upsetting than not having a spare one to replace it with.
  9. For your safety and for the safety of the other road users, check the status of the headlights and taillights, of the windshield and rear window wipers.

Besides the technical details to be put in place, there are plenty of other things that can make your trip more comfortable. In their absence, the entire experience can turn into a nightmare.

Here are the other things you should consider before hitting the road, in order to make sure that you can face any unpleasant situation:

  • Items required by law: first aid kit, warning triangles and vest
  • A hand pump and a repair kit in case of a flat tire
  • Spare fuses and bulbs
  • Windshield fluid
  • Tow cable
  • A basic toolkit for cases when repairs are needed
  • A canister for fuel
  • Power cables
  • Oil for possible fillings

In addition to all the above, it is recommended that you have a GPS and a mobile phone with an Internet connection, but also a classical road map for cases when the two devices do not work or run out of battery.

It is also recommended to check whether the cigarette lighters and the chargers of the car are working properly.

If you are planning a long trip or a trip in more remote areas, do not forget to stock up with plenty of food and water resistant to different temperatures. A cooling box is ideal in such cases. Also, sleeping bags and warm clothes should not be missing from your luggage, even if the temperature is very high on departure.

If you have all these things ready at hand, you are ready to go.

A football gift with Mobil 1

Because preparing the car for a carefree vacation often involves an oil change, for every purchase of a 4-liter drum of Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30 you receive a football gift.

We await you between May 29th and June 30th in all Star Lubricants partner locations (Auchan, Carrefour, Selgros and Socar) to buy the Mobil 1 oil drum for the next filling or for the next oil change and get the Mobil 1 ball as a gift*.

* promotion valid while stocks last