When summer arrives in Minnesota, many of us are eager to hop in our cars and go on a fun long-weekend road trip. There are plenty of great destinations within a reasonable driving distance of the Twin Cities, from the North Shore to the Wisconsin Dells. Since you’re going to be relying on your car for the duration of your road trip, the last thing you want is for it to fail on you.
Unfortunately, cars do seem to have a bad habit of breaking down when you’re hundreds of miles away from home. The strain of so much driving can be all it takes to put certain vehicle components over the edge.
If you don’t want a breakdown to ruin your upcoming road trip, keep reading to learn about some vehicle maintenance services you should get done before hitting the road.
Essential Vehicle Maintenance to Complete Before Your Road Trip
- Tire Replacement & Alignment – The components of your car that are most likely to fail on a road trip are your tires. If your tires are already getting old, a long drive, especially one across rough terrain, may be all it takes to make them pop. Check your tire wear before departing on your road trip. Tires that are close to bald should be replaced before you go. You might also want to schedule tire alignment at an auto maintenance shop in Minnesota to ensure the smoothest ride possible.
- Brake Repairs – Have your brakes been making weird noises when you apply them? If they have been, or you’ve noticed anything else unusual with your brake performance, make sure to have your brakes inspected at a trusted auto repair shop before you leave on your road trip. Your brakes failing in the middle of your trip could ruin everything. Have any brake issues repaired to make sure your fun adventure doesn’t come grinding to an unpleasant halt halfway through.
- Fluid Changes – A long road trip could see your car run out of engine oil if it’s already low. Have the levels of your oil and other essential vehicular fluids, including coolant and power steering fluid, checked at an auto maintenance shop in Minnesota before you depart on your road trip. If any of them are falling close to empty, you should play it safe and get them topped off or changed out before you hit the road.
- A/C & Heating Maintenance – Do you like the idea of driving hundreds of miles while you and all your passengers are hot, sweaty and irritated? If not, make sure that your car’s air conditioning is fully operational before a summer road trip. If your A/C has seemed to be blowing out air that’s not as cold, then you should definitely bring your vehicle into a trusted auto repair shop in Minnesota for an inspection and any necessary repairs. On the other hand, if you’re planning a road trip in the fall or winter, make sure to have your car’s heating system inspected for issues.
Get Your Car Ready to Hit the Road
Do you need to have some routine maintenance or repairs performed for your automobile before your big road trip? Contact Arvu Auto today if you’d like to bring your car into our shop in the West Minneapolis metro for all inspection and repair services!
