A long trip with our family in our car is exciting and fun, especially if we have planned it long before. For sure, our kids and the whole family will always be looking forward to this. May it be Baguio, Subic, Batangas, Quezon, etc. there will always be a sense of anticipation for family trips. But we don’t want it ruined while we’re stuck with a broken car. So how can we better prepare for a long trip? Below are the five things that we(mostly my husband) usually do before our car hits the road.

5 Important Things to Check

Plan in advance

You should already have chosen the destination and the particular place you are going to. This will save you time. A reservation would be wise especially during Lenten and Christmas season
Choose the time of travel. Early morning trips are the best, since the driver’s senses are fresh. I like seeing the sun rise as we ply the highway. Early morning trips are also cooler and you will meet less traffic.
Speaking of traffic, late night trips like 11 PM are also helpful in a sense that travel times are faster.

May he grant your heart’s desires
and make all your plans succeed. – Psalm 20:4

Preventive maintenance

Like any other machinery, your car needs maintenance either before or after your long trip. It can be done in the casa or on any reputable shop. Having it maintained before the trip will give you a peace of mind for the whole travel. Doing it after your trip will ensure that whatever wear and tear, dust and dirt it had accumulated after the trip is addressed.

We’ll talk about pros and cons of casa and non casa maintenance on a separate topic.

Check the essentials

Tires should be in good condition, no bulges, no tear and with the appropriate pressure. I would totally recommend filling it with nitrogen. Nitrogen does not react that much to changes in temperature. In our own experience, we had to have our tires refilled every week with compressed air. With nitrogen, it takes months before the pressure drops by 1 psi.
Brake fluids, engine oil, transmission fluids, coolants and all fluids under the hood. Check engine oil and transmission fluids using a dip stick while brake fluids and coolants are easily seen on their containers. It might also be smart if you bring an extra liter of these, especially the coolant.
Headlights, tail lights, brake lights and signal lights. All of these you can check by simply turning them on, while the brake lights would need someone to look at it while you step on the brakes. In some highways there is a corresponding fine for busted lights or cracked windshields.

License and registration

Ensure that both the driver’s and the car’s relevant registration and licenses are valid.
A car not registered or a driver that has no license should not be playing on the road in the first place.- Bot Carlos
You don’t want the hassle in a checkpoint or anything along the way.

Driver
Ensure that the driver is well rested and in good health for the voyage. My husband usually drink a can of an energy drink during the trip. It works best for him as it keeps him awake and alert. But just be aware of the side effects that energy drinks will give your body if you will drink it frequently.
I do hope that this will be helpful to you and I would appreciate any comment from you. Subscribe and be updated with my latest post each week. Thanks for visiting our home in the web.
xoxo,