Check before you go

​Imagine this. You are all packed and ready for the road trip you've been looking forward to for months. You've checked your list several times and everything's packed, the pets are being cared for and the kid down the street promised to mow the lawn at least once. Everything is perfect!

You put your key in the ignition, but the car won't start. It just sort of sputters. Or maybe it starts going thump. Thump. THUMP. As you try and back out of the driveway.

Nothing, and I mean nothing can damper the spirits like a problem with your car when you’ve got somewhere to go. Luckily, a little bit of checking beforehand and chances are good that you'll not only catch any little problems, but also prevent them. Don't wait until the last minute, start checking these things a few weekends ahead so if you do have something that needs to be replaced, you've got plenty of time to do it.

So what needs checking?

1. Examine your tires. Make sure there are no worn spots on the tread, and make sure they are properly inflated. It's not a bad idea to carry a small air compressor with you in case of a slow leak, or a can of something like Fix a Flat to get you to the repair shop.
2. Check your battery. You can go to any auto parts store and they will check your battery for FREE. They will tell you how much power is left in it, and they often will point out any corrosion on the battery, and sometimes even wipe it off for you.
3. Inspect your wipers. Good wiper blades are important in an unexpected rain storm. I thought mine were in good shape, after all I’d had my car recently inspected, when one broke off while I was driving, right in heavy rain. It was the drivers side too. The helpful guy at the auto parts store told me as he was snapping my new ones on, that it's not just using that wears out your blades, but heat and cold too. Makes sense, the blades are made up of rubber.
4. Make sure your brake pads have enough life. It sure would stink to be halfway across the country and have your brakes squealing every time you tried to stop because the pads were worn and needed to be replaced. Check those before you go!
5. Check your oil. If you are going a long ways, you might want to replace your oil ahead of time. Always carry an extra quart with you. It saves you the hassle of driving from place to place if you need it, but also will be cheaper than paying for an overpriced bottle in the middle of no where if there's an emergency.
6. Fill up your fluids. Your car has a lot of different fluids. Top those off if it's needed. It's annoying to have a bird splat right there and no wiper fluid to clean it.
7. Replace the cabin air filter. You're going to be in that car for a while, replace the filter if it's dirty and not only will you breathe better, but your car will have better airflow, helping it all the way around.
8. Eyeball your belts and hoses. Make sure that the critical parts that keep your car going are in good shape with no cracking or loose fitting.
9. Tighten your gas cap. Did you know if your gas cap isn't tight enough, the gas actually evaporates from your car? Not only is that money down the drain, but you’ll have to stop more often to fill up! That means it will taken you even longer to get to your destination!
10. Turn on your lights. Double check all your headlights, brake lights and signal lights to make sure all of them are working well. A bulb is a quick and cheap fix, but getting a ticket for one being burnt out, is not!
11. Fill up with gas. Isn't it much nicer to be able to get into the car and just go, instead of stopping for gas just a few minutes down the road? That always seems a little anti climatic, and takes a bit of the fun out of that first leg of the trip!

If you aren't handy under the hood (and lucky for me, Mr. Disney Magic is!) schedule an appointment with your mechanic for a look over. It's usually not expensive and you'll have the comfort of knowing before you hop in, that your car is ready to roll!

Basic maintenance can not only make your car perform well, but make it last longer, too. Do you do a pre-trip check on your car? Any things to look for that I left out?