With the summer weather here, many motorists are looking for reasons to take their car out for a nice drive. Below are some great tips which can help to keep it stress-free.

It’s no surprise that summer is the most favored season of the year. Not only is it time for students to take a break from school, but parents also take time off work to spend time with and take their family on adventures and road trips. To help you get started and prevent your road trip from turning into a stress-filled nightmare, below are some great tips from Jim Ackney.

Everything Starts with a Plan

The first and best place to start is with a basic plan for the trip. While it’s great to watch characters in movies jump in the car and just hit the road, in reality, you need a little more planning to ensure things go smoothly, such as:

• Where are you going?
• What route will you take, and which alternates routes can you opt for in the event of a problem on the road?
• Who is driving and at what time, and how will each driver prepare for their shift?
• Who will be bringing the snacks and drinks?

Simple things like the above can go a long way to not only ensuring that you all arrive safely, but that everybody arrives in a good mood and ready to continue their adventure at the destination.

Fluid Levels

Just like your body needs snacks and water along the way, so too does your vehicle needs its own fluids to ensure that it can keep you and your passengers moving safely and without a problem. A few days prior to leaving, make the time to check each of your fluid levels, such as:

• Engine oil
• Water/coolant
• Brake Fluid
• Power Steering Fluid
• Transmission Fluid
• Even the soap and water in your wipers

If you can see any of the levels are low or have reached the end of their life, instead of just topping each one up with more, flush the old fluid out and replace it with fresh product. Click here to buy Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and help keep your engine in good shape with a synthetic oil change. To place an order or for help finding the right product for your engine needs, speak with a friendly expert at Jim Ackney by calling (780) 476-0545 or check out the online store.

Tires

Many motorists believe that their tires are impenetrable, lasting the entire lifetime of their vehicle. And while it’s reasonable to say that tires are resistant to damage, unfortunately, things can go wrong. For this reason, take your vehicle out into the light a couple of days before you are due to leave, and check their condition:

• Are there any bald spots where there is no tread?
• Is debris lodged in the tread?
• Can you see anything puncturing the actual tire?
• Look for creases and cracks around the tire.

If you can see any instances of these items, then be sure to remedy the problem or even have the tire replaced before you undertake a long journey. When you are confident that your tires are in good condition and up to the task, it’s time to check the pressure in each one, ensuring that each tire has the same and correct pressure level. In addition to helping your fuel economy, the correct tire pressure helps improve vehicle handling and maneuverability, allowing you to prevent problems on the road more easily.

Vehicle Electrics

Motorists tend to think that the electrics in their car are simple and require little maintenance. However, while you may not see the range of cables and wires connecting each of the electrics in your vehicle, they are there and things can go wrong. With somebody in the driver’s seat activating the relevant lights, take a tour of your vehicle and ensure that each of the following is working correctly:

• Headlamps
• Brake lights
• Indicator lights
• Fog lights
• Tail lights
• Lights on your dash

If any of these are flickering or you can tell that a bulb will soon need to be replaced, do it now otherwise you risk getting stuck on the side of the road at night, waiting for help, simply because a headlamp bulb blew and you don’t have a replacement on hand.

Boost Your Engine Performance with a Synthetic Oil Change in Edmonton

Keeping your vehicle in good shape with basic maintenance, such as a regular synthetic oil change can go a long way to keeping your vehicle performing at its best and reducing the chances of running into problems during a road trip. To find out more or for help finding the right product for your engine type, speak with a friendly professional at Jim Ackney by calling (780) 476-0545.