How to Prepare For Summer Road Trips

We’ve finally been treated to some decent weather here in Harrogate, which has got us thinking about those summer road trips. Our cars are the star of the show for days out, weekends away, and full-blown 7-day vacations. With temperatures on the way up, it’s important to know how to prepare your car for a summer road trip, to ensure both you and your vehicle are ready for anything. 

How do I prepare my car for hot weather? 

You won’t get very far if your car isn’t ready for long distances, hot weather, or the eventualities that can crop up when you’re far from home. Therefore, we’d recommend that you do the following before you set off: 

Do your maintenance checks 

We recommend keeping on top of car maintenance all year round, but in extreme conditions, as we see in summer and winter, it’s particularly important. These checks include: 

Tyres

Both tyre pressure and tread levels need to be checked before you hit the road. Tyre pressure can drop in high temperatures, so refer to your handbook or the sticker within the car to find out your tyres’ optimum pressure and aim for that. Tyres also need to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm in order to remain legal and, of course, safe.

Coolant levels 

A bit of a no-brainer in hot weather is keeping your engine cool - because an overheated engine can damage your engine as well as your plans! Keeping coolant topped up minimises the risk of some expensive and inconvenient engine damage. While you’ve got the bonnet up checking your coolant, it’s a good opportunity to check other fluids too, including engine oil and washer fluid. 

Air conditioning 

Travelling without air conditioning in hot weather is no fun at all, and there’s no worse time to discover that yours doesn’t work properly than shortly after you’ve set off on your big trip. Leaks in the system can occur over time and result in warm air being kicked out instead of cold, so test your air con in plenty of time to have it serviced. 

Brakes 

It maybe goes without saying that you need your brakes to be in good working order no matter how short or long the distance. While you’re checking that your car is up to your summer road trip, move your car back and forth a few times to check the brakes when it’s safe to do so. 

Get your car serviced 

If your car is due, overdue, or nearly due for its annual service, it’s best to get it done before you go on any long trips this summer. This will ensure that your engine oil is fresh, your car’s overall health has been looked over, and you can head on your travels with peace of mind. 

Stock up on the essentials

From insect bites to cuts and scrapes, summer trips can come with their fair share of hazards, so it’s worthwhile to keep a stock of any appropriate allergy or pain medication and a first aid kit in the boot, to cover all bases. Things like sunscreen are a good idea too, in case the British weather surprises you in a good way for a change. 

Wash your car

We associate winter with being the season that your car gets dirty, but summer can be just as bad. Pollen and dust can soon build up on your paintwork, potentially damaging it for good, and road debris such as insects can stick to your windscreen and cause a visibility issue that your windscreen wash may not be up to. Take the time to either get busy on your driveway, or pop into your local car wash. 

Check convertible function 

If you’re planning on some wind-in-your-hair living this summer, you may want to check that everything works as it should first. Test the roof of your convertible while you’re stationary to ensure that it folds back as you expect it to.

How can I prepare to drive in hot weather? 

Your car needs to be ready - but so do you! Here’s how to keep yourself safe and well during your road trip: 

• Wear sunglasses - reduce glare from all that lovely sunshine by protecting your eyes with your shades; sun glare can disorientate you and cause an accident. 

• Wear sunscreen - UV rays can still penetrate your windscreen glass on a particularly warm day, so apply sunscreen to protect your skin when you’re out and about. 

• Take hayfever precautions - streaming eyes and frequent sneezes are hardly ideal when it comes to concentrating on driving, so if you suffer on high pollen count days, keep your windows up, your air con on, and take any appropriate allergy medication. 

Thinking of a new car this summer? 

Whether you’re long overdue a new car, or you just fancy something sporty for summer, you can find everything you need here in Harrogate at Carlingo. Get started by browsing our used car selection online today.