Planning your longest adventure yet? Getting ready for a road trip can be both wonderful and overwhelming. Along with thinking about all the personal belongings, food, and clothes to pack, you’ll need to plan your route too. And one of the most vital yet overlooked aspects of the planning process is checking your car before the big departure.

Ahead of your trip, you’ll need to make sure that your car is ready to go. Luckily, we’ve outlined five of the most foolproof prep steps and checks to complete before you head off.

Getting your car ready for a road trip? See these 5 essential checks first

The usual maintenance

Even if you normally just go for short drives in your car, regular maintenance is still crucial.

Keeping tabs on the mechanical health of your vehicle means that you can prevent smaller issues and inconveniences from building up. Over time, a slight rattle or squeak could turn into something much more serious – and potentially expensive too. It’s a good idea to get your car over to the mechanic at least once every 10,000 miles. Part of the usual maintenance is deep cleaning and regular carwash, and you can also consider a professional car valeting service to keep your vehicle in pristine condition. Some would even go with regular snow foam, hot wax and tire black. What is snow foam car wash vs. regular car shampoo? It is said to have a higher cleaner power than a regular car shampoo.

Keep your tyres in top shape

You need a trusty set of tyres to keep you safe, no matter how many miles you’re planning to drive. Keeping the legal minimum tyre tread depth is so important that motorists could face fines of up to £2,5000 per tyre for breaking the rules.

Every month or so, depending on how much you’re driving and the time of year, you should have a walk around your car and check all your tyres.

You can use a 20p coin to check that the tread falls within the legal limit, and you could also benefit from asking the local garage to rotate or swap your tyres around to promote even wear. And if you’re facing harsh weather conditions, fitting winter tyres will give you more traction on wet and icy roads.

Remember the essentials

Packing light is important for any long-haul trip. However, there are a few items that you shouldn’t go without if you’re hitting the road.

You should keep your vehicle paperwork handy, first. This includes your vehicle logbook, insurance details, and driving licence. You should also pack emergency items to cover your own health and safety, including long-life food, plenty of water, and a first-aid kit.

An extra coat and reflective jacket could be invaluable if you break down – and you can’t go wrong with a spare wheel, either.

Check your fluid levels

Keeping your car fluids topped up is crucial to ensuring smooth sailing, from washer fluid to engine coolant – sometimes called antifreeze. If you drive an older vehicle or your car hasn’t been serviced for a while, oil changes are essential.

Carrying some extra fluids with you could be invaluable on a long-distance drive. If you’re unsure which ones to buy or how to put them in your car, make sure you ask a friend or your local mechanic.

Make sure your lights are working

Lastly, it might seem like common sense but checking your lights could make the difference between a successful trip and a delayed or problematic one. Walk around your car and check if your lights are all functioning as they should.

Even if all your lights are working, you should carry some spare bulbs. This could save you the inconvenience of needing to drive to a garage en-route should you experience a lightbulb failure. Being visible to other drivers could save your life, and you’ll need your headlights for those long night drives too!

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