We can’t speak for everyone, but we feel that after this long quarantine, the last thing anyone wants to do is to sit for hours on a crowded airplane.
Chances are that you are planning to take you and your family out into the sunshine and fresh air by going on a nice road trip for your vacation.
Doesn’t that sound great? Hitting the road in your vehicle, GPS ready, and seeing parts of the US that your children haven’t seen before. Or perhaps you want to see parts of America that you always thought about seeing but never got around to.
Planning a road trip is almost as exciting as actually doing it. However, if you’ve been working from home, chances are that your trusty family car or SUV has been gathering more dust and dirt than mileage.
That means that before you hit the open highway, you should really have your vehicle inspected.
Why Should I Get a Vehicle Inspection Done by a Pro? Can’t I Do it?
That’s a good question.
We understand how you feel. Money is tight everywhere and no one wants to pay for things they can easily do themselves. Although in this instance, you not only shouldn’t do it, you probably can’t.
Cars are nothing like they used to be 40 or 50 years ago. Heck, they are far more complicated than they used to be just 10 years ago!
Back in the 1950s and 60s, nearly anyone with a couple of household tools and a socket wrench could work on their own car.
Your vehicle is nothing like that now. Yes, it still has spark plugs, but even those (when you can see them) have changed dramatically. Oh, yes, if you’re looking for your spark plug cables, good luck.
If your Check Engine light has been on or if it has been flickering for a while, you need to run codes to have that problem inspected and repaired.
Most people do not have the means of pulling codes from their vehicle’s computer, let alone diagnose what that code means and where to start looking for the problem.
A Vehicle Inspection Isn’t as Easy as It Sounds
You might be thinking that all you need to do is change the oil, change the spark plugs, and go. Right?
A vehicle inspection and tune-up are far more complicated than that.
To truly inspect your vehicle, it should go on the lift. This allows the mechanic to check for certain issues such as:
- Muffler, catalytic converter, tailpipe, and exhaust system wear or damage
- Change the oil, filter, the transmission fluid, and filter (or flush it if it is time to do so)
- Check the upper and lower radiator hose and clamps, along with the bottom portion of the radiator
- Check for oil leaks
- Inspect the tires
- Inspect the brakes
And much, much more. That’s just the bottom of the vehicle!
Once it’s on the ground, your mechanic might:
- Change or clean the air filter
- Check for codes
- Change the fuel filter (if necessary)
- Inspect the hoses (including the bypass hose and heater hose)
- Inspect other belts
- Check all fluids
- Inspect the windshield wipers
- Change or clean the cabin filter
- Inspect all interior and exterior lights
These are just a few of the more common items that go into a vehicle inspection.
Repair Items
Wouldn’t you rather know now that your lower radiator hose is about to blow so it can be repaired now and not 3 days into your vacay?
Nothing sucks more than being stranded on the highway in the middle of nowhere, waiting for a tow truck to take you to a mechanic that you hope will be honest and not charge a fortune!
Having your vehicle inspected by your regular mechanic to assure that your car is ready to go gives you peace of mind that no insurance can provide!
Make your appointment for your vehicle inspection at least two weeks before your planned trip. This way, if your car or SUV ends up needing parts, there is plenty of time to order them if necessary.
Don’t Forget Your Scheduled Maintenance
If you have ever really read a scheduled maintenance manual, you will see that they talk about things in terms of time or mileage, such as:
- Change the oil and filter every 5,000 miles or every 6 months
Before the quarantine, most of us drove so much that we always hit the mileage before we hit the time allowance for scheduled maintenance. This might not be true of your vehicle today. Check the little sticker on your windshield or on the doorpost. Most will list both a day and the mileage when your next scheduled service needs to be performed.
Chances are that you have been driving far, far less than usual. However, time continues to tick on, quarantine, or not. If you have passed the time allowance for your scheduled maintenance, or if you will be exceeding the time or mileage when you take your road trip, you should have the necessary scheduled maintenance done before you leave.
This will ensure that your car is ready to be put through its paces during your vacation and you won’t have to worry about having that maintenance performed as soon as you return.
The Bottom Line
To be perfectly honest, no matter how carefully you inspect your vehicle or how much maintenance work you perform, your car might still have trouble on your trip. That can happen to any car at any time.
Prepare yourself by having a few tools, a flashlight, and a good spare tire and jack, just in case. You might also want to put a copy of your insurance policy and car warranty in the glove box.
Having your family ride in a thoroughly inspected, repaired, and maintenance performed vehicle is the best insurance you can buy to prevent possible breakdowns. Not to mention, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you did everything you could to give your family the trip of a lifetime.
Bring your vehicle to My Mechanic. We will be happy to do an inspection of your vehicle to get you ready to hit the road post-quarantine. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
