Preparing for a Road Trip 101

Are you planning a road trip for the summer? Don’t you wish you could just hop in the car and go without a plan? Unfortunately that might not be the best idea if you want to make the most out of your trip. Tom and Ray Maliozzi from Cars.com have come up with a list of top 10 tips for road trips (http://bit.ly/Ka9Iqi). These are some of our favorites:

·         Get Your Car Checked Out – You don’t want to risk your car not working in unfamiliar territory because of something that could have been prevented. Plan to have your vehicle thoroughly serviced before your road trip.

·         Build in Rest Days – You’re going on a road trip to have fun, not wear yourself out! When planning your itinerary add a few extra rest days in between driving.  That also means you’ll be easier on your car, which makes it less likely to break down.

·         Bring a Basic Repair Kit – Have a repair kit ready for little things you can fix yourself. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, a few different sizes of regular and Phillips-head screwdrivers, vice grips, etc.

·         Join a travel club – Joining a travel club like AAA will save you a lot of hassle if you do break down or blow a tire. Also check with Better World Club or an auto club offered by your car’s manufacturer.

·         Check the Air Pressure, Including the Spare – A car has 5 tires, not 4! Before you leave for your trip, check the pressure on your 4 main tires, but on your spare tire as well

·         Don’t forget to have fun! – No matter how much you prepare, unexpected things can still happen. Don’t sweat it too much though. Remember, you’re on vacation

Read all 10 road trip tips here: http://bit.ly/Ka9Iqi

What Your Check Engine Light is Trying to Tell You

A check engine light coming on in your car is never something a driver wants to deal with. The light could mean a vehicle needs expensive repairs, or it could be something as simple as a gas cap not being screwed on tight enough. But not matter what it is, the matter of the fact is you’re going to have to get your engine checked.

In 2010 CarMD published a list of the five most common check engine light codes. Here they are in order or frequency.

       ·         O2 Sensor (part of the emissions system monitoring and helping adjust the air-fuel mixture)

·         Loose gas cap

·         Catalytic converter

·         Mass air flow sensor (monitoring the amount of air mixed in the fuel injection system)

·         Spark plug wires

To read the entire article, click the link: http://edmu.in/im4vWF

Car Maintenance Mistakes

A part of owning a car is coming to terms with the fact that things are going to go wrong. Parts are going to fail, bulbs will burn out, engine lights will come on, and belts will need to be replaced. Maintenance is inevitable whether you choose to do it yourself or take your car to a professional. There are a number of big mistakes do-it-your-selfers and sometimes even professional mechanics can make when “fixing” vehicle. This article (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/vehicle-maintenance/10-serious-mistakes-car-maintenance.htm#page=0) tells you some of the most common mistakes to watch for. Here are some of the highlights:

·         Roaming around with burned out lights – Headlights and high beams are easy to spot when they burn out, but tail lights, brake lights, and running lights burn out too. This is one of the cheapest and easiest car maintenance tasks, so don’t put it off!

·         Attempting a jump start without really knowing how – Sending electricity to places it isn’t supposed to be can fry your car…or you! Don’t let that happen. Learn how to jump start a car before you actually have to do it.

·         Assuming bald tires will last a bit longer – Tires give a car the proper contact with road it needs to drive safely. If your tires are bald the car’s contact with the road isn’t so good anymore. Get a new set when the tires go bald, even if the tread looks decent.

·         Forgetting to torque the lug nuts – After changing or rotating wheels you need to make sure there is a proper amount of force applied to the lug nuts. If there’s not, eventually the pressure of driving will force the lug nuts off, which could cause your tire to leave your car while driving. No one wants that.

·         Forgetting to replace drained fluids – Gasoline isn’t the only important fluid in your car. Oil and transmission fluid keep your engine running smoothly. Brake fluid helps maintain proper pressure in your brakes. Coolant keeps things from getting too hot or too cold. These things are all important in keeping your car from having serious issues, so always triple-check that the fluids have been refilled after being drained.

·         Ignoring warning lights – Warning lights come on for one reason only, something isn’t functioning right. The longer you let it go, the more serious the issue can become. Even if you think it’s something simple like your gas cap not being tight enough, get those warning lights checked!

Read all ten maintenance mistakes here: http://bit.ly/18YoBa2.

Some Car Accidents Are Stranger Than Fiction

Let’s be honest: we, the American people, love to drive. How can we not? Although accidents happen, driving is a major part of our culture, and the automobile is a symbol of many things we value in America.

When accidents do happen, they’re not fun. At the same time, sometimes they’re downright strange. What do we mean when we say strange? Well...

·       A bull found in a garage in New York rammed a woman’s car when she honked at the animal, and also chased the vehicle down the street as it sped away.

 

·       A truck driver managed to accidentally ignite his cab while driving and cooking.

·       A woman once got her vehicle stuck on a stairwell after mistaking a subway entrance for a parking garage.

Want to read about other bizarre accidents or get more information on the three we mentioned? Click here to read the original article on the DMV’s website.

An Infographic: The 10 Greatest Road Trip Destinations & Money Saving Tips

 

Summer’s almost here, and as the sun begins to shine and we start to come up with ideas for what to do during weekends or vacations, the road is beginning to call to us.

A good road trip can be a truly wonderful and relaxing escape from our daily routine. But after the excitement of a possible road trip comes the questions: where in the world should I go during my road trip? And what sort of budget should I prepare?

No idea where to start and how to begin planning your amazing summer roadtrip? Have no fear, fellow drivers: use this handy infographic to see some of the most popular road trip destinations. It even has a formula to help you calculate how much money you’ll need for that great trip you’re planning! Click here to view a larger image if you need to.