Getting ready to take a long summer road trip in your European car? Here are some tips to make sure your car is ready to go when you hit the road.
Inspect those tires
Take a close look at all of your tires. Check their tread depth and look for signs of wear. Replace any worn or damaged tires.
Also, inflate your tires to the recommended PSI.
Note for European car owners: European cars often recommend higher tire pressures than US cars, so be sure to check and adjust the tire pressure according to the owner’s manual before a
long trip. Also, European cars use metric units for tire pressure, so if your gauge only shows PSI, you’ll need to convert it to bar/kPa.
Be sure to check that spare tire! The last thing you want is to be stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire and a useless spare!
Check your brakes
You’ll want to be sure your brakes are in perfect working order before your trip.
Listen for any squeaking or grinding noises when braking. This could be an indication that you need to replace your brake pads or rotors.
Fluid check
Check the following and replace or top them off if needed:
● Engine oil
● Windshield washer fluid
● Coolant/antifreeze
● Brake fluid
● Transmission fluid
● Power steering fluid
Test Your Battery
The extreme summer heat can strain the battery. You should make sure it is fully charged and its connections are clean. You may want to consider replacing an older battery before a long
trip.
Lights
Test your car’s exterior lights – headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, and hazard lights – and replace any burnt-out bulbs.
Wipers
Check your windshield wipers and replace them if they are worn.
Test the AC
Make sure that your air conditioning is working properly. You don’t want your air to stop working during a long car ride on a hot summer day.
Consider taking along some spare parts
Since some spare parts for European cars could be harder to find while on the road, consider bringing parts like fuses and bulbs with you.
Are you following your car’s maintenance schedule?
Have a European auto shop, like Performance Auto Specialists in Wilmington, perform a full inspection and take care of any needed maintenance, like an oil change or tire rotation, about a
week before your trip.
European cars tend to have more stringent service intervals so be sure to follow the service maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual.
Be sure to visit the European car experts at Performance Auto Specialists before your next road trip! We specialize in European auto repair and are proud to be the area’s go-to gearheads for
servicing BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Volkswagen, Mini, Jaguar, Audi, and Porsche.
Performance Auto Specialists – European Car Experts
Performance Auto Specialists has offered affordable, reliable repair and maintenance to Wilmington residents since 1991. Our team of trained technicians and master mechanics
diagnose and repair problems with nearly any make or model of vehicle with state-of-the-art computer diagnostics and good old-fashioned hard work.
READ MORE:
Most Reliable European Cars For Long Distance Driving
Most Common Car Maintenance Mistakes
How to Check Fluid Levels in Your Car: Expert Tips for Car Owners
