If you’re planning an upcoming road trip, you’re probably a mixture of excited about traveling and frantic about making sure everything is done before you head out.
With road trips, there are so many things we have to think about that we usually don’t have to with other types of travel.
One of the things that is often overlooked is making sure your vehicle is prepared and ready to go. After all, if something goes wrong with your vehicle, your whole road trip could be ruined.
It’s important that you not only get your bags packed but that you also get your car ready to go.
I know it can be tricky to remember all the things that need done, so in hopes of helping you avoid that ‘I think I forgot to do something’ feeling, I’ve made sure to include anything and everything I could think of needed to get your car ready for a road trip.
Plus, a free checklist for you so you can be extra sure you remember everything before you hit the road!
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Step 1: General Car Maintenance
The first thing you need to do to get your car ready for a road trip is to give the car a quick check and make sure everything is functioning at its best. Here’s how.
Get an Oil Change
Don’t forget about an oil change! If you’re due for one or will be driving enough miles on your trip that you will need one, go ahead and get it before you leave for your trip.
Unsure? Just head to Google maps and figure out how many miles you will be driving on your trip. Round up a little in case you do any extra driving.
If you are 1,000 miles from needing an oil change and you’ll be driving 1,200 miles on your trip, it’s probably best to go ahead and get the oil change out of the way.
Check all fluids
I’m no vehicle expert. Quite the opposite, actually, but I have learned that there are a few things I always need to check so that my car can function at its best, especially on long drives. It’s important to make sure all fluids are filled up to the level they need to be.
Here’s what the check:
- Anti-freeze/coolant
- Windshield wiper fluid
- Oil
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
- Transmission fluid
This article does a great job of explaining the 6 essential fluids, why they’re important, and exactly how to check them.
Check Out Your TIres
This one’s pretty simple, just make sure you do a quick check over all of your tires to ensure there aren’t any holes or punctures in them. It’s also a good idea to air them up to the proper PSI.
You definitely don’t want to find yourself 100 miles into your trip with a flat tire.
Check Headlights and Turn Signals
Another important thing to check is that all your lights/turn signals are working properly.
Check Windshield Wiper Blades
This is something that I am guilty of overlooking almost every time. But this is important in case you have to drive in the rain or snow, or even if you just hit a bunch of bugs while drive.
Crappy windshield wipers make it so much harder to drive and increase the risk of having an accident. So trust me- check these.
Check your Registration & Insurance
Make sure they’re up to date, and keep them in the glove box!
Step 2: Car Cleaning & Prep
The next step to getting your car ready for a road trip is cleaning it out and restocking it with everything you’ll need for your adventure. Here’s what to do.
Clean Out Your Car
A road trip is much easier to enjoy if you aren’t constantly having to look at the mess in your car. At the very least, it’s good to clean out any trash and wipe up any spills or messes.
If you want your car to be extra clean for the trip, here’s a quick checklist:
- Clean out any trash
- Clean up any spills or messes
- Clean all windows
- Clean the interior (dash, doors, any trim)
- Vacuum up all dirt or debris
- Make it smell good (If you’re spending multiple days in the car, you probably want it to smell good, right? Get an air freshener you love.)
- Wash the exterior
- BONUS: After washing the exterior, put some Rain X on the windshield to help you out in any rainy weather you may run into on your trip. Trust me- this stuff helps a ton.
Stock Up Anything You Might Need
If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your car, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you could need right there near you. After many road trips, I have come up with a list of things I have always found to be useful to have with me. Here are a few things you may wanna grab.
I have also added links to some items that may work best for travel.
- Wet wipes
- Paper towels
- Kleenex
- Hand sanitizer
- Hair ties
- Extra Sunglasses (just in case)
- Blanket
- Travel pillow
- Comfy hoodie or jacket
- Car phone charger
- Aux cord (if your car doesn’t have bluetooth)
- Trash can or bag
- An atlas or map (yeah, it’s the 21st century, but there are still places where you may not be able to get service and therefore need a backup map.)
- Any medicines you may need (Ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy meds, Imodium, Dramamine, etc.) stored in a compact holder like this one
- A first aid kit
- Lotion
- Chapstick
- Cell phone mount (not necessary, but helpful if you’ll be looking at maps while driving) I linked the one we use that we highly recommend.
- Umbrella
- Reusable utensil set with straw
- Reusable mug or cup
- Gum or mints
- Lint roller
- Sunscreen (Yes, it’s totally possible to get a sunburn while in the car.)
- Reusable grocery bag (In case you need to run into the store real quick.)
- Cooler with snacks (This is a great way to save money on your road trip and keep yourself from getting hangry on those long travel days.)
- A comfy rug (Okay this one is totally a luxury item and definitely not necessary, but putting a soft rug down in the passenger’s floorboard is a game changer for long drives.)
A few precautionary things to pack for your road trip-
- Tire essentials (jack, spare tire, tire gauge, etc)
- One thing we have found extremely helpful and worth the cost is a portable air compressor for tires. This has saved us countless times when the tires have gotten a little low. The one we have is no longer made, but this one is similar and has good reviews.
- Car’s Manual
- It’s always a good idea to have this on hand in case you need it!
- Some spare cash and change
- This is great to have in your car as a back up, just in case you hit a cash-only toll booth or end up somewhere where you can’t use your credit card. It’s also good to keep a bit of loose change.
- Ice scraper
- This one might be avoidable if you’re planning a trip to the beach, but if you think you might hit any snow or harsh weather, don’t forget to pack your ice scraper!
- Flashlight
- A car emergency kit
- These definitely aren’t essential, and most people can get by without them, but they can still come in handy if something bad and unexpected happens! Here’s a great one.
- A cargo case for luggage
- If you prefer to save space inside your vehicle, a rooftop cargo case is the way to go! Here’s a great option that we’re looking into getting for our next road trip.
So tell us- what other questions do you have about road trips?
Road trips are our favorite types of trips and they’re much more enjoyable without the stress of wondering if you actually did everything you needed to.
Don’t forget you can grab your free printable checklist below!
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