Even a brand new and fully functional car needs careful handling. This guarantees its stable operation and, as a result, a comfortable trip. In this article, we will talk about what needs to be done before heading out on a long journey.
1. Wash your car
It is better to wash the car yourself — this way you can carefully inspect the body for scratches, chips, and cracks in the paintwork. Also, check if there are any leaks of working fluids under the car — this is a sure sign of a malfunction that needs to be fixed.
2. Inspect the car as a whole
Make sure all electronics and sensors are working. Inspect the battery — if the terminals are dirty, they need to be cleaned. Spark plugs that have already served their purpose are better to replace. Also, check how the low and high beam headlights work.
3. Check fluid and oil levels
The level of brake fluid, antifreeze, power steering fluid, washer fluid, as well as engine oil and gearbox oil should be within normal limits. If something is missing, top it up.
Remember: brake fluid and antifreeze are caustic chemicals. They can ruin the paint on the body, and if they get into the eyes, they can cause chemical burns.
If you had to top up the power steering fluid, check the system for leaks.
If there are 1-2 thousand kilometers left before the scheduled oil change, it is better to do it before the trip. On a long journey, the engine will likely be loaded more than usual.
4. Show the car to specialists
At the service center, it is worth at least checking the suspension, and better yet, doing a full diagnostic.
In Kyiv workshops, this service will cost approximately:
- brake check — from 100 UAH.
- diagnostics of shock absorbers and suspension — from 200 UAH.
- steering check — from 100 UAH.
- reading engine errors — 80 UAH.
In total, it comes to about 500 UAH.
In parallel, you can take care of the wheels and adjust the alignment angles — more on this in points 5 and 6.
If there are 1-2 thousand kilometers left before the next maintenance, it is better to do it in advance.
5. Inspect the wheels and do balancing
Check the tires for damage: wear, bulges, and so on. Make sure the pressure matches the manufacturer's recommendations — and don't forget about the spare tire. The wheels themselves should not have cracks or chips.
Balancing one wheel will cost about 15 UAH, plus 3-10 UAH for each weight.
6. Adjust the camber and toe
Correct wheel alignment angles, like balancing, directly affect handling.
Such adjustment will cost about 200 UAH.
7. Check what is in the car
Useful things for the car we have already listed in the article "20 little things that can come in handy on the road." To this list, it is worth adding spare parts that most often fail in your particular model — for example, a timing belt or a set of spark plugs — and at least a liter of engine oil.
Let us remind you that according to traffic rules, a driver of a passenger car is obliged to have with them:
- Driver's license (giving the right to drive a vehicle of the corresponding category). The warning coupon is no longer needed.
- Technical passport for the car.
- Power of attorney, if the owner is not around and your surname is not in the technical passport.
- Compulsory motor third-party liability insurance policy.
- Technical inspection coupon (at the time of writing this article, it has not yet been canceled).
- Medical first aid kit that complies with DSTU 3961-2000.
- Warning triangle.
- Fire extinguisher.
The choice of a first aid kit should be taken seriously. We wrote about this in detail in the material "How to use a car first aid kit." When preparing for a trip, supplement the standard set with medications that you personally might need. If you are traveling with children, take motion sickness remedies, as well as antihistamines and antipyretics.
In addition to drinking water, it is worth taking non-perishable food on the road: chocolate, cookies, dried fruits, or nuts.
It is better to start the technical preparation of the car one to two weeks before departure. This way, you will have time to notice and fix possible shortcomings in time.
Specialist's comment
Laboratory of Technical Expertise "Autologistika"
Experts at "Autologistika" advise that before a long trip, you must conduct a comprehensive diagnostic of the car and assess its safety.
Such diagnostics include a visual inspection and a check on special equipment. The owner can inspect the car themselves: check fluid levels (oil, coolant and brake fluids, washer fluid, power steering), the condition of drive belts, the operation of all lamps — headlights, taillights, turn signals, as well as the condition of windows, seat belts, and tire tread depth.
Do not forget about a complete first aid kit, a working fire extinguisher, a warning triangle, and spare bulbs with fuses. But the following checks are better left to a specialized station:
- Brake system — force and frequency of activation. By simply accelerating and braking yourself, you will not see the real condition of the brakes.
- Shock absorbers. Their work is especially noticeable in corners — with faulty shock absorbers, the car will skid.
- Headlight angle and adjustment: intensity, tilt, and refraction. You can try to check this yourself, for example, against a building wall, but its unevenness will distort the result. Moreover, headlights dim over time, and this greatly affects the safety of night trips.
- If the mileage is high (over 20 thousand km), it is mandatory to inspect the car from below — on a pit. This way, you can detect tears in the brake hose, leaks, minor damage (tears, unevenness), and also check the integrity of the silent blocks and tires.
