It’s here! The busiest time of year starts this week with various types of travel to see our families during this Thanksgiving week!
If you are traveling by plane, we have two articles that can help you prepare for travel with your little ones. You can find them here and here. If you are traveling by car, there is no better time then now to get your vehicle ready for all your adventures. Our sponsors at YourMechanic have put together a great checklist that you can use (plus a free printable!) to get your vehicle in top shape for traveling.
- Keep up with oil changes. When oil levels are low, or oil is old, added friction between moving parts can cause wear and tear to the engine. Follow your owner’s manual to determine the best intervals for changing oil. Check the brakes every time the oil is changed.
- Take care of your tires. Check and maintain proper tire pressure. Tires inflated within five pounds per square inch (PSI) of their recommended level improve gas mileage and general handling of your vehicle. Recommended PSI can be found in the owner’s manual. Rotate tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.
- Check vehicle fluids. Vehicles rely on transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid and properly mixed coolant to run. Fluids need to be topped off for optimal vehicle performance throughout the life of the vehicle.
- Change air filters regularly. Dust and grime accumulates over time and can negatively impact gas mileage and engine performance.
- Take care of minor repairs when they arise. New noises or changes in the drivability of a vehicle should be checked out promptly.
You can find a more comprehensive list of those tips here.
It’s also a great idea to prepare your car (I’m talking about cleaning and prepping snacks and activities for the kiddos) for a long road trip, and YourMechanic also has some great organizational tips to help you accomplish that task. Some of these are PERFECT for giving your kiddos a job to help (scrubbing the rims with cola? Awesome!) You can find the extended version here.
Top 10 Hacks for Cleaning and Organizing your Car:
- Clean your windshield with club soda
- Use a plastic cereal container for a garbage can
- Clean your dash vents with a small foam brush
- Remove odors in the carpet with baking soda
- Clean your chrome with cola
- Organize your interior with a remote control organizer
- Clean crevices with a screwdriver
- Use a backseat hammock for pets
- Line your cup holders for easy cleanup
- Wax your paint
It’s very important that you show your vehicle some extra love this time of year. It might be doing a lot of work for you while you travel, and you don’t want to end up stranded somewhere because you didn’t do some simple maintenance on your car. Check out the cost of ignoring car maintenance in this article (don’t let that happen to you!) and let YourMechanic help you with oil changes, tire rotations, even new brakes! You name it, YourMechanic can come to YOU to do it! Don’t forget, YourMechanic can make things easier on you by coming right to your house to maintenance your car. Check their site for the long list of services that they provide- and coming to you is built into the cost!
You can use SDMOMS at checkout for $20 off of your first appointment booked!
*offer good now through March 2018.
Grab your free printable checklist here!
