Summer Travel

It seems that as soon as school lets out for the summer, many families are itchin’ to get on vacation.  But I often wonder and I find it concerning, that many people just assume you jump in the car and go!  This not only puts them and their loved ones at risk, but you and me as well.  So I dedicate this blog to the Summer Road Warriors and to safer traveling.  Let’s discuss getting your vehicle ready for a road trip.

Not too long ago, my son and I took a trip to a Corvette Car Show down in Atlantic City.  People really do drive too quickly especially on the Garden State Parkway.  Now here I am, driving my 505 hp Z06 corvette at a mere 75 to 80 miles an hour and I am being passed by a 1980 something Geo Metro doing upwards of 90!  Now let me rant for a minute.  I am driving a “supercar” that can actually do close to 190MPH and stop on a dime and may I remind you that every operating system has been monitored to be in top maintenance and the Metro driver is so confident that his dilapidated machine isn’t going to lose control!  I was just waiting to see when his already half hanging off rear bumper was going to rip off and sail away!  I did say I was going to rant!!!   Hey if this driver wants to plant his vehicle into a nice tree, be my guest…just don’t take any of us with ya!  Okay enough of that…but do you get my point?

We are all so trusting in the capabilities of all of our rides that we unknowingly “bet “our lives on our vehicles every time we turn the ignition key.  How often do we all just get in and go…and go quickly up to highways speeds (and then some). My best advice is to always keep the maintenance of your vehicle up to date.  I know, “Uncle Vinny that’s tough and expensive to do”.  Yes and so is mechanical work, body work, lawsuits, hospital bills, and caskets! So my first recommendation is to visit a trained mechanic and have the vehicle looked over.  I would advise you to do some homework prior to your appointment and investigate what the auto manufacturer recommends for service up to your existing mileage.  And where are you going to find this info?….Yep the glove box car bible, your Owner’s Manual.

Now please keep in mind that if you “missed” the 15,000 mile service and you are at 30,000 miles, there is going to be items from both lists that may be called for as far as maintenance.  Your mechanic will help advise you.  The mechanic, along with the recommended services, will check all of the system from tires and suspension, the battery, the charging system and belts, the cooling system, all fluids, exhaust system, lights and will likely link up to your OBD system.  The OBD is the On Board Diagnostics module that will keep errors or trouble codes in memory.  This will help find system problems.  Once the mechanic has all items evaluated and up to par, you can have higher confidence in your vehicle’s safety and performance.  So just as you prepare for the other aspects of your vacation like hotels and restaurant reservations, take time prior to leaving, say 2 weeks before your trip, to get the vehicle up to the task.

There are certain things that you should routinely do prior to taking your car out on the road.  At each gas fill up, let’s assume a weekly task, check you motor oil level. I would recommend that you do this yourself as you can see if it looks really black, is gritty, or if it looks foamy or whitish. Gritty oil is often a sign of oil in service for too long an interval and should be changed.  The grittiness can also mean engine wear.  A white, foamy look to oil can be a cooling system/head gasket issue and needs immediate attention. Assuming that the oil is changed at an appropriate interval, a dark color to the oil may be very normal. Motor oil will change color as it absorbs combustion byproducts.

Another item that is often overlooked is tire pressure.  The tire pressures for your vehicle are often listed on the driver’s door inside frame or possibly on a sticker in your glove box.  Tire pressure should be checked monthly and only after the car has been stationary for at least 4 hours.  Underinflated tires waste gas, ruins tire treads, can create handling/braking problems and can lead to tire overheating and blowouts!  And please do not think that “more is better” when it comes to tire inflation.  More air can also lead to handling problems and tire wear issues.  Oh and please use the tire inflation placard numbers on the door jam.  I cannot begin to tell you how many people use the tire’s imprinted Maximum Inflation Number to set their tire pressures!  When tires get hot, the air inside expands and will raise the pressures.  Tire pressures also change from climate temperature changes.  For each 10 degrees of temperature change, tires will change 1 PSI (pounds per square inch). If it goes from 70 to 80 degrees the tires will have 1 PSI more of pressure.  Conversely, if the temperatures outside get colder by 10 degrees, then your tires will be underinflated by 1 PSI.  Air also escapes from a tire naturally, so keep an eye on them.

Worn tires usually look bald meaning that the treads have lost their groove patterns.  Often worn tires show there “Wear Bands”.  These are bands of rubber that run across the width of the tire, often perpendicular to the tread pattern.  When visible, the tire is at or beyond its serviceable life.  Another trick  to evaluate remaining tread is to use a US quarter.  Hold President Washington’s image upside down and insert the top of his head into the tread.  If you can see the top of Washington’s head, the tread is too shallow and needs replacement.  Tires are often replaced in pairs.  Recent recommendations are to replace tires that are 6 years and older regardless of mileage due to internal degradation. Rubber gets weak over time due to Ozone and UV light. The TireRack.com has some of the best tire information available on the internet.  If in doubt, visit a local tire shop and get a professional opinion.

Check around the vehicle for leaks, check fluids and that all of your lights are working.  If your wiper blades are streaking and squeaking, it’s best to change them.  Most wiper blades last only three months.  A personal favorite of mine are the Rain-X Latitude blades, recently highly rated by Consumer Reports.  You should also pack in the trunk a box with an additional quart of motor oil, a gallon of windshield washer fluid, a first aid kit, jumper cables, a small tool kit, protective gloves, a blanket, road flares and a flashlight.  I would also include a tire gauge, glass cleaner and a roll of paper towels and tire inflator repair sealer (can).  It would also be wise to pack a spare ignition key just in case you lose one.  A fully charged cell phone and a cigarette lighter charger goes a long way to improving safety.  Make sure to pack the wall charger, too!

One thing that I truly believe in is a GPS system (Global Positioning System or Navigation System).  If your vehicle did not come with its own navigation system, this technology can be had for $200 or less!  Not only do they provide maps and directions, but can offer locations of rest stops, hospitals, gas stations and lodging.  Some newer models also offer traffic updates to alert drivers to traffic accidents and lane/road closures.  I have personally owned Garmin Nuvi units and they are awesome little pieces of technology…and add to the peace of mind as you are on your trip.

In my next blog, I’ll talk about improving gas mileage as we see gas prices creeping higher once again.  Thank you for your comments and compliments!  I appreciate all of them!!!

So, stay safe out there…enjoy being American….Happy 4th of July!!!

Thanks for stopping’ by!!!!!

Uncle Vinny