Road trips have been a great vacation idea for years, allowing budget minded travelers to explore their surroundings. However, without the right planning, a fun trip can quickly turn into a nightmare.

Don't Let Simple Oversights Ruin Your Next Road Trip

From a short trip away with your partner for the night to a weekend away with your friends, right through to a month-long drive around the country, road trips are the go-to choice for budget minded explorers. However, these great adventures can quickly turn into a nightmare without some basic planning and a few helpful tips, such as the ones included in the below post from Ace Hi Oil.

Is Your Vehicle up to the Challenge?

Just because your vehicle has been getting you from A to B throughout your regular drives doesn't mean that it's automatically ready for what a road trip will throw against it. Take some time to perform some basic vehicle check, such as:

Tire Pressure

While it may seem trivial, having the incorrect level of tire pressure can not only make your vehicle harder to drive but it can also increase your gas usage. Before you drive, take some time to check the pressure in your tires and compare it against the recommended level. If it is too high or too low, adjust it so that all tires are holding equal pressure and the pressure is suitable for the driving conditions ahead.

Tire Condition

While you are attending to your tires, be sure to give them a thorough inspection, looking for any instances where a rock or general road debris has taken a chunk out of your tire. These small marks are a tire blowout just waiting to happen, and the last thing that you want is to experience a tire blowout while you and your friends are driving along the highway.

Safety Items

Whether it's a seatbelt, airbag, warning light, or sensor; if your car includes safety features, be sure they are working. Your owner's manual will be a good guide to help you locate all of your safety features, however, the following at good basics to start with:

• Frayed seatbelts
• Broken locking mechanisms
• Airbag light is constantly on
• Seats are loose
• Windows have chips or cracks

All of the above may seem small, but something like a frayed seatbelt can lead to serious injury if you are involved in a car accident.

Fluid Levels

Each vehicle shares the same basic fluid levels. These include:

• General engine oil
• Transmission fluid
• Water or Coolant
• Power Steering fluid
• Brake fluid

Be sure that you check each and every one of these, including any additional fluid levels that your car has. If either of the levels is running low or the oil is visibly aged, top them up or simply give them a full replacement. If you aren't sure which is the right fluid for the job, pick up the phone and speak with an expert at Ace Hi Oil by calling (888) 459-9958 and get help. If you prefer to browse through a range of products, click here to visit the online store for further information about all of the available products, to help you make the right decision.

Are Your Passengers Ready for What's Ahead?

Once you are certain that your vehicle is safe and up to the task, it's time to prepare your passengers. This means a little more than simply grabbing an overnight bag, stuffing it with clothes, and then jumping into the car.

• Driver fatigue is a serious concern when it comes to long-haul drives. Despite being completely eradicated by having a sleep before driving, many road-trippers are so excited to jump in the car that they do so unprepared. Sit down and work out when you will all be leaving. Then, as the first driver, be sure that you get a solid amount of sleep beforehand. This could either be a brief power nap or a full eight hours before the event. Whatever you do, prepare to be ready.
• While you are planning, consider what routes that you will take. When you have this, work out the best places and times to stop, swap drivers, and give your legs and arms a bit of a stretch. If possible, look for tourist spots along the way that serve as both a place to swap drivers and to also enjoy some scenery.
• Despite what all of your passengers might think, the driver is not responsible for ensuring that everybody is entertained and comfortable along the way. Make sure that each person in your car brings:
  • Their own snacks
  • Snacks to share
  • Water
  • Charging cables
  • Entertainment/Games

Before everybody reaches for their mobile devices to download movies from Netflix, consider more social activities for entertainment such as silly yet fun travel games that everybody (except for the driver, of course) can play as you travel.

• Another great tip is for everybody in the car to prepare a playlist the night before of music they want to listen to along the trip. Use a rule that the driver is the one who chooses the music and you might just find that people are fighting over who will be the designated driver for the next leg of the journey!

Prepare Your Car With a Synthetic Oil Change in Southlake

When it comes to car maintenance and preparing it for a long haul drive, a synthetic oil change in Southlake is one of the easiest and most effective maintenance items you can perform. Speak with an expert at Ace Hi Oil by calling (888) 459-9958 and find out more about products like AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and how the right synthetic oil can help your car perform at its best.