How to Prepare Your Vehicle for a Road Trip

May 6th, 2024 by

Memorial Day is just weeks away, and it’s time to hit the road. Are you prepared for your big summer road trip? Time to take a quick inventory. Are your bags packed? Playlist made? Air B&B confirmed? Perfect! Now all that’s left is tending to the most important component of all: your vehicle. 

Your road trip only goes as far as your car, truck, or SUV can take you. At Volkswagen of Macon, our mission is to maximize your vehicle’s potential, ensuring your summer plans go down without a hitch this year. Filling up the gas tank is only step one; here are five additional measures you can take to get your VW prepared for an epic road trip.

Make Your Car Habitable 

Think of it this way: for the foreseeable future, your car is essentially doubling as your home away from home. Even if you’ve booked hotel accommodations, you’re still about to spend the vast majority of your day in the car. Just as you wouldn’t allow yourself to live in squalor at home, your vehicle should be cleaned of all dust, dirt and debris before you set off on your trip.  

Take your car to your local car wash and take advantage of any available vacuums, suctioning the floor mats, back seats, and hard-to-reach crevices. Before loading the family into the car, make sure your cabin is as clean an environment as possible. (Because let’s face it – especially if you have kids, it’s probably not going to stay that way long.) 

Keep Your Tires Inflated 

Low tire pressure is a double-whammy. Not only can it result in a flat or damaged tire if left untreated, but it also hinders your overall fuel economy. When you’re spending consecutive hours on the road, those inefficient miles add up. Gage your tire pressure, refilling as needed to the recommended PSI level that can be found on the sticker near the driver door. In general, you should check your tire pressure every 1,000 miles (and get your tires rotated every 5,000 miles, or six months). 

If you’ve encountered recurring problems with your tire pressure – or if the tread on your tires is looking precariously thin – it might be time for a good old-fashioned replacement. Fortunately, our Tire Store is here to help you find the perfect set of new tires for your VW. 

Quench Your Car’s Thirst 

Just as you should always keep a bottle of water handy on summer road trips, you’ll want to keep your vehicle’s six essential fluids at optimal levels. Unless you’re thousands of miles away from your standard 7,500 – 10,000-mile oil change interval, get it changed before you disembark. Make sure your transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and brake fluid are all filled to their recommended levels. 

To ensure your comfort throughout the trip, make sure to max out both your coolant and windshield fluid. Without enough coolant, your air conditioning system may not receive sufficient cooling capacity, leading to weak airflow, reduced cooling effectiveness, and one miserable road trip. Meanwhile, you’ll thank us for the windshield fluid when you’re an hour away from the nearest gas station and approximately 30,000 bugs have collided with your windshield in the last five minutes. 

Have Your Playlist Ready 

Whether you’re still working your way through recent epics from Beyonce and Taylor Swift or have ensconced yourself in the Kendrick-Drake beef, the spring has already given us plenty of road trip playlist material. Just make sure to sort out your music situation before you hit the road. Long road trips lull you into a sense of complacency, and the moment you decide to double-task on your phone could be the moment that brings a premature halt to your summer plans. 

Take Care of Your General Maintenance at Volkswagen of Macon 

If your road trip departure is imminent and you’re still wary about the state of your vehicle, it never hurts to get a second set of eyes on things. The service and repair experts that comprise our Service Center are here to get your Volkswagen Jetta, Atlas, or Golf road-ready. Before you set off on your next spring adventure, start your trip at Bibb County’s most trusted VW dealership, Volkswagen of Macon.Â