Get Your Vehicle Ready for Summer Vacation Travel!

With the kids out of school, now is the perfect time to hit the road and take a nice vacation. But before you climb in the car and head out on your trip, you’ll want to perform some basic vehicle maintenance in Lubbock, TX. Follow the steps in this post to ensure your car is as safe and fuel efficient as possible:

• Inspect the tires: Today’s tires are built to last for thousands and thousands of miles before they start to wear down, but that doesn’t mean you can just neglect them. Take a few seconds to examine the tread level and the sidewalls. If the tread is getting low or there are bulges or cuts on the tires’ sides, it’s time to replace them.
• Check tire pressure: While you’re looking at the tread, get a pressure gauge and check the pressure. Consult your owner’s manual to verify the recommended pressure and inflate your tires to that level. Driving on under- or overinflated tires is dangerous and negatively impacts your fuel consumption.
• Listen to the brakes: Do you hear a screeching or grinding noise when you apply the brakes? If so, that’s a problem! Any odd sounds while braking indicate that the pads are wearing down or there’s some other deeper issue. Regardless, it’s a good idea to bring your car to a professional for vehicle maintenance in Lubbock, TX.
• Test the battery: The last thing you want on your vacation is to have to call a tow truck and ask for a jump, so bring your car to an auto shop ahead of time and have them test the battery. You’ll also want to have the mechanic check the connections to ensure everything is tight and secure.
• Top off the fluids: Even if it’s not quite time to get your oil changed, now is a good time to do so. Along with getting fresh oil and a new oil filter, double-check that your coolant, brake, transmission and power steering fluids are all at the correct levels.
• Replace wiper blades: This one sounds small, but it’s a good idea to get a new set of wiper blades before you hit the road. Wipers get less effective as they age, which means driving through rain could be a bit of a struggle. You’ll also want to fill up the reservoir with wiper fluid to get all of those nasty bugs off your windshield.
• Check belts and hoses: Rubber belts and hoses can start to crack or fray as they get older, which means big trouble for your vehicle. If you don’t know what to look for in an old belt or hose, bring your vehicle to a mechanic. He can take a look and replace anything, if necessary.

Whether you’re driving across the country or just a few hours away, be sure your car is ready for the trip by coming to M & M Tire & Service Center. From tire services to auto repairs and diagnostics, we’re your one-stop shop for vehicle maintenance in Lubbock, TX.

Categorised in: Vehicle Maintenance

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