Road trips are a great way to get out of the often busy city streets and enjoy the open road a bit more. Whether you are thinking about driving up the A1 from central London to Scotland, would like to escape to the Southwest via the M4 or the A303, or want to take your car to continental Europe by ferry, most Londoners notice the difference as soon as they are beyond the M25. However, motorway driving tends to place cars under a different sort of strain from stopping and starting on the North Circular or waiting for the A3 to clear close to Clapham Common to give just two examples.
Therefore, having your car serviced prior to a road trip is always a good idea for city vehicles that don’t get above 50 mph very often. DAT Tyres is a recognised car servicing provider in London – you can give a call to experts here at 02089693030 to find out more about the benefits of pre-road trip inspections. In the meantime, read on to find out why servicing your car before you hit the open road would be advisable.
1. Avoid Breaking Down
When you’re on a road trip, the last thing you will want to do is to wait for a recovery vehicle to rescue you from the hard shoulder when you should be travelling to your intended destination. The problem can be even worse and more expensive if you break down somewhere deserted during the trip due to the unavailability of parts. Make sure you’re fully prepared by having mechanical issues dealt with beforehand.
2. Run Your Car More Efficiently
Car servicing isn’t just about picking up on potential faults before they occur but making cars run better, too. Of course, a service can improve handling and make your road trip more pleasurable as a driving experience but it should also mean getting more out of your tank of fuel, as well. Service cars will typically use less petrol or diesel per mile driven. If you have an electric car, then you should get more out of your battery pack following a service, too.
3. Ensure Your Car is Fully Roadworthy
There are some issues that you might not notice if you only drive a few miles in your car each day to commute to work or do the school run. You may well notice minor problems get worse when you are on the motorway, however. Brake pads that are okay in slow-moving traffic could be dangerous when you approach 70 mph so have them looked at as a part of your car service as well as other aspects of road worthiness, such as the condition of your tyres.
4. Don’t Overheat
Many road trips are conducted in the summer when it is often harder for cars to perform. The cooling system for your engine might need to be working at peak performance if it is hot outside and you’re running your car at higher speeds for hours on end. A car service will help to stop your engine from overheating and can also help you to remain cool inside if you include an air-conditioning service, too.
5. Stay Safe on the Road
All sorts of safety checks should be included with a service. Don’t suffer from a faulty safety system in the event of an accident. Your car service should include many safety checks, such as inspecting seat belts and ensuring your visibility is good and can be maintained at all times, for example. Your car service should also make sure your vehicle doesn’t drift or pull to one side which can be dangerous on dual carriageways.
