A road trip offers you the opportunity to explore a new region of the country without the added expense of a flight or train ticket. Also, this experience is an adventure. You might not even know exactly where you’re going until you arrive. Before embarking on this exploration, you should plan to bring your car to a local Winston Salem Auto Repair Shop. Here are a list of handy questions to ask and your mechanic.
1. How much time should I plan for?
While you know that you should bring the car into the shop, you might procrastinate until the last minute. Dropping off your vehicle the day before you leave on a trip might mean that you don’t have it back in time. Instead, call your mechanic to find out what a reasonable time to bring the car in is. If you suspect that your vehicle needs major repairs, you’ll then need to allow even more days for the work. Planning a road trip in advance is imperative when you don’t want to cancel your trip.
2. Is the car in good condition for this drive?
If you’re planning to travel across the country in a car that’s practically old enough to have its own license, your mechanic might advise you otherwise. While you might fear the answer that you’ll receive, it’s better to know and work on alternate travel arrangements than to get in a car that could breakdown before you’re even halfway to your destination.
3. Can I choose more efficient fueling options?
Chances are that you want to save some money on this road trip, and gas is going to consume a large portion of your budget. Perhaps you’ve been using the wrong type of gas for your car all of these years without knowing it. Even if the fuel you’ve been putting in the car isn’t damaging, it might not provide you with the most miles. Asking this question can provide you with an answer that is useful for your road trip and the future.
4. How are my tires?
Finding yourself stranded in an unfamiliar place with tire issues can feel frightening and overwhelming. Now is the time to ask how your tires are likely to hold up during the trip. If any question exists, consider replacing them now so that you don’t have to deal with unexpected costs and delays when you’re trying to enjoy your vacation.
5. How much do I fill my tires?
Some cars are quite sensitive to changes in the environment. For example, you might notice that your dashboard alerts you to low pressure in the tires every time that the temperature drops below a certain level. Knowing how to fill your tires, especially when you’ll be driving in new conditions, is important. In addition to learning how to use the air pump at the station, you can also purchase a unit that you keep in your car. Low pressure in the tires could happen when you are miles away from a gas station.
6. Why does that check engine light keep coming on?
If you have a mysterious light that keeps appearing on your dashboard alerting you to some trouble, you might cross your fingers that it turns off when you bring your car to the mechanic. However, failure to ask a question at your Winston Salem auto repair shop service appointment could just lead to greater problems later. The answer might be that you need a replacement part for your car, or you may learn that the computer is malfunctioning. Some of the fixes are simple.
7. Can my car handle that terrain?
On your road trip of the region or country, you may want to test your car out on new terrain. Still though, your desire to try out the new terrain does not mean your car can handle it. Mapping out your journey to get a sense of what you’ll be driving in can assist you in asking the right question when you meet with the mechanic.
8. Are any of the fluids low?
Getting your oil changed or having other fluids added to your car during the road trip doesn’t necessarily take a tremendous amount of time, but it can put a halt to your plans. Instead of waiting until the light starts blinking on the dashboard, have all of the levels checked before you start on your trip.
9. Should I have my car inspected now?
In the event that your car is up for an inspection in the near future, you may want to consider having it taken care of at this point. By doing so, you can know about issues present with your vehicle and cross an item off of your future to-do list.
As you’re packing and preparing for your road trip, you might not put too much thought into the car itself. However, if you want to have a road trip without hassle, then you should pay attention to these issues.