Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection: A Few Things to Check Before Your Holiday Trip
Before leaving on a road trip for the holidays, you should have your vehicle inspected. If not, you risk getting your car broken down and stranded on the road.
Let’s look at a few aspects you should look into before embarking on your winter holiday trip.
Oil Change and Fluid Services
If you are within 1,000 miles of an oil change and know you’ll be putting more than that on your mileage, change your oil before leaving.
At Little Wolf Automotive in Waupaca, WI, we’ll not only check and change your oil. We’ll also check other fluids—like brake, transmission, and power steering fluids—to ensure everything is topped off.
We also provide other fluid services, such as flushing the coolant if your antifreeze is over three years old.
Cooling System Repair
Ensure your car’s cooling system is working properly, even in winter. Your vehicle can overheat if you have a coolant leak, a stuck thermostat, or a bad water pump.
If this happens to you, have a tow truck bring your vehicle to our shop, so you do not risk further overheating. We’ll check for coolant leaks and other cooling system issues.
Tire and Brake Services
Tires and brakes are important to your safety and that of your vehicle. Worn-out tires could blow out or have you lose control on the road. And you don’t want malfunctioning brakes in case you need to stop.
We’ll check your tires at Little Wolf Automotive in Waupaca, WI to ensure they have adequate air pressure and tread. If you are heading north, we recommend that you consider winter tires.
We’ll also check your brakes for signs of wear-and-tear or potential repairs. We can also check the wheel alignment if needed.
Car Tune-Up
If it’s been a few years since you tuned up your vehicle, we recommend getting it done before you leave. Bad plugs will cause horrible fuel economy at best and cause the vehicle to run poorly.
Gas and diesel are already expensive enough. There’s no sense in wasting fuel because of bad plugs, especially on a long trip.
Wipers and Washer Fluid
In winter, it’s crucial to ensure wipers are in good condition and the washer fluid tank is full. Unfortunately, most people never pay attention to these things since they rarely use them. Unless it rains or the windshield gets dirty.
Worn wipers could scratch the windshield, and they certainly won’t be effective at their job. You’ll also be annoyed when you need washer fluid to clean the windshield, but you only get one squirt as you forgot to fill the fluid tank.
Going on a Winter Trip? Do a Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection with Little Wolf Automotive in Waupaca, WI
At Little Wolf Automotive in Waupaca, WI, we can help with your pre-trip vehicle inspections. This is to ensure your car is safe and doesn’t have potential repairs needing to be done before a trip. Our certified mechanics will check and do the necessities—from oil changes to other essential maintenance tasks.
Call us today at (715) 258-0200 or fill out this online form. You can also stop by our full-service shop at 225 S Western Ave., Waupaca, WI 54981.
