Road Trip Checklist

It’s summer time!  The time for fresh cut grass, backyard bar-b-ques and road trips!  Summer is always a popular time for people to travel in this country.  Not only is time usually easier to get off from work, but the long stretch in between Memorial Day and Labor Day is the perfect time to take a few days off and experience something new.  Some of the top road trip destinations this summer include our country’s best national parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and, of course, the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This year, many people will still make the age old coast to coast cross country trip, but many of us will stay a little more local as we travel.  For some great ideas on where to go this summer, check out this article on the most popular road trips for the summer of 2015.

Taking a road trip can be so much more relaxing than flying.  You don’t have to worry about delays, getting the airport early, who you’ll be sitting next to or lost bags.  Driving gives you the freedom to stop where you want, when you want, and to experience some things along your journey that you would never have known about if you just flew over them.  The only thing you have to worry about for your road trip is choosing the right navigator and making sure your vehicle is ready for the trip.

We can’t help you when it comes to choosing the right people to bring on your journey, but we’re here to help make sure your car is ready for the ride!  Following our road trip checklist can help make sure your car is in good working order and won’t leave you stranded in a strange town.

Road Trip Checklist:

• Check your tires. Even if the rest of your car is perfect, you won’t get very far with bad tires.  If you have less than 1/8” of tread (about the distance from the edge of a penny to the top of Lincoln’s head) you should consider replacing your tires.  When the tread gets low your car can hydroplane easier and could take longer to stop.  Also check your tire pressure.  The recommended pressure should be on a sticker on the driver’s side door jamb.  Proper tire pressure will get you better mileage and keep your tires from wearing out prematurely.  Also, make sure you check your spare tire and jack.  Make sure all the appropriate tools are present to change the tire and make sure your spare has the right pressure.  Many can take up to 60 psi!

• Pack a safety kit. It’s important to make sure you’re prepared in case of an emergency.  Many stores sell roadside emergency kits that include a flare or road triangle, some simple tools, a first aid kit and a blanket or poncho.  You never know when you’ll need these so making sure you have one on board will help keep you and your passengers safe in an emergency.

• Check your fluids. The fluids in your car are what keeps it cool and running smoothly.  Checking your fluid level can help you identify any leaks you may have and catch them before they leave you stranded.  You should check:
  -Power Steering Fluid
  -Engine Oil Level
  -Coolant Level
  -Transmission fluid level
  -Windshield Washer Fluid
  Making sure all these fluids are topped off and clean will make sure your trip goes smoothly and prevent any damage from happening to your vehicle.  If you find a low fluid level, make sure you seal the leak first by using the appropriate BlueDevil leak stop product.  For a full line of BlueDevil stop leak products, visit our website here: http://store.gobdp.com/products/.

• Make sure your car is running at peak performance. Making sure your fluid levels are all topped off is a great start to keeping your engine running well, but you also need to make sure your car is tuned up and ready to get you the best gas mileage possible especially while you’re covering so many miles.  Maybe it’s time for an oil change, or will be during your trip.  Getting it done early can save you the hassle of doing it on the road and help keep your engine safe.  Similarly, check when the last time was that you had a transmission fluid flush, new spark plugs, or a fresh fuel filter.  All these items can help your engine run better and keep your fuel mileage up.  Lastly, pick up a bottle of BlueDevil Fuel System Cleaner.  BlueDevil Fuel System Cleaner will help keep your gas mileage high, your car running great and is something you should do every 3000 to 5000 miles as a part of regular maintenance.
  You can purchase BlueDevil Fuel MD here:

Following this checklist of course cannot prevent a breakdown from happening, but these few simple steps should only take you about 30 minutes to check before you leave and should help your trip go smoothly and your vehicle to get great mileage the whole way.

If you need any BlueDevil products, like BlueDevil Fuel system cleaner, or any of our stop leak products you can purchase them any of our partnering local auto parts stores like:

• AutoZone
• Advance Auto Parts
• Bennett Auto Supply
• CarQuest Auto parts
• NAPA Auto Parts
• O’Reilly Auto Parts
• Pep Boys
• Fast Track
• Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Specialists
• S&E Quick Lube Distributer
• DYK Automotive

Pictures provided by:

road_trip_checklist.jpg – By DeviantArt – Licesned By Creative Commons – Original Link
safety_kit.jpg – By NRTowing – Licensed By Creative Commons – Original Link