Are you planning to have a weekend vacation to visit friends and family for the holidays? Long trips can lead to a lot of stress not only for you but also for your vehicle.
It’s bad enough when you experience car problems in your own driveway, but nothing could be worse than having your vehicle break down far away from home. Before hitting the road, you need to take your car to a body repair shop to make sure it’s in perfect working condition.
Listed below are the reasons why you need to take your vehicle to a body repair shop before going on a long trip.
1. Prevents Clogged Air Filters
The air filter in your car needs replacement every once in a while. Filters prevent dirt from entering your car’s interior. When they reach capacity, air filters can get clogged. This could impact fuel economy, engine performance, and air quality.
2. Ensures Clear Visibility and Safety
Light bulbs should be checked at all times and, if necessary, they should be replaced. This is to make sure you won’t be pulled over during a long drive.
Cloudy or oxidized headlights are a safety concern you should never ignore. When it comes to foggy headlights, there is an increased light dispersal and it can affect your beam’s range. This reduces your nighttime visibility and potentially leads to a risky trip. A body repair shop can repair your headlights; look for one that offers a lifetime warranty.
Wiper blades are susceptible to wear and tear. As they deteriorate, their ability to effectively remove grime, water, and snow from your windshield diminishes. You may start to hear distracting squeaks as the blade material starts making incorrect contact with the glass. It can also result in smears that significantly reduce your visibility. To address this, have high-quality wiper blades installed at your trusted body repair shop.
3. Cleanliness
Your car can get dirty during a long drive, and to keep it clean, there’s nothing more important than the windshield. After all, you need clear visibility when driving during long trips.
When having your car checked by a professional, they will add windshield washer fluid to your reservoir so you’ll have enough for the whole trip. The fluid is available at any gas station–you can even refill it yourself in case it gets low.
4. Ensures Optimal AC Performance
Before hitting the open road, check your car’s air conditioning/heating system. Aside from cooling the air inside your vehicle, the AC is responsible for removing humidity. A malfunctioning AC can result in the windshield fogging up from the inside during a rainy or extremely cold weather. Conversely, if you’ve noticed that your AC is not as cold as it was before, you might need to have it refilled with refrigerant or checked for any leaks.
5. Ensures General Safety
Bringing your car to an automotive repair shop before a long trip is usually a sign that you want someone to perform a general inspection and see if your car can keep you safe. Besides examining the shocks, springs, and drivetrain, to name a few, the technician or mechanic will check to make sure nothing is loose and can come off during a long drive.
You wouldn’t want a side mirror to come off while cruising along, or the windshield suddenly dropping onto the dashboard, right?
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that car care and maintenance can be a pain. However, it’s certainly not nearly as bad as having a weekend getaway ruined by an issue that could have been prevented. Cars work extra hard during road trips, so always have yours checked at the auto body repair shop and give it what it needs for a smooth performance.