How To Get Your Car Holiday Ready
The holiday season is beginning, and staycations are the new vacations for those who prefer to stay in and around the UK. Camping is the perfect way to still get on holiday, either by yourself or with loved ones, and see all the beautiful places without any limitations.
When the time comes around for preparing for your camping trip, your vehicle is something that is often overlooked. Below you’ll find how to prepare your car for the trip, what maintenance services every camper should do before and why it’s important to make sure your vehicle is camping ready – all so you have the stress-free experience you deserve.
Why is car preparation so important?
Every person going on a holiday is probably going for one thing – relaxation. When you’re out on the road trying to reach your camping destination to achieve that, the last thing you want is a fault to happen on your car. This is why it is essential to make sure you have an up to date MOT that guarantees your vehicle meets required road safety and environmental standards.
“When is my car MOT due?” is a quite common question we all ask ourselves, as it’s quite easy to forget the date. If you are uncertain when your vehicle MOT and Service is due, then visit the DVLA MOT check UK and you can review your MOT due date, check your MOT expiry and your car’s MOT history.
Usually, an MOT can take between 40 to 60 minutes, so book in advance time before your planned trip to ensure any issues will be fixed before you depart. We also recommend having your car MOT check carried out by a DVSA approved testing centre for reliability and safety.
What Do You Do Next?
Once you’re certain your car MOT is up to date, what do you do next? Well, to make things easier, we have a list of top tips to get your car staycation ready!
Clean your car
It might sound silly, but getting your car cleaned can help identify any damages or leaks that may be occurring in your car. After the winter months of salt and grit on the roads, build up can happen underneath your car that may eventually wear down the panels that protect your engine and running parts. Giving it a bit of TLC with a sponge and bucket can give you that extra inspection so any issues you might notice can be sorted before you get away – not to forget it will make your car look great.
Check your tyres
No other component is more important to check than your tyres for both your safety and car’s performance If they are underinflated or worn down, it can be really detrimental to both handling and braking. Specifically, if you’re travelling at high speeds, bad quality tyres could lead to a blowout – every driver’s worst nightmare.
For optimum peace of mind before getting away, make sure to give your tyres a once over by looking for a sidewall of bubbles, visible wear bars and uneven wearing, and ensure your spare tyre is fully pumped (just in case).
Lights, wipers, ACTION!
Driving at night with no lights on is illegal, so get someone to help you check if all your lights work including your brake lights. In addition, top-up your fluid for your windscreen wipers as this will help remove any dirt that may collect from the drive. Before you can get into action, we’d also recommend topping up your oil so your car parts don’t run dry and cause nasty vibrations – not a relaxing start!
Who, What, Where, When…
Forward planning can make your trip so much easier. Who are you going with, the kids, some dogs, friends? What are you going to need to provide for them? What’s the traffic and weather going to be like? Where are you travelling to? Is it far and will there be services on the way for any stops you might need to make? When are you going and when should you pack up? All of these questions need to be covered to make certain you won’t be halfway up a mountainside nearing your campsite wondering if you’ve packed enough for your perfect staycation.
Overpack!
You’re taking the car, so overpack generously to cover all bases. Make sure you have plenty of water and you have an emergency kit just in case there are any minor injuries. If you’re planning on making all your food, make sure you cater for that with how you’re going to store it all, cook it and clean it all up. Those conscious about sleeping at night need to make sure they have the right equipment to get the best night’s sleep (air beds, pillows, top quality sleeping bag or a decent duvet). Creating a list of things can help you tick off everything you want to take so it gets packed.
Fuel up and get on the road
Fuel up your car! You don’t want to be on your way and 20 minutes into your journey you’re waiting for a recovery van to tow you to the next services. It is absolutely necessary to get your fuel before setting off properly. From your planning, you should already know how far the services will be between your home and final destination, just in case you need to refuel on a longer journey. And if you’re sharing with friends, split the cost of the fuel payment across you all so it’s a bit cheaper.
Finally, enjoy yourself!
