Long drives put more strain on a car in a few hours than weeks of normal commuting. A short pre-trip check catches most of what tends to fail. Check tire tread and pressure, including the spare — a tire that is fine around town can be marginal at sustained highway speed. Check coolant level when the engine is cold, and look at the belts for cracking. Have your battery tested if it is more than three years old; heat and cold both shorten battery life, and a marginal battery often fails at the worst possible moment. Top off washer fluid and check your wiper blades if you are driving through any weather. If it has been more than six months since your last oil change, do it before you leave rather than after you get back. We can usually get a pre-trip check done same-day if you call ahead.
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