As the holidays quickly approach, it’s time to start planning how you’ll visit friends or family members who don’t live in the same state or even in the same part of the country. Sure, you could fly. But hassling with airports during the holidays is a pain, and flying is expensive if you’re traveling with your whole family. Though it’s not as fast as flying, your best bet for traveling this year is to just take the family car.
But before you all pile into the sedan and head to your grandmother’s house, it’s a good idea to visit your trusted auto mechanics in Phoenix. An auto mechanic needs to check several aspects of your vehicle to ensure it’s safe to go on a road trip:
- Check your tires: Even though tire technology has come a long way in the past few decades, tires still don’t last forever. Over time, the tread on your tires starts to wear down. Low tread makes it harder for your car to get traction and stay on the road, which makes you a danger to yourself and others. Have a mechanic inspect your tires to make sure the tread looks sufficient before you head out of town.
- Check your oil: As you know, your vehicle’s oil needs to be changed every few thousand miles. Without fresh oil, your engine won’t perform as well as it should, and you could experience sudden car problems on the highway. Have your auto mechanics in Phoenix change your oil before your trip to ensure that your vehicle is good to go. It only takes a mechanic a few minutes to change your oil, and it can make all the difference while you’re on your road trip.
- Check your belts: Like your tires, the various belts that keep your engine running last longer than they used to, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be occasionally replaced. After years of use, the belts become worn and can snap without warning. If that happens during your road trip, you’ll be stranded on the side of the road. Let us inspect your belts for signs that they need to be changed.
- Check your brakes: Think about it—your car is basically a hunk of metal flying down the road. Without properly functioning brakes, that pile of metal is a danger to everyone around you. Have a mechanic check your brake pads for signs of wear and inspect your brake lines to ensure everything looks like it should. It doesn’t take long to inspect brake pads and brake lines, and it could save someone’s life—including your own.
Don’t risk a tire blow out, engine failure or other car problem this holiday season—visit your auto mechanics in Phoenix today! Our professionals at S & J Auto Repair & Rental can inspect your whole car to ensure that it’s safe and ready to take you wherever you need to go this year. And if we determine that your car can’t handle a trip, you can rent one of ours! We have a large selection of rental cars available that can accommodate all of your travel needs.