Preston is a lovely place to raise a family, and it can be as much as 45 per cent cheaper than living in London. This means that once you’ve explored your local landmarks and attractions – tried your hand at the bowling alley, explored the steam and rail museum, admired the many historic buildings and shopped along the market – you can use some of your savings to set off and explore further afield! But before you go, there are some steps that you should take to ensure that your car is in tiptop shape so you aren’t plagued with breakdowns and punctures along the way! Let’s have a look at some of these in this ultimate road trip car guide.

Tired Tyres?

Your tyres are the one thing between you and the road, and as such, you need them to be in great condition before any road trip, but especially before long journeys, when your car will be doing a lot more work than usual.

For example, if you were heading to admire the immensity of the Firth of Forth, your car will be driving steadily for nearly four hours – a considerable increase on your usual daily commute of around half-an-hour or so.

Check your tread depth, make sure the tyres are inflated to the right levels and if you need to get new tyres do it as soon as you can. It’s better to prioritise a quick tyre inspection to ensure your tyres are ready for the journey ahead.

A brief check can prevent delays and give you confidence on the road, helping you make the most of your trip without unnecessary interruptions. Additionally, having a reliable plan for quick maintenance, like using mobile tyre fitting services, can save you even more time and allow you to stay safe on the road.

In case you’re travelling to Fife from Preston very soon and won’t have time to get new tyres before you travel, a convenient way to change your tyres is to consider mobile tyre fitting from Fife Autocentre. The fitter will come to a place of your choosing to perform the tyre change, so you can get on with having a good time while you wait.

Super Service

If your annual or major service is nearly due, why not get it done early, so you can go off on your travels with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your car is in peak condition for the journey? When your mechanic services your car, they will find and remedy any faults that might have developed since the last service, but they will also change out all the consumables (oil and air filters, the screen-wash, and so on) and ensure that your oil, radiator water and more are all topped up too.

All of this will help to keep you and your passengers safe on the UK’s roads as you travel from Preston to your chosen destination. If your annual or major service is still fairly recent, you can opt for an interim service instead. This is more of a once-over for your car, but it will stand to ensure that your car is still in excellent condition and more than capable of making the trip.

Keep It Clean!

This might sound like redundant advice, but keeping your car clean and decluttered is an active way of ensuring the good condition of the vehicle. Decluttering reduces weight, which lowers the demand on the engines; and it also gives you more space for the family to spread out in. Before any road trip, you should always take out everything that you don’t and won’t need with you – your vehicle will thank you in the long run.

Once you have given your car a check-over, there is only one thing left to do: enjoy your visit and your time away from Preston.