If your car is heavily loaded it is very important to check your tyre pressure. The right tyre pressure for your car is shown in your instruction manual. In any case, you should best increase the pressure if you are more heavily loaded than usual. Check your tyres when they are cold, so not immediately after a trip.

Also pay attention to the profile depth of your tyres. This must be at least 1.6 mm and, for a long journey, a good 3 mm, at least. Your tyres lose approx. 0.5 mm per 1,000 km. Don’t forget to check your spare tyre as well. Cars without a spare tyre often have a repair kit in the car, check the instructions for use beforehand.

You don’t want to melt on the road, so cooling is always useful in the summer heat. Start by leaving the doors wide open for a while before you leave.

Of course, you can put the airco on during the trip but make sure that the temperature difference between inside and outside is not too great. That is bad for your health and requires a lot of power from your car. It is best to have your airco checked in the garage before you leave, so you don’t have any surprises.

Think about water for you and fluids for the car. Before you leave, check coolant, brake fluid and oil levels. Always take a can of oil with you.

Pay some attention to your glove compartment. There are a lot of useful items you need to have in there: your documents, such as the car and/or travel insurances, a First Aid kit (bandage, disinfectant, scissors, plasters, etc.), fluorescent jackets and alcohol testers. Legal requirements are different in the various European countries.

Make sure your car has enough screen-washer fluid and check all the windows for chips or cracks before you leave. This kind of damage should best be repaired before you leave to avoid any problems on the trip.

A perfectly packed boot is an art. Put the heavy items at the bottom and anything you may need during the trip at the top. Make sure that the load can move as little as possible. Do not leave anything sharp or heavy on the parcel shelf. That is very dangerous if you must brake suddenly.

To ensure your attention stay focussed on a long journey, you should stretch your legs regularly. Your car also needs a break. That will allow the engine to cool down for a bit. So always take a break every 2 hours. Cautious and economical driving also helps to avoid the engine overheating.

Checked everything? Then you can leave on your journey with peace of mind. Yet, despite that, has something gone wrong? Don’t worry, you can count on Carr&Repair for the repairs.