Planning to go on a long drive in the car with my family? Want to have a little adventure with friends? Going on a trip with work acquaintances to get to know them better? Whatever be the case, here’s a guide to help in understanding how to be prepared for long drives in a car.
Long drives in the car are like therapy to many people. Everyone goes on long drives wanting to relieve stress, take a break or relax during the weekends. It seems like an adventure to so many people who want to explore the city around them. The thrill of long drives is something that never dies. If one is looking for second-hand cars to buy for going on long drives, one can find the best used cars in Tamil Nadu online with ease.
However, when asked why people don’t do long drives often, several concerns were voiced; “What if something goes wrong with my car? What if we don’t find a store to buy essential supplies? What if we get lost? What if my tires puncture and I don’t find help? What if there is no car mechanic nearby?”
To ease these worries, here are certain things that one must keep in mind before going on long drives in a car. This is a huge step toward ensuring everyone going has a safe ride and enjoy it thoroughly throughout. Never leave any of this until the last minute. Get the work done right when the start planning starts. Always plan ahead for such events to avoid confusion, miscommunication and hassle. This helps in being prepared for emergencies and dealing with them smoothly.
- Engine Coolant: When using the car to drive long distances, there could be chances of the engine heating up. This is why checking the engine coolant before the drive is extremely necessary. Engine coolant, also known as antifreeze, runs through the engine to ensure it runs at the optimal temperature. If the car is old, one may have to check for the coolant level and top it up if necessary. Without coolant, the engine and its parts heat up. This essentially leads to the car itself heating up, resulting in a breakdown. A nightmare of every traveller! Ensuring the coolant is at the right level will prevent this from happening.
- Functioning Lights: Imagine going out on a long drive at night or be venturing into a forest only to face the lights malfunctioning. The anxiety everyone would experience is unimaginable. Checking for the correct and proper functioning of lights is extremely necessary and vital. This is a must-do check to prevent anything from going wrong. Checking for the adequate functioning of lights includes checking for the correct functioning of headlights, tail lights, brake lights and indicators. This will prevent other vehicles from accidentally running into the car because the indicators were not working while taking a turn or the headlights were not working. Hence this greatly reduces the rate of accidents at night time. Also, keep in mind to have spare lights just in case.
- Fuel Level: Wouldn’t it be the most terrible of tragedies to run out of fuel in a faraway town, in the middle of nowhere? Imagine being stuck in a place that is not familiar with nowhere to go and no one to seek help from. The simplest way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to check and calculate fuel levels. Some of the best used cars in Tamil Nadu offer just the competent mileage. With a rough understanding of how the car works, calculate how often refuelling will be needed. Always start with a full tank. Figure out how far the car will run and how long one can travel before refuelling is required. Check if there are any fuelling stations or petrol bunks on the way or around the area where one will run out of fuel. Make sure to keep track of this so the car does not run out of fuel, leaving the passengers stranded hoping for help.
- Tyre pressure and spare tyres: This is something to watch out for. This issue is something that is encountered quite often. Low pressure in tyres or facing a tyre puncture is very terrible. It causes rocky rides as the least bad possibility and leaves the passengers stranded without knowing what to do. In such cases, always ensure to carry a spare tyre along when going on long drives. This backup option is a life-saver. A burst tyre can cause other dangers like the car turning over, skidding on to the opposite lane or divider; therefore, make sure to check the condition of the tire before heading out. Bald tyres can cause the vehicle to skid, especially on wet roads.