Such scrupulous control, which used to be arranged, is no longer necessary. Cars have become more reliable. Parts are easier to find. And now there are many more service workshops.
But there are moments that you should pay attention to. You have to move on highways, mountain roads, in a hot climate. The load on the driver and the car increases in such modes. And where it is thin, there it breaks.
Therefore, at the very least, a cursory glance at the car should be taken.
Wheels and tires
They must first and foremost be carefully examined. Remove self-tapping screws and shards of glass protruding from the tread or contact a tire service. If there is damage, repair!
The remaining tread depth must be greater than 1.6 mm. On the sidewalls of the tires should not be hernias indicating the destruction of the cord.
Check the discs for traces of recently lost balance weights. And finally – any bolts or nuts that attach the wheels to the hubs are in place.
And be sure to check your tire pressure. Wear, fuel consumption and of course safety depend on this.
brake pads
Check the remaining thickness of the pads. If the wear is significant, it is better to put new ones in order not to end up with broken brakes in unknown places.
Especially if you have a rare car model that you can’t buy pads for in the first store you come across. Or if you can’t replace the pads yourself.
leak test
Pay attention to whether there are drops under the parked car. Leaking engine and transmission oils, antifreeze, power steering fluid, brake fluid can cancel your trip. The only thing that can drip from the car is condensation from the air conditioning.
Attention to radiators
Inspect, or better yet, wash prophylactically the engine radiator, air conditioning heat exchanger, and automatic transmission or variator so as not to overheat the units in the heat on difficult sections of road.
Follow the rules
Check mileage to see if an engine oil change is approaching. If you have rolled an additional 3-5 thousand kilometers under a heavy load on old oil, you can cause major damage to the engine. Better not save and change the oil a little earlier.
Trunk content
Provide the necessary first aid kit, fire extinguisher and warning triangle. I recommend adding a reliable tow rope and checking the spare tire, jack and balloon and wheel lock key (if equipped). If the engine burns engine oil, stock up – with the expectation that consumption can increase even more at high speeds.
Give your car some time and it won’t disappoint you!
- “Behind the wheel” can be read in Odnoklassniki.