My Open Book

Summer is a great time for a trip, and there’s no better place to explore than the area right around home. Exploring the highways and country roads in your own area of the country is a great way to get away, with a minimum of trouble.

That means you’ll need to have your car in tip top shape, especially if you plan to take a fairly long trip. You will be depending on your own vehicle, so now’s the time to get it ready.

Whether you are a “hands-on” type of person, or someone who would like to leave things to the professionals, here are some basics that need to be covered. If you are handy, and have a garage and access to the essential tools necessary, then go for it. If not, take a list to your local auto repair shop and have a mechanic do the honors.

The first thing to remember is that it’s summer, and even if the real hot weather has yet to kick in, be sure and check the operation of your car’s cooling system. If you haven’t had the air conditioner on yet this spring, turn it on. Make sure that it’s working because no one wants to revert to the fifties, flying down the road with all the windows open and bugs stuck in our teeth.

Top up all your fluids too. You local auto repair shop will be glad to do it for you. They have all the tools and know exactly how it should be done, so that’s probably the easiest way to be sure it is done correctly. You may want to switch to a thicker oil to counteract the thinning effect of the hot summer weather. That way you’ll be assured the engine’s parts are adequately protected.

Make sure your auto repair guy checks the brake, power steering, transmission, and differential fluids. Top up your windshield wiper reservoirs, and consider taking an extra bottle along with you. There is nothing worse that driving into the sun and straining to see through a bug-spattered windshield.

It is important to have the correct coolant in your car’s radiator. If you intend to do it yourself, remember not to use just plain water. Make sure the solution includes antifreeze in the proper proportion to keep your car from overheating when the temperatures start to climb. Check your vehicle’s operating manual for directions on changing fluids. It should tell you how to do it and what fluids to use.

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