Road Trip Preparation: Getting Your Car Road Trip Ready

Posted on November 21, 2022

Preparing your next big holiday? Over the last few years, thanks to the pandemic, more and more Canadians have been taking their holidays within Canada, and luckily for us we have the second biggest country in the world to get out there and explore. And what better way to do that than with a cross Canada road trip? You’ll need to do some road trip preparation before such an undertaking and that's what this article is here to help with as we’re going over the top tips to prepare your car for a road trip. 

Do a Full Maintenance Check

Canada as mentioned is really, really big, and as such on a road trip there are going to be long gaps between places where you can get your car fixed up should something break down. Therefore before you set off you want to make doubly sure that everything is in proper working order. This is our most important road trip preparation tip.

Let’s start with fluids, there are several fluids that your car is reliant on to run smoothly, Oil is the most obvious so check your oil and see if it needs changed, Radiator fluid is another important one, especially if this trip is happening in the summer, Brake fluid is another important one to test. 

There are plenty of other routine maintenance things you can do, or if you're not mechanically inclined then it’s worth taking the car to a mechanic for a full checkup before you depart. Think of it like getting your flu-shots before going abroad but for your car. Check the general wear and tear of the engine as well as the tires and the brake pads, all the essentials that you really don’t want to break down between built up areas.  

Prepare Emergency Supplies

Along with your luggage, there are several extra items that you should consider making room for in the car, both for the car and for yourself. A spare tire is always a great thing to have around should a tire burst, and along with it the tools to fit it yourself, in general having an emergency toolbox in the car can be massively helpful, provided you know how to use them. 

You should also have an emergency medical kit just in case you or another passenger breaks down in a similar fashion to the car, and for this one you should definitely know how to use it, even if it’s just the basics. 

Do a Thorough Cleaning

If you’re going to be stuck in a car for several weeks, it’s going to get messy, there’s no getting around it. However just because it will get messy doesn’t mean it should start that way, and you should definitely do a thorough cleaning of the car inside and out before you set off.

We hope our road trip preparation tips help you stay safe when driving across the country! Please don't hesitate to contact us here if you have any questions