What to look for before leaving

Long weekends and holiday trips ahead. It is worth taking care of safety before your dream vacation and ordering a seasonal vehicle inspection - preferably about 2 weeks before departure, in order to be able to repair the car. Auto mechanic experts advise on what to pay special attention to before a long trip and how to reduce the cost of inspection and repair.

We have long weekends and holiday trips ahead of us. Before your dream vacation, you should take care of safety and pass a seasonal vehicle inspection in order to have your car repaired in time. Auto mechanic experts advise on what to pay special attention to before a long trip and how to reduce the cost of inspection and repair.

According to the Ministry of Finance, in March 2011, cars over 10 years old were the largest group of imported used cars and accounted for more than 47 percent. All cars are imported. Driving a used, old car requires regular technical inspections. In 2006, almost a third of Poles (32%) responsible for car repairs in their households performed activities related to routine maintenance and car maintenance themselves, according to a study conducted by TNS OBOP and TNS Infratest. The reason for this was not only the prices for services in the workshops, but also the age of our cars, on average 14 years. Often these are fairly simple vehicles that are easier to repair yourself. Unfortunately also more extraordinary due to age.

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Checking the car before the trip

Is technical research fulfilling its role?

“Not all problems can be diagnosed in the home workshop. Drivers are often unable to detect minor leaks, deterioration in coolant or brake fluid, suspension condition and vehicle geometry on their own. The absolute minimum for safety is a technical inspection once a year. I know from experience that drivers do not inspect seemingly serviceable cars, and even a minor, imperceptible defect can lead to a much larger and more expensive breakdown,” warns Maciej Czubak, an expert in the field of assessing the technical condition of cars.

Going on vacation or a long weekend usually means that the car is fully loaded with passengers and luggage, travels long distances and at a higher speed than in the city. For a car, especially a little older, this is a heavy burden. What elements should be checked before embarking on a long-distance route to avoid stress and reach your destination safely? The brake system, the condition of the pads, discs and jaws guarantee our safety on a long journey. This is one of the elements without which a person would not be able to navigate effectively on a public road.

Shock absorbers, in turn, guarantee adequate pressure on the body and contact of the wheels with the road - it is thanks to the good technical condition of the “springs” that we can avoid skidding and shorten the braking distance. Common ailments after winter are damage resulting from the driver's carelessness when driving through snowdrifts or frozen ruts: broken rocker arms, knocked out steering rods. Before a long trip, you should also check the condition of the tire tread, which is responsible for the grip of the car with the road and the braking distance, as well as the tire pressure, which affects, among other things, fuel consumption, driving comfort, driving performance and even an increased risk of “rubber hooking”. ".

Another point tested in the workshop is the engine cooling system, a particularly important element that protects against overheating in holiday traffic jams, and air conditioning. Often after the winter it is necessary to fill the air conditioning system, disinfect it and replace the filters. Such a procedure will affect hygiene and driving comfort. The service technician will also check the condition of the electrical circuits and the battery. This is important if you are planning a long trip, because in this way we minimize the risk of immobilizing the vehicle. The level and quality of fluids will also be diagnosed - engine oil, brake and coolant. A harsh winter can adversely affect indoor installations by causing freezing of electrical cables, washer fluid reservoirs or wax deposits in diesel engines.

“A common mistake of drivers is also to drive to the last drop of fuel. Fuel contaminants settle to the bottom of the tank, clogging the fuel system and immobilizing the vehicle. In addition, it is better for the car not to postpone the date of replacing the fuel filter, it is best to do this before a long trip,” Maciej Czubak advises.