Originally published on 4/3/2019 here.
The arrival of spring stirs up a longing for adventure. After months of being cooped up inside and navigating wet or icy roads, sunny skies and warmer weather make us want to load up our car and hit the highway. Whether you are taking a road trip across the state or just to a nearby campsite, here are some basic maintenance tasks to complete beforehand to make sure there are no issues along the way.
Check Your Car Fluids
There are six essential fluids: oil, radiator fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid and windshield fluid.
1. Oil- Critical to the engine and keeps everything lubed up. Nunnally recomends changing this every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. If you bought your vehicle from their dealership, you're in luck because you get 3 years/36000 miles of oil changes with your vehicle purchase!
2. Radiator Fluid- Keeps everything cool, so cool it has two other names: coolant / anitfreeze. Check this and top it off, usually at 50,000 mile intervals.
3. Brake Fluid- Yes, there is fluid present when you press your brakes. This fluid needs to be flushed out every 36,000 miles or so.
4. Power Steering Fluid- Modern cars use power steering fluid to make turning the wheel easy - and of course, this fluid has to be changed out occasionally.
5. Transmission Fluid- Helps gears mesh smoothly, and if your transmission fluid is bad, you can tell because you car would be shifting badly. It's a good idea to replace this at 60,000 miles.
6. Windshield Fluid- Keeps the windshield clean so you can see where you're going! You can easily grab a jug of this from any gas station and use a funnel to fill up the reservoir.
Check Your Tire Pressure
Next up, tires. Keep that air pressure in check. It helps with your fuel efficiency. If not aired up properly, your tires will wear unevenly and need replacement sooner. Tires also need to be rotated, because they tend to wear out at different rates, which helps the tires last longer. Try doing this every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. If you think you need new tires, the penny test is a quick way to check.
Final Check Under the Hood
Last but not least, there are general components that need maintenance to stay in good working order, like brake pads, air filters, belts, hoses and light bulbs. Looking under the hood of your car can be intimidating, which brings us to finding a service center that you trust.
Don't let car maintenance scare you. Drive over to a service center you trust (Nunnally Chevrolet is our top pick!) and keep your vehicle in tip top order for your next road trip. The service technicians at Nunnally have over 300 years of combined service experience so you can trust that your vehicle will get the best care and attention. If that wasn't enough, 2 out of only 7 active World-Class Technicians in the State of Arkansas work at Nunnally Chevrolet!
Plus, if you're looking for road trip inspiration, check out How to Have the Ultimate Spring Break in Eureka Springs or Exploring Indian Creek.
Some other leisurlist favorites: Hobbs State Park Hidden Diversity Multi-Use Trail, Buffalo National River, Devil's Den State Park and Beaver Lake.
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