Preparing the Vehicle for Road Trips

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Summertime equals road trips in our home! Every summer, before a road trip we do a routine clean up and check up to ensure we have all the summer essentials and are ready for fun. From ten-day road trips to three-day overnight trips, there are few things on our checklist we tick off, so everyone in the family can enjoy and have a memorable experience.

This year we are focusing on trips that explore a variety of different parts in Ontario as well as Quebec. From our past experiences, such as going on road trips to New Brunswick and Sault Ste. Marie we know how important being prepared is especially when travelling with young children.

We love to shop at Canadian Tire, as it is the ultimate one stop shop for all our automotive and home needs. During our road trips, we have shopped at many Canadian Tire locations. From getting our vehicle roadworthy to having the essentials for our trip, we find Canadian Tire has a variety of items and services at reasonable prices. We are lucky that there are many Canadian Tire locations all throughout Canada, so there is no worry in case we forget to get something.

Before leaving on a trip, the main task is to get the vehicle fit for the road. To have a safe and uninterrupted journey, we make it our first priority to get the engine oil changed. This is essential to keep the vehicle's engine and all the moving components running smoothly and last a long time. Long winters can make the engine oil dirty, so it is best to make sure the oil change is done promptly according to the vehicle owner's manual. We usually change the oil in our vehicle every 4000 miles.

Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™ Full Synthetic Motor Oil performs even after hundreds of thousands of miles of severe real-world driving through superior lubrication flow and pump ability in below-freezing temperatures. This motor oil has more durability because of its fuel-saving additive that keeps the oil fresh. As the engine temperature increases, heat-activated viscosity improves and anti-wear additives in the Quaker State® motor oil kick in to maintain oil thickness, which helps extend the engine life. We can use the Quaker State® motor oil from Canadian Tire, which is available at a great price and do our own oil change. Before doing the oil change on your own, purchase the Quaker State® motor oil according to the recommended weight and grade of your vehicle's Owner's Manual and make sure to take all necessary safety precautions.

In addition to changing the oil, it is essential to check on tire pressure levels. Maintaining the correct tire pressure not only ensures a safe drive, but it can save on fuel too. We purchased a portable tire inflator at Canadian Tire, and this has helped us take proper care of our tires. We find having the portable tire inflator with us is very convenient, so we don't need to make stops or pay each time we need to inflate the tires. This versatile portable tire inflator also helps inflate children's toys, sports balls, and camping sleeping pads using an adapter.

Other things we check on our vehicle before the trip is our cabin filter, windshield wiper, and giving it a thorough clean up before loading it with summer road trip essentials such as sports gear like badminton rackets, beach toys, folding chairs, portable stoves and tents. We can purchase all these items at Canadian Tire, Made for life in Canada.

Checklist for your vehicle before going on road trips.

• Has the engine motor oil been changed?
• Are the tire pressure levels good?
• Has the cabin filter been cleaned and changed?
• Are the windshield wipers working and has the windshield wiper fluid been topped?
• Are the brake lights and signal lights working?

Before going on road trips what are some of the essential things you do to have a fun and memorable experience?

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