10 Things You Should Always Do Before Taking Your Car On A Long Trip

Friday marked the first official day of Summer 2013! Are you planning on driving down to the beach for a summer vacation? We put together this list of 10 things you should always do before taking your car on a long trip. Check it out and share with your friends!

1. Check your engine oil. Better safe than sorry!
2. Check windshield washer fluid level. The beach is loaded with seagulls and lots of other birds... never know when they're going to welcome you with a present on your windshield.
3. Check condition of windshield wiper blades. Nothing worse than pesky streaks all over the place!
4. Check the tire inflation pressures and look for unusual wear or damage. A flat tire won’t get you very far.
5. Check the condition of your spare tire and make sure the tire has air in it and you have all necessary tools required to change the tire if needed. What good is a spare tire... if the spare doesn't have air either?
6. Check the fluid levels of the coolant reservoir, brake master cylinder reservoir, and transmission as needed. Being pulled over on the side of the road with a smoking engine probably isn’t how you’d like to start your vacation.
7. Check function of all interior and exterior lights. Can't read a map if your map light is burned out!
8. If you’re using a navigation system (“GPS”), check to make sure you have the most recent maps updated to your device. Because listening to your navigation system blurt out "RECALCULATING" every few minutes gets old.
9. Make sure your inspection, insurance, drivers' license, and registration are all up to date. “My dog ate my updated insurance card” usually doesn’t go over well, or get you out of a ticket.
10. Every state’s traffic laws are different, so if you’re traveling over state lines, make sure you’re familiar with the other state’s traffic laws. 

Anything we forgot? Have any stories from a time when you forgot to check one of the things on our list before a long trip and ended up with a problem? Share in the comment box below!

Most importantly, ENJOY YOUR TRIP! And if you’re driving your FIAT, send us some pictures!