Planning a road trip can be one of the most exciting things to do with your friends or family, but it can be stressful too if you do not prepare. The most fundamentally functional part of a road trip is the car, so it makes sense that this is the thing you should focus a lot of attention on before the trip. Taking some steps towards basic car care is something that will pay off big time in the long run.

One obvious thing to do is to check your tires and their pressure. It may seem silly to say, but your car tires on the only thing that keeps your car on the road, so they are a very essential part of your journey. This is why it is such an important part of car care to be sure that your tires have enough tread depth to travel safely in any type of weather. Safety is the most important thing when traveling in a car so this should be a top priority. Hydroplaning in the rain happens when the tire on a car is worn and instead of using tread to touch the road surface, it floats on the water because the tread depth has been worn down. Hydroplaning can be very dangerous so it makes sense that the better the tire tread, the safer you will be. There is an age old trick that has been used to test the tread of your tire and it is known as the Abe Lincoln. All you have to do is take a penny, stick it in the groove of your tire and see how deep it goes. If it sinks up to Abes hairline then it is good, but if not, you should really think about getting some new tires to increase safety.

Another part of your car that is just as, if not more important than the tires, are your brakes. Optimally, you should check your brakes about twice a year inspecting for wear or any damage that would require parts replacements. In addition to checking your brakes you must pay close attention to the brake pads. Brake pads are a very inexpensive thing to replace, but if you let it go too long it can ruin your brakes as well. So, be sure to check your brakes frequently especially if you are planning on a long road trip. These simple car care tips do not take a lot of time or money, but they can end up saving you a lot of both.