If you’re taking the plunge to move across the country, then there are a lot of things that are on your mind. While you may be thinking about setting up movers and forwarding your address with the postal office, you may overlook a simple task that makes a huge difference in your ability to travel across the nation. You need to properly prep your car for your cross-country move.
Start With Your Tires
You should check the tread of your tires. You can use the penny trick to see if they need to be replaced. You’ll also want to check the air pressure in each tire to ensure that it’s adequate. Each tire will have the recommended poundage on the sidewall for your instruction. When checking your tires, be sure that you also check your spare. You want to make sure that it’s properly inflated and that your jack and lug wrench are securely in your trunk.
Top Off All Of Your Fluids
This doesn’t mean just put in some oil and some windshield washer fluid. Rather, you want to check all of the fluids in your car. This includes engine oil, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and windshield washer fluid. If you’re not familiar with how to check these or just don’t feel comfortable doing so, have your local mechanic top off the fluids for you. It’s also a good idea to keep spare fluids in your trunk for the trip. This way, you can easily top them off if they get low during your journey.
Check All Of Your Lights
There’s nothing worse than getting a ticket for a brake light that you didn’t even realize was out. Do yourself a favor and check all of your lights to ensure they work. You may need to get a helper or a large mirror for this one. While you’re checking the exterior lights, be sure to take the time to check the interior ones as well. You don’t want to be driving down the road at night and not be able to have the interior light that you need to read a map.
Ensure Your Insurance And Registration Are Valid
This is a big one that many overlook simply because they only think about each one once a year. You should take out your insurance card and ensure it will last through the trip. You want to double-check that your registration is valid. Be sure to have these documents securely in the glove box so that you have easy access to them if you run into a problem on your trip to your new home.
Put On Attachments Early
If you’re like most cross-country movers, then you’re going to want to put on an attachment to help you haul some of your items. This may be a roof rack or even a trailer hitch to hook up to a trailer. You should take the time to put on your attachments early. This way, you can ensure they actually fit correctly on the car, and you can fix any problems before the day of your move.
Get Your Supplies Ready
Taking a trip in a car for hours or days on end can require some necessary supplies that you wouldn’t normally pack for a simple drive to the store. Consider what you and your family will need during the drive. This includes things like snacks, drinks, wet wipes, pillows, blankets, iPods, tvs, and anything else that you can think of. It’s best to get these items situated in your car so that you’re not trying to stuff in a bunch of supplies at the last minute.
