With the cost-of-living crisis and many other troubling financial factors worldwide, we’re seeing more families than ever deciding to plan a staycation and explore all the UK has to offer.  All of which involve the use of your vehicle.

Unsurprisingly, it’s estimated that as many as 16 million families will embark on UK staycations this year, from The Peak District to Cornwall. There are many popular UK destinations to visit, which all require effort from your vehicle. Research into staycations, conducted by the RAC, showed that staggering numbers will be bracing the roads throughout the British summers, with a 57% majority of those claiming they’ll be driving at least 150+ miles from home; with another 17% planning on travelling at least 300 miles!

As urged by the Met Office, long-haul drives really do need to be planned for way in advance. Not just in terms of packing your suitcase, but as a responsible vehicle owner, you must ensure your car is ready in terms of its safety and condition for your long-haul drive.

To help ensure you feel prepared and have full confidence in your vehicle, we’ve compiled a handy top tip checklist for you to consider prior to your road trip.  

Staycation Ready Tyres

Firstly, ensure your vehicle is carrying a spare tyre. Check all tyre conditions thoroughly, including their pressures and legal tread depth. In our experience, the tread depth is often overlooked! 

Battery

Did you know, battery issues are the number one call-out reason than any other vehicle problem. They must be replaced every few years, depending on vehicle use. Battery servicing is a crucial aspect of your car service, which must be undertaken yearly. This process ensures the correct charge, condition and overall state of your car’s battery, to ensure smooth car journeys for longer.

Oil and coolant fluids

Oil checks are commonplace for most drivers and have become an integral part of any simple check. Don’t forget to also include checks of your wiper blades and screen wash! If you’re unsure of the correct levels, consult your vehicle’s handbook. If you’re still unsure, especially when it comes to your vehicle’s cooling system, feel free to get in touch with one of our specialists.

Brakes

Be mindful of the condition of your brakes, whether it be a recent repair they’ve undergone or a slight squeaky sound upon use. A long-haul road trip will inevitably rely on many different forms of braking, such as a harder stop or multiple uses of your brakes.

Issues such as worn-out discs, low pads, or older less effective brake fluid each play a significant part in the health of your brakes and therefore, must be thoroughly checked before any journey is undertaken.

Lights

Lights always sound like an obvious safety check to complete, but we see how often it goes overlooked. If you mostly drive in the daylight, it’s commonplace to miss a faulty bulb. Equally, we sometimes miss whether the internal lights are working completely. Both car checks for internal and external lights is crucial before any journey, let alone one that may involve evening driving too.

Unsure if your vehicle is staycation ready?

Here at Delany’s, your car safety is always our number one priority. A huge part of that involves you also being accountable for prioritising your vehicle’s health. To ensure this, we work with you as a team, by sending you alerts, reminding you when MOT’s, certain checks and services are due on your vehicle. We see it as a helping hand in ensuring your vehicle is running to its optimum, all year round. We pride ourselves on offering continued customer service, as we strive to know you and your vehicle well.

So whether it’s a strange sound, a missing bulb or a suspected leak, our dedicated team of life-long learners will always be on hand to help. 

If you are left unsure about taking your next trip with the current condition of your vehicle, contact us here or call us on 0161 477 6266.

We look forward to hearing from you and getting your vehicle staycation ready soon!