Prepping your car for holiday travel

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – According to AAA 107 million people are expected to travel by car for the holidays. Car experts say now is the time to double-check your vehicle’s reliability.

Traffic impacts can be expected from Dec. 20 – Jan. 2. The best times to travel will be in the morning hours and later in the evening after 8 p.m. More information on specific travel times can be found here.

With more cars on the road, it is important to ensure your car is working properly. Kristian Jostov with Black’s Tire and Auto Service in Wilmington says fewer people visit the shop during the holiday season.

“Around the holidays people don’t think about their cars nearly as much. More people think about traveling and buying gifts,” said Jostov.

He said while preparing for the holiday is important, people should not forget basic car maintenance. Long drives can sometimes put more stress on a vehicle, leaving drivers in a bad situation.

“You run the risk of having a breakdown. It’s never any fun going on a two, three four hour, or even longer trip and you’re sitting on the side of the road waiting on a tow truck to come and pick you up. What happens if it’s on a day when a shop is closed? Now you might be stuck in an area for days at a time,” said Jostov.

Here are a few tips to prepare your car for holiday travel :

• Listen out for any unusual noises like squeaking or grinding, this could be an issue with the breaks.
• Check car tires and tire pressure.
• Check car fluid levels. Fluid levels can include engine oil or brake fluid.
• Check windsheild wipers.

Progressive also recommends checking all car lights to ensure they are working properly. Jostov recommends taking a car into the shop if any concern arises.

“I’ve seen too many times where people will go on a holiday or go on a vacation and then they will start complaining about their brakes. All of sudden they get a very expensive bill because they did not check their breaks beforehand.”

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