Motoring Maintenance Tips to Ensure Smooth Easter Staycations

The Easter holidays and springtime staycations are coming, and with the excitement of holiday the season building, it’s easy to get distracted by packing and forget the importance of checking your vehicle and its tyres ahead of a long journey.

Since the pandemic, it’s safe to say that staycations have taken off, and in 2023 a record number of families in the UK took to the roads for their holidays. With spring just around the corner, ensure you give your vehicle a check before you travel so you don’t have to endure an unexpected stop on the way to your next break.

With expertise from leading mid-range tyre brand, Davanti Tyres, here are five motoring maintenance checks to do before you set off on your road trip this spring.

1. Check your tyre pressure and unusual wear and tear

It is recommended that you check your tyres’ pressure once a month as standard, so if you haven’t checked them in the weeks before your trip, take the time to do so now.

Tyres can quickly become deflated if they aren’t checked regularly and this can result in excessive and uneven wearing of the tread. Additionally, any visible perforation, cut or deformation has the potential to render the tyre unsafe to use, so they must be checked thoroughly by a tyre professional if you find something unusual.

2. Make sure there is enough tread

This improves your grip, the vehicle’s handling, and – ultimately – your safety. The 20p test is a simple, quick and easy way of checking the tyre tread of your car’s tyres. Just take a 20p coin and insert it into the tread grooves on the tyre. If you can’t see the outer band on the coin, your tyres are above the legal limit.

3. Don’t overload your car

We’re all guilty of overpacking but remember your vehicle’s tyres are doing the hard work of supporting the total weight of the vehicle and withstanding deformations, speed and heat, so be mindful of how much you’re taking with you on your staycations.

If you do need to carry a heavier load than normal, adjust the tyre pressure accordingly, which can be found in the car’s owner’s manual.

4. Light up your holiday

Before you set off, do a quick check of all the lights on your vehicle. For example, turn on your headlights when you’re parked in front of a flat surface and check that both headlights are working properly and well-positioned, as well as checking indicator and parking lights.

5. Engine oil

The oil in your vehicle’s engine serves a whole slew of functions. It lubricates the moving parts, helps act as a sealant against debris, cools the engine, reduces wear and tear, and helps prevent engine corrosion.

So, it’s well worth taking that extra 10 minutes to ensure your oil level is at the right level ready for your road trip.

Davanti Tyres’ General Manager, Peter Cross, concludes:

“Regular car maintenance and tyre checks are important. If you ensure any small issues are resolved quickly, it stops a small issue becoming a bigger problem and putting a dampener on any staycations.”

For more information on tyre maintenance, please visit: www.davanti-tyres.com.

Photographs courtesy of Davanti Tyres