5 Simple Checks You Can Do Before a Road Trip (Even If You Don’t Know Cars)

Heading off on a road trip? Whether you’re heading down south, up north, or just ducking to Perth, a few quick checks can save you a whole lot of drama. Nothing ruins a holiday faster than ending up on the side of the Bussell Highway with kids, snacks and no air con.

The good news is you don’t need to know anything about cars to do these. No tools, no stress and no judgement from us.

1. Tyre Pressure and Condition

Your tyres are literally the only part of your car touching the road, so they’re a big deal.

What to do:
• Check your pressures at any servo. The recommended PSI is on a sticker inside the driver door.
• Have a quick look for cracks, bald patches or anything weird.
• Check your spare too. A flat spare is useless.

Why it matters: Correct tyre pressures help you stop safely, save fuel and stop your tyres wearing out too fast.

2. Oil Level

Low oil can cause serious damage, especially on long drives in WA heat. This one takes two minutes.

How to check:
• Park on level ground
• Pull the dipstick
• Wipe it
• Dip it again
• Make sure the oil sits between the min and max marks

If it’s low, top it up in small amounts. Don’t pour the whole bottle in.

3. Coolant Level

This keeps your engine from overheating. Super important for long hot drives.

How to check:
• Only when the engine is cold
• Find the coolant bottle (usually the see-through one)
• The level should sit between low and full

If it’s empty or disappearing, there could be a leak. That’s a good time to book in.

4. Lights and Indicators

This takes about 30 seconds and avoids those awkward moments when someone flashes you because something isn’t working.

Check your:
• Headlights
• High beam
• Brake lights
• Indicators
• Reverse lights

You can get someone to help or check reflections in a window.

5. Wipers and Washer Fluid

WA bugs can be savage and if your wipers smear instead of clearing, you’ll know about it fast.

Check for:
• Streaking or squeaking
• Cracks or frayed edges
• A full washer bottle

Wipers are cheap and quick to replace, and they make a huge difference.

A quick extra tip

If your car suddenly has a new noise, vibration or warning light, pay attention to it. You know your car better than you think.

Want us to check it instead?

If you’d rather skip all of this and let us handle it, we can do a quick pre-trip check for you. We’ll look over tyres, fluids, brakes, battery, suspension and anything else needed to make sure you can head off stress-free.

Book online, call us or send a text through. Easy. Contact us here