Long road trips are a staple of Canadian summers – where people can finally spend their holidays driving across the country under clear and bright skies. However, these long trips can cause extensive wear-and-tear on your car, leading to costly repairs and maintenance and shorter operating life.
You can minimize the harmful effects a road trip has on your vehicle and prevent any situation requiring emergency roadside assistance by taking your car for a proper post-road trip inspection. To keep your vehicle in its best possible shape, you need to perform several tasks that go beyond the routine maintenance you offer your car.
Here is a short checklist we have prepared for your car after a long summer road trip.
Clean The Interior
Road trips usually involve eating in the car most of the time, especially if you travel with kids who seem to want a snack every two to three hours. That means you’re going to end up with some stains and food crumbs in your car on your road trip, so you will need a vacuum to clean up the mess.
Before vacuuming, don’t forget to take out larger items such as straws, wrappers, bottles, coins, and others. Once this is done, start vacuuming the seats and carpeting to remove dirt and dust – make sure to get every nook and cranny. Eating and drinking in your car means that you are bound to spill something on the floor or a seat, like bbq sauce, ketchup, coffee, or juice stains.
Use the right cleaning products to wash off any stains from the car’s interior without damaging the polish.
Check Your Tire Treads
Once you reach home after a long journey, check your tires for any cracks and damages as they can suffer major wear-and-tear on the road, especially while driving on unpredictable terrain. Worn-out tires can also create traction and stability issues under extreme weather conditions. A low tire depth can minimize your tires’ safety and performance, so you might need to get them replaced.
Apart from this, dust and dirt particles can get stuck on your tires markings resulting in a flat tire on your next drive. Therefore, you should wash your car’s tires using a designated cleaning product to prevent any wheel damage. Ensure that the air pressure level of your wheels is high when you get back home. If not, then take your car to an auto-shop immediately to avoid any punctures.
Oil Change & Refueling
The fuel level of your car can drastically change after a road trip, especially when you are carrying a lot of luggage inside the trunk because the wheels of a heavy vehicle use more fuel throughout the journey. You might need an oil change after your trip. Therefore, we recommend taking your car to a workshop where the mechanic can tell you whether your vehicle needs refueling and oil change.
In case you are not planning to use your car for some time, add a fuel stabilizer to your tank to prevent corrosion while it sits in your shed or garage.
Top Off Your Fluids
People usually check their car’s fluid levels before going on a journey, but it’s good practice to check it afterward too. Ensure that your car’s fluids are not below the recommended level – these fluids include engine oil, coolant, oil, brake fluids, and windscreen wash. This can help you avoid unnecessary breakdowns in the future when you use your car.
Run A Diagnostic Check
Take your car to a mechanic to get a system diagnostic check-up done to determine any potential problems your vehicle may have after a long road trip. Diagnostic tests can reveal issues within your car’s engine, exhaust system, lights, brakes, and other major components, as well as performance issues with the ignition coils, fuel injector, and throttle, etc. – saving you expensive repairs in the long run.
Check Your Battery
Car batteries can be very unpredictable. Therefore you should take your car to an auto shop and check for any issues and ensure it won’t break down due to a dead battery. Most mechanics offer a battery test free of any charges, but you can also buy devices to test your car’s battery yourself. If you have not replaced your battery for some years, consider changing it, so you won’t have to face any problems the next time you use it.
Wash The Exterior
After cleaning the interior and completing all systems check-ups, it’s time to wash your car’s exterior. Much like before the trip, a car wash is important afterward too, to get rid of the dirt, mud, and dust on the exterior. If not removed immediately, it can ruin the paint and finish of your car. So, get that bucket of water and cleaning product ready, and use a sponge to wash off the grime.
Only use those car cleaning products designated for your car to ensure that you are not damaging your vehicle’s paint. Start from the top down and go all the way to the underside of the vehicle. Make sure you remove all the dirt and grease thoroughly, protecting the car’s finish from scratches.
Checking your car before a long drive is important. But checking it after a road trip is equally important. After a long journey, your vehicle is as drained as you are, so getting it checked, cleaned, and undergoing maintenance is necessary. Remember this short car maintenance checklist every time you return after a fun road trip.
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Ontario Towing offers top-notch, affordable towing and roadside assistance in Ottawa and beyond. With services from flatbed hauling to long-distance towing, we prioritize secure vehicle recovery and satisfaction throughout the nation’s capital region.
If you want to get rid of your old car that is turning into a corroded piece of metal, hiring a scrap vehicle service is the right solution for you. Having an old useless car is a drag on your finances and life, plus it takes up so much space which you can utilize for some other purpose. Therefore, it is more convenient, eco-friendly and cost effective to send your car to a vehicle scrap company.
If you are thinking of how a scrap vehicle service can benefit you, read this blog. We have compiled a list of some of the top benefits of hiring a professional vehicle scrap company.
Breaking down in the middle of the road can be quite frustrating, especially when you don’t know how to find help. Hence, having a professional towing company’s contact handy is advised. Preferably a company known for its quick response and quality services.
Being an industry; you will always find plenty of options to choose from. However, there are a few things you can look for to ensure you receive the best services.
This blog details factors that will help you select the right towing company in your hour of need.
People can sometimes forget to take their keys out of their ignition and get locked out of their vehicle. Especially when you are running late for something, your focus is on reaching your destination in time, and the thought of taking your key with you escapes your mind. Having your car locked with the keys inside can be a frustrating sight, but on a stranded highway at night, especially when alone, can be extremely dangerous.
A car lock-out can be inconvenient and embarrassing if you do not know what to do next. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you must contact a local professional car lock-out service such as Ontario Towing. People often try to unlock their cars using a few common workarounds. However, such methods can damage your car. Therefore, it is best to leave this job to the experts of 
Knowing of a good roadside assistance company can prove very useful when you find yourself stranded on the side of a road. Not knowing a good roadside assistance company can leave you frustrated and may lead you to ask a stranger for help. Having your car break down can be stressful but thankfully, towing and other roadside assistance services can help you.
Vehicle breakdowns and other similar issues can occur unexpectedly. Becoming stranded on the road due to a vehicle breakdown can be stressful. This is why it is important to make sure that you have an emergency contact number of a trusted roadside assistance company near you.
Cars are expensive, and buying a brand new car is not viable for many. This is why many people prefer to buy a used car. But buying a used car can have its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. However, with careful pre-purchase inspection, you can easily avoid the drawbacks of purchasing a pre-owned car.
Having the vehicle assessed by a professional towing company like Ontario Towing can help you with the process. We offer car pre-purchase inspection services to get you the best car and an upper hand in price negotiation.
This blog post will guide you about the important factors you must consider before buying a used car.
Driving to school, work, or any other place over a long distance during rush hour every day isn’t very thrilling. However, just when you think that things cannot get any worse, your car suddenly breaks down in the middle of the road. This can happen due to a number of different reasons, such as a flat tire, overheating, a dead battery, or even a minor accident. You must keep a few things in mind to ensure a stress-free and safe 
Mobile tire service is a very effective and efficient service provided by a professional towing company. There are many situations where you can get help through this service. Tires prove to be the most vulnerable part of your vehicle. Despite your due care and maintenance, anything can happen to your vehicle’s tires while driving on the road.
Dealing with a flat tire can be annoying. It can be even more troublesome when you are heading out for an important task and find out that your tire is punctured. It is quite stressful when you have to tow your car to a nearby gas station or ask a passerby to come and help you. Even though dealing with a flat tire can be very frustrating, it’s important to be aware of mobile tire repair companies and the services they offer.
These companies can come right to your breakdown location and change or repair your tire(s) right on the spot. Ontario Towing is happy to help its customers by providing efficient mobile tire services. We arrive at your location at the earliest possible time to change your tires right away. Here’s what you should know about our mobile tire services.
Your vehicle matters to you, and you don’t want to have to worry about towing it from one place to another, especially if it is long-distance. Finding a reliable towing company that can transport your vehicle wherever you want safely can ensure that your vehicle is kept safe and free of damage .
Long-distance towing is challenging as there might be different scenarios where expertise is essential. Therefore, you must know the possible risks of towing your vehicle over a long distance and hire only the best company to handle this task.
Before you finalize any company, it is vital for you to go through some important considerations. These considerations will help you hire the best towing company for long-distance vehicle transport.
When your vehicle breaks down during your journey, and you cannot move it any further, the situation is worrisome. Calling a nearby towing company can help you get back on the road safely. Once you have contacted the professionals, there is no need to worry. Some of the reasons why you can relax after contacting the towing experts are discussed below.
Imagine yourself driving along a highway, listening to the radio, and enjoying a peaceful car ride back from work. Suddenly, many things happen at once – you hear sounds of tires screeching on the road, horns blaring, and people shouting. Then you notice a speeding vehicle skid past you, losing control and smashing into the roadsides barrier. There is broken glass everywhere and smoke coming out of the hood – it’s a horrible scene to witness.
Witnessing a car crash first-hand can make you experience multiple emotions at once and spike your adrenaline level. However, you need to think and act quickly about your course of action. It’s important to remain calm and collected so you can inform the emergency roadside assistance services (police, fire dept, and ambulance) about the situation.
This blog contains some general guidelines you need to keep in mind if you ever find yourself in such an unfortunate situation.
When you hear the term roadside assistance, you may wonder what it is all about. Most people associate roadside assistance with that of a professional towing company’s services to tow a vehicle to its nearest workshop. 
All of us get stuck on the road at some point in time, be it experiencing a car accident, a flat tire, a dead battery, an overheating engine, or anything else that could cause one to have to stop driving their car and pull over. Automobiles have increasingly complex designs and require special roadside assistance. If you need a vehicle recovery service in Ottawa, contact a nearby professional towing company right away for immediate help.
To provide you with more insight into emergency roadside assistance services, we will answer some of the frequently asked questions FAQs about them: