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Im not a fan of "Jiffy Lube" type oil changes and leaving the next day.......My buddy did that and lost a motor 400 miles later due to a leaky filter (wasn't tight). JL said he would have blown up sooner, no way it was their fault since he did make it a full 400 miles......
Nor am I... I generally change the oil myself for peace of mind, or go to the dealer before a trip.
Current mileage is about 55k. The tires were new when I bought it, that was part of the purchase deal I got with it. I've always done oil, filter, and coolant stuff on time thanks to the little stickers they give me. The brakes were checked back in May and were fine. Really the whole thing was checked over in May by my grandfather's best friend who owns our hometown's only mechanic garage and he gave me the green light on everything then while he was checking out the air conditioning. The A/C will have to be done at the dealership though. I just don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere (aka Nebraska or Wyoming haha).
Thanks!
Ah, that sounds better...I assume the 4yr old tires haven't had a lot miles put on them and have decent tread.
Based on your last 'checkup' it sounds decent, but none of us can really know.
Fwiw, I did a 13,000 mile 2+ month road trip a couple summers ago, and I just jumped in our '02 VetteVert and went.
Really, none of us can know, and one can load the trunk with parts and supplies like you are going for years and doing NASCAR like repairs along the way. A bit overdone, imo.
Make sure tire pressure is good, tires are good, pack a AAA or your insurance roadside service card, gas it up and go, imo.
Have a good trip, mind the weather, watch out for revenue cops and good luck.
mD
Just did a 4000 mile trip in July... HAd the oil changed because it was time.... And then went on the trip.. If you are keeping up the fliud changes at their intervals and have had no HUGE problems except the A/C, then you should eb good to go....
Make sure they FIX the A/C as it is warm in Cali.....
I'd go to a regular oil change place (one that actually performs the stuff they're supposed to). Get them to top off everything. Let them know you're going cross country and they will probably take a good look at other stuff. Lots of those guys are mechanics who are stuck changing oil for now. Some are very helpful.
There are places that will check your brakes for free. If you haven't had any big problems you're probably ok. You never know with cars but I've driven all the heck over the US. Think about this: If you stayed where you are would your car last the next couple of weeks? Cuz you'll probably drive that much. Don't sweat it. I'd still add roadside assistance to your insurance.
You've gotten some pretty good advice from everyone so far. I would not go nuts doing all kinds of stuff, that is low mileage and the tires are not all that old. I would change the oil and filter, have them check the tires for any cracking and low tread, plus proper air pressure. Fan belts are something that has left me down on long trips so I would have them change that, it won't be all that expensive. You should have them look at the coolant level and change it if it needs it.
Put a good flashlight in the car and make sure your spare is inflated and you have a jack (and know how to use it). Most of all, if you don't have AAA get it, the gold one, and have a cell phone with a car charger for it.
Break the trip up into manageable segments of maybe 600 miles a day, that usually takes 10-12 hours, that way you won't be stressing yourself or the car too much.
Have a safe trip and enjoy your new home. You have a good, dependable car there and will be fine.
If you don't know then I'd go to a mechanic you trust and have them check everything. As long as you have keepup maintaince per manual there isn't much.One reason I like to do what makers have accumalate in service intervals and never had a problem.
I have a 2007 Nissan Versa hatchback (1.8L 4-cylinder engine, auto transmission) that I'm getting read to drive about 2,230 miles from Louisville KY to Sacramento CA in about two weeks. I will probably have it stacked pretty full with stuff too because I'm moving. I know literally NOTHING about cars quite frankly so I need some advice on what to tell the mechanic to do with it. It still has the tires from when I bought it used in March 2009. The air conditioner doesn't work, which is the third time that's happened but luckily the leak should show up this time because the last mechanic put a dye in it.
Any advice would be very much appreciated! I'm hoping to get the car looked at this coming week. Thanks!
I'm about to do a similar length trip next week in my Toyota Yaris, Montreal to Tampa. As i've followed the maintenance schedule for the car there not really much to do in preparation other than change oil and filter and make sure the tires have the right air pressure and the fluid in the rad is at the right level...
Make sure my AAA is current and the cell phone is charged.
One thing I might add, have a plan to call someone you know every night when you stop for the night. That way someone will know you are still ok and will know where you were the last time they talked to you. Just a little extra insurance that will put your loved ones minds at peace.
Don
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The brakes were checked back in May and were fine. Really the whole thing was checked over in May by my grandfather's best friend who owns our hometown's only mechanic garage and he gave me the green light on everything then while he was checking out the air conditioning. The A/C will have to be done at the dealership though. I just don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere (aka Nebraska or Wyoming haha).
