Posted on 12/19/2025
Holiday trips have a way of piling on stress before you even leave the driveway. Luggage, kids, traffic, and winter weather all compete for your attention, so it is easy to assume the car will be fine because it “felt okay last week.” A quick, focused check on a few key systems before a long drive can make the difference between a smooth trip and waiting on the shoulder for a tow truck. 1. Check Tire Tread, Pressure, and Age Tires are the only part of the car that actually touches the road, so they set the tone for the entire trip. Look for even tread across the full width of each tire and make sure the wear bars in the grooves are not close to flush with the tread. Uneven wear on the inside or outside edges can hint at alignment or suspension issues that will show up as vibration or poor grip at highway speed. Use a good gauge to set pressures to the number ... read more