No matter whether you are living Down Under or just coming for a vacation, a road trip in Australia will be one of the most stunning experiences you will ever have in your life. With its stunning nature, exciting wildlife, crowded cities, and desolate Outback this country looks like a gift that keeps on giving no matter how much time you spend there.
Still, we have to keep in mind that Australia is one huge country and some terrains you are going to traverse can be very taxing for the car you are going to take for a ride.
Let us take a look then at some of the tips that should help prepare your four-wheeler for this type of adventure.
Refill the fluids
Every car is a complex system of interconnected parts that need a couple of essential fluids to work efficiently. The three most important mentions go as follows:
- Engine fluid – If you don’t have enough of it, the engine will overheat and blow up
- Coolant – This fluid serves the same basic purpose as engine oil but instead of lubrication it reduces the car heat by cooling it down
- Brake fluid – This fluid amplifies your press on the pedal and makes the braking system more efficient
Be sure to check all these critical systems, refill the fluids if they are depleted, and make the spare stocks you are going to take along for the ride.
Make sure the tires are in good shape
These chores belong to the car maintenance duties you can easily do on your own. So, be sure to check the owner’s manual to see how inflated your set needs to be. But, most commercially available brands sit somewhere between 32 and 35 PSI so you know what to do even if you don’t have this guideline around. Also, make sure the tread depth sits around 8 or 9 millimeters (10/32 to 11/32 inches). If you notice the tires are wearing down, it would be best to install an entirely new set before you hit the road.
Take the car for a professional inspection
This may seem like overkill, but only at first glance. The Australian outback is marked by long stretches of miles where you can’t get any sort of help or find a repair shop. Fortunately, you can find always find a e-safety check in Sydney or any other metropolitan area and make sure all of your car systems are in good condition before you finally start exploring more remote off-coast parts of the country. If you notice some systems may be looking a bit shabby, taking a couple of spare parts is always a good idea.
Check the wiper blades, lights, and indicators
These systems and parts are not considered critical so they often escape even the most well-intentioned car inspections. But, all of them can make a difference between life and death. Just imagine driving your car in the middle of nowhere and you end up caught in a rainstorm with either of these things failing. You would need to park your car and wait for the calamity to be over. Well, take this road trip in Australia as a good excuse to finally give these systems a face-lift and hopefully install some more efficient units.
Make yourself an emergency kit
By now, you should realize that you are in for a very challenging journey. With that in mind, there is really no way to be overzealous when making sure everything goes down buttery smooth. Do your best then to make yourself an emergency kit that will include the items like a tire inflator, battery charger, flashlights, basic toolkit, power bank, GPS navigation, and a couple of warm fuzzy blankets. Sure, these things will just end up taking the room in your trunk, but, you know how they say –better to be safe than sorry.
So, there you have it – top six tips that should help you make sure your vehicle is ready for a full-blown Australian road-trip adventure. Australia is a country that is more than worth exploring in your car. But, you need to do that in a safe end responsible manner. These suggestions should definitely nudge you in the right direction.
