Summer is the time for outdoor activities such as trips to the neighborhood pool, picnics and amusement park visits. Another favorite summer activity is packing up the car and hitting the open road.

Kit Johnson, NAPA’s 2007 Technician of the Year from East Helena, Montana, offers necessary maintenance tips to help prepare your vehicle for the destinations ahead.

Johnson says that hitting the pavement and seeing the country from one’s car is one of America’s most time-honored traditions. However, he said that some people end up on the side of the road because they forget to do simple preparations before heading out the road to keep their vehicle up and running.

Thus, Johnson recommends the following:
1. Before a long trip, have your cooling system inspected, flushed and filled.
2. Checking of the belts and hoses for deterioration.
3. Topping off all your car fluids including antifreeze, engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission fluids and windshield washer solvent.
4. Checking of the air conditioning to make sure it is sufficiently working.
5. Checking if the car battery is operating properly to ensure a running car.
6. Checking if the brakes are not producing grinding noises or vibrations.
7. Reading of the owner’s manual and keeping up with regular service checks.

Johnson also provides some helpful tips to get the best gas efficiency, with the highly soaring gas prices, out of your vehicle while driving long distances. He suggests:

1. being observant of any suspicious leaks that may be coming from the car, especially gas or oil leaks. According to him, even the smallest leak can mean a large hole in the wallet if not caught and fixed immediately.
2. Maintaining a light load as possible when traveling. It is tempting to pack up every item, but if you do not need it, then leave it. Johnson says that an extra 100 pounds in the trunk can minimize fuel economy by one to two percent in most cars.

He deduced that a pre-trip, front-to-back inspection by a trusted technician to offer that peace of mind while driving are necessary. He also emphasized that preparing your car for a summer road trip starts long before any vacation plans are made.

To learn more about an appropriate preventive maintenance program for all their vehicles, consumers may contact their local NAPA AutoCare Center or calling 800-LET-NAPA.