If you are planning to take your family on a road trip, you need to inspect your car to ensure it is safe for you and will not break down while on your trip. Fortunately, this is not difficult to do and simply takes a visit to your mechanic. Below are two things they will check for you.

Check the Tires

One of the most important parts of your car is your tires. The mechanic will check the air in each tire. They will then check the treads on each tire. If the tread is worn down on any tire, you should replace it. The tread on all tires should match closely, however, or your tires will not be completely even on the road. Because of this, if one tire has no tread and the other tires have also lost tread, this would be a great time to replace all four tires. The front tires take more of a beating when driving your car. Therefore, you may notice the tread on your front tires is worse than your back tires. To take care of this, you can have your tires rotated, which is swapping the front and back tires.

The mechanic may also do a wheel alignment on your car. This is adjusting the angles of each tire until they meet the specifications set for the car. Wheel adjustment is beneficial as this will reduce the wear and tear of the tires. This also will help your car drive in a straight line.  

Change the Oil

If it is time for an oil change or close to time, make sure you have this done. Oil changes are very important for a car and will help the engine stay in good condition. You can do an oil change yourself if you have the knowledge. If you do, make sure you refer to the owner's manual to determine the type of oil you need to purchase and how much oil you need to put in your car.

If you do not change your oil, the oil gets thick and gunky. Small dirt fragments are also inside the oil. Once the oil gets thick, it cannot flow through your engine properly, which means the engine parts will not stay lubricated well. Also, the dirt fragments in the oil cause friction on the engine components which can damage them. Over time, your car's engine can be greatly affected, and you will start having engine problems that will require a mechanic. These repairs can get very expensive.

Your mechanic will check other things on your car, such as all fluid levels, the breaks, and the battery. For more information on wheel alignment and other services, contact a local auto shop.