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Summer Road Trip Planner for You and Your Car

Summer will be here before you know it and planning an awesome vacation may mean planning a summer road trip for you, your friends and family, and your car. Planning your perfect road trip can be an exhilarating but tiring ordeal. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC wants to help you plan for your summer road trip with an easy list of things to do:

1. Get Your Car Serviced
2. Have a Solid Budget
3. Plan Your Route and Stops Before
4. Pack Like a Pro
5. Have a Return Plan Before You Leave

Get Your Car Serviced

In the weeks leading up to your adventure, you’ll need to make sure that your vehicle is in the proper condition. It’s important for you and your passengers’ safety – a healthy vehicle won’t break down on you somewhere you’re unfamiliar. With road trips being stressful already, the last thing you need is a broken car on a trip. On top of that, a well-maintained automobile will use gas more efficiently and get better mileage.

Check with your local Mike Haggerty Buick GMC service department to see when your next scheduled, preventive maintenance should be done. When you come to get your oil change, Our Mike Haggerty Buick GMC service experts will check other fluids in your car, perform a multi-point inspection, and let you know of any problems that may need fixing before your trip.

Last but not least, make sure you have all the tools you need in case of a flat tire, and that your spare is ready to go.
Schedule Service Service Specials

    Have A Solid Budget

    Driving somewhere can cost you less money than flying there when there are a few people, but it still comes with hidden costs. When creating your budget, make sure you try and estimate gas, food, lodging, and any other fun activities you might plan on doing along the way. If you need help figuring out the costs, here is a free worksheet. It has field for you to enter every cost you can think of, so you know nothing ends up left out.

    On top of a good budget, look for the ways you can save money. If you’re under budget, that means more money for fun. Here are a couple ways to save:
    • Fill up your car the day before you leave. Since you’re local, you know where the good gas prices are. This gives you a great start.
    • Keep the cargo weight to a minimum. The less stuff you need, the better. With more weight in the car, you’ll use more gas.
    • When getting gas, look for an exit with multiple gas stations and fast good chains. The prices will be lower than a single gas stop because of the competition, and you’ll be able to choose the best option for you.
    • Try to drive the speed limit. When traveling on long highways or empty roads, it can be tempting to fly down them. Avoiding aggressive driving will not only keep you safer, but it can save your gas mileage from 5% in town and 33% on the highway.

    With the second biggest cost being food, packing your food beforehand in a cooler may add a little weight to the car but the savings is greater on the food than the gas usage. There a few other plus sides to you packing food ahead of time. You get to control your nutrition proactively, and you also save time by not having to stop longer.

      Pack Like A Pro

      Once you’ve got your route set, your budget planned, and the car ready for the open road, it’ll be time to pack. Consolidate and pack your bags to maximum capacity. It might seem more logical to pack all of one thing in one bag and other things in another, but you’ll have more room for necessities if you put as many things together in one bag as possible.

      Pack your clothes as efficiently as possible. Pack the clothes you’ll need at the first stop either in your “activity” backpack or in your suitcase, and have an emergency set of clothing ready just in case. Only take what you think you need to save weight in the car, and gas on your trip.
      A couple at the back of their 2018 Chevy Spark, packing for a trip.

        Have A Return Plan

        When the time comes to head back, it’s going to be bittersweet, but also tiring. There are a few things you can do ahead of time to make that ride back just a bit easier.

        Safety is key, so inspect your car for all the usual – any flat or low tires, strange sounds, things dangling from underneath, anything that appears loose, etc. Another way to keep everyone at ease is to keep the car clean. When you get home, it’ll make it easier than cleaning out a mountain of a mess. It’s easier to clean up before you head home and every time you make a stop.

        Everything you check before leaving to your destination applies before you head home. Check your route for hazards and weather delays, find the cheapest gas before you leave, and try to stick to the budget. Have a safe trip home!
        OnStar Navigation

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