Planning a road trip with your family can be a lot of fun. There are so many great places to visit and look at that the hardest part is knowing where to go! At Hartland Automotive Sales, we are here to help you prepare for your next road trip. We can provide you with a safe new ride to make sure you get there, and back, safely, or perform an inspection on your current right to keep you safe! It is just one of the things you can prepare when planning a road trip.

The first goal for a road trip is to decide where you would like to go on the trip. You can decide how far you want to travel or look at a place you have never been. There are a lot of things that you can consider when choosing where to go on your next road trip, but you need to decide together as a family. You can even take a poll of everyone in your home or do a vote of a few places that you want to go and use that to help you figure out the best place.

Once you know where you would like to go, it is time to plan out the route that you want to use to get there. You can take a direct route and get there as quickly as possible. Or you may want to take a scenic route and see some extra things along the way. Plan out what you want to see along the way to make the trip even more fun too.

As you go through your planning, think about where you will stop. Look on the map and determine which places of interest you want to visit while you are going. But that is not all you should consider. Think about where you will stop at the end of each day. Planning out the right hotel or place to stay will help make sure you stop somewhere safe with your family every night.

The snacks and food you eat are all important too. You do not want to stop all the time for unhealthy fast food and you do not want the kids bothering you the whole time. Try to choose a snack that will not make a big mess in your vehicle. Options like chips and sugary foods are often not the best.

Instead, pack a lot of healthy foods. Nuts and pretzels are less messy than some of the other options. Sandwiches and fruits can help too for meals.

At Hartland Automotive Sales, we are here to help. We understand how nostalgic these road trips can be, helping you make some good memories with your family. When you are ready to hit the road and want to make sure your car is in good shape and can get you there and back, make sure to contact us today!

Different seasons are going to cause a lot of different types of issues for anyone who owns a car. You may deal with hail damage or snow along with ice in the winter, or problems with your air conditioning can happen in the summer. At the start of each season, it is a good idea to check out your car and make sure that everything is working well. When you are ready to prepare your car and keep it safe in any weather, come visit us at Hartland Automotive Sales.

During the spring, you should do a few different tasks to make sure your car is in good shape. Some of the things you should check for include:

Your car can go through a lot of different things from one season or another. It is important to follow the tips above and keep your car as safe and protected as possible. When it is time to get your vehicle fixed, bring it down to us at Hartland Automotive Sales. We are happy to check out the vehicle and get it in good shape for you. 

Contact us today to get started.

It is important to keep up on the tire maintenance of your vehicle. If your tires are not filled properly or you do not change them out when they start to wear, it could lead to a difficult time with driving and will even lead to accidents when the road gets wet and slippery from rain and snow and ice. At Hartland Automotive Sales, we are happy to help you change your tires or fill them up when necessary to make sure your vehicle stays safe on the road.

Filling your tires is not too difficult and many car owners are able to do it themselves. You may need a pressure gauge so you know how much air to add into the tire and when to stop adding more air inside. You can use your own air pump if you would like, though many gas stations, and our own shop, can provide a powerful air pump to make this easier.

When ready, you simply go to the chosen spot and release the cap on the tire. Add the pipe for the air pump to the tire and turn it on. Pay attention to how the tire is filling up, checking it a few times with the pressure gauge to see where your tires are. When it is at the right pressure, turn the air pump off, put the cap back on and you are good to go!

If the tire is old or completely flat, you may need to completely change out the tire. If you are not already in a safe spot, then get yourself over to one. Then you need to take off the cover of the wheel and loosen the lug nuts, not removing them completely. Then it is time to place the jack properly by following your owner’s manual. Add some wood under this to keep it safe and then raise the car to give the tire some clearance; about six inches will do.

To remove the tire, you can remove the lug nuts and put them down somewhere safe. use both hands to pull the flat towards you and off the car, setting to the side. From here, you can line the spare to the wheel bolts and push into place. Add the lug nuts on, tightening the bolts, but not completely tight until you lower the car.

When the tire is in place, lower the car on the jack so it is to the ground. Tighten all the lug nuts completely and then replace the wheel cover. Check the tire pressure to make sure everything is safe before you drive away.

If you are worried about the air pressure in your vehicle or your tires are ready to get changed, then it is time to contact us at Hartland Automotive Sales. Our professionals are here to help get the work done to keep your car safe on the road. 

Contact us today to get started.