A simple guide to planning your winter road trip

There is no better way to celebrate the New Year in style than by taking an epic winter road trip; however, for your adventure to be memorable for all the right reasons you’ll need to be well prepared. The following tips will have you on the right track.

Ready your ride

Make sure that your ride is ready for those challenging conditions ahead by having it thoroughly serviced by your mechanic before you head off. If your battery is more than a few years old, replace it; if your wipers are getting old and warped, upgrade them; and if you haven’t bought new winter tires in more than 5 years now is a great time to do so. Furthermore, ensure that your vehicle’s flooring is protected by investing in mats or liners and consider picking up a set of inexpensive covers for your seats and steering wheel as well.

Plan your route

Getting lost when it is brutally cold outside is no fun at all, which makes it wise to get to know your route well before you head off. Aside from saving you time, hassle, and frustration, knowing your route will make it easy to find all those essentials you need along the way – such as fuel, accommodation, and supplies. Most importantly, getting to know your route will reduce the chance of missing any of those ‘must-see’ highlights along the way.

Prepare for emergencies

In the unlikely event that something goes wrong on your trip it is important that you are ready for anything, because even a minor issue can fast become a major problem under winter conditions. Carrying an emergency road kit is essential and your kit should include at least the following important items;

•First aid supplies

•A fully charged cell phone

•Jumper cables

•Non-perishable food

•Extra gloves, clothes, and blankets

•A headlamp or flashlight

•Waterproof matches and paper

•Hand warmers

Book ahead

If your trip will include any elements that require booking – such as hotels, equipment rentals, or tickets to an event – book them ASAP; otherwise, you risk having your adventure knocked off track in a hurry. However, when making your bookings be sure to ask about cancellation policies as well, just in case you are forced to change your plans at the last minute due to an unexpected turn of events.

Watch the weather

No factor will impact your winter road trip more than the weather, so make sure that you are keeping a close eye on it both before and during your trip. Services such as the Weather Network make it easy to track winter storms and plan your movements accordingly, while apps such as MapQuest, Waze, and GoogleMaps make avoiding problem areas simple.

If you need a reliable vehicle to do your road tripping in this year you have come to the right place, because here at Bargain Auto Centre you’ll find one of Canada’s best selections of quality used vehicles. Give us a call, connect online, or drop by and test drive something special today