SPRING BREAK!!!!! That phrase is so different to me now since I graduated college over ten years ago. Back then I didn’t have a care in the world. I would get some of my college buddies together and we would set off for a road trip. We picked a destination. We put a few items into a backpack. Next thing you know we were on the road.
Did we check to see if the car we took needed an oil change? Did we make sure we had directions? (You see kids back then, smartphones were not so prevalent. We had flip phones. You needed to print out directions or use a map. Crazy, right?) Did we check the air pressure in the car’s tires? I wish we did, but those things didn’t pop into our minds back then.
Fast forward to the present I now make sure our family car is primed and ready for any road trip. It is not just about me anymore. It is about my wife and my kids. I have to think of their safety. As a parent I still get excited for vacations and road trips, but I actually check out our car before we leave our home.
To prepare for this year’s family road trip I went even further than just checking things off my normal list. One thing that I realized is that even with smartphones and GPS you still need a backup plan. That is why I recently took a pit stop into my local AutoZone to pick up a few items for our trip. My main purchase was a heavy duty tire inflator and getting a quick inspection from an automotive mechanic to make sure there isn’t anything wrong with my car. Bringing your vehicle to a car service shop before a long road trip is strongly recommended so any irregularities in your vehicle will be addressed before you hit the road. Vehicles with diesel engine need to be checked by a trained diesel repair technician. This would also be the time to get a windshield replacement if there are chips or small cracks on your windshield. Contact an expert windshield replacement dallas service if you need professional windshield services. I also bought durable PFTE gaskets from this source. Finally, it would be wise to have the contact information of a towing truck company in case your car breaks down.
My college self might say to my present self, “Why are you wasting money on an air pump when you can use the air pumps at a gas station?”
That is a great question, but I have an even better answer. With my recent trips here and there across this country I realized that you can’t rely on anyone else when it comes to taking care of your family. What happens if the gas station’s air pump is broken? What happens if they are closed and you don’t have the exact change? Better yet, what happens if you start to lose air pressure in your tires and there is not a gas station for miles? What happens if you get a flat?
To combat all that worry I picked up a Slime Pro Power Tire Inflator. This is a heavy duty air pump that plugs into a 12 volt power outlet. Many cars have these outlets and you don’t need to worry about having the correct amount of quarters to get air. The Slime Pro also has a bright LED light just in case I need to add more air on the side of the road in the dark.
We all know that when you are packing for a road trip not only do you over pack for your kids, but you have to bring toys, movies, and snacks to get them from asking the old standby line of ‘Are we there yet?’ To make sure you have enough room for all those family items the Slime Pro is compact and fits into a bag of its own. In that bag it houses all of the equipment that goes along with the tire pump.
While talking to the very courteous staff at AutoZone one of them reminded me that having the tires at the correct pressure also saves on gas, which leads to saving money. I love the thought of saving money, but we all know that money I saved on gas is going to yet another stuffed animal that my daughters definitely need. At least I am saving money on gas.
Speaking of saving some cash I find that with cars it is better to be proactive instead of reactive. If you are getting a nice refund back from Uncle Sam you might want to purchase items for your car. Some auto repair and maintenance services now will save you huge costs at an auto repair or a dent repair and collision shop. So if you got a tax refund consider putting that money to good use at AutoZone.
Another benefit from purchasing this tire pump is that it also works for inflating bicycle tires, sports equipment, and pool items.
To make sure I was even more prepared I purchased the tire sealer as well as some tire gauges to test out the air pressure in the tires when we make the third bathroom stop of the evening because my kids have to go potty. I tell you they guzzle water down so fast you would think that they were camels.
My family and I always look forward to hitting the road to experience another new adventure. With my stop over at AutoZone I was able to prepare the car before the trip so I can focus on having fun with my family while we are on vacation. I might even yell out SPRING BREAK!!!!
What is your AutoZone story? You can possibly win a $100 gift card from AutoZone. All you need to do is comment in the section below on how you will make sure you get your car ready for your family road trip. A winner will be randomly selected. What could you use from AutoZone for your car this Tax Season? Maybe you need to invest in brake pads, rotors, shocks, or a new battery. You should also check out https://towingless.com/who-makes-the-best-car-battery/ if you’re looking to get help with your car battery problems. If you will be staying in a city for a little while, you may need to look for parking lots with Car Park Markings for safety.
Your car will thank you when you put that tax refund to good use.
We are also going to help you save money too! Click on the link right here http://auto.zone/btGl2 for a coupon which is for $7 off $30 or more, valid thru 4/29/16
Please note: AutoZone paid me to write this post and give me gift cards to purchase items, but my thoughts are my own.
Please note: AutoZone paid me to write this post and give me gift cards to purchase items, but my thoughts are my own.
This post is brought to you by AutoZone; the opinions are all mine.