Pre-road-trip checklist: what to inspect before you leave LA

A breakdown 300 miles from home costs ten times what it costs in Hawthorne. The good news: the failures that strand people are almost always visible days or weeks before they happen. Here's what we check before any customer's road trip.

Tires: pressure, tread, and the spare

Set pressures cold to the door-jamb spec — including the spare. Look for sidewall cracking, bulges, and uneven wear. If you're below 4/32" tread and headed somewhere with rain or mountain passes, replace before you leave.

Cooling system

Check coolant level and condition at the overflow tank. Squeeze the upper radiator hose (engine cold) — it should be firm, not mushy or rock-hard. Desert heat finds every weak hose and tired water pump.

Brakes

Pad thickness, rotor condition, and brake fluid level. Long descents in the mountains punish marginal brakes. If you've been putting off pads, do it before — not during — the trip.

Battery and charging

A 5-minute load test tells you if your battery will survive a hot week away from home. Hot starts in 110°F parking lots are where weak batteries finally quit.

Fluids and belts

Engine oil level and color, transmission fluid (if accessible), serpentine belt for cracks and glazing. A snapped belt in the middle of nowhere ends a vacation fast.

The 20-minute peace-of-mind check

Drop the car off the day before you leave and we'll walk through all of the above, top off what needs topping, and tell you straight if anything should be addressed before you go. No upsell — just the list.