Taking my Intrigue On A TRIP

[YuSnYaT]

OK, im goin to be moving soon, and i was just wondering what you guys would reccomend to get checked out with a car, before you take it on a trip? I'm sure i'll have to get my oil checked out and stuff, anything i should be concerned with? Im not moving till January sometime, but i need to start to think ahead, ya know! ANY ADVICE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRICATED! Its about a 2,000 mile trip or a little less.

[Puffnstuff]

Check your tire pressure, make sure your serpentine belt is in good shape and not cracked and check your water hoses to make sure they're not buldged which indicates they're rotting on the inside. Also make sure your coolant level is correct and since it's a winter trip I'd put winter formula windshield washer fluid in the reservoir if you haven't done so already. Goodluck and enjoy the trip.

[Burnout524]

Change Oil and filter, check other fluid levels, tire pressure and also check out and make sure that your spare is good too. Just in case. Also, make sure that you have good wiper blades and that your brakes are normal. Finally, if you are driving where there is a possibility of snow, it's probably not a bad idea to have a small shovel and maybe a blanket or two in case you get stuck.

[YuSnYaT]

alright thanks! How can you tell if you need to get your brakes changed? Or checked out? If somebody could let me know, it would be greatly appricated!

[Burnout524]

Do your brakes pulsate/vibrate, have you noticed your brakes acting different, or are your stopping distances longer? If so, have them checked out. If not, your probably good.

[YuSnYaT]

No, i mean as your stopping you hear a tiny bit on sound, but barley, nothing? Im just making sure i dont need them checked out.

[kmohr3]

you might be just starting to hit the "squeakers" on the brake pads. It's a wear indicator for the brakes. I'd have them checked.

[YuSnYaT]

any other idea's what i should check before i head on this trip, how long are brakes upposed to last before i have them replaced?

[Ruley73]

I would also have the wheel bearings (which are sealed wheel hub assemblies on the Intrigue), ball joints, and tie rod ends checked. Definitely check your air filter and make sure it is clean. As expensive as gas is, changing this could save you lots of money if it is dirty.

There are too many variables to predict with hardly any degree of accuracy how long the brake pads should last. Driving envirionment (mountains, hills, level, etc.), driving habits, the condition of the rotors, and friction material all factor into how long your pads should last. Your front pads will probably wear out faster than the rear because they do most of the braking (roughly 70% vs 30% rear).

[YuSnYaT]

hi, i have 96,000 or a little higher miles on my car, i am driving from AZ to MN its about 2000, and i was just wondering is it ok to drive with that many miles on it? Im getting it checked out and stuff, the oil and rotating the tires and such air filters and so on, my uncle is a mechanic in MN and he says that my car is really good and isnt worried about it, i was wondering what you guys think?

[JTrujillo86]

To be honest, 96K miles really isn't that many for a car these days. What really matters is how well that car has been taken care of. I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you get everything checked out. Many GM dealers do all of this for you for about $100.

Jeremy

[Burnout524]

Like Jeremy said, now adays the milage doesnt really matter on a car as long as it has been maintained thoroughly.

If you are really that worried about it, you could always ask your mechanic to do a saftey check, as you would when looking to buy a used car.

[YuSnYaT]

i have a light on that just just went off now it has a arrow pointing down at some type of liquid thing on my dash, it came on. Its not oil or washer fluid i know that because i have a different light for those? So what does that light mean?

[kmohr3]

check your antifreeze. check your oil, too. it has an oil light (for oil pressure) and a low oil sensor too for oil level. Most likely it's the low coolant light. check it and let us know what you find.

[YuSnYaT]

its the coolant and i just went to auto zone and picked some up, before i left there my service engine soon light came on? I believe thats because the coolant is low? Correct? Its just came on right after that other light shut off? Is this correct?