Are you traveling this Labor Day weekend? The majority of travelers planning a Labor Day getaway are driving to their destinations and local auto shops have been busy getting cars ready for road trips this week.
"We've had a high influx of customers getting their vehicles checked up before they get on the road," said Geoffrey Walsh, a Technician at CoAuto on Dickerson Road in Reno. Â
The shop offers a pre-trip inspection.
"We check the lights, the wipers, all the vitals fluids, the tires and brakes," Walsh said. Â "Front to back, anything that's important, anything that's going to keep you from being stranded on the side of the road. Â One thing that's important is having a good battery because if you're batter is low, you could pull into a gas station and when you come back out to start your vehicle you could have a dead battery and that's going to ruin your day, possibly your trip."
CoAuto is giving out free tire pressure gauges to stress how important is it to have properly inflated tires. Â Worn tires can cause blowouts and skids.
"One of the most important tires in the vehicle is actually the spare tire, because you're going to be counting on that spare tire to get you out of wherever you're stuck at when one has failed," Walsh said.
He says it's important to keep your car in good working condition year-round; a little preventative maintenance can go a long way.Â
"If you take care of your vehicle, your vehicle will take care of you, essentially," Walsh said.   "So if you have those oil  change reminders coming on your dash, it's important to get those taken care of right away. That way you're not damaging your vehicle by driving your vehicle low on oil or with dirty oil.  If you're check engine light is flashing, that's a get-it-in-today thing; it it's on, it could be emissions-related, like a loose gas cap or a faulty sensor, but if it's flashing, bring it in right away."
Lower gas prices are one factor more travelers are hitting the road this year. Â
