Is your Richmond car, truck or SUV ready for that summer trip?

It’s finally here – that day you’ve been waiting for. You’ve loaded up the car, truck or SUV in your Richmond driveway and you’re off to the adventure you’ve planned since sometime last winter. Could you be any more excited? But, when you imagined this moment, did you picture car trouble along the way?

Probably not. Getting away from your Richmond home for a while is a treat. It’s a time to relax and unwind. It’s a time to explore America in one of the most traditional modes of transportation – your automobile. 

A mechanical failure along the way can do the opposite of what was intended for your blood pressure. Instead of lowering your blood pressure, standing on the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck, can send it into the stratosphere.

Almost anything can happen and, if Murphy’s Law has anything to do with it, that something will happen. But Murphy’s Law most likely hits a brick wall if you prepare for the trip thoroughly.

Imagine you’re driving out to see the Grand Tetons in Wyoming but you forget to reserve a campsite or motel room. You drive all the way out there and find out that everything is full. That would be a serious disappointment. 

It’s rather the same as driving across the country to visit Wally World and finding out that it’s closed.

OK, not Wally World. But, imagine if you drove to Universal Studios in Florida because your 12-year-old daughter is eager to experience Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts only to find that the exhibit is shutdown. 

Wherever you’re going this summer, if your trip includes an extended stop, standing in the heat or rain waiting for a service call or tow from a service station you’ve never heard of before, and don’t know whether you can trust, it’s an experience that is unlikely to enhance your adventure. 

Of course, if you have a sufficiently positive outlook, you may be able to avoid the level of frustration some would feel at this inopportune moment. But wouldn’t it be better to avoid the problem altogether?

While preparing for your trip, making sure you reservations are made in advance of your arrival, make sure your vehicle is ready for the road long before you pull your car, truck or SUV out of your Richmond driveway.