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This summer, we packed up the car and set off from the midlands for a family trip to Inverness. It was a journey we’d been looking forward to for months to visit some family: Highland scenery, castles and, hopefully, at least a little bit of Scottish sunshine.
What we hadn’t thought quite so carefully about was the car.
It was only once we were already partway through the journey, with our little boy in the back and a boot packed with everything we apparently needed for a family holiday, that we started questioning when the car had last been properly checked. We were taking an east-coast route and stopping in Dundee before continuing towards Inverness, so we decided it made sense to arrange a car service in Dundee rather than spend the rest of the journey worrying about every unfamiliar noise. It turns out there are some great local garages to help and keep you safe on the road – If you’re looking to book a car service in Dundee, visit the Fife Autocentre website to find out more.
Realising We Should Have Done It Before Leaving
Car maintenance is one of those jobs that’s very easy to put off when everything appears to be working normally. There’s always something more urgent to do, especially when you’re trying to pack for a family holiday and remember everything your child might need while you’re away.
However, driving towards the Highlands made us look at it differently.
Once you travel farther north, you can face longer stretches between services, patchy phone signal and weather that changes remarkably quickly. The roads can also become narrower and quieter as you move away from the larger towns.
Suddenly, knowing that our tyres, brakes, fluid levels, battery and lights were all in good condition felt much more important than it had while the car was sitting on our driveway.
Booking a car service in Dundee meant we could deal with the sensible part of the trip while we were still somewhere with plenty of local services nearby. It also gave us some reassurance before continuing towards the quieter Highland roads.
A car’s condition rarely changes overnight. Problems are often caused by smaller maintenance jobs being overlooked over time, which is why having everything checked regularly is so important.
Family Road Trips Make You Think Differently
If it had only been the two of us travelling, the possibility of breaking down would still have been stressful but probably wouldn’t have felt quite as worrying.
Having our little boy with us changed that.
A breakdown would also mean keeping him safe, warm and entertained while we waited for help, potentially somewhere unfamiliar and without a reliable phone signal. Add a car seat, snacks and a boot full of luggage into the mix, and “we’ll get the car looked at eventually” no longer felt like a particularly good plan!
Once the service had been completed, we could continue the journey without analysing every sound the car made or wondering whether we should have dealt with it before leaving home.
Would We Do It Again?
Definitely – although next time, I’d ideally remember to book the service before we set off!
If you’re planning a long family road trip, especially one that takes you into more remote areas, it’s worth checking when your car was last serviced before you start packing.
Arranging our car service in Dundee wasn’t the most exciting part of our Highlands holiday, but it gave us some much-needed peace of mind for the rest of the drive. Sometimes it really is the boring, practical jobs that make it easier to enjoy the fun parts.
Do you always check the car before long journeys?