Prep Your Vehicle for Back to School With These 4 Tips

Jan 31, 2022

Back-to-school season is right around the corner, meaning there is no better time than now to begin preparing. One thing on your to-do list should be prepping your vehicle with the following tips.

Schedule Your Maintenance Appointment

The start of the school year means a busy season for many families. Stick to your schedules and avoid untimely breakdowns by scheduling your maintenance appointment early. The fall tends to be a busy time for service departments with families dropping their vehicles off following a summer full of road trips. Make sure you get your appointment scheduled early.

This is also a good time to check things like your oil and wiper fluid levels. These things will usually be a part of your maintenance appointment but if you can’t get in yet, you can also check them at home.

Schedule a Professional Detail

This is also a good time to give your vehicle the deep cleaning it needs. Whether you and your family spent your summer road tripping or you just want to start fresh with the new school year, a professional detail can make everyone as comfortable as possible on the first day back. A clean, tidy interior can also make it easier to find everyone’s stuff as they’re rushing to school.

If you prefer, you can also give your vehicle a deep cleaning yourself. Pay special attention to the seats and carpets. Keep future dirt and debris to a minimum by putting floor mats in your vehicle. You might also put a small garbage can in the backseat to give passengers a convenient place to get rid of loose paper or meals on the go.

Restock Your Vehicle’s Inventory

Every vehicle should have a first-aid and roadside emergency kit. Before the school year begins is a good time to check that these kits are well-stocked. It may also be a good time to add water or snacks to them. If you live in an area with colder weather, a couple of changes of clothing can also be beneficial. Other things to include in the kit are a flashlight, bandages, radio, and an extra cell phone battery.

Encourage your whole family to be involved in this process. It helps them develop learning skills while also giving the family the opportunity to talk about emergency plans.

Consider Upgrading

If you have been considering upgrading your family vehicle, now is a good time to do so. A lot of dealerships offer back-to-school-specials. This is your opportunity to increase your cargo space too, whether you have younger children attending school for the first time, or your child decided to join the school band and now has to transport around their equipment.

Many newer vehicles also include updated technologies that improve both safety and entertainment of the vehicle. Bring along the whole family when shopping so everyone gets to be a part of the decision. Preparation is the best way to ease the transition from a flexible summer schedule to a busy, on-the-go school schedule. Keep everyone safe and organized this school year by prepping your vehicle ahead of time.