Did you know that the average American vacation is just 4 days long? You’re certainly not going to want to spend any of that time on the side of the road, waiting for a tow or wondering why all of the dashboard lights have suddenly come on. Let’s talk about how to pick that perfect vacation ready car.

Cars.com is an excellent resource to review different cars. Not only can you see which cars are in your price range, but you also can check out Videos & Reviews. This gives you a sense of what it’s like to own the car, straight from the mouth of people who actually do. Especially if your original list of cars is long, it’s hard to imagine test driving 20 cars. Visiting this site can help you determine which ones you want to seriously consider as contenders.

When choosing a car, remember to think about some of the places you especially like to go for vacation. You probably visit family and friends regularly. A trip a popular fun theme park might also be a goal, so map out this trip too. Take a look at some of the other dream vacations you’d like to take, such as going to the ocean or to Canada or Mexico. Doing this will give you a sense of how many miles you want to travel on vacation in the car. You’ll also understand the temperatures and conditions that you would be driving in.

One of the critical factors to consider to keep your car vacation ready is maintenance. This is certainly no secret, but some families and individuals wind up getting busy so they neglect this important step. Staying up to date on oil changes, getting the fluids topped off and even getting the car ready for the change of seasons is so helpful. Simply bringing the car to your favorite mechanic means they have the opportunity to catch anything else that might be a small problem now before it becomes a much bigger issue later on. This saves you money, time and hassle. We highly recommend when you look at the Reviews section of Cars.com, to pay attention to what car owners are saying about repairs.

There are also things you can do to prepare your car for the unexpected. While we hope you’ll never need any of this, having it right at your fingertips can offer you great peace of mind. Add a First Aid kit to your car. You’ll also want to include an Emergency Kit that has road flares and the tools you can change a tire. Other great things to put in your trunk include several blankets, a package of small bottles of water and prepackages snacks that do not spoil, such as granola bars. Most of the time when we drive, we are around other people who might stop to offer aid. But if you happen to be driving late at night, early in the morning or through a part of the country such as the desert near Las Vegas, NV then you won’t really see many people at all.

Get a car vacation ready & enjoy your vacation!