Road trips can make a memorable holiday. Taking the open road to your chosen destination, pointing out the landmarks and picturesque views along the way.
Going on a road trip, whether it be solo or with a group, is an excellent way to see a country from a different perspective. Instead of travelling the more conventional way for a holiday, plane or train, driving there offers the chance to see more along the way. When travelling with others, the drive to your chosen destination is all part of the holiday, as fond memories can be created and shared on the drive. For proud owners of a classic car, to help make the trip truly memorable, consider driving in a classic car. Travelling in style to your chosen holiday destination could be another ingredient to making this a holiday to remember.
Whatever your reason, a road trip in a classic car requires extra planning and preparation. Before you take off, read this practical guide to help you plan a road trip in your classic car.
Decide On Location
Starting with a simple yet obvious factor – decide on a location. Understandably, you will want to travel somewhere you wish to explore, a place on your bucket list or where a classic car show is being held. Whilst the location is your reason for travelling there in your classic car, you should also consider the journey up.
Make the most of the journey by taking some scenic routes that provide you with extraordinary views and are also kind to your classic car. Ideally, you will not want to take routes that could cause costly damages to your beloved classic car before you even arrive at your destination. Before setting off, read up on some of the top driving routes in the UK for classic car owners. These useful tips can help in preparing you for your journey.
Plan Out Any Stops
On the subject of planning the route, consider any breaks. If your holiday destination is the other end of the country, it could be worth breaking the journey into more manageable sections. Of course, many would prefer to drive from home to their destination with only short coffee and bathroom breaks.
However, a classic car might struggle with travelling a long distance with few stops in between. If you feel your classic car will not make the entire distance, look at finding areas on the route to your destination to stop over for the night. This way, you can break up the journey and the time spent travelling. It will leave you feeling refreshed and helps to reduce the strain a long journey causes your car. You can set off early in the morning to get to your location and begin your holiday.
Get The Right Insurance
With the location and stops organised, you will likely have begun planning what you will be doing on your holiday, the places you will visit and where you will be staying. You might have even looked at ways to protect your classic car when parked for the night. You will certainly need insurance before you even consider taking your classic car on the road.
Find a company to insure your classic car online to help save time when preparing for your upcoming road trip. With the right classic car insurance policy, you can have peace of mind on your trip, knowing that your beloved investment is protected. Should something unfortunate were to occur to your car whilst away, the classic car insurance you took out before departing for your trip. It might seem like a costly investment, but it will help you to save tremendously should something happen to your classic car. Without classic car insurance, you could face the risk of paying some hefty bills, which could have easily been avoided.
Book In with Mechanic
Another task before hitting the road is booking your classic car with a mechanic to be checked. Speak with the mechanic you use to check your classic car and ask them for their expert opinion on whether your vehicle could make the long trip to your desired destination. Take their opinions and advice they offer into consideration when preparing for your trip. The last thing you want on your road trip is for your classic car to break down along the way before you are even halfway there.
Have them check your car and offer any suggestions to help ensure it is in the best condition possible when you hit the road. Aim to book this check-up in advance before departing. This is to allow you enough time for any repairs to be made without it cutting into your travel time. Ensure that it is close to departure day but not too close if long repairs need to be made.
Prepare For Breakdowns
After checks with the mechanic have been completed and they have given the stamp of approval, you can start to get excited about taking a road trip in your classic car. One thing you will want to prepare for departing is your plan should your classic car break down along the way. A plan can help you remain calm in a stressful and unfavourable situation when travelling to your holiday destination.
It could be having your breakdown contact in your phone ready to call to help you move your vehicle, and yourself, to a safer location. Additionally, you might have a spare tyre in the boot of your car to use if something were to happen to one of yours. Having this ready to go can help prevent further delays in your road trip if your classic car breaks down.
Go On Practice Runs
In the lead-up to the big road trip, take your classic car out for some short drives. Take it on long-distance drives to see how it copes with travelling far. These practice runs will help you understand what it will be like when you set off for your road trip in your classic car.
Look at routes similar to those your car will experience on the road trip. Again, this will help you better understand how your car will perform when on the road trip and might even flag up potential concerns to monitor.
Check The Levels
Before you depart, ensure you conduct some last-minute checks on your car. Look at your tyres, and check to see if they are inflated and can handle the long journey to your destination. If they are slightly deflated, spend time inflating them till they are at ideal levels. Although the slight deflation might not make a great difference, it can offer peace of mind whilst driving that your tyres are in optimal condition.
In addition to checking tyres, check your oil and fluid levels and ensure that your car is filled with petrol to get you through your journey. You do not want to make unnecessary stops along the way to fill up fluid levels or top up on petrol because you are experiencing issues with them an hour or two into your drive. Similar to the tyres, checking these levels before you go means it is one less stress off your shoulders whilst you drive.
Pack Supplies for The Journey
What is a road trip without supplies for the road? Travelling in the spring and summertime is ideal because the blue skies and warmer weather make for an easy drive. The dry roads and clear skies reduce the risk of an incident occurring due to bad weather conditions.
However, classic cars often do not feature air conditioning, meaning that the inside can get warm very quickly – making for an unpleasant road trip at times. As such, ensure that you have packed plenty of water and other fluids to consume in the car to ensure that you and those you travel with remain hydrated.
Conduct Last Minute Checks
With the car packed, and snacks at the ready, the time has come to get on the road. However, before you do, spend five or ten minutes conducting a few last-minute checks on your car. Check the tyres and fluid levels and ensure you have enough petrol in your car. Additionally, check to see if you have your supplies in the car in the event of an accident.
Look online for potential delays in your journey. There might have been an accident in the early hours of the morning that is causing congestion for part of the route you are planning to take. Knowing this in advance can help you prepare for delays in your journey or prompt you to look for possible detours to avoid sitting in traffic.
Hit The Road
Finally, the time has come to hit the road. A road trip in a classic car is a stylish way to see the striking scenery. It can make for a memorable road trip that you will cherish for a lifetime.
The tips mentioned above will help you plan your road trip in a classic car. Of course, there will be more planning compared to a modern-day car. However, you will have the excitement of driving in a classic car and exploring a new part of the country.
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