How Often Should You Wash Your Car In Malaysia?
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels (How Often Should You Wash Your Car In Malaysia?)
The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, even though the nationwide vaccine rollout has been quite successful. New case numbers continue to drop, and the government has recently allowed for interstate travel to resume. So before you hop in the car with your friends and family for your next road trip, make sure that you’re well-prepared for the trip.
When preparing for your road trip during a pandemic, don’t forget to get your car serviced and with a full tank of petrol. Keeping your car in excellent shape will prevent the need to make an extra stop at a workshop or petrol station once at your destination. Besides that, maximise ventilation inside the car, pack plenty of hand and surface sanitisers, and always follow the current SOPs.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through all of the steps you should consider while preparing for your next interstate Malaysian road trip. With all of these in order, you’ll be able to keep yourself safe while enjoying your holiday with friends and family.
Get Your Car Serviced
The first thing you’ll want to do before any long-distance driving is to get your car serviced. Sure, this was already a golden rule for road trips long before the pandemic even started. However, making sure that your car is in excellent working order before driving to another state is even more critical now in this post-pandemic world.
You see, the safest way to have a road trip is to avoid any unnecessary stops. But, of course, that means you’ll want to travel from your home to your holiday accommodations and maybe to a few safe attractions at the destination.
You’ll want to avoid any unnecessary detours as much as possible, and that includes an auto workshop as well.
For that reason, you must ensure that your car is in tip-top condition before your trip even starts. Your pre-trip car servicing should include the basics like changing your engine oil and topping up fluids. Your checklist of fluids to top-up include:
Brake Fluid.
Automatic Transmission Fluid (If Necessary).
Power Steering Fluid.
Radiator Fluid.
And don’t forget Windshield Washer Fluid as well.
However, two things you’ll want to pay extra attention to are your car’s battery health and the state of your tyres.
For instance, if your car battery is due for a change, now’s the best time to do it. After all, you don’t want to risk having a dead battery at any point during your trip.
Besides that, check to ensure that your tyres are in good shape. Going on a long road trip means that you’re about to place a lot of stress on those tyres, so they have to be prepared for it.
Prepare A Full Tank Of Fuel
Even though there will undoubtedly be plenty of petrol stations around your destination, it’s also an excellent idea to fill up your petrol tank before you leave for your road trip.
The reason for this is pretty straightforward: with a full tank, you’ll prevent the need to stop at petrol stations along the highway. Moreover, doing so will help you minimise your risk since you won’t use petrol pumps that many other road-trippers touch every day.
Plus, with a full tank and no need to stop for a refuel, you’ll be able to save time and get to your destination sooner.
Pack Hand and Surface Sanitizers
Naturally, sanitisers have become a regular part of our daily lives. Most people already have hand sanitisers in their bags and pockets wherever they go. Plus, businesses like shops and restaurants also provide hand sanitisers at their entrances.
Still, you’ll want to make sure that you have enough hand sanitiser to last the duration of your road trip. Doing so will be safer as you won’t have to share the sanitiser with anyone else or use the shared bottles offered at businesses.
With that said, don’t forget about surface sanitisers as well. These come in several forms, like sanitiser wipes and spray cans, and many brands even offer them in different scents.
Surface sanitisers are crucial to keep everyone in your car safe. With a steady supply of them, you can frequently sanitise high-touch surfaces like door handles and the car’s instrument panel as well.
These surface sanitisers will go a long way since you can use them at any restaurant throughout your trip and in your hotel as well.
Maximise Ventilation
One way to reduce the risk of enclosed spaces (like your car) is to maximise ventilation as much as possible. Unfortunately, that can be quite a challenge considering how air-conditioned cars recirculate and recycle the inside air.
So, on your next road trip, consider turning off the air recycling function of your air conditioning system. Doing so will ensure that the car pulls in fresh air from the outside instead of reusing the same air throughout the trip.
On top of that, keeping your car windows open will also ensure optimal airflow throughout the vehicle. But, of course, with the hot and rainy Malaysian climate, driving on a highway with open windows isn’t always an option.
Not to worry, though! All you have to do is keep your car window open by an inch or two at the front and the back. Doing so will allow fresh air to enter and exit the car and maximise ventilation throughout the vehicle’s passenger cabin.
Follow All SOPs
Overall, it’s essential to follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) set by the government, especially if you plan on travelling between states.
Even though it’s been over a year since the pandemic started, and despite the rollout of the vaccines, the pandemic is still ongoing. SOPs can and do change from time to time, so always ensure that your trip will not violate any of the existing rules on the matter.
One of the most crucial SOPs to pay attention to for road trips is how many passengers are allowed in a car. Suppose your number of passengers exceeds what is allowed by the SOPs, then consider taking separate vehicles or changing to another mode of transport altogether.