The upcoming National Day holiday on September 2nd is approaching, driving up the demand for road trips, returning to hometowns, and traveling by car. For long journeys, inspecting and maintaining your car before the trip not only helps minimize unexpected breakdowns but also brings peace of mind to the whole family.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs announcement, in 2026, civil servants, officials, and public employees will enjoy a 5-day continuous holiday from August 29th to September 2nd. For employees at enterprises, employers choose a holiday schedule in accordance with regulations and must inform employees in advance.
With an extended holiday period, many families may choose to travel by car. This is also the time when car owners should proactively book a maintenance appointment rather than waiting until the vehicle shows unusual signs.
1. A long holiday requires thorough preparation for your vehicle
A trip covering a few hundred kilometers is entirely different from daily urban commuting.
Under continuous driving conditions, a vehicle may have to operate for hours, traversing highways, mountain passes, high-temperature areas, or heavily congested road segments. Components that function normally during daily use may expose underlying issues when working under high intensity.
A vehicle might still start normally, the air conditioning might still feel cool, and no warning lights might appear on the dashboard. However, that does not automatically mean the car is fully prepared for a long trip.
Issues such as degraded tires, worn brake pads, a weak battery, overdue engine oil, low coolant levels, poor air conditioning performance, or inadequate lighting can all cause your journey to be interrupted.
Particularly when traveling with family, young children, or the elderly, a roadside breakdown not only causes time loss but also directly impacts the safety and overall experience of the entire trip.
Therefore, rather than waiting for abnormal signs to appear before taking the car for an inspection, pre-holiday maintenance is a far more proactive way to reduce risks.
2. Why should you book a maintenance appointment early?
One common mistake among car owners before long holidays is only thinking about maintenance when the departure date is right around the corner.
At that point, if an item requiring repair or replacement is discovered, the car owner may have to wait for the garage to process it. In cases where spare parts are not readily available, the waiting time can extend longer than expected.
Booking early offers several practical benefits:
Proactive Time Management
Instead of bringing the vehicle to the garage during peak hours and enduring long waits, car owners can select a suitable date and time slot in advance.
Especially during the weeks leading up to the National Day holiday, the demand for vehicle inspections and maintenance can surge. Booking in advance helps the garage proactively assign technicians, allocate service bays, and prepare necessary inspection items.
Adequate Time to Address Arising Issues
A routine inspection can sometimes uncover items that the owner had not previously noticed.
For example, tires showing signs of degradation, brake pads near their wear limits, a weak battery, or aging rubber components.
If detected early, the owner will still have sufficient time to repair or replace them before the departure date, rather than dealing with urgent fixes right before the trip.
Proactive Parts Availability
This is a particularly critical factor for items requiring replacement.
If the garage has spare parts in stock, repairs can be carried out quickly. However, if parts need to be ordered, identifying the correct part numbers and sourcing them as early as possible will significantly reduce waiting times.
Therefore, booking an early maintenance appointment is not just about reserving a repair time slot; it also enables both the garage and the owner to proactively prepare for the repair process.
3. Items to check before a long trip
Not every vehicle requires the exact same maintenance package. Inspection items should be based on mileage driven, maintenance history, actual condition, and manufacturer recommendations.
However, prior to a long journey, car owners should pay special attention to the following categories:
3.1. Tire Inspection
Tires are the only component in direct contact with the road surface and heavily influence handling, braking performance, and vehicle stability.
Before a trip, inspect:
- Tire pressure.
- Tread depth and wear.
- Cracks, bulges, or deformations.
- Tire age if the vehicle has been in use for a long time.
- Spare tire and tire replacement tool kit.
Do not rely solely on visual checks. Tire pressure should be checked when tires are in an appropriate cold state and adjusted according to manufacturer recommendations.
For highway driving or long trips, tire condition requires even greater attention because the vehicle must maintain high speeds and loads over extended periods.
3.2. Brake System Inspection
Brakes are among the most critical safety-related systems.
The garage can inspect the condition of brake pads, brake rotors, brake fluid, and any unusual symptoms during braking.
If the vehicle experiences unstable braking performance, unusual noises, vibration when applying brakes, or an increased stopping distance, the owner should not delay inspection.
A properly functioning brake system is especially critical when driving on highways, mountain passes, or in high-traffic areas.
3.3. Oil and Fluid Level Checks
Engine oil and operational fluids play a vital role in vehicle performance.
Depending on the specific vehicle model and maintenance schedule, the garage can inspect:
- Engine oil.
- Engine coolant.
- Brake fluid.
- Transmission fluid.
- Windshield washer fluid.
- Other fluids according to the vehicle’s design.
If the vehicle is near its oil change interval or periodic service mark, performing maintenance before the trip saves the owner from having to address it midway through the journey.
3.4. Battery and Electrical System Inspection
A weak battery can make starting the vehicle difficult or impossible.
Before the holiday, the garage should check battery health, the charging system, and any unusual signs related to the electrical system.
In addition, the lighting system must be fully checked, including headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and necessary indicator lights.
3.5. Air Conditioning System Inspection
A long trip in hot weather can become extremely uncomfortable if the air conditioning system operates inefficiently.
The garage can check cooling capacity, cabin air filter condition, and any unusual system behaviors.
For families with young children or elderly passengers, a stable air conditioning system is even more important when traveling for multiple hours.
3.6. Suspension and Steering System Inspection
Unusual noises, a pulling feeling to one side, steering wheel vibration, or vehicle instability during operation are all signs that require inspection.
The suspension and steering systems not only affect driving dynamics but are also directly tied to vehicle control, especially when traveling at high speeds.
4. Do not check only what is currently “having an issue”
A common mindset regarding car maintenance is: “If the car still runs normally, it doesn’t need repair yet.”
This approach might work for short daily commutes, but it is far from optimal before a long journey.
Some components might not yet exhibit obvious symptoms, but they may be approaching their service limits.
For instance, brake pads may still work but are heavily worn. Tires may still be usable, but tread depth has significantly decreased. The battery may still start the car, but its charge retention capacity has degraded.
Under normal driving conditions, these parts might not cause an immediate problem. However, when the vehicle operates continuously for long hours, the risk multiplies.
Therefore, pre-holiday inspections should be viewed as preventive care rather than emergency troubleshooting.
Car owners do not necessarily need to replace every single part if it isn’t required yet. What matters is that the garage inspects, evaluates the actual condition, and provides clear advice so the owner knows which items require immediate attention and which can be monitored further.
5. Booking early helps garages prepare better
From the garage’s perspective, the peak season before a major holiday is also a period that requires efficient operational management.
If multiple customers bring their vehicles for inspection at the same time, garages can easily become overwhelmed: overlapping schedules, technician shortages, unavailable replacement parts, and customers enduring long wait times.
This is where appointment management becomes crucial.
Instead of receiving cars purely on a “walk-in and process” basis, garages can proactively build their daily workload based on pre-booked appointments.
When knowing in advance:
- Which customers are coming.
- Which vehicles need inspection.
- Anticipated service items.
- Which parts are likely to need replacement.
- The expected arrival time slots.
The garage can appropriately allocate personnel, repair bays, and materials.
This not only helps the garage process more vehicles, but also creates a far more professional customer experience.
