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Before embarking on their trek, the "Drive Around the World" expedition team had their Land Rover vehicles serviced according to manufacturers’ standards. The team learned some valuable lessons for planning a drive around the world or just around the block.
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Lesson One: Get A Tune-up
|  |  | It’s a good idea to have a professional check your car’s key areas regularly, including oil, belts, hoses, brake systems and fluid levels. Additionally, it’s important to have other crucial areas of your car checked, such as idling speed, ignition timing, thermostat and fuel system, before departing on your next road trip to avoid any unexpected surprises.
Having your engine tuned up periodically is important, particularly at the onset of a hot, dry or cold season. Cars have a tougher time starting in the cold and continuing to run in the heat. Breakdowns can be dangerous, so have any problem areas diagnosed and repaired before they become bigger issues.
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Lesson Two: Check Tire Pressure
| | | When the "Drive Around the World" team reached the leg of their journey that would take them through Siberia, with temperatures of negative 58° Fahrenheit (-50° Celsius) and frozen lakes doubling as roadways, it was so cold that their tires would freeze to the ground in minutes if they were not constantly in motion. The team’s vehicles received a thorough check, including an all-important tire pressure check. Low pressure increases wear and fuel consumption while too much pressure can reduce traction, especially in sandy or icy conditions.
As the weather gets cooler, your air pressure decreases. Even in mildly cold temperatures, it is important to have your tires checked for excessive wear, balanced regularly, and inflated to the proper pressure.
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Lesson Three: Switch to Synthetic Motor Oil
| | | Mineral motor oils can thin out in high temperatures and turn to sludge in low temperatures – allowing for increased engine wear over the long term. According to Bill Maxwell, senior engineering advisor, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, “Synthetic motor oils, such as Mobil 1 – the oil used in the ‘Drive Around the World’ expedition vehicles, have a higher viscosity index which translates to higher performance and lubrication at extreme operating temperatures.”
“In addition to temperature protection, synthetic oils can also offer resistance to thermal breakdown giving your engine up to a 50 percent longer life-span.”
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