Knowledge base · On the road
Driving to Poland: the check before you leave
A thousand kilometres in one go, often fully loaded and with the family on board. A car that copes fine in town traffic suddenly reveals what is wrong on a drive like that. This is what we go through in a departure check — and what you can do yourself.
Tyres: the most important part of the trip
On long motorway runs with a heavily loaded car, tyres get hot and work hard. Check tread depth (not just in the middle), pressure adjusted for the load, and the sidewalls for cracks or bulges. Mind the age too: rubber ages even when the tread is still good. Carry a spare wheel or repair kit — and check the jack and tools are still on board.
Cooling and fluids
Traffic jams, heat and a full load are exactly the conditions in which weak cooling gives up. Check the coolant level, the condition of the hoses and whether the fan cuts in. Also: engine oil level, screen wash topped up, brake fluid at the right level.
Brakes and suspension
Descending a long hill fully loaded is a different matter from braking for traffic lights. Vibration under braking or a pedal that sinks: have that checked before you leave, not after. See also the ten most common failure points — that list overlaps heavily with what a long trip stresses.
Lights and visibility
A fully loaded car sits lower at the back, which aims the headlights higher. Check the alignment and use the headlight levelling if the car has it. Wipers and washers: on a rainy motorway you find out immediately whether they are any good.
Mandatory equipment on the way
Rules differ per country and do change. In any case count on a warning triangle and a high-visibility vest within reach — in the cabin, not buried in the boot under the luggage. Germany has low-emission zones with a sticker requirement in many cities; check in advance whether your route passes through them. Verify the current requirements for the countries on your route shortly before departure; we can tell you what needs doing technically to the car, not what each country prescribes this season.
Paperwork
- Registration document and driving licence.
- Insurance documents; check that your cover applies abroad and whether breakdown assistance is included.
- A valid APK — an expired APK is a problem you do not want to have abroad.
If the car stays abroad
If you are taking the car permanently, registration in the destination country comes into play and different inspection intervals apply. The differences between the systems are covered in the APK vs. inspections abroad.
Our departure check
We go through tyres, brakes, suspension, cooling, lighting, battery and fluids and tell you honestly what must be done before departure and what can wait. Book it a week ahead — then there is still time to order parts.
You can arrange all of this in English, Dutch or Polish — at our garage in Tilburg.