Grand Prix Performance - Costa Mesa, CA

Rotating your tires

-Makes them wear evenly since front and rear tires react to the road differently

-Have us check the balance and alignment 

-We will give you a clean bill of health or recommend adjustments

Check your tire pressure

-Proper tire pressure requirements are shown on the side wall of your tires

-Best thing to do is bring your car in for a tire check-up and inflation

Road hazards

-In a busy place like Orange County, debris in the road can damage your tires

-Drive carefully and avoid objects on the road

-If you hit something, have your tires checked for damage

-Chunks of tread, damaged tread or sidewalls can suddenly blow out the tire if you do not take -proper care of them

Don’t ever plug your tires

-You would be amazed at how many people think a $20 plug keeps them safe

-High-speed, freeway driving is a plug’s worst enemy.  We recommend getting a new tire -instead of a plug.

-Never get a tire plug in a sidewall.

When to replace your tires

-Most states have a tread depth minimum for getting your car inspected

-Since 1968, Federal law has required a built-in 2/32 inch bar to show you the minimum

-The time it takes to stop on a wet road can double when your tires have this minimum tread depth

-Consumer report recommends 4/32 inch

Nothing's a big deal in the summer. You break down? So what? It's a nice night out. Look at all those stars! But break down when it's minus jaw-freezing outside, and that's a different story. Since bad hoses, belts, water pumps and spark plug wires can leave you stranded in the winter, it's better to bite the bullet and fix them. It's better than spending the same amount of money after you've been sitting in your stalled car for three hours waiting for AAA. (Just kidding, Triple A! No one has ever had to wait three hours for one of your tow trucks, have they?)

Here's one service item that's often forgotten: tire pressure. Ask your mechanic to check it, or do it as soon as winter arrives. Why? Because tire pressure drops by about one pound per ten degrees of temperature. So, if it's -10 now, and the last time you checked your tire pressure was back during that sweltering heat wave in July, your tires will be dangerously low and will jeopardize your car's handling.

Many newer vehicles have tire pressure monitors, which alert you to dangerous changes in tire pressure. In fact, as 2008, tire pressure monitors are required on all new vehicles. But older cars don't have them and the pressure needs to be checked manually.

AAA estimates that 94 percent of the people going at least 50 miles between Wednesday and Sunday will be on the roads.

Drivers can expect traffic to be worse this year, too -- the group predicts an 11.4 percent increase from 2009.

Before starting the journey, drivers should do some car maintenance and check on laws that might change the way they drive, AAA says. Here are some tips to help you hit the road!

Before you go, check your tires, wiper blades and battery AAA suggests giving yourself a week to check tire pressure and tread depth, to replace wiper blades, to fill the windshield washer reservoir and to test the battery. Even if you're already behind on your to-do list, now is the time to take care of it. Don't leave home without an oil change or brake check, too, if you've been putting those off.

Make an emergency road kit According to AAA, a winter emergency kit should include an ice scraper and snow brush; sand, cat litter or traction mats; a small shovel; gloves, hats and blankets; flashlights with fresh batteries; shop rags or paper towels; jumper cables; warning flares or triangles; drinking water; non-perishable snack bars; warm clothes; first aid kit; basic hand tools; mobile phones and car chargers with important numbers preprogrammed.

Check the weather Know what kind of conditions you might be driving through, not just the weather at your home and your destination. In Minnesota, snow and ice are getting heavier; in Seattle, Washington, there's a rare snowfall.

Brush up on your winter driving technique Increase your regular following distance. Rather than three to four seconds, make it eight to 10. Avoid skids by applying the gas slowly to accelerate. Above all, said AAA National spokesman Troy Green, be patient and don't let yourself get distracted. See more winter driving tips from AAA.

Know where to use your cell phone Thirty states and the District of Columbia have recently banned texting while driving. Some cities and states now have laws against distracted driving or using hand-held cell phones at all while driving. But AAA warns that even if it's legal, it's risky to use any cell phone, even a hands-free device, while driving. Check out AAA's list of distracted driving laws.

Keep the kids busy Use books, games, DVDs -- whatever will keep the kids comfortable and stop them from distracting the driver. Remember, they will need snacks, and will need to make stops, so be prepared to spend more time on the road if you're traveling with children.

Take a break every two hours or 100 miles Adults need to stop, too. Breaking up the drive periodically will keep you more alert while you're on the road, Green said, which will help you arrive for Thanksgiving dinner in one piece.

By the way, if you have an old jalopy, we suggest you crack open the window a bit if you are going to be idling the engine. Old jalopies are more likely to suffer from exhaust leaks and rust holes. This may not be a problem while you're driving because the wind is removing the exhaust as you move forward; but if you're sitting for a long time while carbon monoxide is slowly leaking into the passenger compartment, well, we could lose you...

Finally, if you are pulled over and stopped in the midst of a humungous snowstorm, be sure to get out periodically and remove snow from behind the tailpipe to keep it unobstructed.