We've all taken our share of road trips, and there are some things that you can do to make it an enjoyable experience (and perhaps save you some time and money).

First, your car. Depending on where you are going, take the car to the shop and have it checked out first. If you can, do as much as you can. It is always a good idea, before any road trip, regardless of length, to get an oil change. If you do nothing else, at least get your oil changed.

Get your filters checked, oil and air. That will help you improve highway gas mileage too. If you're traveling in the summer (which is when most road trips take place), get your air conditioning system checked as well. An engine tune-up or performance check might be in order, depending on how far you're going.

Get your fluids checked as well. Brake fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, etc. These are pretty minimal checks. Making sure your lights are in working order is also a good idea. Replacement bulbs might be a wise purchase before you leave. These also are a minimal purchase from your dealer or any car parts store.

Also, tend to your tires. Make sure they are properly inflated. Whether you want to do this or not, it might be a good idea to maybe get new tires altogether. That decision is up to you. Speaking of tires, make sure your spare also is properly inflated and you have the jack in your trunk.

Check to see when you last got your brake system serviced. Chances are, your brakes are fine, but it might be a good idea to get them checked. Before going on a road trip, you might even want to check with your mechanic and see what he or she suggests you do before you have fun on the road.

Before you go, try to map out the best, most economical route. Chart your course as far as gas stops, bathroom breaks and food breaks go. If you can, try to find places where you can easily do all three. If you're taking a small, 4-door sedan, try to pack light if you can. Any excess weight on the car will affect its performance when going on long trips, and thereby also affecting gas mileage.

It might even be a good idea to check into a membership with AAA. With some of the services they offer with membership, you can pretty much rest easy in case some incidentals come up (i.e. a flat tire when you're in the middle of nowhere, at 2 AM). And, AAA also provides road maps and other accessories to make your road trip both economical and fun.

Check the gasbuddy.com system of websites for the areas which you will be traveling through. You can get an idea for what to expect gas-wise, where the cheapest gas is and so forth. Also, check up on the speed limits in the areas you're going. You don't want to get slapped with a speeding ticket under some other law enforcement jurisdiction.

On one road trip I went on recently, I was with a group, and we were driving through Iowa. I had always thought the speed limit on major highways in Iowa was 70. It was not. We checked, and it actually was 65 mph. Good thing we checked.

Some basic maintenance, and a little bit of research, should make your 2008 road trips safe and fun. Happy driving!

Learn more about this author, Luke Rasmussen.
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