How to Prepare Your Car for a Holiday: Complete Checklist

How to Prepare Your Car for a Holiday

1. Essential technical checks: safety first

While you’re busy with accommodation and suitcases, the technical side is often overlooked. A quick inspection done at home or at a trusted tire shop prevents 90% of the problems encountered on the motorway, especially on the route to the sea (A2 / Sun Motorway). If something seems off and you can’t fix it on the spot, you can always call a professional towing service to avoid getting stranded on the roadside.

Tire pressure at maximum load

Correct tire pressure is vital when the car is fully loaded with luggage and passengers. Incorrect pressure not only causes premature wear but also increases the risk of a blowout at motorway speeds. Check the sticker on the driver’s door pillar or the owner’s manual: usually, for full load, the rear axle pressure must be increased by 0.2–0.5 bar compared to normal. Don’t forget to check the spare tire pressure — if you have one — and make sure the jack or puncture repair kit is ready.

• Inspect the tires: Look for cuts, bulges, or foreign objects stuck in the rubber.
• Wheel alignment: If the car pulls to one side when braking, schedule a check before the holiday; a long motorway journey will make any problem worse.

Air conditioning (AC) system and refrigerant level

A broken or underperforming AC is the number one enemy on the coast. If you notice the system is blowing less cold air, there are clear signs the refrigerant needs recharging.

• Symptoms of low refrigerant: the compressor clicks on and off very frequently (a specific noise from under the hood) or cooling is poor at idle but improves at higher revs.
• Cabin filter check: A clogged filter drastically reduces cold air flow. Replace it if it hasn’t been done in a while — the investment is minimal, the comfort is huge.
• Clean the condenser: The front AC radiator gets easily clogged with bugs, especially after many motorway miles. A gentle rinse with a weak water jet improves cooling.

2. Mandatory documents for a trip within Romania

Even if you’re not crossing the border, checking your documents before the holiday is essential, as the seaside area and the roads leading to it are heavily patrolled by authorities and CNAIR (the national road authority) with mobile weighing stations.

• Driving license — make sure it’s valid and covers the vehicle category.
• Vehicle registration certificate (Talon) — check you have the latest undamaged version.
• Third-party insurance (RCA) — a phone copy is usually enough, but a physical one never hurts.
• Rovinieta (road toll vignette) — indispensable. Check its validity on the official CNAIR website or in the eRovinieta app. A fine for an expired vignette can ruin your entire holiday budget.
• ID card / Passport — for you and all passengers in the car.

3. Luggage organization: how to pack so nothing shifts

One of the most frequent risks on a holiday trip is luggage turning into dangerous projectiles during a hard brake. Here’s how to do it right.

• Heavy items stay low, as close as possible to the rear seat backrest. Beach bags, towels, and lighter clothes go on top or in the roof box.
• Secure everything with elastic straps to the anchoring points in the trunk. A good quality cargo net is a worthwhile investment.
• Roof box: Make sure the crossbars are approved for the weight you’re carrying (usually 50–75 kg). An overloaded box raises the center of gravity and can make the car unstable in corners and strong crosswinds on the bridges of the A2 (Fetești, Cernavodă).
• Don’t leave loose objects on the rear seat: A 10 kg suitcase, during an emergency brake at 100 km/h, can reach an impact force of several hundred kilograms — enough to crush the front seats.

4. Complete “last minute” checklist

To make sure you don’t miss a thing, here’s a checklist you can tick off right on departure day. If you discover a major problem, you can always call on our services in Sector 1, Sector 3, or throughout the Bucharest-Ilfov metropolitan area.

• Coolant (antifreeze) and engine oil — check when cold, on level ground.
• Windscreen washer fluid — you’ll need plenty of it, especially in the evening when insects swarm.
• Headlights, brake lights, and indicators — check with someone behind the car; a burned-out bulb means a fine and a safety hazard on the motorway.
• Windscreen wipers — if the forecast shows summer showers, worn rubber leaves annoying streaks. They’re cheap and take five minutes to replace.
• Emergency kit: two warning triangles, a reflective vest (kept inside the cabin, not the trunk), and a valid first-aid kit.
• Suspension and shock absorbers: if the car is heavily loaded and you’ll be driving on national roads towards the Danube Delta or the southern coast, potholes can be fatal for worn suspension. A quick test on a bumpy street tells you everything.
• Brakes: if you feel vibrations in the steering wheel when braking or the pedal feels too soft, check the pads and brake fluid immediately.

5. Frequently asked questions before a car holiday

What should I absolutely check before a trip to the seaside?

Beyond tires and AC, check the integrity of bushings and shock absorbers, especially if the car regularly drives over potholes. On the Sun Motorway, and even more so on the county roads along the coast, tired suspension can fail completely. Also, make sure you have a spare tire or a functional puncture kit — on busy weekends, a flat at the motorway exit can mean hours of waiting if you can’t fix it quickly.

How do I pack luggage so it doesn’t shift around?

Use organizers and zippered bags, not slippery raffia sacks. Put the heavy bag at the bottom and lighter luggage on top. Use quality elastic straps to anchor everything to the lashing rings in the trunk. If you have a roof box, distribute the weight evenly across the surface and secure everything with strong cords. A cargo net over the items in the trunk can make a real difference.

How can I tell if the AC still has enough refrigerant?

The simplest way: if the air isn’t as cold as it used to be, the refrigerant level is probably low. If possible, visually check the sight glass on the AC dryer — bubbles appearing while the compressor is running are a sign that the refrigerant needs topping up. Another symptom: the compressor engages and disengages at very short intervals. Don’t forget to also replace the cabin filter; a clogged, dirty filter can reduce cold air flow by up to 30%.

What documents do I need for a car trip in Romania?

The mandatory documents are: a driving license (valid, appropriate category), the vehicle registration certificate (with a valid ITP — periodic technical inspection), RCA (valid insurance), rovinieta (valid on the national road and motorway network), and your ID card/passport. For company-registered vehicles, you also need a power of attorney or a delegation from the administrator. Check the ITP too — without it you aren’t allowed to drive, and the fine is substantial.

What is the correct tire pressure when the car is fully loaded?

Almost all cars have a sticker on the driver’s door pillar or information in the owner’s manual. Look for the “full load” value. Typically, the rear axle requires the biggest increase — 0.3–0.8 bar above the standard pressure. Don’t just eyeball it; an underinflated tire at maximum load heats up quickly and risks exploding on the motorway. Check the pressure when the tires are cold, before you hit the road.

Last updated: June 2026. Article written from real weekend traffic experience on the Sun Motorway. Watch out for the speed cameras around Fetești and remember: a well-prepared car is the first step towards a successful holiday!