After all of the vehicle prep you can think of,also think of the TRIP. Take a leisuely drive to try not to push your vehicle for long long hours of high speed operation. Stop once in a while as your bladder will advise you and make the most of the stop. See the sights, get something to drink, clear you head, just take breaks along the way. Your car and your psyche will last with more enjoyable results and it might actually feel like vacation and not a race with a schedule. In March my brother drove from Ohio to New Mexico and back with this theory in mind, taking in a lot of sights and stops along old route 66. Only one extra day of driving, but what a nice little trip he said.