Driving comfort is important, no question about it. If you’re driving for extended periods in your van, then the last thing you want is to have little to no comfort. Vans have the opportunity to be outfitted with several accessories and upgrades that will vastly improve your driving comfort. Even things like mattresses can work given the right setup. If you’re the kind of person that wants to drive for longer times in your van, you should consider applying some of these upgrades.
Insulation
One of the most important factors for contributing towards driving comfort is van insulation. A big problem when you’re driving in a van without insulation is that you’re not only feeling the bumps but also hearing them quite loudly, at that. Even if you have good suspension, that nerve-wracking sound can make you feel uncomfortable. On top of that, thermal insulation just works wonders for the van in general. It can have significantly positive effects, such as fuel economy, reliability, and even the van’s longevity, which means upgrading your heat barrier vans insulation is always a great idea. Plus, the van’s temperature will be regulated significantly easier, making all of the rides that much smoother and more comfortable.
Tyres
Tyres are extremely important for all vehicles. After all, you won’t be able to drive without them. However, you should look at tyres simply as something that must be present, but rather, something that should be not only of high quality, but also in prime condition. Most of the time, stocks tyres aren’t ideal when it comes to driving comfort. That’s because stock tyres are typically mass-produced with cost-efficiency in mind, which is why if you want to make sure your van’s driving comfort is at a great level, you’ll need to get aftermarket tyres. Not only are there countless amazing tyres to choose from, but also, they’ll be made with your specific van in mind. This is something should always keep in mind when focusing on driving comfort.
Suspension
One of the very first things that people think of when discussing driving comfort is suspension. That’s because it’s incredibly important for a variety of reasons, comfort being only one of them. The typical setup is intended to function in any environment, but similarly, with tyres, all setups have been created with cost-efficiency in mind. There are a lot of very affordable specific suspension systems that would enormously benefit you and your comfort in driving. Just keep in mind that you should most likely focus on finding suspension packages that focus on key reinforcement areas and good-quality peripherals because those are key to finding a good balance between performance and comfort.
Bull Bars
In Australia, almost all vehicles should come equipped with bull bars. They’re one of the most quintessential accessories and upgrades for any larger vehicle that will significantly positively impact your comfort. Bull bars deal with larger obstacles in your path. They’re meant to protect your vehicle from a direct collision with a larger animal, which is a real possibility in Australia. On top of that, bull bars will protect your vehicle from other things, such as debris, rocks, and even dirt from entering your engine bay and wreaking all sorts of havoc inside. It’s safe to say that such debris will negatively impact your comfort. There’s no better feeling than nothing of the sort will either damage your vehicle or take away your driving comfort.
Lighting
Most stock lights aren’t really up to par with what you’d want from any sort of lighting. It’s also a shame that a lot of people seem to forget that you can install aftermarket lights any time they want because a good lighting system can make a world of difference. Not only are good lights always good to have, especially if you’re constantly travelling at night in less-populated areas, but they can add a layer of personality to the van. That way, you’d make your van feel yours, and can serve as a good addition to the vehicle’s aesthetics. Even if you don’t prefer having such aesthetic upgrades, having a good lighting system might save your life.
Clean the Filters
Everyone knows that air filters can clog extremely easily. That’s because there can be tons of contaminants in the air, and things like pollen, dust, and smog can easily clog them. If the air filters stop working as they should, then your driving cabin will also get contaminated, and that can have huge repercussions to your driving comfort, and even possibly your health. One of the first symptoms that the air filters are due to cleaning is odours coming from the vents. Also, if you notice strange sounds coming from the van, or even if you simply feel that the van’s airflow is reduced, then it’s time to clean those filters. To avoid replacing the filters everything they clog, consider cleaning them with a damp cloth, but still, you’ll have to replace them at some point.
Lumbar Support
Even though it’s mentioned last on this list, lumbar support is incredibly vital. That’s because prolonged sitting down in any situation can be very problematic for your health. Simply adding lumbar support to the vehicle’s seats will prevent any chronic and acute pain from backaches, muscle aches, arthritis, herniated disks, and much more, meaning it should be a priority. If you start feeling general discomfort when driving, even if it’s simply after a few minutes of driving, then it’s time to get some lumbar support to avoid all those negative health effects.
