Can I get my Macbook Pro just checked out and tuned up at the genius bar?

I'm having a hard time getting my questions answered. Basically I've had my Macbook Pro for four and a half years, but it's still doing mostly fine. It's just showing it's age slightly I think, with more spinning wheels than usual and odd things like the date is usually set to 1999 when I turn the computer on, but it rights itself in a few minutes. Also most the time when I plug it in it says it's not charging and I have to try multiple times. None of this is a huge deal, it's just that I really need the computer to last me preferably at least another year, so I worry about it a bit. I do take good care of it though. I'm about to move out of the country for a year, so I'd like to get it just checked out and perhaps tuned up a bit so that any problems are taken care of and it's in the best shape before I move away. I'd like to make a genius bar appointment, but the closest Apple store is a two hour drive from my home, so I don't want to go into it not having any idea how much it will cost or if they'll even be able to do what I'm hoping in the span of a single workday. I really don't want to have to drive back later to pick it up or have it sent off somewhere to be repaired, although if it does have serious problems I'd be willing to do that. I'd just like to know going in to it what the price range is likely to be like. I don't want to make the drive to the Apple store and have them tell me it's going to be a few hundred dollars just to have my computer looked over. And I don't even know if they offer that service, let alone if they can do it in a single afternoon. I've tried calling the store and conversations with the automated person really are not helpful. He just tells me to go online and make a reservation, and I can't figure out how to get my questions about cost and service answered.
Also, am I being foolish hoping my four and a half year old Macbook will last at least another year or two? I have no idea what the "life expectancy" is for these things. I know nothing really about computers at all, so forgive my ignorance.
Any help and insight is very much appreciated.

The genius bar technicians can check your MBP for possible hardware problems and specific software issues that you may have.  The diagnosis will be free.  Any extensive repairs will not be free.
If you have minor software problems, you essentially will have to deal with them yourself.  Examine these two comprehensive documents for possible problem definition and solutions.  If you encounter problems that you are unable to cope with, start a new discussion and there will be persons willing to assist you in solving them.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3521
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353
Ciao.

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