About Manufacturers’ Warranties

Posted on December 10, 2012 by randrinc

In our last post, we urged you to consider changing the oil in your car more frequently than is required by your car’s maker in order to fulfill the conditions of the warranty.

Now let’s talk more about manufacturers’ warranties. If you were to compare the owners’ manuals of today’s cars with the manuals of vehicles manufactured 20 years ago, you could reasonably conclude that today’s cars need less maintenance than yesteryear’s. You would also have good reason to wonder why a service facility would urge you to authorize more maintenance work on your vehicle than is advised by your manual.

Whom do you trust, the manufacturer or the mechanic?

When deciding the maintenance schedule for your car, consider your auto maker’s perspective. Auto makers have no vested interest in ensuring that your vehicle will last much longer than the extended warranty they offer you. Generally, new power train warranties don’t extend beyond three years or 36,000 miles. A few extend to 100,000 miles. Is it any coincidence that many of today’s vehicles are marketed as needing little or no maintenance for 100,000 miles?

Auto makers, of course, must cover warranty costs should their maintenance recommendations prove inadequate. The problem of oil gelling troubled the owners of 1997 through 2002 Toyotas. Oil gelling occurs when oil in a vehicle is too old, and it can destroy an engine. Toyota was required to cover “repair costs and incidental expenses for which a customer has paid or could incur as a result of damage due to oil gelling for a period of eight years from the date of first sale or lease without a mileage limitation” for those owners.

Our advice? Use your owner’s manual as a guide, and find a mechanic you trust. At R&R Auto Service, we want to see you tooling happily down life’s highways long after your extended warranty has expired. In fact, we hope you’ll join The R&R Quarter Million Mile Club. We also want to protect the resale value of your vehicle. Unless you tell us otherwise, we advise maintenance with the longevity of your car in mind. Stay involved and ask questions when your car is in our care. We are happy to discuss your car with you.

Christmas 2012 Gift Coupon

Posted on December 4, 2012 by randrinc

Gifts from the Practical to the Whimsical for the Driver in Your Life

Posted on November 27, 2012 by randrinc

The R&R Auto 2012 Holiday Wishlist

Gifts from the Practical to the Whimsical for the Driver in Your Life

The three gifts below are recommended by Popular Mechanics and are available on Amazon.com. Click the photos for the links.

See the whimsical side of our wishlist below! Just click on the photo that piques your interest–from left, the die cast Jaguar, middle, the stock car experience, and right, the Kiddie Mercedes Benz.

Back to the practical, and fun! Click the photos for the cup holder and the Skip Barber Racing school. If you would like to give an R&R Auto Service gift certificate, please call us at 703-430-0770, and we will email you, in PDF form, a gift certificate in the amount of your choice, as well as a receipt. Thank you so much for your business!

Oil & Filter: How Often Should You Change Them?

Posted on November 1, 2012 by randrinc

If you’ve ever maintained your own vehicle, you may remember the old standard rule to change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. However, if you check the owner’s manual of most of today’s vehicles, you’ll probably find the manufacturer recommends that, with the exception of “severe driving conditions,” oil changes can be stretched safely to every 7,500 miles or once a year. The manufacturer also probably recommends a new oil filter with every second oil change.

Here’s the catch. As defined by auto makers, severe conditions include:

Making frequent, short trips of less than fives miles.
Making frequent, short trips of less than 10 miles when temperatures are below freezing.
Driving in hot weather stop-and-go traffic.
Extensive idling and/or low-speed driving for long periods of time (taxi, police, door-to-door delivery, etc.).
Driving at sustained high speeds during hot weather.
Towing a trailer.
Driving in areas with heavy dust (gravel roads, construction zones, and so on).

Under this definition, few drivers in a congested metropolitan area qualify as NOT driving in severe driving conditions.

Our advice? With the longevity of your car in mind, we recommend following the advice of the mechanics of generations past: If you use regular oil in your vehicle, change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles or three months. If you use synthetic oil, change the oil every 5,000 miles or every five months. It’s the most economical, most effective preventive maintenance you can give your vehicle.

Products & Services Your Car Does Not Need

Posted on October 24, 2012 by randrinc

Three products your car doesn’t need

Just as there are cosmetics that are useless, there are car products that are useless, too. While none of these are big-ticket items, those nickels and dimes add up.

Oil additives. Your engine needs the correct oil, changed regularly. Oil additives not only don’t work, but can be harmful.
Gas-savers. The EPA has tested them all, and they don’t work. Some can even lower engine performance.
Nitrogen fill of tires. Don’t do it, unless you just enjoy burning cash.

Four services your car doesn’t need

No matter what that service manager says, your car does not need the following procedures:

Engine flush. What your engine does need are regular oil changes.
Fuel-injection cleaning. This unnecessary service could set you back as much as $200.
Transmission flush. Flushing the transmission can stir up sediment that can then travel into small passages, such as precision valves, and affect the shifting quality of the transmission. If anything, R&R would recommend an alternate procedure, a drain and refill, which minimizes the chances of agitating sediment. You don’t really need a drain and refill, either, but if you decide you like the idea, do it regularly or not at all to minimize the chances of transmission damage. We recently encountered a customer whose transmission was destroyed in the aftermath of a dealer-advised transmission flush.
Power steering flush. In our experience, this is unnecessary unless a failed steering component is being replaced.

Eight Steps to Take When You Need Emergency Car Care

Posted on October 24, 2012 by randrinc

Eight steps to take when you need emergency car care

Most repair shops are honest, but an “overzealous” mechanic can spot the client who isn’t armed with information. The temptation to bamboozle you could be tough to resist when you’re a one-time customer in an emergency situation. Here are our best tips to avoid paying for unnecessary work:

Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints lodged against the repair shop you are considering.
Ask about certification and experience. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certifies mechanics in eight different specialties, including electrical systems, steering and suspension, engines, brakes, and heating and air conditioning. A repair facility can advertise the ASE certification if only one mechanic is certified in just one specialty. A master technician is certified in all areas.
Don’t hand an emergency mechanic a blank check. Ask in advance for a recommendation of service or repair and an estimate. Ask the mechanic to prioritize the recommended work and to explain what the benefit of the work would be. It’s possible that some of the work can be delayed.
Keep your owner’s manual with your car. In an emergency situation, let the manual be your service bible. If the manual doesn’t say you need it, don’t authorize it. If it’s not a safety issue, and if it’s routine maintenance, ask if the work can wait until your regular service interval.
Keep your service and repair bills with your owner’s manual. If your air filter was just replaced last year, you don’t need a new one this year; likewise, if your tires are nearly worn out, don’t authorize a rebalance and rotation.
If a mechanic tells you a part needs to be replaced, ask the mechanic to show you the part in the car and to explain its condition. Furthermore, while you’re checking the part, mark it in some way (or have the mechanic do it), so you can identify the part later. Finally, inform the mechanic that you will expect the old part to be returned to you.
Even the best mechanic can make an honest mistake. Be sure that the diagnosis you receive matches up with the symptoms you’ve noticed.
Ask questions. A reputable mechanic will be eager to answer your questions until you are sure you understand what needs to be done and why.

Can R&R service my new vehicle?

Posted on October 15, 2012 by randrinc

The Federal Government has your answer to this question: Yes, R&R can perform all routine maintenance on your new vehicle. The Magnuson Moss Warranty Act guarantees you the right to have your vehicle serviced by any competent independent service station, shop or garage without jeopardizing your warranty.

Warranty work is a different story, however. The dealer must perform warranty work. Manufacturers rarely reimburse customers
for warranty work done at independent shops, other than in emergency situations when a dealer is not readily available.

A new-vehicle warranty is designed to protect both the
manufacturer and consumer. It warrants certain parts of the vehicle for a specified period of time or a specific number of
miles. It also limits the manufacturer’s liability beyond those points. If your vehicle has a problem due to defective parts that are still covered by your warranty, the dealer must make the repairs.

In order to protect the warranty when your new car is being maintained by R&R Auto Service,
you simply must have the vehicle serviced at the intervals specified in your owner’s manual or warranty booklet, just as would be required
by the dealer. You must also keep careful service records to
prove maintenance has been performed as prescribed. R&R keeps those records for you.

The new Jaguar F-Type

Don’t Ignore That Light!

Posted on September 5, 2012 by randrinc

It is tempting to ignore a check engine light or to delay service until a more convenient time–especially when your vehicle still seems to be running smoothly when the check engine light first appears. But the check engine light can mean anything from a loose gas cap to a failed catalytic converter, and delays can quickly turn minor problems into major ones.

Do not confuse the check engine light with the service required light. The two are unrelated, and the service required light simply means the car is due for some form of maintenance, such as an oil change. The check engine light means that the self-diagnostic computer in your vehicle has detected one or more of dozens of possible engine problems. The computer puts out a problem code, which a technician interprets when you take your vehicle in for service. Colors and their significance vary between manufacturers, but most check engine lights appear as yellow, amber, orange or red. A flashing check engine light, however, indicates a more serious problem that requires immediate attention. Even when the light is steady, the sooner your vehicle’s problem is diagnosed and treated, the better your chances of returning to the road with a minimum of expense and aggravation.

Can you assume that unless a check engine light or service indicator appears, your vehicle is fine and needs no maintenance? Unfortunately, and unequivocally, no. You need to follow the owner’s manual that came with your vehicle. Manufacturers insist on regular, documented maintenance before they’ll honor warranties. And that need for preventive maintenance doesn’t end with the warranty period.

How to Talk with Your Technician

Posted on August 30, 2012 by randrinc

Think of your vehicle as our patient. We say this because, as with a doctor-patient relationship, effective care for your car depends on good communication between you and
the R&R team. Here are tips for helping us understand your vehicle’s needs when you bring it in for maintenance service or repair.

ONE. Make note of any changes. Just as you know your own body better than any doctor can, you also know your own vehicle better than anyone. You know how it sounds, smells, feels, and responds when it’s healthy and running well. You’re also the first observer of any change in the way it operates. Watch for these warning signals:

Unusual sounds or odors.
Drips, leaks or smoke.
Unusual vibrations.
Warning lights or changes in gauge readings.
Change in acceleration performance.
Change in engine performance.
Change in gas mileage.
Changes in fluid levels.
Problems in handling, braking, or steering.

TWO. When you first notice a problem, start a written record for your technician. Record details such as these:

When did the problem first occur?
Is the problem constant or does it appear intermittently?
Does the problem occur when the vehicle is cold or after the engine is warm?
Does the problem occur while driving at any speed? During acceleration? During braking? During shifting?
Does the problem occur in wet or dry weather? Cold or warm? When the terrain is flat or hilly? Smooth or bumpy?

THREE. Try to resist recommending a specific repair. Allow your technician to diagnose the problem just as a doctor would before proceeding with repair.

FOUR. Stay involved and ask questions once your car is in our care. Ask as many questions as you need. Ask us to explain any terms you do not understand. Please ask!

FIVE. Don’t rush the technician to make an immediate diagnosis. The technician needs to recreate your experience in order to diagnose accurately. Ask us to call you to discuss any course of action and associated costs before work begins.

SIX. Be sure we can reach you and that you understand R&R policies regarding labor rates, guarantees, and methods.

Jaguar Therapy

Posted on August 24, 2012 by randrinc

Say hello to Cheryl Fitzgerald! She’s the classy lady who zips along Virginia’s highways and byways in a sparkling, vintage ’69 Jaguar XK E-Type OTS.

For Cheryl, the Jaguar isn’t just transportation. It’s therapy.

Cheryl has always loved classic cars and driving them. She has owned a Toyota Spyder OTS and a Jaguar XJ6C, but always dreamed of having an XKE convertible like the one a friend drove in high school. “I always swore I would get one,” she says.

But the years slipped by, and Cheryl, who is also a horse enthusiast, continued to drive the trucks, cars and SUVs one expects to see in horse country. After an equine accident requiring surgery, Cheryl says, “I traded in that type of horse power for the under-the-hood type of horsepower.” Cheryl still drives a horse-country vehicle to work–but it’s just practical transportation, not her passion or her therapy.

With middle age come aches and pains, and for Cheryl, those aches and pains were exacerbated by rheumatoid arthritis. Normally a cheerful and spirited soul, Cheryl realized somewhere along life’s highway that she needed a pick-me-up, something to renew her joie de vivre–in fact, something to put the zip back into her drive. She decided to buy that Jaguar she’d always promised herself.

Through a broker in upper New York state, Cheryl found a vintage Jaguar that had owned by one family. A French doctor had purchased the new 1969 Jaguar in Coventry, England. He kept the car until his death, at which time it was inherited by the doctor’s son and shipped from France to Quebec, Canada. The son repainted the car, changing its original willow green to a “sparkly forest green,” as Cheryl describes it. The son decided to sell the car and entered it in several British car competitions in Vermont, where it won top honors. When Cheryl purchased it, she says, “All the legal papers were in French and had to be translated to English.”

When the Jaguar arrived in Virginia, Cheryle says, she “felt elated … and content with her dream that had finally come true. Unfortunately, Cheryl quickly discovered that the Jaguar had some serious driveability and safety issues. She founded herself stranded during rush hour in the center of a busy Vienna intersection, “blocking all four ways, with people honking and yelling,” Cheryl says. “The tears came, and I panicked.”

Once she and the Jaguar were home, Cheryl sought the advice of officers and members of the Nation’s Capital Jaguar Owner’s Club. “Everyone recommended R&R,” she says. Cheryl had her ailing Jaguar towed to R&R Auto Service early the very next morning.

Rob Carter, R&R’s owner, “was great,” Cheryl says. He put the car “up on a lift, then showed and explained everything. He made me feel comfortable and relaxed.” Cheryl says she asked for help “to get it to where it runs, and we’ll do other stuff as I can afford it … He did what would get me on the road safely.”

Cheryl explains, too, that Rob and R&R have made sure she has been safe every step of the way. At one time, she says, she was instructed to drive the car only locally for a couple hundred miles and to report any problems immediately and then to let R&R know how “the car was doing before he would release me to leave the area.” She adds, “Rob is a wonderful teacher–not just a mechanic.”

Now, Cheryl drives the Jaguar, which she christened “Longfellow,” safely and confidently “on any backroad I can find,” she says. “It’s so smooth riding.”

Cheryl paid us a visit at R&R recently. “I was out for my little joyride,” she said, “and I just stopped by to say hi, and thanks for giving me so much fun!”

You have made me a happy woman,” she told us. “I really needed this car.”