Bottoms up for Jaguars!

Posted on July 17, 2012 by randrinc

We had a little fun at R&R Auto Service the other day when a gymnast came to visit.

Why Maria the gymnast came to visit us is an interesting story. Here at R&R, our vintage British specialist is Rob Schau. Working for R&R is a hobby for him. Yup, he’s so passionate about British cars that he spends his leisure hours with us!

Anyway, Rob’s real job is teaching girl’s gymnastics, and Maria is Rob’s former student. Now a student at James Madison University in Virginia, Maria, the gymnast, started a blog about handstands. Check out Maria’s blog photos here.

Entitled, “A Year in the Life: Handstand,” the blog features photos of Maria doing a handstand in a new and unusual place every day of 2012. On June 20 of this year, Maria visited R&R to do her thing. What fun! We thought you’d like to see the photos.

Mellow Yellow.Maria does a handstand beside this awesome 1971 V12 2+2 Jaguar E-Type owned by one of our favorite customers.

Maria goes crazy with a red and hoodless 1969 Jaguar E-Type.

This 1976 Jaguar XJ12 sitting in our back lot was just begging for fun, so Maria obliged.

Rob’s Corner

Posted on June 1, 2012 by randrinc

The economy is in the tank, home values have fallen, and stocks are down. No wait… they’re going back up… oooh nooo, they’re… not. The outlook for the near future is not good. Now is probably not the time to be spending money unnecessarily.

…which brings me to the current topic. Is this a good time to replace your current vehicle with a new one? Car dealers, desperate for sales, are giving steep discounts right now, and a new car can be tempting, especially if you’re considering a vehicle that is more efficient or environmentally friendly.

Your vehicle is probably the second most expensive item you need after shelter. It costs to fuel it, maintain it, inspect it, insure it, and replace it. Let’s examine the pros and cons of buying a new vehicle with the idea that it might just be possible to save a little money vs. spending a lot.

Let’s look at why it may be better to invest in your current car rather than replace it:

PROS of keeping your current car

Lower, or no, car payment.
Insurance on an older vehicle is less expensive.
Most of the depreciation probably already has occurred.
The car is probably worth more than you owe on it.
The decline in resale value slows after a few years.
With a little TLC, your vehicle can run efficiently and safely for many more miles.

CONS of buying a new vehicle

New car payments are high.
Insurance on a new vehicle is expensive, offsetting the benefits of new-car warranty coverage.
Rapid depreciation in the first year alone decimates any dealer discount you may get.
If you must offload a relatively new vehicle, you may owe more than the car is worth.
Buying a hybrid could be a smart idea, BUT they sell at a premium and you might want to wait for the plug-in hybrids, with significant efficiency gains, to arrive in a year or two.

Unless your old clunker is ready to ship off to the scrap heap, you save the most by keeping your current vehicle. Still, if you find yourself looking to purchase a new vehicle, I have a few suggestions to offer:

WHAT TO CONSIDER if you must buy a new vehicle

Buy the smallest, most efficient engine available on the model you’ve chosen. The price of oil is more volatile than gas fumes, so don’t count on gas staying below $2 per gallon.
A fuel efficient vehicle will have better resale value. Especially if you have a pattern of selling a car every few years, remember that on resale, a fuel efficient car may well command a premium over a gas guzzler.
If you want a hybrid, consider waiting until plug-in hybrids become available.
Avoid leasing, which makes your car an expense and not an asset. I’ll leave you and your accountant to figure that one out.
Skip the extended warranty. Put the money into a CD instead and you’ll usually come out ahead. (I used to suggest the stock market, but that’s now flatter than the spare tire in my 1959 Jaguar XK150.)
My favorite money saving tip is to buy a 2-3 year-old vehicle. Most of the depreciation already has occurred, and you still drive a newer vehicle. Have us or someone else do a pre-purchase inspection before committing to the sale.

If you decide to stay the course with your current vehicle, have someone you trust (like us!) check it over and give you an opinion on its current condition and how to best to keep it running in a safe and reliable manner. Some things may need attention now and other items can be scheduled for future maintenance. In fact, I would recommend this inspection as the first step when considering a replacement, since the expense of maintaining your current vehicle may factor heavily in your decision.

Most people are surprised to learn just how long their car or SUV will last with a little bit of R&R. Think 250,000 miles PLUS!

Make an Appointment

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

Online Appointment Form

Please provide the following information:

Name:

Work Phone:

Home Phone:

Fax (opt):

E-mail:

Car Year:

Car Make:

Car Model:

Has your car been here before?

Yes

Appointment Month:
(Please allow at least 36 Hrs)

Date:

Wait:

(Oil changes only, Please specify time desired in service list box)

Drop off:

(We have a night-drop box at the back of the building)

Please list the services you want us to carry out

Preferred form of confirmation:

E-mail

Fax

Home Phone

Work Phone

Please enter text from image: Refresh Image | What’s This?

Rental Car Request

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

Rental Car Service

Need transportation while your car is in our shop?

R&R would be happy to arrange for a rental car for you.

Please phone us 24 hours before you plan to bring us your car, or email us.

Repair/Maintenance Estimate Request

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

Repair/Maintenance Estimate Request

Download this form as a PDF: RandR-form.pdf
Right-click, then Save As

Please provide us with the following information:

Name:

Work Phone:

Home Phone:

Cell Phone:

Other Phone:

Where can we reach you today?

Work

Home

Cell

Other

Primary E-mail:

Alternate E-mail:

Fax:

About your vehicle:

Car Year:

Car Make

Car Model

Has your car been here before?

Yes

What would be a good date and time for this service?
We will call you to confirm.

Wait:

(Oil changes only: please specify time you would like to pick up your vehicle in the Services box below)

Drop off:

(We have a night-drop box at the back of the building)

Please list the services you want us to carry out:

Factory Recommended Maintenance service for this mileage

Oil & Filter Change

Lubrication

A/C Service

Check Brakes

Service Engine Cooling System

Rotate Tires

Other

Preferred form of confirmation:

E-mail

Fax

Home Phone

Work Phone

Please enter text from image: Refresh Image | What’s This?

Drop Off / Counter Form

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

Counter Form

Download this form as a PDF: RandR-form.pdf
Right-click, then Save As

Please provide us with the following information:

Name:

Work Phone:

Home Phone:

Cell Phone:

Other Phone:

Where can we reach you today?

Work

Home

Cell

Other

Primary E-mail:

Alternate E-mail:

Fax:

About your vehicle:

Car Year:

Car Make

Car Model

Has your car been here before?

Yes

What would be a good date and time for this service?
We will call you to confirm.

Wait:

(Oil changes only: please specify time you would like to pick up your vehicle in the Services box below)

Drop off:

(We have a night-drop box at the back of the building)

Please list the services you want us to carry out:

Factory Recommended Maintenance service for this mileage

Oil & Filter Change

Lubrication

A/C Service

Check Brakes

Service Engine Cooling System

Rotate Tires

Other

Preferred form of confirmation:

E-mail

Fax

Home Phone

Work Phone

Please enter text from image: Refresh Image | What’s This?

Contact

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

Make an Appointment

R&R Auto Service is dedicated to providing you with the very best service and care for your domestic or import car. Visit us soon!

Phone: (703)-430-0770
Fax: (703)-450-0770
Email: randrinc@randrautoservice.com

Directions and map

R&R Auto Service
22611 Markey Ct. # 102
Sterling, VA 20166

Shop Hours
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:30pm

Our Night Drop box is at the back of our building. For prompt service, download our Drop-off form and leave the completed form with your keys.

Privacy Policy

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

R&R AUTO SERVICE ONLINE PRIVACY NOTICE

About this Privacy Notice

R&R Auto Service is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this web site; you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

R&R Auto Service will never sell, give or trade your personal information, including email address, with a third party.

R&R Auto Service may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 12/01/2008:

The following pages describe how we treat:

Personal information that can be traced back to you, such as your name, home address, and email address (“PI”).
Information that cannot be traced back to you individually, such as the type of web browser you are using or aggregate information such as the total number of users of a certain age who access the Site per month (“Non-Personal Information” or “NPI”).

Personal information we collect and how it is used

The following types of Personally Identifiable Information may be collected and stored by the site and used by R&R Auto Service:

Email Address
As part of using this site, you may be asked to provide your email address. Your email address will be used to deliver the communications you request from us, or to contact you regarding your car while we are providing service.

Name, Addresses
As part of doing business with us, or for requesting additional information or services, you may be asked to voluntarily provide your real name, address, and other such real contact information. Your name also may be used to deliver communications such as marketing communications through the mail.

When We Disclose Your Personal Information
Again, R&R Auto Service will never sell, give or trade your personal information, including email address, with a third party.

We permit distribution of your Personal Information as follows:

To our employees who have an express need to know such information in order to provide you with service or information related to doing business with us.
In response to a valid subpoena or other compulsory request from law enforcement.
To our officers, legal counsel or their designees if necessary during the investigation of abuse or harassment.
Where the Information is necessary to illustrate or resolve technical issues with the site.
To conduct audits or other similar operations procedures, but only as minimally required to perform such procedures.
Where a user may have conducted him or herself inappropriately on the site, to block the user’s Network Address.
To a correctional institution in which you become an inmate.
Where we reasonably determine it is necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of our company, our users or the public.
We may freely distribute Non-Personal Information to any party for any reason, subject to applicable laws.

In the event that ownership of R&R Auto Service changes as the result of a merger, acquisition or transfer of assets to another company, your information may be transferred to the successor company.

Opt In and Opt Out

Opt In
You can access most portions of the site without entering any information and without expressly having the consent to any specific question (beyond complying with the Terms). “Opting-In,” however, is the process by which you expressly indicate that you want to participate in the site or one of its features, options, tools or services. By entering your personal information in at the appropriate screen on the site (e.g., “Receive Our Newsletter”), you are indicating that you are “Opting-In” to the site.

Opt Out
If you no longer wish to receive our e-newsletter, simply click on the unsubscribe option at the bottom of the newsletter, and we will remove your email address from our subscription list.

Email and Other Communications to Us
When you send us emails, letters, faxes or other communications, we will retain and store such communications in order to keep a reliable record and validate the information.

How You Can Access or Correct Your Information
If you have any questions, comments or complaints about this Privacy Notice, please contact us through the site, by email, by phone or by post at:

R&R Auto Service
22611 Markey Ct. # 102
Sterling, VA 20166
PHONE: (703) 430-0770
FAX: (703) 450-0770
EMAIL: RandRinc@RandRAutoservice.com

Resources and Links

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

Resources and Links

ALLDATA: is a leading provider of OEM automotive repair information and solutions to the professional automotive service industry.
ASE National Institute for Automotive Excellence: ASE certification is an important sign of professionalism.
Consumers Checkbook: a non-profit consumer information and service resource.
The International Automotive Technicians’ Network: The IATN is the largest network of automotive repair professionals in the world: a group of 65,425 from 152 countries. The members of this group exchange technical knowledge with their peers around the globe, sharing over 1 million years of experience.
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: Protects the environment of Virginia in order to promote the health and well-being of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Other Links:

BNI Business Exchange: The Business Exchange is one of the highest-referring BNI chapters in Northern Virginia. We meet Tuesdays at 7am at Amphora Diner Deluxe in Herndon, VA.
Brain Tumor Foundation: The Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF) guides and supports patients and families during the turbulent times when their lives are touched by a brain tumor.
The Musella Foundation For Brain Tumor Research & Information

British Cars Photo Gallery

Posted on May 5, 2012 by randrinc

British Cars Photo Gallery

Click on a thumbnail image to view it in full size.