R & R Auto Service

Britain on the Green 2013

randrinc — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:16:11 +0000

R&R customer’s TR3 takes Best in Class at car show

abc

That’s R&R customer Fred Mittelman sitting in his 1960 Triumph TR3A in our photo above. Standing alongside is Diane Page, Fred’s wife. We took the photo at the Britain on the Green 2013 car show, where Fred’s Triumph won Best in Class. The 16th annual Britain on the Green was held on Sunday, April 28, at historic Gunston Hall Plantation in Mason Neck, Virginia, home of American patriot George Mason. The car show is hosted by the Capital Triumph Register, a Washington-area organization for Triumph enthusiasts founded in 1989.

Fred’s Triumph has been part of the Mittelman family for 53 years. It was purchased in March 1960 by Fred’s Uncle Norm, who treasured the car for nearly 50 years. Uncle Norm knew, however, that his nephew Fred had fallen in love with the car from the beginning. Sometime in 2007, Uncle Norm informed Fred that he had willed the Triumph to him. As the attorney who had prepared his uncle’s will, Fred pointed out that if Uncle Norm had indeed willed the car to his nephew, he should know about it. Uncle Norm then asked Fred if he would like to take immediate possession of the car. Some six months later, Fred was the new owner of the Mittelman family Triumph. Shortly thereafter, Fred pursued maintenance and repair on the vehicle, including restoration work on the body. The car’s mileage when Fred received the car was 69,000. Today, the mileage is only 71,000, but now that the car is in tip-top shape again, Fred intends to enjoy putting a few more miles on it.

Fred and Diane have been long-time loyal R&R customers, and the TR3A is not the first Triumph that R&R has serviced for them. In fact, in the mid-1980s, Fred purchased a TR6 from R&R owner Rob Carter, Fred says. In addition to the family’s specialty cars, R&R also services Fred and Diane’s regular vehicles.

Congratulations, Fred!

R&R sponsors Britain on the Green 2013

abc

R&R once again sponsored the annual Britain on the Green, and pictured above is our display table at this year’s show, being manned by another of our long-time customers, Tim Acord, who just wanted to help out for the day.

At R&R Auto Service, our customers become family.

Every car deserves a little R&R. Particularly those British models.

Road Trip Games

randrinc — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:14:10 +0000

Those hours in the car can get long and uncomfortable, especially if there are kids on board. We have some tried-and-true road trip games as well as a few new ones that are guaranteed boredom busters. Yes, a road trip can be fun and games!

THE GROCERY GAME. In this memory game, the first player names an object that can be purchased at a grocery store that starts with the letter A. The next player has to repeat what the first player said and then add another grocery item that starts with a B. For example, if player one says “avocados,” player two would repeat “avocados” and then might add “bread.” The third player would then add an item beginning with C, saying, “Avocados, bread, cinnamon,” and so on. When a player forgets a grocery item, he or she is out, and the game continues until the player with the best memory wins.
TUNNELS. Whenever the family drives into a tunnel, see who can hold their breath the longest. This is one for the passengers, not the driver.
MAP QUEST. Bring photocopied maps for each of the kids on the trip, along with a supply of stickers or highlighters. Have the kids highlight or put a sticker on each new road the family takes.
FAMILY STORY. Compose a family story. The driver in the car creates the first line. It can be something simple like, “Once upon a time, there was a baby rabbit who couldn’t sit still.” Each person in the car adds a line. Everyone can take turns, or the line-creator can call on the next person. This game can last minutes or hours, and kids on the trip can write and illustrate the story as a trip souvenir. To make the game more challenging for older kids, make a rule that all lines have to rhyme or that the first word must start with the next letter in the alphabet.
LICENSE PLATES. Here’s a classic with a teaching twist. Give each child in the car a map of the United States and a crayon. When a child spots a license plate from a state, he or she can color that state on the map.
COUNTING COWS. First, pick a destination at which the game will end. Then, playing as individuals or teams, the kids all count the cows (or red cars or mail boxes, etc.) on their side of the road. Pass a cemetery, and the count drops to zero for the players on that side of the car. The highest count wins.
ODD-COLORED CAR. At the beginning of the trip, each player chooses an odd car color — orange, purple, yellow, pink, etc. During the drive, all passengers try to spot those colors. At the end of the trip, the player who chose the color with the least number of cars spotted is the winner.
SPEAKING IN SONG. This game is good for an older crowd. See how long passengers can keep a conversation running using only song lyrics. Any passenger who accidentally sings is eliminated.

Before your road trip

randrinc — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:04:45 +0000

BEFORE YOUR ROAD TRIP

Nothing is more exciting than setting off on the open road for adventure. And nothing is more disappointing than car trouble during a vacation, when you are far from home and your local repair facility. With summer road trip season upon us, we offer the following tips — direct from ConsumerReports.org — for preparing your car for a trouble-free and enjoyable trip.

Prepare Your Car for a Trip

Fluids. Don’t just fill up the windshield wiper fluid reservoir. Make sure the oil, brake, and coolant fluids are topped off.
Battery. Nothing spoils a road trip like a car that won’t start. Before you leave, check your batter to be sure it’s in top shape and has clean terminals. If the terminals are dirty, clean them with a little baking soda and water.
Engine Belt. Most drive belts are flat rubber belts with ridges on the inside. Inspect these ridges. If you see deep cracks or sections missing, replace the belt.
Tires. Read the rubber. If your tires do not have a good amount of tread left or if they have tears or bulges in the side walls, replace the tires before your trip. Also inspect the valve stem for cracks. Finally, be sure the tires are set to the inflation pressure that is printed on the door placard on the driver’s door jam.
Brakes. Have a professional check the brake pads to be sure they aren’t worn or in need of replacement.
Packing. Overloading your vehicle can reduce fuel efficiency and also affect the safety of your vehicle. Pack heavy items in the cargo space, and pack only lighter, bulky items in a car-top carrier. Heavy roof loads can make the car more difficult to handle in emergency situations and increase the risk of a roll over. Also, the total weight a car can carry usually is listed on the door placard inside the driver’s door jam.
GPS Navigation System. In our experience, a GPS system is well worth the expenditure. Not only do they help you get where you’re going, but they make it easier to find gas stations and restaurants and to avoid traffic congestion.

Source: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/07/road-trip-preptips-for-getting-the-car-ready-.html

Spring Cleaning Your Car

randrinc — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 23:30:36 +0000

SPRING CLEANING YOUR CAR

The cherry trees have bloomed, and temperatures are soaring. With the sudden arrival of summer, it’s time to do some spring cleaning on your car. In our last post, we talked about the spring maintenance necessary to the mechanics of your car. Now we have some tips on getting sparkly clean and smelly good.

Washing your car

Wash only when the car is cool, and only in the shade. Sun and heat will making washing more difficult and case spots and deposit to form.
Use a specially prepared car detergent. Household cleaners are too strong to use on car paint.
Rinse before washing to remove as much debris as possible in order to minimize scratching the finish. When rinsing off soap, do not spray the car. Instead,let the water flow gently from the top of the car to the bottom. This will create a sheeting action that will reduce the pooling of water.
Wash in sections, starting at the top and working your way down.
Use only a lamb’s wool mitt or a natural sponge. To avoid swirl marks, wash in lengthwise strokes rather than with a circular motion. Thoroughly rinse the mitt or sponge frequently, and use a separate sponge for the wheels and tires.
Use two buckets – the first for clean, soapy water, and the second to rinse the dirty sponge.
Use bug-and-tar remover and a non-abrasive cloth to remove grease, tar, and rubber deposits.
Wash frequently. Atmospheric chemicals, dead bugs, and bird dropping can cause damage to the finish if left too long.
Dry the car with a chamois or soft terry towels. Blot water rather than swiping the towel across the surface. Do not let the car air dry unless you like the water-spotted look.

Source: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/12/do-s-and-don-ts-of-washing-your-car/index.htm

Get that clean-car smell

Bad smells can be tough to remove. Here are some suggestions:

Remove smelly items and stains as soon as possible.
Vaccuum regularly.
Household cleaners are usually safe for cleaning stains or spills inside the car. Test in an obscure spot first.
Stained or stinky mats? Remove from car, vacuum both sides, and shampoo. If they smell moldy, spray the back sides with a bleach solution, rinse, and allow to bake dry in the sun.
Household room fresheners mask odor, but odor eliminators formulated for cars remove odors by chemically neutralizing them.
Sprinkle baking soda on dry surfaces to absorb orders overnight, then vacuum. Do not put baking soda onto a wet surface.
An open bag of coffee beans left in the car overnight will filter out odors.

Source: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/09/how-to-rid-your-car-of-odors/index.htm

Spring Car Love

randrinc — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:51:51 +0000

Spring is the time for car love! Not only should you be thinking about giving your car the TLC it needs it needs to recover from winter’s brutal wear and tear, it’s also time to think about preventative maintenance. Properly maintaining your vehicle will save you aggravation and keep you safer. It’s also the secret to joining our Quarter Million Mile Club and saving big bucks.

Your owner’s manual will provide you with the minimum care your car requires to survive the long-term warranty. Here are the tasks that should be on your own preventative maintenance checklist and that you can take care of on your own:

Change the oil and filter regularly. We recommend every 3,000 miles if you use regular oil and every 5,000 miles for synthetic. Don’t forget to check your oil level at least once a month.
Check all fluids regularly. These include windshield washer, antifreeze, as well brake fluid, transmission, and power steering.
Check the air pressure level once a month.
Check the windshield wiper blades regularly. Look for split rubber at both ends of the blades. If the rubber is split or the wipers are smearing or streaking, replace them.

Unless you’re a home mechanic, let a professional take care of Spring maintenance. Your R&R Service Team will check the engine belts and hoses, drive train, steering, suspension, and transaxle fluid. In addition, we’ll also check the shocks, struts, CV boot, brakes, exhaust, charger, and starting system. If you like, we also can take care of that oil change for you, too. Just ask. Make your appointment today.

Winter Driving Tips

randrinc — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:36:25 +0000

Snow is beautiful until it falls on a workday. That’s when you and I realize we are the only ones who know how to drive on the slick stuff. To be fair, operating a car under low or no-friction conditions is not intuitive. As Bill Cosby said, “Turn into the skid? That’s like leaning into a left hook.”

So here are a few pointers for the rest of the drivers out there on the road:

CLEAN YOUR VEHICLE. Before you pull out of your driveway, brush the snow off your vehicle, particularly the headlights, turn signals, and taillights, as well as the front, rear, and side windows.
CHECK THE WIPER BLADES. Make sure they are not stuck to the windshield.
MANUALLY TURN ON HEADLIGHTS before driving off. Depending on automatic daytime running lights may not turn on the rear parking lamps, so if visibility is poor the following car will have trouble seeing you. Now you can see and be seen.
DO EVERYTHING SLOWLY.Accelerate slowly, steer slowly, and avoid abrupt corrections. Brake slowly and much sooner than you think necessary. Pretend there is a bowl bolted to your hood (humor me here), with a large Grade A raw egg inside. Your task is to keep the egg in the bowl and intact. Although entertaining, I don’t want to see you on the 5 o’clock news pinwheeling through a major intersection.
PATIENCE IS NOT ONLY A VIRTUE, IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. Allow more time to get where you are going. Leave more room between you and the vehicle ahead. So what if three cars pull in front of you, you’re making the world a safer place, at least for today.
GIVE 18-WHEELERS EXTRA ROOM! Don’t take advantage of the 10 car lengths that the 18-wheeler has left in front of him. He needs that extra room as he frantically tries to slow down for the next light or traffic stoppage. He really needs all that room to stop, and if you zip in front of him, your egg will fly out of that bowl on your hood as he creams you from behind. Either that or his words may fry it.
DON’T ASSUME. Just because the pavement is clear where you are now, it likely won’t still be clear 100 yards down the road or around the next corner. Snow melts and refreezes on shady or colder portions of pavement. Chemicals get diluted and allow treated surfaces to refreeze. Bridges are always colder, hence the warning signs about bridges surfaces freezing before pavement.
DON’T USE CRUISE CONTROL. YOU must be in control. Some not-so-funny things can happen if you hit ice or snow with the cruise control engaged.
ANTICIPATE THE OTHER GUY. Particularly as you approach intersections with stopped vehicles, slow down, take your foot off the gas, and be prepared to brake or take evasive maneuvers. Remember that the driver in front of you who is starting from a stop must overcome inertia without the benefit of normal traction. That driver’s ability to get out of your way is compromised. If you are the driver who is stopped or barely moving at the intersection, don’t create a situation: The car coming up fast on your left may travel 1/4 mile before you slip and slide your way across two lanes of highway in front of him.
DON’T HAVE MISPLACED CONFIDENCE IN YOUR VEHICLE. Four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles are terrific and can take you off road, through an unplowed parking lot, or out of a snow drift better than most any car. But on snowy roads, these vehicles also can get you from zero to trouble faster than a student driver in a Corvette. We’ve all seen it, snow and slush flying off the tires while a four-wheeler rockets past, as if the laws of physics had been suspended just for them. Several miles down the highway, you then see the tracks leading through the median or off the shoulder. What happened? If you have a four-wheel vehicle, you will certainly have noticed that you can out-accelerate rear or front-wheel drive vehicle in slippery conditions, HOWEVER, once moving you have NO advantage! In fact, because of the high center of gravity and the extra weight, your four-wheel drive vehicle is likely to require more time to come to a full stop that a standard vehicle. Combine that with the increased propensity to roll over in single vehicle accidents, and I DRIVE SLOWER IN A FOUR-WHEELER.
STAY HOME. My best advice, since you and I agree that the problem is everyone else.

Distracted Driving

randrinc — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 01:16:12 +0000

The facts about distracted driving:

Click here for info from DistractedDriving.gov

Click here for info from the National Safety Council

Click here for facts from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

About Manufacturers’ Warranties

randrinc — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:11:42 +0000

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

randrinc — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:54:56 +0000

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

randrinc — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:03:56 +0000

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!