At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we have seen our fair share of preventable engine failures. Frequently, engine disaster could have been avoided if the driver had known beforehand what the warning lights or gauges on the dashboard indicated. While some dash lights are fairly benign, others indicate imminent trouble. This guide from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA will prepare you for the next time your vehicle shows you a warning you shouldn’t ignore.

Here are 10 steps to keep your car up and running from our team here at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service! Whether you choose to do the maintenance yourself or take your car to see our professional service technicians, the non-profit Car Care Council recommends 10 basic maintenance procedures to keep your vehicle running its best. 

Keeping your tires properly inflated and regularly checking the tread can save you money and keep you safe! At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA we want to keep you and everyone in your car safe. Let us help you keep your tires maintained at their best.

Leaks and drips that get the interior of your vehicle wet are definitely an inconvenience. Sitting water promotes rust, bad smells, and can ruin your carpet. Furthermore, the water often seems to come from seemingly nowhere, adding to the frustration. From Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, here are some of the leading causes of water on your floor, and what you can do about it.

It makes sense that a car that is rarely driven will last longer, right? It may seem counterintuitive, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Vehicles are meant to be driven, and various issues can arise if they aren’t stored properly or driven fairly regularly. If you have a car, truck, or SUV that you only drive occasionally, in the summer, to car shows, etc., this one is for you. Here’s what you need to know, from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA.

The interior of your car can be difficult to maintain; between you, your kids, and anyone else who gets a ride from you, wear and tear on the interior of your vehicle is constant. Drinks get spilled, burn holes appear, rips and tears happen. Unlike the rest of your car, the interior isn’t made of metal, so it requires special treatment to keep it in good condition.

If you drive a Mercedes, Porsche, Subaru, BMW, Jaguar, or other performance and luxury vehicle, you’re a person who appreciates the value of quality. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service, we share that appreciation - that’s why we specialize in quality cars and take pride in quality work.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we pride ourselves on specialty knowledge and ability. Once you’ve settled on a transmission to invest in, it’s important not to cut corners on the homestretch. We’ve got you covered here and you can expect top quality repairs for your top quality product.

Road trips are a lot of fun, and often unpredictable. For all the miles you will be driving we always recommend preparing for any situation. With this checklist from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way.

Unless you are confident in your abilities as an automotive mechanic, there is really only one rule when purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle: don’t do it. Unfortunately, sometimes sellers aren’t particularly straight-forward with their used cars. Many will try to hide the fact that it’s been damaged by floodwaters at all or try to convince potential buyers that the car is in fact fine. “It has gone months with no issues” or “technically it is flood-damaged but” are two red flags, and while it isn’t impossible for a flood car to be fine, it’s altogether a good idea to stay away.

True safety starts with being able to see where you are driving. Your lights and wipers play a major role in safe driving and the chance of an accident increases if you can't see or be seen. No matter what time of year, it's important to make sure your vehicle's lights and wipers are working properly so your visibility is not compromised and you can be seen by others. From the driver's seat, you may not notice a light that isn't working, but when a big rain comes it becomes easier to see what you are missing! When wet weather hits your roads is not the time for you to discover limited visibility problems. Here at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service we take our Midlotian drivers' safety seriously and inspect their vehicles when they come in for service.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, we understand how important safety is in the world of truck driving. The stakes are higher in a big truck; potential for damage is obviously far greater, to you, your cargo, and other people on the road. Here are some easy tips that go a long way.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, we are fully dedicated to providing excellent customer service. Our technicians work hard to ensure timely, friendly, and efficient maintenance and repairs that you can rely on.

We’ve all been here: You start up your vehicle in the morning and begin to back out of the driveway. Before your hand reaches the volume dial on the stereo to crank up your favorite morning radio duo, you hear a noise coming from your car. A vehicle shouldn’t make that noise, yet yours is. And it sounds bad. But is it?

Keeping up with oil changes is one of the most important aspects of keeping your engine in good shape. However, you’ve probably noticed that the price of oil changes can vary pretty dramatically depending on what you get, and the oil all looks the same. Here’s a breakdown of the difference between synthetic and conventional oil, from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA.

While transmissions are extremely complicated and it takes a professional hand to work on one, taking care of the one you have isn’t difficult. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we understand the importance of caring for your transmission properly, so that it stays in good condition for as long as possible.

Charging and electrical systems, particularly on luxury and performance cars, are the most intricate and complex systems on your vehicle. It takes highly trained technicians armed with the right equipment to properly diagnose and repair electrical issues on high-end vehicles such as Porsche, Audi, BMW, MINI, VW, and Subaru. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian we have the technicians and the tools you need to get the job done right.

Keeping the interior of your car, truck, or SUV clean and in good shape is an important part of making your vehicle last. Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian has some tips on keeping your car clean inside, and why keeping it clean matters.

If you’ve ever been in an emergency braking situation, you’re probably all too aware that the brakes are the most important safety system on your vehicle. And like many other systems in a vehicle, the brakes need regular upkeep to continue functioning properly. One way to preserve the integrity of the braking system is through brake bleeding, and while it may not be as well known as certain services like oil changes, it is a key maintenance item for a vehicle.

Automatic transmissions aren’t easily understood outside of specialists like those at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA. While it would be impossible to teach you enough to make you a transmission expert in a series of articles, what we can do is give you the fundamental knowledge you need to have a good idea of what your transmission is doing, and how it works.