At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, the history of cars is a huge topic of interest to us. Here’s an interesting piece of automotive trivia, from us to you.

Whether you drive a Porsche, Audi, BMW, Subaru, Land Rover, or other performance and luxury vehicles, your ball joints are an essential part of your car or SUVs performance and safety. From us at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service, here’s what to watch out for, to make sure your ball joints are in shape and ready to go. 

There are multiple types of tires on the market for almost every car, truck, or SUV. Once you decide it's time to replace your tires, the choice can be overwhelming. The type of tire you want depends on a variety of factors, from climate to how you drive. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, our technicians have been trained to help you make that choice. Here’s a short rundown of common street tires that will suit your needs.

Transmissions are complex, and over time they will wear out and eventually break. Knowing what to look for will play a key role in preventing your transmission from failing prematurely. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA we want to give you some insight on how your transmission works and how it can fail.

When your car, truck, or SUV is burning oil, it can be frustrating and costly. There are numerous reasons an engine will burn oil - these range from an altogether worn out engine to a simple part replacement. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA we want to keep you informed, here's what you need to know about why your engine might be burning oil.

Manual transmissions are durable, reliable pieces of equipment. Still, sometimes problems arise. Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian has the answer to a question that plagues many manual transmissions; why does my transmission pop out of gear?

If your brake lights are giving you trouble, it’s something you want to get fixed. It’s a safety hazard, and you might also get a ticket out of it. Why aren’t they working, and what can you do about it? Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA has the answers.

Cars, trucks, and SUVs use and create multiple liquid substances. Here’s what you need to know about the puddle of liquid under your vehicle, from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA. There are a few different substances that can pool under an automobile, and some are more serious than others. Knowing what to look for and what to do could save you from hassle with your vehicle in the long run. 

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, we know how annoying a dead battery can be. Here’s some information on the subject, that will hopefully help you understand your battery issues a little better.  If your battery dies after your car, truck, or SUV sits for a few hours, the battery itself isn’t necessarily the problem. While having the battery tested is a good place to start, many people mistakenly make a bad battery diagnosis, when actually something in the electrical system is to blame.

An article about routine maintenance probably doesn’t sound like the most riveting read, but at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, proper maintenance is something we believe in wholeheartedly. Routine maintenance is the key to making a vehicle last for decades; if done correctly, your vehicle will stay reliable and enjoyable to drive, and you will save time and money in the process.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, we understand all too well the importance of changing your oil regularly. Three to five thousand miles sounds like a lot, but it doesn’t really take that long to rack them up. The busier you are, the more you probably drive, and the more likely you are to forget it’s time to change your oil. Here are some reasons to pay attention to your oil changes, and help you better understand why oil changes are so important.

Everyone has different habits when it comes to washing their vehicle. Many people see it as a purely cosmetic thing, so as long as their vehicle is running and driving right they don’t see a point in washing it all that often. In actuality, washing your vehicle is also an important aspect of maintenance and making a vehicle last. Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA has some vehicle washing tips for you, to keep your vehicle in shape for years to come.

When something goes wrong on your vehicle, it can be tempting to take the cheapest route. With eBay, Amazon, and the countless other sources for car and truck parts on the market today, many people decide to go that route to save some money. Here are some points to consider when buying quality automotive parts, from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA.

Routine services are routine for a good reason. Schedule them with us here so we can be sure that your vehicle stays in the best shape. Here’s a look into what happens when routine services aren’t performed, from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA.

Alignment is the position of your wheels in relation to your vehicle and how they interact with the road. When your vehicle is properly aligned, your wheels will point in the same direction as the vehicle. To maintain proper control of your car, you must keep your wheels in proper alignment. Otherwise, steering will become difficult, your tires will wear unevenly and your fuel economy will decrease. 

Ah, windshield wipers. Like so many indispensable things in life, we tend not to appreciate them until they’re gone. But what if all drivers had a basic understanding of the wonderful world of wipers, enabling them to identify problems early and choose replacements wisely? We like that idea. Accordingly, we’ve put together a crash course that should bring your knowledge up to speed. Your automotive windows to the world require dependable wipers, so let’s learn more about these unsung heroes.

When a vehicle has trouble starting, many people initially blame the starter. What is the starter, and how do you know if yours has called it quits? At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we want to keep you informed and telling you what to look for will prevent further damage when issues arise. The starter is essentially just an electric motor; a gear at the end of that electric motor engages the flywheel, which turns the engine over, allowing it to start. How do you know if yours is failing?

Your tires are obviously important. However, it’s often underappreciated how much of a difference they make in the ride quality of your car, truck, or SUV, and what they can tell you about the condition of your vehicle. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we like to keep you well informed on what your vehicle is telling you, and how to keep it in good shape. Your tires have a lot to do with that.

Your Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is essentially your car’s fingerprint. In its entirety, it is specific only to your car. Each car has its own unique VIN number and can be decoded to provide manufacturing and identification information on any vehicle on the road. Date of manufacture, manufacturer, vehicle type, where it was made, and options such as engine and transmission type, whether a car is a two or four-door, and a multitude of other specifications can be gleaned from a VIN number. Essentially, a VIN number will tell you exactly what a car is and where it came from, without even having to see the car.