Summertime Driving 2022

It is perhaps a reality-based joke that summer begins on July 5th in the Northwest, but did you know that your driving habits should be adjusted according to the seasonal conditions?  The skilled and compassionate staff at Rolf’s Import Auto Service want to offer some tips to help you stay safe throughout this summer of fun.

For starters, be well rested before you start and make sure to take frequent breaks along the way if you find yourself getting tired or fatigued from the heat or the sunshine.  If you find yourself on the road with folks heading out on camping trips, allow more room than usual when passing an RV or trailer.  Those trailers are certainly larger than cars, and oftentimes they aren’t driven as much as regular commuter vehicles, so their operators may be unaware of their own size or space on the interstate.

Keep all your lights clean.  That sounds like it goes without saying, but a break in the rainy season actually contributes to a dusty buildup on the surface of your vehicle.  Give the car a wash regularly, and make sure to check your lights before heading out on the road.  

Be prepared for rain. Just because the roads are dry now doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to stay that way.  Summertime rain can roll in pretty quickly, and if you are adventuring further out in the country, you might encounter some downpours or weather that is outside of what you usually expect.  Be prepared to have to adjust as needed.  

Even on overcast days, sunshine can cause problems for drivers. The best ways to deal with this issue are:

• Follow speed limits. The maximum is not a suggestion, but a hard limit imposed for everyone’s safety—including yours.

• Stay at least 4 or 5 seconds away from other cars. The closer you are to the car in front of you, the less time you have to react if they have to suddenly brake for any reason.

• Keep your windshield in good condition. That means keeping it clean and repairing rock chips as soon as you notice them.  Often, those chip repairs are covered by your insurance company.  Check your policy to make sure.  

• Use sunglasses or a sun visor.  Keep an extra pair of sunglasses in the car for those days where the marine layer burns off, and we are left with a bright, blinding day.

• Finally, don’t be afraid to pull over if the sun is shining too brightly in your eyes for you to drive safely.

Summertime goes by quickly.  Too quickly, sometimes.  Staying safe throughout all of the seasons means there will be more fun to have in the future.  As always, your expert technicians at Rolf’s Import Auto Service are ready and willing to make sure your vehicle is in tiptop shape for all of your adventures, regardless of where the road will take you! 

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3 tips for surviving Memorial Day road travel

Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time of year to pack up the car, and head to the lake, mountain, or campground with those you love. You can grill up some burgers, grab a cold drink, and dream about the upcoming summer. Most importantly, it’s a time to reflect upon the freedom to do all of these wonderful American traditions because of those who gave their lives for our country.

There is one not-so-wonderful aspect of Memorial Day weekend excursions, however: road travel. Yes, the Tacoma area has so many fun outdoor activities to explore—but getting there? It can be a hassle. Traffic, road closures, and long trips can put a damper on otherwise awesome plans.

Here are three quick tips to help you survive Memorial Day road travel:

1. Get on the road early.

This one may seem obvious, but we’re talking early. We know this is a relative term, but you should aim to be at your destination by 3pm on Friday at the latest. Of course, leaving first thing on Friday morning is best. For your trip home, plan to leave on Monday, which generally sees the lightest flow of traffic.

• Prepare the kids.

After your children’s thirtieth time of asking “are we there yet?” things can go south pretty quickly in the car. Let them know ahead of time the length of time that you’ll be in the car, being sure to pad it by at least an hour for bathroom breaks and meal stops. Bring snacks that are out of the ordinary (we’re looking at you, Oreos), books, and toys. Don’t forget to prep an epic kid-friendly road trip soundtrack. Trust us, singing along to Frozen and Moana is better than listening to whining and complaining.

• Equip and inspect the vehicle.

This is the most important part of any road trip—vehicle prep. Top off your fluids, do an engine inspection, check your headlights and taillights, get full tank of gas, and a pack a safety/emergency kit. Finally, check your tire tread and inflation, and be sure that your luggage and barbeque sundries aren’t blocking your blind spot.

We want you and your family to have fun and stay safe this Memorial Day weekend. If you want extra assurance that your vehicle is prepared to go the distance, make an appointment at Rolf’s in Lakewood or Fife for a vehicle inspection or to get a needed service completed.

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National Car Care Month

Winter has come to an end, spring is in full swing, and there is no better time than April, which also serves as National Car Care Month, to get your car in tip-top shape for summer road trips or simply for driving around town. No matter your transportation needs, it is essential to make sure that your car is in excellent condition to help you reach your destination safely and comfortably.  Whether you use car travel for a daily commute, or if you have a long road trip planned, regular inspections and maintenance can make a difference and help you avoid costly repairs in the future.

While it may seem tempting to put off costly, unexpected repairs, April is the prime time to finally get them taken care of. If your car needs repair services, you should get it the care it needs before the problem gets worse mainly to avoid putting yourself and your car in danger. Regular maintenance can help limit the necessity of unexpected repairs, but admittedly, some problems are inevitable over the lifespan of your car.

We encourage you to bring your vehicle in to allow our professional technicians to inspect everything needed to ensure your safety, but we wanted to offer some tips on things you can do at home today to get into the habit of maintaining a safe vehicle.  

One easy thing to do regularly is to check your lights.  It’s important to check all your lights including turn signals to ensure that they are working properly in order to protect both yourself and fellow motorists. If your lights are not functioning properly, it can lead to impaired visibility which is one of the leading causes of accidents.

Follow these simple steps to check your vehicle’s lights:

• For all steps, turn on your vehicle and ensure your vehicle is in park:
• Check your headlights: you’ll turn on your headlights then exit the vehicle to visually check that both headlights are properly illuminated. Also turn on your high beam to ensure both are functioning. Remember, do not use high beams within the city, rain, or fog, it can distract other drivers and hinder your visibility.  
• Check your fog lights: here, you’ll turn on your fog lights then exit the vehicle to visually check that both fog lights are equally illuminated. 
• Check your hazard lights: just press the button on your dashboard that is shaped like a triangle to turn your hazard lights on. Step out of your vehicle to make sure that the lights are blinking on both sides of your vehicle. 
• Check your taillights, and you’ll want to enlist the help of a friend for this one! Tap on the breaks and have a friend make sure that both lights located at the rear of your vehicle are properly illuminated.
• Check your turn signals: simply activate your left turn signal and check the signal within your dashboard is functioning. Then exit the vehicle and visually check that the left turn signal is properly blinking in the front and rear of the vehicle. Repeat these steps for the right side.

Another simple task is to check and/or replace your wiper blades.  It’s important to ensure that your wiper blades are still working effectively after clearing snow and rain from the winter months. If your wiper blades are frayed, ripped, or are leaving streaks on your windshield it is critical for your safety to change them. You can follow the simple steps below to change the wiper blades yourself, or pay us a visit to have a professional change them for you. 

Follow these simple steps to check the wiper blades of your vehicle and replace them if necessary:

• Turn on your wiper blades, then listen and look at how your wiper blades clean your windshield. 
• If they are loud (you can hear them dragging across the window with some effort), rough or not properly cleaning the windshield, it’s probably time to replace the wiper blades.

How to replace the wiper blades:

• Remove the old wiper blades by pulling up on a clip on top of the wiper blade or pushing down on a small tab on the side of the wiper blade.
• Put on the new wiper blades by sliding them on in the opposite way that the old wiper blades came off. When the new wiper blades are properly inserted, you will hear a click.

To make sure the new blades are working, turn them on and test the wiper blades the same way you checked your previous wiper blades earlier. 

We hope these steps help you to be more empowered in knowing more about general vehicle maintenance.  As always, if you are in need of a professional technician for vehicle care, please give us a call at Rolf’s Import Auto Service.  We look forward to helping you get on the road safely. 

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Springtime Car Care

There is no doubt about it; winter is rough on cars. While we might have a few frosty days again, most of the coldest months are behind us and it’s time to prevent unnecessary repairs and expenses by performing the annual ritual of spring auto maintenance and inspection. Small, hidden problems could get big if you don’t examine your vehicle after the spring thaw. 

One critical auto care step is about more than just looking good for road trips in the spring. It is also about maintaining resale value and keeping the grime from doing long term damage to the body of your vehicle. A good cleaning will reveal minor dings and chips in the paint, which are magnets for costly and all-consuming rust. Professionals tend to recommend hand washing instead of convenience car washes, which can neglect details but still cost $5 to $30 depending on the package and the size of your vehicle. In a rainy area like the PNW, invest in some quality care care products, and take advantage of those nice days by hand-washing your vehicle regularly.  The act of washing your car will get you familiar with the scratches and dings that may already exist, so you can be more aware of new blemishes.  

One thing pretty much every vehicle owner will need to replace in the springtime after a run of cold temperatures is windshield wipers.  But if you think about it, we live in a pretty rainy area and the windshield is (literally) your window to the road.  You certainly need it to be as clear as possible!  Thawing, freezing, and scraping over icy windshields can cause wiper blades to warp, bend, and crack. Measure the old blades and check the car’s manual for the correct size before removing the old ones to install new ones, which should cost (on average) between $8 to $25. Always have your replacements on hand before removing the old ones in case you have to leave quickly since the weather can be unpredictable.  We recommend that you replace blades once in the fall and once in the spring. 

Unfortunately, some drivers first realize they have a light out when a police officer pulls them over to tell them so (and possibly issue a ticket for this infraction). Spring is the perfect time to examine mirrors for cracks, and to have a friend or family member activate headlights, taillights, reverse lights, brake lights, parking lights, fog lights, and turn signals while you do a visual inspection.  If you’re noticing other drivers flashing their lights at you when you’re out driving, they may be indicating to you that something doesn’t look right.  Be sure you check it out.  

Roads in winter are salty and sandy and generally just gross, and washer fluid doubles as a de-icer for those days when the temperature seems to hover right around 33 degrees. Driving along at 70 MPH on the highway with compromised visibility is not the time to discover you’re out of fluid. Windshield washer fluid is available at most grocery and convenience stores in a gallon size, so be sure to pick some up to keep on hand.  Your vehicle, if newer, will probably give you a heads up that you’re running low by way of activating a sensor, but you can always top it off before the sensor lets you know there’s an urgent need to do so.  

The staff and families of Rolf’s Import Auto Service wish you a happy and healthy Spring season.  We are happy to be of service to you to help keep you on the road, and safe behind the wheel.  

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National Battery Day February 18th

February may be the shortest month of the year, but that certainly doesn’t make it the least interesting.  In fact, did you know that National Battery Day falls on February 18th?  Did you even know there was such a thing as National Battery Day?!  Well, you’re in luck.  

The term battery was first coined by Benjamin Franklin in his efforts to describe an array of glass particles that are charged. This was in 1748.  Alessandro Volta was a physicist, chemist and a pioneer of electrical science. He is most famous for his invention of the electric battery. In brief he invented the first electric battery – which people then called the “voltaic pile” – in 1800. Using his invention, scientists were able to produce steady flows of electric current for the first time, unleashing a wave of new discoveries and technologies.

Today, you’ll find batteries everywhere!  Cars can’t function without them, nor can phones, or computers or just about anything that keeps us connected to the modern world.  National Battery Day is a commemoration of Alessandro Volta’s birthday, which fell on February 18th.  

In the 21st Century, we rarely think about portable, and therefore mobile, electricity especially owing to the fact that batteries are easily accessible even in local stores. For instance, the batteries that power our phones can be charged using the battery that powers our cars while we are on the move driving. It is also possible to use portable chargers that are connected to our phones via USB cables that can charge our phones while we are on the go. Because of knowledge and technology, the kinds of batteries that serve the market are progressively changing, making it possible to have more options. More recently, solar-powered batteries have been developed, giving us the chance to be able to easily recharge our phones and even use cells as storage for power. To commemorate such innovation for humankind, National Battery Day is being celebrated all over the United States.

You can observe the National Battery Day by replacing all the batteries in your devices with new ones. The new sets could either be of the same brand or different, but the bottom line is that replacing your batteries would achieve much in commemoration of this day.  Once replaced, you can continue that celebration by properly recycling your old batteries.  Remember, it is best not to just toss batteries of any kind into the landfill.  
Rolf’s Import Auto Service would like to join in on the celebration of National Battery Day by offering free battery checks at either of our service locations.  In general, your car will usually need a new battery after three to four years. Replacing your car battery is another part of routine maintenance. Getting your battery checked and inspected is standard for your service visits after three years, even if you haven’t needed it replaced yet.  If you can’t remember when your battery was last inspected, it’s probably a good idea to bring it in. 

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Driving in the Pacific Northwest Rain

The PNW has seen a fair amount of rain in the past few weeks.  Rain, hilly terrain, and heavy ground saturation can build up to create bigger challenges than normal commuting brings us on a daily basis.  Driving in the rain is no fun. The visibility is poor, the roads are slick. All you want to do is get to where you’re going and off of the wet roads. Not surprisingly, rainy days are some of the most dangerous days to drive. The road conditions are adverse. Other drivers often don’t know how to safely control their vehicles.

Driving in the rain doesn’t need to be as difficult or scary as it initially seems. Follow some basic tips for safe driving to make operating a car in the rain a safe and comfortable experience. It’s worth noting that many of the other drivers you encounter on the road may not drive as comfortably and safely in the rain as you will. If you can avoid driving in extremely adverse weather conditions, it’s probably a good idea to do so.

The most important things when driving in the rain are to give the road your undivided attention and to not drive unless you are completely comfortable. If you do these two things, and follow these guidelines, you’ll be just fine in the rain.

Make sure that your tires are good for rainy weather. The part of your vehicle that is most impacted by wet roads is the tires. Tires are responsible for creating traction and keeping your car in contact with the road, and when the road is slippery, their job becomes more difficult.  If your tires are worn out and don’t have much grip, you’ll be a liability on wet roads, and that will put you and others on the road at risk.  You don’t want that!  

Keep your car well maintained with regular inspections. It’s important to always follow your maintenance schedule. This is especially important when the weather turns bad. Faltering brakes or a dead battery when the roads are wet is not the optimal time.  Most drivers want to get off of the highway as quickly as possible on a good day; you definitely don’t want to be stuck in an inoperable vehicle on a terrible day.  

Make sure your windshield wiper blades are new or like new. Windshield wiper blades need to be replaced now and then. If not, they will start to warp or become dull, and they’ll be ineffective at wiping rain off your windshield.  Wipers get a fair amount of use in the PNW, so replacing them leading into the dark and rainy season should be high on your list.  Santa usually has them in stock, so know your make and model to make sure you don’t have to make a return.  

Always keep both hands on the wheel while operating your vehicle. The biggest danger when driving in the rain is that you’ll hit a pitch of water and hydroplane. Hydroplaning usually jerks the steering wheel in one direction or the other. Ensure that you have both hands on the wheel at all times to keep it from turning sharply.

Use your headlights. Rain can make it difficult for oncoming traffic to see you. Always keep your headlights on, even if it’s the middle of the day.  In some states it is the law to have headlights on while driving!  This is for everyone’s safety.  

Roads become much more slippery when it is raining. That means your car doesn’t have the best traction. Driving your normal speed increases the chance of losing control of your car.

Rain also may increase your stopping distance when applying your brakes. Avoid tailing other drivers too closely so you know you’ll have enough stopping distance.

The holiday season will likely bring gatherings and obligations back for all of us to enjoy spending time together.  These tips will surely help you enjoy time with loved ones safely. We, at Rolf’s Import Auto, want to wish you a joyful, safe, and prosperous holiday season.  Enjoy the ride, wherever the road takes you.  

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Customer Testimonial – Sal Lucente

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