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According to 2015 data from the Car Care Council, 84% of vehicles surveyed required immediate service. Among the issues: low or dirty oil, contaminated air filters and inadequate coolant levels. Neglecting preventive auto maintenance means easy fixes can become expensive repairs down the road.

Preventive maintenance important because it saves you money. "Preventive maintenance helps you get the most out of what has become a significant investment in transportation", says Tony Molla, Vice President of Communications for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). "For most consumers, a car is [one of the biggest purchases] they're going to make in their lifetime."

• It increases longevity.
  

• It improves safety. 
  

• It maximizes efficiency.
  

Trust Cutshaw with your baby - Care-Free Car Care!

Don't you hate getting gas when it is freezing rain? Don't you hate how LONG the 28 days of February seem? OK. I will stop whining.  Why is it so important to not ignore oil changes while the weather is stinking cold?

Following manufacturer's recommendations, you should change the oil and oil filter every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Because Virginia is mild compared to other regions in the country, changing the viscosity of oil may not be necessary, over the winter, but just know that 5W-30 motor oil flows quicker in cold weather than 20W-50. Oil is rated by viscosity, but temperature does affect its thickness. In cold weather, it gets very dense and might have a hard time (at start-up) circulating through the system for proper lubrication. It's important the oil you put in isn't thin enough to run past all the components, without properly adhering.

Don't ignore your oil changes in the winter.  Cutshaw offers a roasty-toasty waiting area with free coffee and comfy couches....so let us get your oil changed while you let us offer you care-free car care. We even offer free towing and a loaner car, if necessary for larger repairs.

Well, it's kind of like this question:  Do you take a bath? (or shower)?  If the answer is
'Yes' then you'll understand the need to flush your powersteering.  Simply put, it gets
dirty.  If your answer is 'No' - that's creepy :-)  Powersteering fluid, much like oil and others
contains additives.  In addition, powersteering is one of the few systems in your car that
does NOT have a filter on it.  So, over the course of the vehicles life, that fluid, which
lubricates the powersteering system, gets dirty and is no longer keeping your system lubricated.  As a result, metal parts will rub together and break. 

Benefits of a Power Steering Fluid Flush (old fluid removed, system is cleaned, and new power steering fluid is added) 

• Removes harmful deposits from the power steering system
  
• Conditions and  revitalizes seals
  
• Prevents hard steering in cold climates
  
• Eliminates rack  and pinion steering stiffness
  
• Eliminates power steering noises and whining (don't you get enough whining from your kids?) 
  
• Minimizes risk of future leaks and premature power system failure
  

Many car manufacturers do not provide a service interval for powersteering flushes.  A good rule of thumb is every 30,000 miles or every two years.  This kind of service is much cheeper than repairing or replacing your powersteering system ($500 and up!) With that said, it's your car.  But, when your trusted friends at Cutshaw recommend it :-)  do it!

The challenges of the winter aren't just chilly toes and ruined shoes - taking care of your car has its challenges, too. Here are a few tips for you to keep your car in great shape, until springtime.
 

1. Because of shorter days, please make sure that your car's headlights are in excellent shape and bulbs are all working. We offer a reasonable restoration for your headlights, if they are foggy.
2. It is a VERY bad day when your battery dies in a snowstorm. A weak battery quickly turns to a dead battery, in the colder weather. Ask for a battery check at your next appointment
3. Your antifreeze isn’t just a coolant - it also keeps the engine from freezing in colder temperatures. Let's make sure you don't have any leaks and you've got plenty of coolant, next visit to Cutshaw Automotive
4. Keep a full tank of both gasoline and of windshield-washer fluid, this winter. If you get stuck, you'll be able to keep the engine running and a full windshield-washer is paramount as a snowstorm can force you to constantly use your window washing fluid, to see where you're going
5. Make sure to get a tire check because you need traction all year long - through ice, rain, or perfect pavement. And please track your tire pressure because it drops with the air temperature and driving with low-pressure means premature tire wear
6. Even if you live right here in the city of Richmond, keep a flashlight, a blanket, jumper cables and socks (traction for your feet if you don't have boots!) in case of emergency.
7. Check your car's window defroster and heater because they are meant to help your windows from fogging up and to keep you roasty toasty -- and if you shiver all the way to work, you're going to  be a very grouchy bear all day long. And we don't want that. Come to Cutshaw to get your tires, battery, fluids, heating system, and headlights checked out before you get stuck in a snowstorm, this winter. Trust Cutshaw.

We'll be going over the safety features of your car - the good, the bad, and what you need to know. Tune in to our Facebook page to follow the feature! This month, we'll start with Airbags -- they are the biggest reason you need to keep your children in the back seat! Front airbags have been standard on all new cars since 1998 and light trucks since 1999. Most vehicles had them even before then. Crash sensors connected to an onboard computer detect a frontal collision and trigger the bags. The bags inflate in a few milliseconds—the blink of an eye—then immediately start deflating. While airbags have saved thousands of lives, they also have the potential to cause injury or even death to children or to occupants who aren’t using a seatbelt. Children under 12 should be seated in the rear in an appropriate restraint system and rear-facing child seats should never be installed in front seats equipped with airbags.

While we're talking about children, don't dress them in puffy coats (better to just use layers or a car blanket) for children in car seats, this winter, as the "puff" deflates in an accident and when it compresses the child can more easily slide out of the seat. 

Adaptive, or dual-stage front airbags, introduced in 2003, became standard across the board by the 2007 model year. Most airbag systems now detect the presence, weight, and seat position for the driver and front passenger, and deactivate or de-power front airbags as appropriate to minimize the chance of injury to drivers positioned close to the wheel, out-of-position occupants or children.

Side airbags. Torso protecting side-impact airbags for front-seat passengers are also nearly universal, and some automakers offer side airbags for rear-seat passengers, as well. Side airbags are fairly small cushions that pop out of the door trim or the side of the seatback. They help protect the torso, but most aren’t effective in protecting the head. Nearly all new models today also include additional “side curtain” bags that deploy from above the windows and cover both front and rear side windows to prevent occupants from hitting their heads and to shield them from flying debris. A curtain bag often also stays ‘inflated’ longer in most cases to also keep people from being ejected during a rollover or a high-speed side crash. The better head-protection systems deploy the side-curtain bags if the system detects that the vehicle is beginning to roll over. 

Well, it's kind of like this question:  Do you take a bath? (or shower)?  If the answer is
'Yes' then you'll understand the need to flush your powersteering.  Simply put, it gets
dirty.  If your answer is 'No' - that's creepy:)  Powersteering fluid, much like oil and others
contains additives.  In addition, powersteering is one of the few systems in your car that
does NOT have a filter on it.  So, over the course of the vehicles life, that fluid, which
lubricates the powersteering system, gets dirty and is no longer keeping your system lubricated.  As a result, metal parts will rub together and break. 

Benefits of a Power Steering Fluid Flush (old fluid removed, system is cleaned, and new power steering fluid is added) 

• Removes harmful deposits from the power steering system
• Conditions and  revitalizes seals
• Prevents hard steering in cold climates
• Eliminates rack  and pinion steering stiffness
• Eliminates power steering noises and whining (don't you get enough whining from your kids?) 
• Minimizes risk of future leaks and premature power system failure

When Should I Flush My Powersteering Fluid?

Ok, so I'm going to flush my powersteering fluid.  How do I know when to do that?  Many car manufacturers do not provide a service interval for powersteering flushes.  A good rule of thumb is every 30,000 miles or every two years.  These services are pretty cheap (from $59 to $199ish) and so, it's an inexpensive form of insurance.  With that said, it's your car.  Flush it whenever you think is right or when your trusted friends at Cutshaw recommend it :-)  But don't wait too long.  Repairing
your powersteering system can cost $500 (and up!).



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