Performance Unlimited Blog

You know that curve on Route 12 east of Richmond? Does it seem as though the car is leaning more as you hold your car between the white and yellow lines? That’s one indication that your shocks or struts are suffering. And, with the winter that hit Richmond this year, there’s a good chance your shocks and struts are not quite in as good of shape as they were last fall before the snow flew. Some of the roads in the Richmond area look like lunar landscapes. These days, you’re probably trying to dodge through the potholes as though you were coming down the slopes in Sochi on skis. But, try as you may, you just can’t miss them all, can you? Of course, not all potholes are equal. Some are wider and/or longer. Some are shallow while others are deep. Some are wide, long and deep. Whatever the pothole, you can feel the pounding your car is taking when you hit those potholes, can’t you? The first to feel a pothole is your tire and then the rim. Some potholes are so bad drivers have been k...

A qualified auto tech will also check other fluids while changing your oil . Allowed to go long enough without an oil change, engine oil will fill with dirt and particles that, over time, will turn the oil into sludge.  In the process, detergent additives in the oil will breakdown and the oil’s ability to reduce heat, friction and damage between moving parts will dissipate. Long before that point, however, the oil’s efficiency will deteriorate to an unreasonable level; it will no longer fulfill its vital role as an engine lubricant. That’s why timely oil changes are essential. Imagine taking a kitchen blender and filling it with rocks and then switching it on. With that kind of abuse the blender won’t last very long. The same holds true for an engine subjected to the abuse of operating without fresh, clean oil. At one time, car manufacturers recommended changing engine oil every 3,000 miles or every three months, whichever came first. Today, with advancements in the refinem...