Automotive Industry News & Information - Lake Ridge Automotive

There’s a huge appeal to buying a used car from a private party seller. Bypass the dealership, the hidden fees, the markups, the hassle, and save yourself some money in the process. But what’s the risk? Have you found a deal or a dud?

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 Lake Ridge Automotive we take our Woodbridge drivers' safety seriously and inspect their vehicles when they come in for service.

We’ve all been there: You start your car in the morning and begin to back out of the driveway. You hear an unusual noise coming from your car, and it sounds bad. How do you know if it's something you should bring in to us here at Lake Ridge Automotive to get looked at? Questioning the severity of the sound is a smart immediate response because the difference between a squeaky joint and near-catastrophic engine failure can be a big one.

Foggy headlights are a problem that has arisen in the past couple of decades, as we have moved away from glass sealed beam bulbs and into an era of plastic lenses with bulbs inside. While modern headlights are superior to the sealed beam headlights of years ago, they do tend to fog up after years of use. It’s a good trade for far better illumination and easier replacement, but an issue nonetheless. Hours and hours of heat, sunlight, and age eventually cause them to cloud up, which can reduce visibility at night in addition to worsening the appearance of your car, truck, or SUV. From Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge, VA, here are some tips on taking care of your foggy or cloudy headlight issue.

Like anything else on your vehicle, keeping various systems clean and in good shape is essential to long life and reliability. Your fuel system is especially important - parts are expensive, problems can be difficult to diagnose, and it doesn’t take much contamination to cause a huge issue. It’s much easier to keep your fuel system clean than it is to clean a dirty or problematic system. Performing regular fuel treatment can prove very beneficial to the life of your vehicle.

Maintaining your car doesn't have to be a hassle, just bring it to our team here at Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge. We can take care of all the dirty work. However, it's important to know when you should get proper maintenance. Here are some quick tips and advice on the basics of car maintenance!

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 Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge, VA, here are some of the leading causes of water on your floor, and what you can do about it.

Manual transmissions require far less maintenance than automatics. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a fluid check from time to time. Here’s what you should know about checking and adding fluid to your manual transmission, from Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge, VA.