We set out to make a mural on our windows so we can send some love, encouragement, and beauty to the people in our community.  Many of the people who come through our doors are essential workers and first responders who have continued to be out and working while the rest of us have been able to stay at home. THANK YOU to all of you that sent us your amazing and beautiful artwork.  You've been a light in our community!  

We wanted to share some of the beautiful art that's now hanging on our windows.  Enjoy!

Can you believe it?  It's already June, and summer is right around the corner. Here at Juanita Firs 76, we're looking forward to the longer days, extra sunshine, and all the fun that summer has to offer.  

Do you have awesome plans for this summer?  Are you going to make the trek over the mountains, chill at the ocean, or steal away for a long weekend at the San Juans?  Or maybe you'll be driving every weekend for soccer tournaments, and making the rounds to visit all your family?  Whether your summer's going to be filled with backyard barbeques or a nation-wide road trip, chances are you'll be using your car to do it.  And you need that car to be ready to rock and roll.  You need it to be reliable so it can get you to all that fun.

None of us want to be sweltering in an air condition-less car, or sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck when it's 85 degrees. We'd rather be playing at the beach or driving to the mountains for a hike. (And, we'd rather be getting our tan at the pool - not on the side of the freeway, thank you very much).  So, take charge of your summer this year and get this stuff done now.  And then kick back, pour yourself a lemonade, and enjoy the rest of the summer.

So, here it is.  Get these things done before summer hits, and you'll be in pretty great shape:

1. Check your air conditioning.
   A good test is to try out your air conditioning and see if the temperature feels cold coming out of the vents.  If it's not chilly, it might be time to get it in for an AC service.  Not sure if it's performing the way it should be?  Schedule an appointment with a shop to have them check the AC levels.  They can easily see if it's low on a charge and if it needs to be serviced.  Don't get caught baking in your car in bumper to bumper traffic. Show up to that barbeque pit stain-free.  Get it checked out early.
   
   
2. Check your fluids.
   Take a few minutes to pop the hood and check all the fluid levels like the oil, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid.  Top off any fluids that are low.  If you have to add a lot, be sure to schedule an appointment at a shop to have them check it out for a leak.  Not sure how to check your fluids?  Check out this post., or stop by anytime.  We'd love to show you how! (And it won't cost you a penny)
   
   
3. Check your wipers and washer fluid.
   Have you ever been driving on a dusty road (or through a bug-filled field), and your windshield is suddenly a grimy mess?  You need good wipers and a full bottle of washer fluid to clean that off.  Check the washer fluid level and fill it up if it's low. Not sure if you need new wipers?  Check to see if they're cracked or ripped.  Then turn on your wipers and see how well they clear the window.  If you see any streaks or smudges, it's probably a good idea to replace them.
   
   
4. Check your tires.
   Plan on driving a lot this summer?  Make sure you've got plenty of tread to last you through those long road trips.  You want to make sure you've got good traction - especially if you're going to be towing heavy loads. Not sure how to check them?  Click here to read more about the penny check.
   
   
5. Get an oil change
   Get your oil changed before the summer rush hits.  Even if you're not quite due for it yet, at least get it scheduled so you can get it done in plenty of time before your road trip.  Here's where that works out well for you -  if the shop finds some things that you want to get fixed before your trip, you actually have enough time to get it done.  
   
   
6. Check your brakes
   Feel a vibration when you're braking?  Are they making any squeaking or grinding noises?  Then it's definitely time to get it in a shop and get it looked at.  Even if they're not making noise or causing problems, it's always good to have an idea of how much life you've got left on your brake pads.  If you haven't had them checked in the last 6 months, ask your shop to take a look to let you know where they're at.
   
   
7. Check your lights
   Enlist a friend and have them help you check all the lights on your car.  Make sure the headlights, brake lights, turn signals and hazards all work.
   
   
8. Check your battery
   Hot weather can be tough on a battery.  And there's nothing more magical than being stuck in a parking lot on a hot summer day.  (Said no one ever).  The normal life expectancy of a battery is usually about 5 years, so it's good to have a sense of the health of your battery before you put it through the ringer this summer.  Many shops will even test a battery for free, so it never hurts to get it checked out.
   ​
9. (Bonus!) Get the car inspected
   Don't want to do all this yourself? You can get all of these things checked by taking it into a shop for an inspection.  Many places will do this as a courtesy with an oil change, or they may charge a bit for a more thorough inspection.  Let your shop know if you plan on going on any road trips, and ask them to check the things on this list if it's not part of their standard inspection. 

And that's it!  If you check off this list, you'll be set for summer.  Free to enjoy your backyard barbeques, soccer games, and road trips without having to worry about your ride. 

You got this.

Want to schedule an appointment with our shop?  Click the button below to request an appointment, or give us a call at 425-821-2345

Can you believe it's already October? Now that we're full swing into the rainy season, it's time to check a couple simple things    to make sure your car's ready for the rainy weather. 

#1: Tires
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As the roads get wet, the traction on your tires becomes even more important.  You want to make sure you have at least 4/32" of tread on your tires, especially during the fall and winter months.  You know the old penny check?  Well, the top of Lincoln's head is about 3/32".  So, pull out a penny and take a peek at your tires, or stop by anytime and we can quickly check them for you for free.  Easy!​

The fall is a great time to get a fresh set of wiper blades installed on your vehicle.  The heat of the summer can take its toll on the rubber in the blade, so now is a good time to test them out to make sure they're working well.

We have two different styles of wiper blades we sell here. Here's the skinny on both:

How often should I flush my transmission fluid?

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend flushing your transmission fluid every 2 years or 30,000 miles.  By having the fluid changed at this interval, you are helping it provide optimal protection of the internal components of the transmission, decreasing your odds of having premature transmission failure.

Regularly changing your transmission fluid makes your transmission last longer.

Now, there are some cars, like ones equipped with a CVT transmission, that have to be serviced in a very particular way, and usually not as frequently as every 2 years.  So there are exceptions to the rule. But if you're not sure when it was last done, or if you've even had it done at all, it never hurts to get a mechanic's opinion just to be safe.  Stop by anytime and we'll check the quality of your fluid for no charge.

Kickback is giving away 3 Million points over the next 30 days!

Every time you swipe your Kickback Card during the month of June, you will get a chance to receive a "playing card" on your account.  Once you build a winning hand, you win extra points (read: free money!) on your Kickback card.  So, the more you use your card this month, the more points you could win!

You don't need to keep track of your poker hard, either.  The system keeps track of that for you, and automatically awards the points to your card if you're a winner.  All you have to do is just use it! Want to know if you've earned any playing cards yet? Check the status of your card here.


More Everyday Savings with the Kickback Card:
Every day, you earn free money in the form of points on your Kickback Card every time you make a purchase at Juanita Firs 76

• 3 points per gallon on gasoline and diesel purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent inside the store

Each point is worth one penny, and they quickly add up!  Before you know it, you may have enough money to buy yourself a free candy bar, a free oil change, or a free tank of gas.  It's your choice!  You can spend the points at any time and on anything we sell here.

Don't have a Kickback Card yet?  Stop by and pick one up.  It's free and there's no long registration process required to get started.

Whenever your car is in for service here at Juanita Firs 76, we always check how your brake fluid is doing.  We check for discoloring of the fluid, water content, and break-down of the fluid.  Whenever we see that the fluid is deteriorating and no longer looks top-notch, we recommend flushing it.

From a preventative standpoint, we recommend flushing the brake fluid every 2 years or 30,000 miles.  If you regularly have the brake fluid serviced at this interval, you are unlikely to see that brake fluid get to the point that it actually tests bad. 

So the rule of thumb is to flush your brake fluid every....

• 2 Years or 30,000 miles, or
• Whenever it tests bad

Why flush your brake fluid?
The brake fluid is the means by which the car is able to stop.  When you push your foot on the brake pedal, it compresses the brake fluid, allowing the brake calipers to squeeze the pads to the rotors, making the car slow down. 

When the brake fluid begins to deteriorate, it can lower the boiling point of the fluid (causing the fluid to overheat at a lower temperature than it should).  If the brake fluid overheats, the brakes won't work.  Since the brake fluid is also designed to protect the metal parts of the hydraulics of the brake system (like the brake lines and the calipers), deterioration of the fluid can also cause those metals parts to begin to rust.

Bottom line: Good brake fluid is the baseline for good, safe brakes.

This is a quick, easy service that we can even do while you wait.  If you think it might be time to flush your brake fluid, give us a call and we'd be happy to check your history to see if you're due for this service. 

Yes, a year early. 

Here's a little secret - your WA State emissions test results are good for 365 days.  So, if your car is due for an emissions test in, say, November, you could take the test now and it would still be valid when it comes time to renew your tabs later in the year.

And here's another little secret - if your car is newer than a 1996 model, your car will fail the emissions test when the check engine light is on. So....if your car is due for an emissions test at any point this year, take the test now if your check engine light is off.  Then, if your check engine light happens to come on later in the year, you can deal with the repairs on your own time without having to worry about passing the test to be able to get your tabs.

How do you know if your car will be due for a test this year?
For all cars made after 1995:

• Odd-year cars test on even years. (Ex: a 2002 car would test this year, 2017)
• Even-year cars test on odd years (Ex: a 2003 car wouldn't be due until 2018)

​Check engine light off? Due for a test this year?  Take it now, and save yourself a potential headache later on.