Automotive News & Information - Birch's Automotive & Muffler

a car with lines and details over it like a computer screen

Your Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is essentially your car’s fingerprint. In its entirety, it is specific only to your car. Each car has its own unique VIN number and can be decoded to provide manufacturing and identification information on any vehicle on the road. Date of manufacture, manufacturer, vehicle type, where it was made, and options such as engine and transmission type, whether a car is a two or four-door, and a multitude of other specifications can be gleaned from a VIN number. Essentially, a VIN number will tell you exactly what a car is and where it came from, without even having to see the car.

Judging by the number of near-rear-endings we witness on our morning commutes, the typical attitude toward brake maintenance appears to be, “Brakes: Don’t let them stop you!” This puzzles us because monitoring your braking system’s health is one of the most straightforward aspects of car ownership. You do have to know what to look for, though, or rather, what to listen and feel for. So let us, uh, break it down for you. Here are the top three signs that your brakes need fixing.

Good gas mileage is something we all want. In fact, many drivers purchase certain cars solely for gas mileage, and almost all of us at least take it into consideration when purchasing a vehicle. While it is true that gas mileage is by and large determined simply by the type of car, there are actually a variety of things you can do to increase the gas mileage of any automobile. The tips Birch's Automotive & Muffler in Arlington want to provide you here are simple and effective steps you can take to increase your gas mileage, often more considerably than you think.

A car that brakes well and brakes correctly are just as important as acceleration, handling, or any other aspect of a vehicle’s drivability. A car with brake issues has the potential to be a far more enjoyable ride when fixed. Your brakes have a lot to do with how your car drives. Brakes are a frequently neglected item on a lot of people’s checklists, and many drivers on the road have subpar brakes and don’t even know it.

This is a clutch gone completely wrong and something you want to be sure doesn't happen with your vehicle! So how do you ensure you are not having an issue with your clutch when most drivers simply get in and drive? What do you look for? That is a question many of our customers ask us here at Birch's Automotive & Muffler in Arlington and one this driver did not.

At Birch's Automotive & Muffler in Arlington, we know an important part of your ability to care for your transmission lies in your knowledge about how it works. Here is some information on the tow button, if your car, truck, or SUV is equipped with one.

Do you have a noisy vehicle? If so, you may need a new muffler or exhaust system from our team here at Birch's Automotive & Muffler in Arlington. The purpose of your exhaust system is not only to reduce the noise but also to redirect fumes away from your vehicle. Redirecting these fumes protects passengers in the car from toxins created by burning fuel.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless chemical that can escape from an unsecured exhaust system, and if inhaled can pose very serious health hazards. If you experience an unusually loud sound coming from your vehicle, it is vital to get your exhaust system checked immediately!

Tires are what keeps your vehicle rolling, literally. Many people have found that shopping for tires is overwhelming because there are just so many choices. At Birch's Automotive & Muffler, we want to break it down for you so that it's easier to understand. There are four main categories of tires, and the right ones for you will depend on the kind of driving you do. Let's talk more about that!