Blog

One of the most important things people can do when shopping for a new vehicle is to get expert opinions before you buy. A car can look great on the lot, and feel great on the test drive, but what if you’re not asking all the right questions about it? It is valuable to know what “car people” think about the cars you are considering. They do this for a living and know a thing or two about how best to evaluate a vehicle. To share those expert opinions, we have gathered a few samples of what people are saying about the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. more Kelley Blue Book: The folks at Kelley Blue Book take note of a wide range of features of the Jetta, from highlighting the “fuel sipping hybrid” to complimenting the “stylishly conservative” exterior, KBB finds quite a few positives about the Jetta: “Volkswagen's 2016 Jetta sedan offers something for everyone. Looking for an affordable and economical car that's still fun to drive? The base S model's got that. Wish you could own a BMW or Audi sports sedan but your budget says "no way"? The GLI will prove you wrong.” Car and Driver: Car and Driver takes more of a “past Jettas versus this year’s Jetta” approach. One of the high points of their review is pointing out that Volkswagen has done away with the naturally aspirating engine in all Jettas, opting instead for the turbocharged engine. They also note some of the more “classically Volkswagen” aspects of the Jetta: “The Jetta’s precision feel and high levels of driving pleasure make it worth consideration for any compact-car shopper.” Autotrader: Autotrader wastes no time in sharing their praise for the 2016 Jetta by leading with this: “The 2016 Volkswagen Jetta takes another significant step toward being a serious contender after last year's revamp. Although the Jetta is officially a compact, it's one of the biggest in its class and offers space comparable to a midsize sedan.” They also go on to compliment the passenger space, trunk space, and the safety features as well. Motor Trend: Motor Trend has the 2016 Jetta in the running as a possibility to their coveted “Car of the Year,” and honor that went to the Volkswagen Golf for 2015. They talk about some aesthetic changes for 2016, and save some praise for that which didn’t need changing: “The Jetta gains a new infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the rest is mostly carryover. That means a large back seat, a good ride, an enormous trunk, a feeling of Germanic solidity, and explosive snap-oversteer on trailing throttle.” Those are just a few of the written reviews of the 2016 Jetta. There is also video praise, like this one by Automoto TV:

The sport utility vehicle market is flooded with choices. There have to be some points of differentiation that set SUV’s apart. The Touareg has a few you probably planned on asking a dealer about, and a few you wouldn’t dream of suggesting as Volkswagen’s premium SUV can do some unbelievable things. We have put together a list of 5 things you didn’t know about the Touareg. more The cargo space was maximized for everyday use. There is 64 cubic feet of cargo space in the Touareg when the rear seats are folded down. Which is great, but the amount of space isn’t what makes it built for everyday use. The hands-free easy open lift gate helps you load whatever is going in the cargo space without having to put it down while you open the lift gate. The available electric rear seat release allows you to make adjustments without having to fold or lift seats manually. Where did they get the name Touareg? The vehicle was named after the nomadic Tuareg people of Northern Africa. More specifically, they come from Saharan Africa. In fact, the word Touareg is a derivation of a word that means “inhabitant of Targa,” a region that includes parts of Libya, Algeria, Mali, and Niger. As nomads, they have mastered traversing very adverse terrains. In trip data. Never again will you have to ask, “are we making good time?” The Touareg features a trip computer that not only average speed, but average fuel economy, current fuel economy, and range for remaining fuel. It can drive through two feet of water. This may not be considered necessary in some parts of the country, but in South Louisiana, it’s almost a must. This might sound unbelievable, even more unbelievable is the idea that someone would willfully put this assertion to the test, but sure enough, a group of guys did exactly that and posted the video to youtube (warning: NSFW language in the video). It can pull a 747 jet. Now who hasn’t been car shopping and thought, “what if I ever need to pull a jumbo jet?” OK, maybe no one has asked that question, but just like the guys driving through over two and a half feet of water, someone hooked a Touareg up to a 747 and started to tow. It See the video below. Of course, the Touareg has many other great features, all of which can be found at southwestvw.com or experienced by taking a test drive.

Used cars represent roughly $370 billion worth of sales to the automotive industry every year. The “previously owned” market is a large, and growing sector. This means two things to you if you’re in the market for a used car. First, it means there will be plenty to choose from when you start shopping. Secondly, it means that dealers and dealerships know they have plenty of competition for your business. From your perspective, a car is a major investment, and you want to be 100% sure it’s the one for you before buying. That is why we have put together 5 questions to ask before buying a used car. more Does it have a Carfax? Carfax has very quickly made itself one of the most vital aspects of the shopping process when it comes to used cars. They provide the most comprehensive information on the history of the vehicle you’re considering. Has the car been in an accident? Is the odometer accurate? Questions like these are answered via Carfax. In all fairness, they can only report on what has been reported to them, but with over nine billion reports, Carfax is proving to be the leader in their field and their reliability continues to grow. Is there a warranty? If so, what does it cover? Not all used cars come with a warranty, and not all used car warranties cover everything. In fact, you might not even want a warranty on a previously owned vehicle. Often times, the warranty costs more than it’s worth. But, when they are worthwhile, they can give you great peace of mind with your purchase. If the dealer doesn’t offer a warranty for the vehicle, ask why not. You also want to ask if one could be made available. That’s not to say you necessarily want the warranty, but if the dealer is selling a “certified” preowned vehicle and won’t offer any kind of protection, you may second guess the value of that so-called certification. Most previously owned vehicles offer the remainder of the warranty that was on the car when it was new. For example, if the car had a 50,000 mile warranty when it was new, and you are buying it with 32,000 miles on it, you basically inherit a 12,000 mile warranty. When this is the case, if you plan on owning the car for a longer period of time, you may want to ask about an extended warranty. How many owners has the car had? This is an important question to ask. The fewer owners the better. In fact, many people flat out refuse to buy a car that has had more than one previous owner. The reason is, everyone drives differently. One owner will put some wear and tear on a vehicle. But a second owner will put a completely different kind of wear and tear on that same vehicle. This information should come in the Carfax report, but in the event that a Carfax report is not available, this question should be a top priority. What works? Most used, or previously owned, vehicles now come with inspection reports that get more comprehensive every day. But, you want to do own inspection as well. While the dealer’s inspection will usually be centered around how the car runs, yours can focus on some of the peripheral features of the car. A lot of these features may not be essential at the time you are shopping for the car, but will prove to be absolute necessities over the time that you own it. Here’s a few examples of things that should make your checklist: windshield wipers, headlights, brake lights, turn signals, dashboard lights, cruise control, stereo, rear defrost, heater (or A/C), cigarette lighter, etc. Is everything there that is supposed to be there? This should be included on your inspection checklist as well. While most of us now use the cigarette lighter as a phone charging outlet, you still want to have the lighter that goes in that slot. You also want to make sure all the floor mats are still there, the owner’s manual is in the glove compartment, and make sure the spare tire and jack are there as well. Also, it is important to verify ahead of time how many keys and remote openers come with the car. Getting a new car key made isn’t as simple as it used to be, and can be quite expensive. If the car only comes with one key, ask if it’s possible to get a duplicate. While all of these questions are important to ask; none of them necessarily have to be deal-breakers. Being armed with the answers can help you know exactly what you are getting so you can negotiate a better deal, or at the very least, avoid any buyer’s remorse.

Often times, when buying a new car, we are faced with the dilemma of how to get rid of the old one and the question comes up, “is it better to sell my car or trade it in?” The answer to that question can vary based on your priorities as both have their own set of benefits. Let’s take a look at a few of the thing you should do to determine which path you should take. more The first thing you’ll want to do is determine the value of your vehicle. If you don’t know what your car is worth, you can’t know if you’re getting a good value for it. The best place to do that is with Kelley Blue Book. While utilizing this resource is a great starting point, it may give you an overinflated sense of your car’s value because a reference web site can’t determine the exact condition of your vehicle. While Kelley Blue Book does let you enter what you perceive to be the condition of your vehicle, it does not require any kind of thorough inspection to confirm that your perception is correct before giving a value. It would be quite easy to say your car is in very good condition, but a mechanic’s inspection could determine that necessary repairs have either been neglected or are due to be needed. So, once you determine the value of your vehicle, you may want to have it inspected by a mechanic to determine if something major needs to be repaired or replaced before putting a price tag on it that doesn’t account for that damage. The next thing you want to determine is demand. Search the internet, the newspaper, and other used car dealerships to see how many similar cars are for sale in your area. Don’t confine your search to the same make, model and year. Search for similar makes, models, and for a three to five year window around the year your car was made. If you find a ton of vehicles that match your description, you will have to compete against them to get your car sold. If you find very none, there’s a pretty good chance that no one is selling because no one has been buying. A handful of similar vehicles is the ideal situation for those that want to sell their vehicle on their own, but that brings us to our next factor to consider. What is your time worth? Selling your own car doesn’t just happen on its own. You have to market the vehicle, and take time out of your day for prospective buyers. When it comes to marketing the vehicle, there are numerous websites where you can list your car for free, some of which are very popular. There are other sites that charge once you actually sell the vehicle. Of course, there’s the good old, tried and true classified ads in your local paper. There are also numerous other printed publications that serve a similar function as the classified ads, but they don’t usually offer the same circulation as the paper, so your vehicle is seen by fewer people. Then there’s the matter of prospective buyers. You will likely need to take time out of your day to show the car or offer test drives. Even with online shoppers, investing in a used car is rarely done “sight unseen.” Plus, there is no way to determine how many prospective buyers will have to come along before your car is sold. It could be the first person you show it to, or the twentieth. This process can take weeks or even months before you sell your car. There’s also the issue of the prospective buyer’s perceived value of your vehicle. If they don’t think your car is worth what you do, they may make an offer that is less than what you are asking, which can negate your efforts to maximize what you planned to get out of the vehicle. That being said, many experts affirm that selling your car on your own will likely net you a higher price than trading it in. Dealerships know going in that trade-ins are going to be a monetary loss, so naturally, they try to minimize that loss. However, some dealerships can offer more than others for a trade-in as leverage on the sale of a new car. But this is often dependent on whether they believe they can resell your car on their lot. If they know that they are going to have to send it to auction, that makes your car less valuable, and more often than not, that is the case. Relating this back to the prospective buyer’s perceived value of your vehicle, if prices being offered are significantly less than what you were asking, then going to great lengths to sell your own car would be wasted when you consider the convenience of being done with your old car the same day you buy a new one. Ultimately, you have to make the decision on whether you want to sell your car yourself or you want to trade it in. Hopefully, considering these factors will help you make an informed decision.

The driving experience is nowhere close to what it was twenty years ago. Rear view cameras, collision avoidance alarms, and proximity sensors are just a few items that have been introduced to the market. All of these items have been added to increase safety, but as technology grows and evolves, what’s being done to make sure that drivers are able to fully utilize the technology being implemented? In other words, what is the use of new technology if drivers can’t keep up with it? That is why we have compiled 5 ways Volkswagen is keeping technology user friendly. more Navigation systems: If your vehicle didn’t come with a navigation system built in, you are already at a disadvantage. Aftermarket navigation systems, while effective in offering directions, aren’t optimal in their placement. Some can be suction cupped to the windshield creating a blind spot. Others can be built into the dashboard, but won’t have the convenience of allowing the driver to keep their eyes on the road as much as possible. The Volkswagen Navigation System is easily accessed with the touch of a button, and provides a large enough screen so the driver can see where they are headed without they’re eyes straying too far from the road. Back-up cameras: One of the toughest things to do when you are driving is seeing behind you. Volkswagen’s back-up cameras are a major asset tin assisting the driver in that capacity. Depending on the model Volkswagen you have, the camera is either above the license plate, or hidden behind the logo badge on the trunk. When you put the car in reverse, the camera pops out and the infotainment system displays what the camera is seeing. Also on the screen, you will see a grid that displays where the vehicle is headed, which tells you if you need to steer to the right or left to more easily back up. Collision avoidance alarms: Volkswagen is expanding the number of vehicles that feature collision avoidance systems with their 2016 models. The system includes forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, a parking steering assistant, and autonomous emergency braking. Keyless access: Volkswagen’s keyless access allows you to never have to take your keys out of your pocket. To unlock the door, the key fob simply needs to be close to the door for it to unlock. The same is true with the push-button ignition system. Proximity sensors: As part of the collision avoidance system, proximity sensors can prove to be vital for driver safety in close quarters like city driving, or on longer highway trips. Lane assist warns you if you begin drifting your of your lane. If you want to change lanes, side assist will alert you of someone in your blind spot. Front assist lets you know when you are approaching another vehicle too quickly and are in danger of a collision. These are just a few of the many safety features on which Volkswagen prides itself. They allow the driver to concentrate on driving and provide assistance without being a distraction. Click here to tour our virtual showroom and learn about other safety features from Volkswagen.

More often than not, Volkswagen drivers love being Volkswagen drivers. Everybody knows and loves the Jetta, the Passat, the Golf and the Beetle. But, what happens when your lifestyle calls for an SUV? Well, Volkswagen’s compact crossover comes with a few pleasant surprises, and we’ve found 5 things you didn’t know about the Tiguan. more Where did they get the name “Tiguan?” The Tiguan is Volkswagen’s compact crossover SUV, so as you may guess, the name Tiguan is a cross between two other words. As Volkswagen is the people’s car, they left the naming up to the people as well. There was actually a naming contest for the then concept vehicle that garnered over 350,000 responses. The winning name was a cross between the German words tiger and leguan, or tiger and iguana. This may seem like a strange combination of animals, but remember, it is a crossover vehicle. They were aiming to mix power with adaptability, power with playfulness, and safety with daring. More fun than utilitarian. Most people expect an SUV, especially a compact crossover, to be versatile. What they don’t necessarily expect is a sports car engine. The Tiguan comes with a 2.0L TSI turbo-charged engine giving the driver 200 horsepower to play. It also features 4Motion all-wheel drive. This helps navigate all types of road conditions with ease, making the Tiguan adaptable to your lifestyle. Personal space. When you hear the descriptor “compact crossover” you may think you will be sacrificing roominess. Quite the contrary, Volkswagen spent a lot of time making sure that not only does the Tiguan fit in your life, but your life fits in the Tiguan. It comes with 40/20/40 folding rear seats. This allows you to fold down one, or both rear seats to create more storage. If you wanted to fold down just the middle, you can do that too. Safety was a top priority. Some people may think a smaller SUV can’t be as safe as the big ones. But remember, this is Volkswagen we’re talking about here. The Tiguan comes with a safety cage, adaptable air bags, the intelligent crash response system, seven stability-enhancing systems, tire pressure mounting system, and brake disc drying. It parks itself. Well, mostly. You have to change the gears, but watch this: Of course, the Tiguan has many other great features. If you want to learn more about them, click here.

If you’re not yet familiar with the acronym PEV, it may be time to learn it. PEV stands for Plug-in Electric Vehicle, and while it does not yet account for a significant portion of overall auto sales today, Volkswagen is making a commitment to aide its viability in the future. Addressing the 2015 Electric Drive conference in Washington DC, Jörg Sommer, vice president of product marketing and strategy for Volkswagen of America, urged lawmakers to take action towards promoting more environmentally conscious vehicles. more He said, “automakers have effectively delivered electric vehicles that can satisfy the needs of most American drivers.” Adding, “In addition to the investment we and other companies and industries are making, we would like to see Federal financing support for establishing fast charging networks in urban areas and interstate corridors. We’d like to see more state and federal organizations commit to cleaner fleets by purchasing EVs and PHEVs. This should be a U.S. Government priority, and federal purchasing guidelines should reflect that by giving fleet purchasers the flexibility they need,” Sommer said.  “We need further congressional support with the mid-term review of the EPA’s greenhouse gas regulation to extend the multiplier credits for plug-in vehicles beyond MY21”. This graphic displays the growth in sales of electric vehicles since being introduced in 2010. It is worth noting that Volkswagen's E-Golf is part of the Golf family that recently won Motortrend's Car of the Year for 2015. Graphicsource: electricdrive.org Volkswagen backed up Sommer’s words by announcing their own commitment to the future of electric vehicles. That includes a $10 million commitment to support electric vehicle infrastructure by 2016. The main focus of this investment is to install a number of “fast charging” stations along heavily traveled East and West Coast corridors. They put out a press release detialing exactly how Volkswagen invests in electric. From Volkswagen’s press release: Sommer discussed the programs that Volkswagen has invested in including the recently announced initiative with Chargepoint to support development of express charging corridors along heavily-traveled routes on the East and West Coasts. Designed to increase the number of fast charging locations, the initiative will help meet the large and growing demand for convenient, publicly available electric vehicle fast chargers, including direct current (DC) Fast charging locations, and support the adoption of electric vehicles in the United States. The goal of the Chargepoint program is to install nearly 100 DC Fast Chargers across both coasts aiming to have charging sites no more than 50 miles apart. This investment is one piece of a $10 million commitment Volkswagen has announced to support the electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The company will also invest to support installation of charging stations in certain dealer locations. To facilitate local, state and regional infrastructure deployment, Sommer suggested that the regulators will also need to support programs that reinforce these efforts to support mass electric vehicle adoption including the Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program and the Department of Transportation’s MAP-21 program. Sommer explained the Volkswagen Group’s global commitment to become more environmentally conscious from sourcing, to manufacturing, to the cars on the road and beyond.  This commitment has been a guide in Volkswagen of America’s holistic approach to e-mobility and the launch of the e-Golf. Through strategic collaborations, the company addressed the forward thinking lifestyle and preferences of the EV customer: Volkswagen of America (VWoA) teamed with 3Degrees, a renewable energy and carbon offset services provider. Under a carbon reduction/offset program, Volkswagen will help offset the e-Golf greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from its production, distribution and from the estimated emissions produced from keeping the vehicle charged through the initial 36,000 miles of the vehicle’s life. Other initiatives supporting VWoA’s holistic approach include an arrangement with SunPower to provide qualified U.S. Volkswagen e-Golf customers the opportunity to install a high performance solar system. In addition, e-Golf customers will have the opportunity to purchase home charging installation and hardware packages from Bosch.

Traditionally, when you thought of diesel, you likely thought of heavy, lumbering, industrial trucks. But, advancements in the diesel industry in recent years are causing people to rethink that reputation. According to a report from the Diesel Forum, the industry “has made great progress on a path of continuous improvement to virtually eliminate the key pollutants associated with on-road diesel engines.” more Emissions are just one of many areas where diesel has gotten more attractive to car buyers. We have compiled the top 3 reasons to buy a diesel in Lafayette 1. Better fuel economy. Diesel engines get more horsepower per gallon of fuel because they have a higher compression rate. This means they have better fuel economy than gasoline vehicles. Not to mention, the turbocharged direct injection (TDI) system in the Jetta and Passat amplifies this efficiency. This translates to a saving, of not only dollars, but of time. The money saved will vary from car to car, but the time saved is the real difference maker. Diesel engines get about 30 percent more miles per gallon than the same car with a gasoline-powered engine (and that number increases on the highway). This means that each tank of diesel will last longer than a tank of gas, reducing the number of times per month that you would have to stop and refill. (Imagine driving to Disney World without having to refuel) 2. Lower maintenance. Diesel engines have proven to have a longer lifespan than their gasoline counterparts, because they work differently than gasoline engines. For starters (no pun intended), diesel engines don’t have a fuel injection system. That alone will reduce repair costs, and allow for a more reliable engine. Also, in a diesel, the air is compressed before it is injected. This causes the air to heat up to the point where the diesel ignites when it is injected. There are no spark plugs, so you don't have to worry about them going bad or causing a "miss. 3. Tax incentives. The strides that the diesel industry has made has paid off, not just in performance, but in making a “greener” vehicle as well. To go along with that, the government offers tax credits for clean diesel vehicles. The credits are only valid on the purchase of new cars, but could net the purchaser more than $1000 at tax time. There are many other benefits to buying a diesel, increased torque, engine power, resale value, etc. If you want to learn more, check out the new 2015 Jetta TDI or the 2015 Passat TD I.

If you keep up with what’s new in the world of electronics and technology, you know that every year kicks off with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In the first week of January, the CES introduces America to the new phones, tablets, gadgets, and advancements that we can expect to see hit the market that year. The automotive industry, Volkswagen in particular, takes on a big role at this show. At the 2015 CES, Volkswagen introduced technologies and integration of technologies that will make the Volkswagen experience more user friendly and safer. more Shortly after their appearance at the CES, Volkswagen sent out a news release with a preview of what is to come with their vehicles. While some of the announcements involved starting your car from an app or fully integrating your tablet to touch screen technology in your Volkswagen infotainment system, they also announced 2 ways Volkswagen is using technology to make your drive safer. The first of those two ways is intuitive operation. In their press release Volkswagen said, “In the future, the car will not only merge with the mobile world, it will also be more intuitive for people to operate. Today, and in the future, the car will adapt by recognizing their occupants’ movements—via controls based on proximity sensors and gesture recognition. Today, the latest infotainment systems by Volkswagen already detect the approach of a hand with proximity sensors. In the next revolutionary step—which Volkswagen is showing with the Golf R Touch concept vehicle at CES—the infotainment unit will use cameras to not only detect hand gestures, but understand but assign meaning to them. Gesture control will make it possible to control displays and functionality without having to use a touchscreen.” Volkswagen noted that this feature adds convenience, but its main purpose is safety. The more adaptive gesture control can be, the less the driver has to take their eyes off the road, thus reducing driver distraction. The other way Volkswagen is using technology to make your drive safer is through autonomous and semi-autonomous driving. From the same release, “Clearly, cars of the future will need to be able to drive autonomously if necessary, a change that will be introduced step by step. Even today, Park Assist by Volkswagen enables semi-automated entry and exit from parking spaces. The car executes the entire steering process for the parking maneuver independently. At CES, Volkswagen is now showing another evolutionary stage of Park Assist: Trained Parking. Here, the car scans a frequently driven path to a parking space via camera, and from that point on it executes the path semi-automatically by computer control. In another evolutionary stage, it will be possible to have the car parked by the driver remotely, using a smartphone to control the car.” Volkswagen featured the Golf for the introduction of the new features. Check-out a video of the highlights:

Commercials in the Super Bowl are almost as popular as the game itself. In fact, many news outlets have started ranking the top 10 commercials every year. While rankings vary from site to site based on the demographics of the people voting for their favorites, Volkswagen regularly finds its ads making those top 10 lists, so we have decided to rank our top 5 Volkswagen Super Bowl commercials. more 5. Get In Get Happy – From 2013. It looks like this guy has found a cure for “the Mondays” and it's a Volkswagen Beetle. 4. Punch Buggy – You know you’ve played it, and in this 2010 ad, you learn that everyone else has too. 3. Wings – This 2014 ad helped the value of German Engineering “take flight.” We’re just glad it ended when it did before we found out what happens at 300,000 miles. 2. The Dog Strikes Back – (kind of gives away what number 1 is, but…) How do you follow up on an adorable kid in a Darth Vader costume? By calling back to it at the end of the spot the next year. This commercial makes the top 5 based solely off the dog getting in shape to catch a Volkswagen Beetle. The Cantina Bar Scene pushes it up to number 2. 1. The Force (a.k.a. Lil Darth) – Whether it’s this kid’s reaction, or the idea that every parent loves to make “magic” happen for their child, the force is strong with this 2012 commercial as more than 60 million people have watched it online since it first aired in 2011. Watch as the "Vader Kid" uses the force to start a Passat. Bonus: German Engineers – In a true testament to why German Engineering is better than German Advertising, this 2014 ad is either awesomely terrible or terribly awesome. It didn't make our top 5 because it was a "game day teaser" instead of a Super Bowl ad.

Image Source: vw.com Using a handheld cellphone behind the wheel is becoming more taboo every day. In fact, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Administration, fourteen states have laws in place that ban hand held cell phone use completely. Thirty eight states have laws that ban cell phone use by novice drivers. Forty four states have laws banning texting while driving. more Simultaneously, the technology allowing you to go hands-free continues to improve. Many Volkswagens now come equipped with full Bluetooth integration capabilities, so we’ve got your quick and easy six step guide to get you started. Turn your vehicle on. This activates the Bluetooth discovery mode which lasts for three minutes. Make sure your phone has its Bluetooth enabled. Open the Bluetooth menu on your phone. Search for “new devices.” Then select “VW Phone.” You will get a connection request on the multi-function display. Press the “OK” button on your steering wheel. The multi-function display will then show a six digit pin number. Make sure the same number is displaying on your phone. If both pin numbers are the same, press “pair” on your phone within 30 seconds. (note: some phones may require you to enter a pin number of 0000 to be paired) Once you have integrated Bluetooth, some phones will ask will ask if you want to set up an automatic connection. Doing this will prevent you from having to repeat the above steps every time you want to go hands free in your Volkswagen. If you run into any problems in pairing your Bluetooth, our service department can help.

When taking care of the preventative maintenance on your vehicle, there are some things that have a set schedule, and others that are handled on an “as needed” basis. It is commonly understood to change your oil every three thousand miles or to flush your transmission fluid every thirty thousand miles. While some actions are just ingrained in your memory, there are other preventative steps that should take place, but do not have a set time associated with them and are often forgotten. more One of the steps that does not have a certain time table associated with it is your vehicle’s wiper blades. While some experts recommend changing your blades annually, others recommend waiting until the blades stop working effectively before changing them as different brands of blades can have different life spans. Since there is no consensus on how frequently you should replace your wiper blades, we’ve put together five tips to help you get the most out of your windshield wipers before the blades have to be changed. Always shut off your wipers before turning off your vehicle. If you leave your wipers on when you turn your vehicle off, the wipers will remain operational the next time the vehicle is started. Leaving the wipers on is bad for the wiper blades because it causes unnecessary wear and tear. Never run your wipers across a dry windshield. If you have dirt or dust on your windshield that needs to be cleaned off, use your washer fluid to help clean it. Running your wiper blades across a dry windshield allows dirt, dust, or other particles to get caught between the wiper blade and the windshield which causes the blade to break contact with the windshield. This standing debris will also cause the wipers to be less efficient over time. Always clean leaves, pine needles, or other debris off of your windshield before turning your wiper blades on. It is very easy to just turn your wipers on to wipe the leaves away, but this practice can cause problems down the line. If a piece of a leaf or pine needle gets stuck between the wiper blade and the windshield, it allows for water to get between the wiper blade and windshield as well. Operating the windshield wipers with standing debris can also cause small dents in the rubber of the wiper blade that will allow water to get through even after the debris has been removed. Wipe your blades down with sandpaper at least twice a year. The natural build-up of dirt and debris on your wiper blades over time can cause the blades to break contact with the windshield. Wiping them down with sandpaper twice a year will remove any build-up and restore the blades ability to cleaning wipe across the windshield. If there is a freeze, do not run your wipers until the windshield has defrosted. Like the leaves and pine needles, it is easier use your wipers to clean the ice off of your windshield, but running your wipers over ice is not good for the blades. Just like any other debris, ice will get between the blade and the windshield, making it less effective. In fact, if there is a freeze in the forecast, it is a good idea to move your wiper blades to the up position, off of the windshield before leaving your vehicle for the night. By placing your wiper blades in the up position, you are preventing your wipers from freezing to the windshield, which would further damage the rubber. When it is time to change your wiper blades, most experts recommend using blades with a silicon or teflon coating. If you need a recommendation for the correct wiper blades for your vehicle, or don’t feel comfortable changing your own blades, contact our service department to set up an appointment.