Knock-Knock, It’s Our May Service Specials!
I love Volkswagen, you love Volkswagen, we’re a great big (Volkswagen) family! When it comes to being family, it’s important to take care of one another, right? Right. So, maintaining your vehicle’s health record is very, very important. This week, we are bringing you May service specials that will get you off your butt and into our dealership to service your vehicle!
Check out some of those specials below and don’t forget to print or send to your mobile device before heading over to see us!
Instant Tire Rebate – $100 Instant Rebate
Brake Service Special – Free Brake Pads with Paid Installation
A/C Check & Inspection – Just $29.95 with Coupon
VW Synthetic Oil Change Offer – $69.95, plus, an exterior car wash and multipoint inspection
Genuine VW Wiper Blades – $10 off, must be purchased and installed at King Volkswagen
Need a car wash? We even have a special for that, too. For just $20, you will receive an exterior courtesy car wash, interior vacuum, clean windows, wheels & tire shine, as well as a complimentary multi-point inspection! How can you pass on that?!
Plus, we offer price match guarantee and high mileage club savings!
*All specials expire 5/31/2018. See service specials page or dealership for full details.
Storing Tires? Here’s How
As we transition into the new season – and summer right around the corner – it is a good idea to swap out our tires. But those old ones could come in use, again, especially if they are winter tires. It is important to store tires properly to ensure that when you take them out next season they are not damaged or destined for the dumpster. Check out our tips below and see if you have been properly storing your tires!
Before storing the tires make sure they are clean. Nothing is worse than letting your tires sit in the grimy build up from the road. Grab a tire brush, soap and water and get scrubbin’. Don’t forget to clean your wheels if you leave them in your tires. Once they are clean, dry them completely and avoid applying tire products.
After their bath, each tire should be placed in its own large, airtight plastic bag for storage. Lawn and leaf bags work very nicely here, the bag should be big enough to cover the entire tire. Do not allow any moisture to enter the bag. Remove as much air as you possibly can and zip tie or tape the bag closed. This step will keep tire lubrication in the bag and will prevent oil evaporation.
Keep the tires in a cool, dry location – preferably climate controlled. Basements work the best for this purpose. Places like attics or garages are exposed to extreme temperatures and can have detrimental effects on tires. Also, keep tires out of direct sunlight, UV rays and heat are known to can cause damage to tires.
Store tires vertically. Stacking tires horizontally can cause stress and tire distortion. It is important to keep your tires off of the ground, as well. Place a clean piece of wood and place your tires on top.
If you choose not to store your tires in plastic bags, consider storing them white to white and black to black to prevent staining of the white rubber.
Lastly, if you have tires on a vehicle that you do not plan to use for a long period of time, remove them. Inactivity over long periods of time can be more harmful to the tires than frequent drives. Driving on your tires helps flex the tire and maintain oil dispersion.
Tires are constantly aging, these tips can help slow the process and will allow you to get a longer, better use out of them!
What You’ll Need When Buying A New Car
When it comes to the car buying process one this is for sure – it can take forever. As the paperwork piles up, it is important to bring a few items with you to ensure that the process goes smoothly and as quickly as possible. This week’s blog is a guide for what to bring when you are almost ready to cross that finish line! Take a look below at the things that you should bring to make it a hassle-free process for everyone involved.
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Your driver’s license: Your I.D. is proof that you are a legally registered driver, this is important since you have to drive off the lot. Your driver’s license is a way to identify that the check or other forms of payment are actually yours, too.
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Your payment form: Whether it is a bank, credit union, or personal check, pre-approved loan, or any other payment form – be sure to bring it. If you are planning to put money towards a down payment you will need some way to pay for it.
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Proof of insurance: In order to drive your new vehicle off the lot, you will need proof of insurance. It’s a good idea to call your insurance company ahead of time and add the new vehicle to your existing policy. You’ll need the car’s VIN number to set this up. You can also call from the dealership and have them fax or email the insurance card to the dealership.
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Title/ Registration for your trade-in: If you are trading in a vehicle, be sure to bring the title. If you have a co-signer or a lien against the car, get the appropriate signature ahead of time. This part can be tricky and sometimes causes a hold-up. Give the dealership a call if you are unsure how to go about this. Also, you will need a copy of your current registration.
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Loan account number: If you are trading in a vehicle and still owe on your loan, bring the loan account number. This number is on one of your payment stubs. You can also call the lender beforehand and ask how to facilitate the transaction.
It is also a good idea to clean out your vehicle beforehand. This will save you time when your paperwork is done and you are finally ready to drive off the lot!
April’s Specials
Sm; )e it’s spring, and specials are in! If you were on the fence about leasing a new vehicle, King Volkswagen has a bunch of great options to choose from. Whatever it is you may be looking for, size, year, price, we have just the car (and special) for you!
If you are looking for a compact sedan that won’t break your bank, the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4T S is the perfect choice for you. For just $99 a month you’ll be rolling around town in style with friends.* If you were looking for something a little bigger but within the same price point, King has that for you too. The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Limited Premium is the right size for unlimited fun for just $99 a month.*
Give your family the best with the 2018 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T S for just $139 a month with our lease special this month.* Perhaps you need something a little bit bigger to fit the family. For $249 a month the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T S is just what you and your family need.*
But if you are looking for something versatile, agile, and fun to drive the 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf SE is the perfect fit for you.
Check out our specials page for more April specials or stop by the showroom to see what King Volkswagen has for you.
*All specials expire 5/01/2018. See specials page for full details.
Buy Or Lease, Which Is Better
One of the most difficult things about looking for a new car is deciding the inevitable, buy or lease. To some, it may be a rather easy answer but to others, like me, it can keep you up at night. Okay, maybe not but it’s still a grueling decision. I have dedicated this week’s blog to help you choose whether to buy or lease your next vehicle! Let’s get started…
Benefits of Leasing:
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Lower Car Payment
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Little to No Down Payment
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Always Having the Latest Technology
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Worry-free About Selling Your Trade-In
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You Are Covered Under a Warranty
Downside of Leasing:
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Mileage Restrictions
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No Equity
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Excess Wear/ Tear Fees
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Ride Sharing Restrictions
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You Need Excellent Credit
Now, let’s take a look at buying a vehicle.
Benefits of Buying:
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No Monthly Payments After Loan
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No Mileage Restrictions
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No Wear/ Tear Fees
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You Don’t Need Crazy Good Credit
Downside of Buying:
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More Expensive/ Big Down Payment
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Long-Term Loans
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Unpredictable Depreciation
The final verdict: Every customer is different in their wants and needs, so there is no right or wrong answer. It’s a great idea to look at costs and benefits to find what option will best fit your lifestyle and budget. If you’re unsure, still, it doesn’t hurt to explore both options.
Feel like a King or Queen in a new Volkswagen from King – stop in or give us a call today!
Texting And Driving, Don’t Do It
It is very easy to become distracted while we are cruising down the road, sunroof open, and music up. We are enjoying the spring air that is finally here. But it is important to remember to keep our full attention on the road, distracted driving is impaired driving. Distractions range from cell phones to music to other passengers. Using a phone while driving is distracting and unless you are hands-free, you should not be picking up your device even if you’re at a stoplight.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10% of all fatal car crashes and 15% of all injury crashes were caused by distracted drivers. 99% of drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 were distracted at the time of the accident.
This is a problem for anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car, especially young teens just learning to drive. Did you know that when you are driving and trying to focus on your phone the reaction time slows by 33%? That is a huge difference when in a split second it could mean life or death.
Responding to one single text message distracts a driver for roughly five seconds, that is long enough to travel the distance of a football field if your speed is 55 mph, or over.
Sobering statistics:
- 94% of teenagers acknowledge that texting while driving is dangerous.
- 11 teenagers die every single day as a result of texting while driving.
- One out of every four car accidents in the US is caused by texting while driving.
- Cellphone use is highest amongst 16-24 year old drivers.
There has been an increase in technologies like Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay to assist drivers and decrease the amount of distracted drivers that are on the road. If your vehicle is equipped with these be sure to fully connect before pulling out onto the open road and remember to leave your device alone.
Volkswagen At The 2018 NYAS
For those of you who might not be as in tune with the automotive world as us, the 2018 New York Auto Show is happening and there have been tons of amazing vehicle announcements! Volkswagen has had a few that we’re excited to share – and if you’ve always wanted to drive one of your own, there hasn’t been a better time to get behind the wheel! Check out some of the highlights from the NYAS!
First of all, the newest addition to the Volkswagen family – the Arteon – will get an R-Line trim of its own! VW has been giving its vehicles R-Line trims lately, and now the Arteon will join the club. Normally, the R-Line means that the vehicle gets some nice steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, a bodylift that makes the whole car seem a little more sporty, and larger wheels. It also includes separate brakes from the rest of the trims, differently styled air intakes, and even special badging and color schemes. That means if you want the new Arteon but want to stay sporty, you’ve got the option of the R-Line!
Volkswagen revealed a fantastic new concept for a smaller and more sporty Atlas vehicle, the Atlas Cross Sport Concept. Though the concept loses the third row of seats, it’s shorter and sportier with a lot more tech and style than the current Atlas. It’s also got a plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that takes a powerful engine and a couple of electric motors and makes driving magic.
Finally, the most outlandish but still exciting of Volkswagen’s offerings at the NYAS: the Atlas Tanoak Pickup Concept. Yes, that’s correct. Pickup. VW has taken the chassis of an Atlas and built a pickup truck on top of it. (They sell a pickup in Europe already, the Amarok, just as an FYI.) It’s tall and wide and has a good amount of road clearance, and drives just like the Atlas but with the hauling power of a pickup. It’s also got a luxe interior with all the tech goodies you can expect from VW, but again… it’s a pickup truck. By Volkswagen. We kinda dig it.
Get That Fresh Spring Air You Deserve
If you’re dedicated to the concept of spring cleaning, then think about cleaning out the air vents and air system in your vehicle as part of your war on dust and grime this spring. Because the season is here officially, there’s no time to waste! Take a look at our tips on making sure your air smells as fresh as springtime ought to smell.
Your first task is cleaning the physical vents that are in your vehicle, the ones you see and adjust every day. You’ll need cleaning solution, white vinegar, a vacuum, and Q-tips. Give your vents a vacuum to get any loose dust out. Then you want to take a Q-tip that’s been dipped in a cleaning solution and really work it into the crevices and hard-to-reach spots. When the Q-tips you’re using come back clean, you know you’ve gotten all the grime. Then, take another Q-tip dipped in white vinegar and just go over it all again to get rid of any lingering odors. The vinegar smell doesn’t last long, and when it disappears it takes odors with it. Give the vents one last vacuum and you’re done! Make sure you’ve gotten them ALL, including the one that’s right up next to your windshield (we often forget about this one).
The next step is to take a look at your cabin air filter. Your owner’s manual should cover how to access it, and if not there’s always YouTube. The cabin air filter is your barrier against everything that’s floating through the air that you drive your car through – pollen, dust, smells, stenches – and it’s often a forgotten part of the vehicle. Take a look, and if you think it needs changing then schedule an appointment with us to have our service department take care of it!
Finally, if you still smell a little something-something in the car when you run the air, you might have mildew in your A/C evaporator. It’s easy to dry that up! Just drive about a mile away from home (that’s enough time to warm up your engine, you see) and then roll down all your windows and turn the air on full blast. Don’t use the A/C! Just regular old air will do. Keep it running for a minute or two, and that should be enough time to circulate air through the evaporator and dry up any residual moisture.
Sm;)e It’s Spring!
Every St. Paddy’s Day, my family participates in a fun-filled family football game. We’re a large Irish family, so St. Patrick’s Day is pretty much a second Thanksgiving for us – food, family, and as I stated above – football…
So, here’s the thing… It’s supposed to be fun, but unfortunately, my family is pretty competitive. Even a game of monopoly becomes an intense sport that takes strategy, athleticism, and skill. This past Christmas, I watched my sister drop tackle my brother because she caught him slipping himself an extra hunnit or two from the bank. It did not go well.
Since the Christmas Debacle Of 2017, bro has been throwing some serious shade at my sister. St. Patrick’s Day is literally tomorrow, and I am determined that they let bygones be bygones. So what better way to get them both in a better mood than stopping by King Volkswagen to save a crazy amount on a new car! The Sm:)e It’s Spring Event is underway, after all, in addition to their monthly specials!
My sister has been talking about downsizing from her HUGE minivan (I have 6 nieces and nephews just from her, who are now all grown up and drive their own cars) to something a bit more her size, bear in mind she is conservatively 5 feet tall on a good day. The 2018 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4T S would be right up her alley, and she can lease for only $99/mo for 36 months*! There is even the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Limited Premium, which she can lease for $99 for 36 months*! I couldn’t believe she can get a new car for under $100 a month.I know for a fact my brother has had his eye on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T S for him and his brood of children, and now he can get it for $249 a month*.
All in all, I’m expecting the whole family to be singing my praises this weekend, thus restoring peace just in time for our Reuben Dinner. After such a strenuous endeavor, I think I just might reward myself with a sweet new car too!
*All specials expire on 4/2/2018 see specials page for full details.
Spring Maintenance Advice From Your Service Pros
Spring is the season of new beginnings, and that includes your vehicle! There’s a list of services that you should be doing for your vehicle at the beginning of the season, and it’s all important – the winter is always hard on a vehicle, especially with snow and salt and rough conditions. Here are our recommendations for services you should be doing for your vehicle before spring really gets underway, and remember that you can always call us here at King VW for advice and help!
Start with your tires, even if you drive on all season tires. If you drive on all season radials, this is the time to rotate them. By rotating tires seasonally, you extend the life of all four tires.
Windshield wiper blades also take a beating during winter weather. Colder temperatures are hard on rubber compounds, and slush from the road isn’t helpful in the least. This slush often carries with it corrosive salt used to melt road ice, which can do a number on your blades. Early spring is a good time to you’re running low after winter.
Next, clean your vehicle’s undercarriage. There’s no magic solution to getting rid of the corrosive salt build-up but the best tool is a high-pressure sprayer. Pay special attention to the area around the front and rear bumpers. Once you’ve thoroughly sprayed the underbody, check for signs of rust and take the necessary steps to stop any small rust spots from eating away at your vehicle. We’ve all seen those pillars of snow that form around bumpers and wheel wells. That’s the most likely place for road salt to begin the erosion process. While you’re at it, you might as well wash the whole car. Winter is not really the time to spend afternoons hosing off your vehicle and chances are it’s been a while since the last time you’ve washed your car.
Examine your brakes. Like wipers, brakes take on a bigger role during wintertime and should be checked to ensure that they’re still in good shape. Listen for brake noises such as grinding, chatter, or squeals. Even if your brakes aren’t making any distinctive noises, it’s still a good idea for you or your mechanic to determine the amount of wear on the pads or drums. We often become accustomed to the feel of worn brakes, without realizing that we’ve become used to decreased stopping power.
Check all automotive fluids and top them off as necessary. Winter driving conditions require your engine to work harder and condensation can cause moisture buildup in the engine that creates wear. If your car is due for scheduled maintenance, have the oil changes and be sure to use the proper formulation and viscosity recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
Go over the interior of your vehicle. This includes taking out and washing floor liners. Vacuum and clean the carpets, and make sure they are dry before you put the liners back in. A nice, clean interior is one of the best parts of driving after all!
Source: https://exchange.aaa.com/car-care/repair-maintenance/seasonal-car-maintenance/#.WpXIAZPwZTY
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