Posted on 11/21/2016

If you have a 2008-2013 Audi A3/A4 or Volkswagen Jetta/GTI/Passat with a 4 cylinder turbo charged engine, there is a design flaw with serious consequences that we want you to be informed about. Modern vehicles are equipped with either a timing belt or timing chain that connects that top half of the engine to the bottom half and keeps them synchronized. Failures in this system can result in very expensive repairs or engine replacement. Most timing belt systems are suggested to be replaced at 70,000-100,000 miles. Vehicles with timing chain systems can be maintenance free. To determine if your 2008 to 2013 vehicle is affected, feel free to call us. Or, you can open your hood and if you see the letters "TSI" on your engine cover then it's very likely your engine is affected. The TSI engine produced by Volkswagen/Audi Group between the years of 2008 and newer is equipped with a timing chain system. The lower tensioner in this engine has been re ... read more
Posted on 1/31/2015

I often have friends ask me where a good place would be to take their vehicles. After years of owning an independent repair shop and consulting, I can definitely say that there are indicators that you've found a good place. Honesty is key of course but it's not nearly as much of an issue as some would think. There are many honest auto shops out there that still don't do their customers any favors. Here are 5 steps to help you choose a place to have your vehicle serviced should you have the need. 1. REPUTATION: The information revolution has made this task easier. Google and Yelp are currently the top online sites for reviewing automotive service shops. The number of reviews is important as any business can get 5-10 friends to review them. The more reviews there are, the more likely that rating is true. Everyone can have a bad review but how bad reviews are responded to is an excellent indicator of how a shop handles it's business. Recommendations from people you know ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

Three Ways To Winterize Your Car There are approximately 87,032 auto maintenance services and auto mechanics in the U.S., and they all generally agree on one thing: winterizing cars is absolutely critical, whether you own an Audi, Volkswagen, or any other vehicle. And winter is just around the corner, even if some (or most) of us don’t want to admit it. Make sure to watch out for these things and make adjustments as necessary in the next few weeks, before winter truly arrives. Check Your Anti-Freeze And Coolant VW repair shops suggest that owners bring in their cars for new anti-freeze at least once a year; this is a good rule of thumb for all cars and trucks. Similarly, car owners should carefully check on — or ask car repair shops — to check on their coolant levels before snow and ice become major problems. “Coolant with ethylene glycol protects your engine from corrosion. Your car’s owner’s manual or your mechanic will tell you the correct coola ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

Auto Mechanic Saves Choking Baby, Thanks To Mobile Application Auto mechanics can literally save lives — and in more ways than you might think. According to a September 3 Fox News report, an auto mechanic came to the rescue after a baby stopped breathing in Spokane, Washington. A mobile application, used to alert people in the local area about emergencies, notified Jeff Olson about the choking baby. Olson, also a volunteer EMT, performed CPR on the baby and saved her life, all before emergency services arrived Whether you own an Audi or a Volkswagen, auto technicians often save lives in a much more blatant way — fixing problems that may otherwise threaten your safety and the safety of your passengers. What are some of the most dangerous car problems that your mechanic can fix? The Word “Overheating” Is Never Good You never want to hear the word “overheating” coming out of any of the 701,100 American auto mechanics’ mouths — and you espec ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

Snakes, Goo, and Mysterious Barns: The Strangest Reasons For Car Repairs There are approximately 701,100 American auto mechanics and car repair shops, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics. Mechanics have seen it all, and some of the reasons that U.S. men and women end up needing car repair services are pretty weird. What are some of the strangest reasons Americans go to the mechanic? You Won’t Believe What This Woman Found Under The Hood Of Her Truck Iowa man Jackson Ault pulled over to help a woman find the source of her car trouble. “Ault and the driver both ended up with a surprise July 10 when Ault popped the hood and found a brown and yellow python slithering across the engine block,” The Des Moines Register reports. While slithering around her engine, the snake disengaged an electrical wire, ultimately causing the woman’s car troubles. What’s Inside This Mysterious, Locked Barn? A retired man bought property that inc ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

How to Repair Your Foreign Car There are a number of benefits to owning a foreign-made car, such as a Volkswagen vehicle or an Audi automobile: in the early 1980’s, for example, Audi A8 automobiles were the first car model to come out with dual clutch transmissions. But regardless of the benefits your foreign car may offer, maintaining or repairing your Audi automobile or Volkswagen vehicle is often not a service offered by your local car repair shop. But before you begin perusing car repair manuals and attempt your Audi automobile repair alone, read these foreign auto maintenance tips to keep your import automobile in the best possible condition. The first thing to remember when it comes to performing import auto maintenance is that cars such as Audi vehicles and Volkswagen automobiles have custom parts and maintenance requirements due to the way they were designed and manufactured. For instance, the anti-freeze in your Audi automobile or Volkswagen vehicle should ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

How to Repair Your Audi Automobile or Volkswagen Vehicle There are an estimated 87,032 auto repair businesses in the United States, which employ an estimated 701,100 automobile mechanics. Cumulatively, these businesses and individuals generate around $58 billion in revenue. However, these large figures mean nothing if you are looking to answer your car repair questions about a foreign car. Instead, if you are looking for auto maintenance services for an Audi automobile, Volkswagen vehicle, or other foreign car, you should look for a car repair shop that specializes in Audi automobile repair or Volkswagen vehicle repair to ensure the best care and performance for your car. Audi automobiles and Volkswagen vehicles are two extremely popular foreign car brands in the United States. The Audi automobile company was made up of four companies, resulting in the four rings that form the signature Audi automobile logo. The word Audi itself means “hear” in Latin, after the fou ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

Taking Care of Your Audi Automobile or Volkswagen Vehicle In the United States alone there are over 87,000 repair shops. That’s just over 1,700 repair shops per state. With so many choices, it may seem like a no-brainer to find a shop to service your Audi automobile or Volkswagen vehicle. But here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the right garage. Audi automobiles and Volkswagen vehicles are precision instruments. Not to take anything away from American- or Japanese-made cars, but the European design aesthetic and process demands a certain kind of service shop. Advancements in engineering and techniques have put Audi automobiles and Volkswagen vehicles at the vanguard of automotive design, and as such, require the services of foreign car repair shops who specialize in these types of vehicles. For example, early on in the 1980s, the Audi A8 became the first vehicle model to employ dual clutch transmissions, paving the way for a host of driving advancem ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

Own an Audi Automobile or Volkswagen Vehicle? Follow These Tips for Foreign Car Auto Repair and Maintenance Owning a foreign car can be a wonderful experience. You get excellent engineering and luxury quality, and oftentimes your car is uniquely designed, compared to most domestic autos. However, with owning a foreign car comes the need for repairs and independently specialized maintenance. Foreign car auto repair can be costly, but with the right import auto maintenance and an expert foreign car repair shop, taking care of an imported vehicle doesn’t have to be difficult. If you own an import such as an Audi automobile or a Volkswagen vehicle, check out these tips for maintenance and repairs. Following these foreign car auto repair and auto maintenance tips will ensure that your import continues to be a joy to own and drive: 1. As with any car, make sure that your Audi automobile or VW vehicle gets regular oil changes. These oil and filter changes can sometimes co ... read more
Posted on 10/30/2014

Three Ways to Find a Good Mechanic It’s only natural for customers of foreign car repair shops to get a sneaking suspicion that they’re overpaying or getting needless work done. If you want car repair services that you can trust, then keep these next few tips in mind when you’re at the car repair shop. 1. Don’t Buy Into Scare Tactics. Scare tactics are undoubtedly effective, but if your mechanic drops a line on you like, “I wouldn’t drive this thing for another mile,” then you might be better off going to a different car repair shop for a second opinion. Should you decide to go for a second opinion, do yourself the favor of not telling the second mechanic about the previous diagnosis and price. That way you can be absolutely sure that there really is a problem with your car, and that the first shop wasn’t simply trying to scare you into paying for needless work. 2. Crowdsource Your Way to a Better Mechanic. Using the power of sites like Yelp, you ca ... read more