Fuel Efficient Autos

The fall season is a great time to go through some of the things in your car to make sure they are working properly. It’s also a good time to start preparing it for winter before it gets too cold. Here are some ways to get your VW cars ready for the impending colder temperatures ahead.

• Change the oil. This does not mean to just change it like you do every few months or every 3,000 miles. Instead, change the type of oil you use. Use thinner oil so it can flow through the engine and its parts more freely even in cold temperatures.
• Check the antifreeze level and the radiator. Antifreeze is essential once the weather starts changing because it keeps the engine and radiator from freezing up. Get this checked before the weather gets below freezing.
• Change your wiper blades. These are essential for safety when the snow and rain starts coming down.
• Check the defroster and heater. These two components are vital once the weather starts changing. The defroster helps keep the windshield clear and the heater…well, the heater needs no explanation. Just make sure they are both working before you actually need them.

These are just a few things to get checked out on your VW cars before the weather gets too chilly. If you do it now, you’ll be glad you did.

With the number of layoffs and uncertain economy, people are looking for fun things to do without breaking their budget. Minor league baseball games are becoming very popular because they are fun for the entire family and they are a fraction of the cost of major league baseball games. We have a minor league team just across the Delaware River that you can enjoy without driving too far in your VW cars!

The Camden Riversharks play their games against the backdrop of the breathtaking Philadelphia skyline with the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in full view. Campbell’s Field, which is the name of the facility, opened in 2001 and has more than 6,400 seats. It was also named Minor League Ballpark of the Year by Baseball America magazine. Games begin in May and most start times are 6:35 p.m.

The Riversharks are ready to entertain the entire family by playing their hearts out against their competitors. Ticket packages start as low as $50 and you can even get a free ticket to Six Flags – Great Adventure for each ticket package you purchase! Who else does that?

So pack the whole family in your VW cars and head across the river to Campbell’s Field. It’s a great way to spend an evening close to home without spending too much money.

A recent study shows that your parenting style can influence how safe your teenage driver is when behind the wheel of your VW cars.

Parents who give their teen drivers firm rules while being supportive tend to have safer teen drivers. In fact, the study shows that teen drivers are half as likely to get into an auto accident when parents are firm with the rules in a supportive manner. It also cuts down on teen drinking and driving. When parents use positive rule-setting, their teen drivers are more likely to wear their seatbelt and less likely to text or talk on their cell phone when behind the wheel of the car.

“Parent involvement really matters. Active parenting can save teenagers’ lives,” explained Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg from the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He went on to say that parents who “set boundaries and monitor those boundaries with warmth and support can have a really dramatic effect on teen driving safety.”

How are you handling your teen driver when it comes to driving your VW cars? Are you being loving and supportive or are you being impatient and mean? Evaluate your parenting style to ensure your teen driver is being as safe as they can be when they are behind the wheel. It could just save their life!

Keeping your VW cars maintained through scheduled procedures and other methods is a great way to keep them running smoothly and efficiently for many years. But there are other things you should be doing to reduce stress on the engine and other parts so your VW cars will run for years to come.

1. Stop before shifting. When backing out of a parking space, many drivers put their VW cars in “Drive” before it stops rolling. This adds undue stress on the transmission and can even cause a great deal of damage to it after doing it many times. Make sure the car comes to a complete stop before shifting gears for optimum performance.
2. Learn to listen. Your VW cars will tell you when something is not right. If you are in tune with your car, you will be able to hear if something is wrong. At the first sign of this, get it checked out before it becomes an even bigger problem.
3. Drive smoothly. Braking hard and quick starts wreak havoc on your engine. Accelerate smoothly and brake evenly and you will not add any unnecessary stress on your VW cars.

Take these suggestions and use some common driving sense and your VW cars may even last you a lifetime!

If you enjoy going to museums and exhibits by way of your stylish VW cars, there are two exhibits in the Philadelphia area that are going to be ending fairly soon. Here are those exhibits and what you can expect to see and learn from each one.

1. Shopping in Paris - French Fashion from 1850-1925 – This unique exhibit which takes place at the Perelman Building features costumes from cabaret dancers as well as designs from Coco Chanel and other famous designers from the era. The designs show a progression throughout society with various hems, necklines and gowns. The exhibit goes through October 25. Check with the Philadelphia Museum of Art for more information about ticket prices and other details.

2. Star Trek: The Exhibition – If you are a Star Trek nut, this is the exhibit for you! This exhibit is hands-on and makes you feel a part of Captain Kirk’s iconic ship. There are more than 200 objects – which is the most comprehensive collection in the world – which span more than four decades. Some highlights of the exhibit include the bridge of the Starship Enterprise and a Simulator Experience. You have to hurry, though. The last day of the exhibit is September 20!

If you are upset about the ban on using your cell phone while driving in Philadelphia, you may soon have more disgruntled company.

In addition to banning cell phones while driving, it will also be against the law to use your cell phone while traveling on anything with wheels. That means skateboarders, bicyclists and all other forms of wheeled transportation are subject to the new ban which takes effect on November 1. If you thought it was bad that you couldn’t use your cell phone while driving your VW cars, wait until this new law takes effect.

Many do not like the new legislation because they think it infringes on their rights too much. And once this law goes into effect, it will be easier to take it one or two steps further. Proponents of the law say it is benefitting the “common good” because it makes people safer.

For a first offense of using your cell phone while traveling on wheels, you are subject to a $150 fine. Repeat offenders can expect to pay more than that.

How do you feel about these cell phone bans? Should you be able to talk to someone on your phone when driving your VW cars? Should bicyclists be allowed to call someone while riding their bikes? Let us know your thoughts below.

Volkswagen recently announced the number of VW cars sold during the month of August and the results are exciting! With sales of more than 24,820 units, VW dealers enjoyed an increase of 11.4 percent in sales over August of 2008. Those are also the best sales figures for VW cars since December of 2005!

Part of the reason for the surge in sales was, of course, the Cash for Clunkers program. Volkswagen has a full line of fuel-efficient vehicles and stylish automobiles that attracted thousands of people wishing to trade in their older car for one of the attractive VW cars that qualified for the government rebates. The Jetta was one of the most popular VW cars during last month’s sales event with more than 12,870 units sold.

“We are extremely pleased with our August sales results,” said Mark Barnes, the CEO of Volkswagen America, Inc. “The government sponsored Cash for Clunkers program was instrumental at sparking the entire auto industry. The fact that Volkswagen currently has more vehicles that attain 25 miles per gallon or better on the highway than any other brand well positioned us to capitalize on the program.”

If you didn’t take advantage of the government’s voucher program, it’s not too late to get a good deal on the VW cars of your dreams. Check one out today!

Have you ever caught yourself texting a friend or reading a text while driving your VW cars? If so, you may be required to change that habit soon.

More and more people and organizations are favoring laws that would reduce or eliminate driving texting while behind the wheel of their car. According to a survey conducted by Nationwide Insurance, nearly 80 percent of adults in the United States are in favor of this type of ban. One surprising part of the survey is that many of the drivers in favor of the texting ban are younger drivers, which is the largest demographic that admits to texting while driving.

The survey also found that drivers in the Northeast and the West are more supportive of texting bans while Midwestern and Southern respondents were less agreeable. Bill Windsor, an official with Nationwide Insurance, said part of this disparity could be the difference in traffic congestion between the regions, but it is still a large difference.

Regardless of any texting bans, some drivers said they would still use their phones while driving.

Don’t wait for the laws to go into effect before you stop texting when driving your VW cars. Keep your eyes on the road and your attention on what you are doing in order to stay safe. You will have plenty of time to text when you reach your destination.

Gone are the days when the word “diesel” meant dirty, loud and inefficient. Today’s diesel engines are quite the opposite. You might say they are the anti-diesel of yesteryear as they are quiet, clean and even more fuel-efficient than many of today’s traditional engines. According to this article, today’s diesel engines get about 20 to 40 percent better gas mileage than a comparable gasoline engine. That is why some VW cars are getting a diesel engine under their hoods.

“There’s a night-and-day difference in emissions, power and smoothness between this Jetta and your 2002,” said Leighton Russell, a VW cars salesperson about the 2009 Jetta with a diesel engine to the 2002 Jetta station wagon with a diesel engine. He said his wife’s 2002 Jetta sends a cloud of gray smoke into the air whenever she starts it, but the newer Jettas with diesel engines do nothing of the sort.

Diesel engines have become more popular with people trying to squeeze more miles per gallon of fuel. Pollution concerns have also contributed to the growing popularity of these once ostracized types of engines. We’ll follow this up with some more information about diesel engines on Thursday. Until then, why not check out the VW cars at your Pennsylvania or New Jersey dealer and see for yourself how far diesel engines have come!