Pennsylvania Auto Dealers

Have you heard the rumor that Volkswagen may be joining NASCAR? If so, join the club. For awhile, those “in the know” thought the brand that brags about its upscale drivers was going to enter a vehicle into NASCAR as beer-chugging fans cheered it on. But alas, it does not look like that is going to be happening any time soon.

Hans-Joachim Stuck, the head of VW’s motorsports division, had a recent meeting with NASCAR officials. That meeting led to rumors that VW may be entering the sport of auto racing. However, Stuck adamantly denies that this is going to happen by saying, “I can tell you very honestly that’s not going to happen,” according to Fox Sports. Instead, Stuck says, that the meeting was nothing more than his opportunity to tell officials how much he really likes NASCAR.

NASCAR officials added fuel to the rumor fire by making an announcement that it would like to have another manufacturer join the others on the track. VW, however, does not fit the NASCAR guidelines yet which state the auto manufacturer must have an operating plant within the United States. For Volkswagen, that won’ t happen until 2011 when the Tennessee plant opens up and begins producing VW cars.

Just because you won’t be seeing your favorite VW model competing on the tracks, though, does not mean you cannot feel like a winner. Visit your Allentown area VW dealer today to get a great deal on the car of your dreams!

There was a time when Volkswagen was barely recognized as an auto manufacturer because it was one of the “little guys” in the auto industry. But slow and steady wins the race and that is exactly what this German automaker has done recently.

Volkswagen has nudged out Toyota as the world’s largest automaker by producing 4.4 million units already this year. The previous title holder – Toyota – has only created four million vehicles so far. Volkswagen was able to benefit greatly from the government stimulus programs earlier this year to increase its sales and make its brand a household name in the United States and other markets all over the world.

Another reason for this great accomplishment is the fact that Volkswagen recently took over the Porsche company when Porsche failed to take over Volkswagen.

Volkswagen is certainly making great strides in the auto industry. With some of its new models, VW is one of the major contenders in the global market. The German automaker has also produced a hybrid vehicle that is sure to top the list of most fuel-efficient hybrids this year. Don’t sit back and wonder why Volkswagen has become such a contender in the industry. Visit your Philadelphia area VW dealers today and check out some of the newest and most popular models!

If you enjoy driving around New Jersey, you probably know all the back roads to places so you do not have to deal with the crazy drivers. They do everything from text their friends about where they want to eat next Tuesday to putting their makeup on using the rearview mirror. But one certified defensive driving instructor in the state is offering a class that will help other drivers deal with the careless ones.

The defensive driving course offered by Joe Jazwick costs $75. But in the long run, it can save you more than that on your insurance premiums. Drivers who complete the class can save as much as 10 percent each year on their insurance. During these trying economic times, every few dollars helps a lot!

Jazwick encourages personal responsibility when drivers are behind the wheel. “You are the only person who can control your driving,” he tells his students. But it goes much farther than just paying attention. Jazwick tells his students they should do a vehicle inspection before even turning the key in the ignition. He also tells drivers to find their “Happy Zone,” which means that they should not get mad and angry when they get cut off or flipped off.

Wouldn’t it be nice if drivers were as courteous as they are supposed to be? The roads would be a much happier place. But you can visit your Trenton area VW dealer for some pleasant deals on a car you have always wanted. Take the money you save from completing your defensive driving course and use it for a down payment on a new car. How’s that for a “Happy Zone”?

If you are like the majority of American drivers, you probably support a ban on texting while you are behind the wheel of a car. In fact, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, about 90 percent of Americans think it is too much of a distraction to text on your cell phone while you are driving. Only 8 percent of those surveyed said texting and driving was fine and should not be made illegal.

The survey included more than 1,000 participants of all age groups and it was conducted over the phone. Even the younger drivers agree with a texting ban, although not as many of them are in support of it. With age groups over the age of 45, 94 percent would support a ban on texting, but that could be because very few of them use that type of service in their everyday life.

Men and women also agree on this issue. More than 90 percent of women support banning texting while driving and 88 percent of the men surveyed agreed.

Your Trenton area VW dealer wants to know how you feel about a ban on texting and driving. Would you support a federal ban? Would you follow it? Or do you think the issue is blown way out of proportion? Let us know your thoughts below!

Are you looking for a great place to have breakfast in the Philadelphia area? If so, your Philadelphia area VW dealers got you covered. Here are some of our favorite places to have breakfast when we need a rousing start to our day.

Sabrina’s
Located at 910 Christian Street and 1804 Callowhill Street, Sabrina’s opens its doors for breakfast at 8 a.m. Get there early because there is going to be a line just a couple short minutes after 8:00. One of the best dishes there is The Barking Chihuahua. It may not sound great by the name, but it’s a delicious breakfast burrito filled with beans, eggs, cheese and red peppers. If this doesn’t get you going in the morning, nothing will!

Little Pete’s
This Philadelphia staple has been serving and satisfying customers for more than 25 years. If you like eggs, be sure to order the spinach and feta omelet. It will ruin you for any other omelet that you used to like.

Honey’s Sit-N-Eat
Located at 800 North 4th Street, this cleverly named restaurant used local meats, pastured eggs and other things that make their breakfast better than other places. Their freshly-baked biscuits are an absolute must for any delicious breakfast.

After you get a full stomach from one of these places, visit a Philadelphia area VW dealer and take a new car for a test drive. It’s the perfect way to spend any day!

In order to test quality, engineers are building a track around the perimeter of the new plant in Chattanooga for taking VW cars on a test drive right off the line. In fact, there will be two tracks around the plant. One will include various surfaces to make sure the VW cars are running correctly. The other will have fewer turns so testers can drive higher speeds.

Tracks at factories for testing VW cars, however, are not a new idea. According to Guenther Scherelis, the general manager of communication for VW’s Chattanooga plant, it’s “quite normal” at newer VW factories. These are not called “test tracks” because that term implies research. The tracks are solely for the purpose of testing quality immediately from the production line.

The vice president of marketing of Chattanooga’s Area Chamber of Commerce said quality assurance is a VW commitment that is obvious through the automaker’s operations. “This bodes very well for the success of Volkswagen operations here in Chattanooga,” he said about the tracks at the plant.

Currently, officials have not decided if they will let individual buyers test their purchase at the plant before the cars get to your Allentown area VW dealer. But that would be pretty sweet if they did allow it.

Did you know that adjusting your car can improve your driving? Police in Austin, Texas and AAA are teaming up to show older drivers how to do just that so they can stay safer behind the wheel.

“Knowing your vehicle is the first step in knowing how to safely operate on the road,” said Art Acevedo, Austin’s Police Chief. Unfortunately, many senior drivers do not take the time to make adjustments to their car as their vision, reflexes and judgment changes with their age.

“As we age, changes in our vision, flexibility, strength, range of motion and even size and height may make us less comfortable behind the wheel,” explained a spokesperson for AAA. That’s where the CarFit program comes in. This program gives senior adults the tools they need to adjust their cars for safety with a 12-point checklist which includes the driver’s seat position, reaching the pedals easily and more.

Your Philadelphia area VW dealers encourage you to do everything possible to stay comfortable when you are driving. Comfort is essential to being safe and safety is vital when you are on the roadways with other drivers regardless of your age.

At one time, Volkswagen had the image of being an automobile that appealed to the “hippy” generation. Between the camper van and the VW Bug, the 1960s generation brought Volkswagen into an iconic stage that few automakers have achieved. But over the years, the reputation has stuck and officials want to change that in hopes of appealing to a larger audience.

“You have California, the hippies, Woodstock and all the great memories Americans have for VW,” said Stefan Jacoby, the chief executive of the Volkswagen Group of America. “But when it comes to the conversion – ‘Will I actually buy this car?’ – we lose our customers.”

One of the ways Volkswagen is trying to change its image is by putting a plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. By doing this, the automaker plans to “sell Americans a solid, midsize, made-in-Tennessee sedan – probably under the Jetta name – that will compete with the Japanese and American cars that millions of families use to shuttle children to soccer practice, go shopping or hit the road on recession-era vacations.”

Volkswagen models are not just for your parents or grandparents anymore. The automaker has many new models and styles that are much different from the 1960s models. Visit your Allentown area VW dealers and see how far they have come!

According to an article in the Detroit Free Press, officials at Volkswagen are making plans and strategies that could easily help them surpass Toyota and become the world’s largest and most profitable automaker.

Volkswagen has a goal of selling at least 800,000 units in the United States within the next ten years. That’s triple the sales figures from this year, but officials also plan to add several new and exciting models that Americans will enjoy. An SUV that seats seven, an updated Beetle and other plans are in the works to appeal to a larger demographic of American buyers. Volkswagen also plans to build more vehicles in the United States and Mexico to save money on currency fluctuations and shipping. The automaker is already building a $1 billion facility in Tennessee for producing a new sedan beginning in 2011.

“We need to keep everything that is good about our products, and we need to make them a little more mainstream to American tastes and desires,” explained Toscan Bennett, the VP of product and strategy for VW.

There are some exciting things in store at your Trenton area VW dealer right now and in the near future. Visit one today and feel the anticipation!

The roads may have seemed a little bit safer this past Labor Day Weekend in the Lehigh Valley. At least that’s what the police reports showed.

The Pennsylvania Police Troop M, which covers the Lehigh Valley area and extends farther south almost to Philadelphia, reported only 31 arrests related to drunken drivers and 760 citations during the four-day weekend. Troop M also investigated 35 auto accidents in the area. Unfortunately, there was one fatality attributed to a driver driving under the influence. However, that is lower than some previous years.

The PA State Police beefed up their enforcement tactics over the weekend as part of a national effort to curb impaired driving. The effort started on Friday and ended on Labor Day.

Across the state, there were 654 traffic accidents and more than 50 of those were attributed to alcohol. Nine people died as a result of those accidents, but that number is down from 16 last year.

Whether it’s a holiday, work day, weekend or any other day, there is never an excuse to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Your Trenton area VW dealer wants you to stay safe so be sure to make safe traveling arrangements if you plan on drinking. It’s just the right thing to do.