Whatever the type of Volkswagen you have, it is important to put your trust in an authorized VW repair expert when maintaining and working on your vehicle. Even the dealership can be stumped if you have an “odd” VW that they no longer have expertise with. A reputable, experienced VW technician should have a broad background in VW repairs. From the beginning air-cooled engines, to the technologies used in the early Audi-merger days such as CIS fuel injection systems, to the modern day fuel injection, valve timing and turbo charged engines, your authorized VW repair technicians are well equipped to handle problems unique to your type of Volkswagen. All Volkswagen authorized technicians under go comprehensive factory training and specialist tooling including specific diagnostic equipment. Also you have the assurance that they will replace any part with Volkswagen Genuine Parts. When your car is fitted with a Volkswagen Genuine Part®, you can have peace-of-mind that if the part malfunctions, Volkswagen guarantees it for two years.
Volkswagen was founded in 1937 under the original company name “Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH”. Before the 1930’s, the effort to create simple vehicles that the average household could afford proved impossible, costing more than the average person’s yearly income. Luckily that is not the case today. After years of tribulation, Volkswagen, which means “the people’s car”, has become the largest automaker in Europe. Most people asscociate the Volkswagen brand with the Beetle because of its extreme popularity world wide, as well as, being the product that VW has manufactured and sold for the longest time. But if you ask any authorized VW repair technician or VW manufacturer, you will get a long list of other types that have been and are being produced and sold all over the globe.
Volkswagen models sold in the United States come in an assortment of varieties such as the Eos (Jetta-based 2 door hardtop convertible), GLI (high-performance version of the Golf), Golf (the Volkswagen “Rabbit”), GTI (High-performance version of the Golf), Jetta Mk V Jetta Sport Wagon, ,New Beetle, New Beetle Convertible, Passat (mid-size Sedan called the Dasher), Passat Wagon, CC, Routan (Dodge Grand Caravan-based VW), Sport Van, Tiguan (small SUV), and Touareg (full size SUV developed alongside Porsche Cayenne). But still the popularity of the Volkswagen Beetle remains unsurpassed. By 1973, around 16 million Beetles had been produced and sold.
Volkswagen has a reputation for reliability, and can be driven if properly maintained for 300,000 plus miles. Car manufacturers in general are increasing the length of time between service intervals due to improved technology over the years, but don’t let that fool you. They are in the business to sell cars. Increasing the lifespan of your Volkswagen is not a difficult task with frequent maintenance schedules and utilizing a Volkswagen trained technician for your VW repairs. Be a wise car owner and take the extra time to pay the necessary attention to your vehicle’s needs in a proactive manner. Spending a little extra time for scheduled servicing will save you costly repairs down the road while holding its value for future years to come.
We are conveniently located in Houston TX just west of the Galleria, and service mainly the Memorial, West University, Mid Town, Heights, Downtown, River Oaks, Sugarland and Bellaire areas.
Who thinks about foreign auto repair shops while involved in the exciting purchase of your precision European import? Not many, but there will come a time not too long after getting home that you realize you have to find a reliable and trustworthy auto repair shop to keep it in peak condition.
And…the best time to search for one is BEFORE you need one. Googling, you discover that there seem to be a million auto repair centers. A little reading and you discover that even though it has four wheels and an engine, your European import is as different from domestic autos as your spouse is from you.
There are several ways to find the right foreign auto repair center for your European import. The best way is word-of-mouth. Ask friends or associates who drive your make of import where they go, and why. Being convenient and having cheap rates don’t qualify as suitable recommendations. Technicians certified for your make of import, great warranties, lots of good customer recommendations, a guarantee that the invoice will not exceed the estimate, and ASA, ASE, or other certifications are great reasons to do further research into a nearby foreign auto repair shop.
Checking online with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) to make sure there are no outstanding complaints against the foreign car repair center you’re looking into is a good ideas, as is googling to see if there are any online reviews of it. If it passes all these hurdles, it’s time to visit your local foreign car repair center.
First impressions: is it clean and orderly, with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment for your European import? Do you see the technicians’ accreditations on the walls, and are any accredited by the maker of your import? Ask any customers you find why they chose this foreign auto repair center over others, and do they recommend the shop? Do their estimates accurately reflect the final invoice totals?
Next, find out what warranties they offer on parts and work done. A good foreign auto repair shop will offer a 1-year/12,000 mile warranty while high quality shops will give you a 2-year/24,000 mile warranty. Do they offer local shuttle service or loaner cars for major repairs? Do they have a clean and comfortable waiting area?
Are they able to do maintenance and warranty work on your import without invalidating your manufacturer’s warranty? Watch them interact with the customers there. You’d be surprised what you can learn by seeing the front desk and technicians in action.
Though looking for a reliable foreign car repair center ranks in some people’s estimates with having teeth pulled, it is far less stressful to do it early. Maintaining routinely scheduled maintenance is the best way to avoid most breakdowns and will keep your fine European import operating at maximum performance. Keeping your tires in condition, fluids and filters clean, and your engine tuned will also maximize your fuel mileage. You’ll enjoy your European import more in the years to come if you find a quality foreign auto repair shop today.
We are conveniently located in Houston TX just west of the Galleria, and service mainly the Memorial, West University, Mid Town, Heights, Downtown, River Oaks, Sugarland and Bellaire areas.
Mercedes Benz service can easily be avoided if the maintenance of the car is done at regular intervals. A monthly Maintenance check on your Benz is a great way to keep bigger costlier repairs at bay. Since most cars these days can go 30,000 miles with out a tune up and full service stations don’t really exist anymore this day and age here are some helpful tips that can help you to avoid getting stranded as well as possibly seeing a potential problem with your MB before it gets costly.
Probably the most vital part of any Mercedes maintenance program is to check the vital fluids of your car. Before you start checking fluids its a good idea to pull the owners manual and find out what specifications the owners manual recommends during a Mercedes service. These way if any fluids need topping off you can use the proper fluids. In most cases you can use something that is not recommended by the owners manual however this could cause problems long term. We recommend you stick to the owners manual recommendations.
When checking fluids you want to make sure you check the motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid and coolant levels. If any are low you want to top them off. Also be aware that if vital fluids are missing there is likely a problem. The only fluids that are supposed to be in need of replenishment in a perfectly functioning MB is the gasoline and wiper fluid. If you are needing to top off fluids other then that it is likely time service your Mercedes Benz. So you see missing fluids are a warning sign for a greater problem that might require maintenance of your Mercedes Benz.
When you are doing an inspection of your vehicle you might also want to take a look at the belts and hoses on your Benz. Check to see if they look brittle or dry rotted. If you see cracks you will likely need to replace them before they leave you stranded. Belts usually dry rot or stretch to wear they squeal when you are driving. These are signs that the belts might need to be changed.
When it comes to maintenance of you vehicle we recommend that you find a local foreign car repair shop that specializes in European Imports. the basics you can do yourself but you will find out rather quickly that today’s modern import cars are complicated machines that require special tools and knowledge in order to do a repair or even to service the vehicle. Especially luxury vehicles like Mercedes Benz have many sensors and electronics that need to be reset even when you do something simple like changing the oil.
Mercedes Maintenance should be done buy a qualified mechanic. I would recommend you find a local foreign car repair shop in your area that you can have your vehicle serviced at on a regular basis.
However just checking some basics like fluids, belts and hoses can help you avoid an even costlier problem down the road. Much like most things if you can find and resolve a problem before it gets really bad it will cost you less in the long run. Most problems will lead to other problems so the problem will be compounded.
If you would like some advice from a Mercedes mechanic in regards to your Benz please contact us and we will try and help answer your questions.
Today’s European Cars is conveniently located in Houston TX just west of the Galleria, and service mainly the Memorial, West University, Mid Town, Heights, Sugarland and Bellaire areas.
When you own a quality engineered German auto like a Mercedes Benz, you need a Mercedes specialist to do maintenance work as well as repair on your Benz.Now the question becomes how do I find a Mercedes Specialist to work on my luxury automobile? Automobiles from Germany require special care and maintenance in order to function properly, Maintenance is really not different from other vehicles except that at times special tools maybe required. It also becomes important that the shop you trust your vehicle to has the right tools and diagnostic equipment to service as well as repair your MB.
Now not only does a service center for these luxury automobiles need all the necessary tools, you also need quality Mercedes specialist in the form of a mechanic that has experience and training in servicing and repairing German automobiles like a MB. Finding a specialist in the local area is probably your best bet since you want to find someone within a 20 mile radius to service your car. I mean I know from personal experience that when my auto is down I do not want to go a long distance to have someone take a look to see what might be causing my problem. However if I just need service then distance may not be as much of an issue.
You will find that some Benz repair shops will actually give you a loner car which makes it really convenient for you. In doing so they provide a valuable service to their customers in the form of convenience. This makes it easier on you the customer. Now you do not have to worry about having someone picking you up or possibly being without a car for several days.
When you are looking online for a Mercedes Specialist in your area the following variable of keywords might help you find For foreign car repair shop in your local area. Google and most search engines these days have a local search function that allows you to only get results in your local area. However even this might be to broad when it comes to finding a service center. For example if I were to type in to Google Mercedes Shop Houston TX. You will get such a broad result because the city is so big that the places listed could still be over an hour drive. So in order to get a better result I recommend that you use your local area or the name of the suburb you are in so instead of Houston I would use a suburb name in the Houston area that I am in like Bellaire, Sugarland, or the Galleria. This will yield you the results that are closes to you making it much easier to find a MB specialist in your area.
Some of the things to look for when choosing a Benz specialist is the reputation of the shop. Probably the best way to find a quality shop is by a personal referral. Also when you find a shop that is listed in the Google local directory there is a review section where you can see the reviews of others that have used this shop. Based on the information you find you should be able to make a determination of the quality of work being provided. Seeing how long a business has been operating in the local area is another factor that can help determine if the place is reputable.
We are conveniently located in Houston TX just west of the Galleria, and service mainly the Memorial, West University, Mid Town, Heights, Sugarland and Bellaire areas.
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