Volkswagen (abbreviated VW) is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania. Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German. Its current tagline or slogan is Das Auto (The Car).
Trust Your VW To Automotive Techniques
Volkswagen automobiles are very similar to Audi. In fact, Audi and Volkswagen often share the same engines (including the 1.8 liter turbo, the 2.0 liter, and the TSFI engine). The best advice we give our customers is that keeping up with routine maintenance will save VW owners money in the long run, as bigger repairs can get quite expensive. If you have any VW questions, or would like us to take a look at your vehicle, please give us a call at 248-615-8964. Remember, we are conveniently located in Novi, MI for all of your european auto repair needs.
Common Maintenance Items To Watch Out For:
Timing Belt: 80K Miles
Our recommendation for the timing belts on any VW vehicle with the 1.8 liter turbo engine is to replace at 80,000 miles. Personal experience has shown us that by replacing the timing belt at the 80,000 mile mark helps prevent major engine damage that can result from a broken timing belt.
Water Pump: 80K Miles
To save money in the long run, it is cheaper to replace the water pump at the same time that the timing belt is replaced. This reduces the cost of labor, and keeps your Volkswagen running strong.
Valve Cover Gaskets: 70K Miles
These are used for sealing the valve cover at the top of the motor on your VW. A sign that these need to be replaced is oil on your garage floor or motor block. While these usually fail towards the rear of the engine compartment, it is a low cost replacement and can prevent oil smells in the cabin and potential engine fires.
Oil Changes: 3K – 5K Miles
Oil changes are very important for VW cars. VW 1.8 liter turbo motors are notorious for their “sludging up” issues. Sludging is generally caused by extended oil change intervals and/or “hard driving”. We recommend that if you are driving your VW hard, to replace your oil with a synthetic product every 3,000 miles. If you are a little more gentle of a driver, your VW can stand to get its oil changed every 5,000 miles. This is a general guideline for all VW 1.8 liter turbo motors.