Want To Know Your VW?

Sometimes when in the process of buying a new car, we get so wrapped up in the excitement that we forget to ask general questions. Although our sales staff at Stohlman make sure to do a thorough delivery and explain how your new Volkswagen works, we don't always remember every detail they may have shared during delivery. Even one of my best friends who leases a Jetta will occasionally call me up to ask, "when am I supposed to get an oil change again?" It happens. We understand. Of course you can always reach out to the lovely Stohlman VW folks, but there's now a very convenient alternative provided to us by Volkswagen - knowyourvw.com.

Know Your VW is a great website and/or app that you can use to fully understand your Volkswagen model. It's a great resource that can answer questions and provide information about your vehicle for 2013 and 2014 models.

The screenshot above shows specific videos for technology that you would find in a 2014 Passat including Car-Net and Bluetooth pairing. There's even a tab that will tell you if your device is compatible to connect to your VW using bluetooth.

First time Volkswagen owner? Confused about when you should do your services? Know Your VW can provide the information you need to make sure to keep your Volkswagen in tip top shape. It also explains the difference between scheduling VW Service Xpress appointments, and normal service appointments.

Are you unlucky like me and have unfortunate collisions happen to you? A few years ago, I had 2 accidents in a matter of a 2 month period where a deer ran into ME, and another car accidentally side swiped me. Extremely unlucky. Not all repair shops are Volkswagen Certified, so if your insurance company allows you to pick your body shop, you can opt to pick a Volkswagen Certified Collision Repair Facility, using Know Your VW.

And of course, Know Your VW offers Driving Tips so that you can avoid having to go to a Collision Repair Facility. This is a fantastic resource for those unexperienced drivers. And for those of you who don't have over 5 years of Ohio winter driving experience under your belt like I do, the Driving Tips can help you learn to be an expert snowy day driver. This could come in handy considering the pleasant surprises Mother Nature has been bestowing us this winter. (I recommend investing in snow tires before next winter.) 

Lastly, Know Your VW also offers your owner's manual online! So for those of you who haven't opened a physical book in years, you can maintain that by just entering your VIN number, and it will provide you a digital version of the owner's guide specific for your vehicle. Talk about convenience!

Know Your VW is a great resource that can make you an expert VW owner. So before you schedule your next service, take some time to navigate through, and really get to KNOW your Volkswagen. For questions and comments, tweet us @stohlmanauto. Until next time!


Esther Cho
Volkwagen Product Specialist
@esther_ch5

Move Over Herbie, There's a New Beetle Racer in Town!

(Photo from VWoA Media)

Yesterday at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, Volkswagen announced that they will be teaming up with Andretti Sports Marketing to enter the Red Bull Global Rallycross Series. The Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team will initially begin the season with European rallycross-prepared Polos, then switch to a 560+ horsepower, All Wheel Drive GRC Beetle. Joining the team will be 2011 and 2012 GRC winner Tanner Foust, and former F1 and NASCAR star Scott Speed.

“Red Bull Global Rallycross is the perfect form of motor sports for a youthful, exuberant, and growing brand in the U.S. market,” stated Michael Horn, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “We’re excited to partner with Andretti Autosport, one of the great names in American motor sports, and delighted that we will be running the iconic Beetle in the series.”

What is Rallycross? 

Rallycross is a form of racing that's done on a mixed surface, closed circuit. The automobiles typically driven on this circuit are heavily modified production or specially built road cars. Rallycross has been a part of European and Australian motor sports since the late 1960's and reached our side of the pond in 2010, debuting at the X Games 16, under the name of SuperRally. 

Volkswagen Motorsports

(Rally Sweden 2014 - Photo from VW Motorsports)

Volkswagen started competing in the World Rallycross Series in 1978. After years of competing with variations of the Golf, VW left the series in 1990. After a quiet decade, Volkswagen Motorsports returned to the sport at the 2011 Rally Finland with two Skoda Fabia S2000's (Skoda is a Volkswagen Group automotive company from of the Czech Republic). They then later debuted their Volkswagen Polo R WRC at the beginning of the 2013 World Rallycross season, eventually winning the series that season with French rally drivers, Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. The Polo R WRC has a straight-four engine with turbocharger and intercooling, transversally mounted in front of the front axle, with a 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Truly a monster. The 2014 season began at Rally Monte Carlo, where Volkswagen Motorsports started off strong with a win by Ogier and Ingrassia in the Polo R WRC car #1. Rally Sweden began a few days ago, and will have live coverage until the 8th. The Finnish driver, Jari-Matti Latvala is currently in the lead in the Polo R WRC car #2 after day 2. 

Global RallyCross

(Photo from VWoA Media)

The Red Bull Global RallyCross Series is a rallycross series based in the United States, that began development in 2009. The first full season in 2011 was won by driver Tanner Foust, who as before mentioned will be joining the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team. With the expansion of the X Games, GRC expanded globally also in 2013, featuring races in Brazil, Germany and Spain. The season will open in May at the Top Gear Festival in Barbados, with the GRC Beetle will debut at the X Games in June in Austin, TX. And for those who have a tight travel budget this year, the series will have a race in the Washington DC area, scheduled for June 22nd.

Share your excitement for this terrific motor sports news with us at @stolhmanauto. Until next time!

Esther Cho

Volkswagen Product Specialist

@esther_ch5