We will be closed on July 4th in Observance of Independence Day!
MAKING SENSE OF EVs
While change sometimes takes time to get used to – sometimes we change instantly, and yet other times we drag it out as long as we can before we’re forced to change. There’s certainly no shortage of thoughts, comments and concerns when talking about EV’s (electric vehicles). I’d like to go back in time and think how other things in our lives have changed vs. how they used to be, will be.
FUEL SAVING TIPS!
Oil prices have increased, fuel prices have gone up and us consumers are paying more at the pump.
It is never too late to think about what we can do to save on fuel costs, especially as we prepare for summer road trips. These driving tips can help you save money, time, and headaches!
To optimize your fuel efficiency:
- Keep tires properly inflated,
- Accelerate and brake gently and gradually,
- Turn your vehicle off while idling,
- Remove any excessive weight in your cargo area, and
- Use cruise control when appropriate.
Vehicle Maintenance is pertinent for improving fuel economy:
- Replace your tires when needed: Tires affect vehicle fuel efficiency primarily through rolling resistance. Uneven and low tread patterns force your vehicle to work harder to gain traction.
- Check your vehicle alignment: If the alignment is off, it makes the vehicle work harder when steering which leads to the use of more fuel.
- Replace a dirty engine air filter: Dirty air filters pass less air into the engine causing air restrictions.
- Replace fuel filter: A clogged fuel filter decreases fuel efficiency and prevents smooth acceleration.
- Replace spark plugs: Worn spark plugs prevent your engine from efficiently burning all of the fuel in the combustion chamber resulting in wasted gas.
- Keep up with your oil changes: Regular oil changes help improve your fuel mileage. Clean oil moving through your engine lubricates the metal parts increasing your engine performance. This helps it run more efficiently with less work.
Let Hewlett Volkswagen help you save money and ensure your vehicle is ready for the road. Stop by during normal service business hours for a Free Alignment Check or Complimentary Pit Stop service which includes checking your tire pressures, tire conditions and top off fluids.
Safe travels!
Samantha Gomez
Service Drive Manager
Hewlett Volkswagen, LP
WHY BUY FROM HEWLETT VOLKSWAGEN?
First and foremost, FUN. Car buying is not only a big deal, it’s a big investment. Maybe it’s a statement about yourself but a new vehicle is always fun to drive – why not make it fun to buy? At Hewlett Volkswagen, we do just that! Our staff works so well together and has so much fun that the “fun” becomes contagious. It’s not uncommon to see them helping each other out, high fiving in the showroom, and celebrating birthdays together. When our customers see that we’re always smiling and having fun, the car buying experience itself becomes just that – fun!
New Building
Wow is this place awesome! Even I was impressed how it turned out and I knew what it was going to look like. Crisp new offices and furniture, images on the walls, spacious waiting areas, a much larger service drive, additional restrooms, the list goes on…
Staff
We’ve ramped up our staff to not only better serve you – but to do it faster. This is true for both sales and service.
Inventory
With our recent surge in sales last year (we rank #6 in the nation), VW has sent us tons of vehicles of all trim levels. Our inventory selection is better than it was pre-Covid days. In fact, we may have more inventory now that we’ve ever had in our 21 years of existence.
If you wish to upgrade your vehicle or service the one you have, come see us. You’ll be “wowed” from the time you walk in and see a friendly smile from Nancy at the front desk until you leave with your service complete or your new vehicle keys in your hands.
Hope we see you soon!
John Chauvin, General Manager
Hewlett Volkswagen
Hewlett Volkswagen, Recharged 2023!
The remodel is complete! Yes, the move back-in has been accomplished, the selection of vehicles is plentiful, and the staff is pumped! We did it! We finally finished the 18-month long process of this major remodel, and we got back to doing what we do best, selling and servicing our wonderful customer base and we get to do it all from one location.
Obviously when you take on a project of this magnitude, it doesn’t come without questions and concerns. We at Hewlett VW were doing very well at and with our previous facility. A larger, more modernized and (obviously) more expensive facility begs the question, is it worth it? Will our customer base be better served? Will our process become faster and more streamlined? Will we be able to offer more new and pre-owned car selections, faster service and write-ups and shorter wait times? We are very aware that time is money and spending time at a dealership is not on the top of anyone’s list. Therefore, being customer centric has been our top priority with this entire project from the beginning.
Several of these questions were answered in our first month of operation at our new facility. With the Thanksgiving holiday, November is historically just a “ho hum” month in terms of volume of sales, service, parts and overall business in general. Well…. Hewlett Volkswagen not only posted the best November ever, but we also broke an all-time store record in sales with 221 new and pre-owned sales for the month, in NOVEMBER! Records in the auto industry are meant to be broken in the busy summer months, not November. This wouldn’t be saying much if we had only been a dealer for 2 or 3 years, but we’ve been a Volkswagen dealer in Georgetown for over 20 years and we broke our own record in November! To top it all off, Volkswagen of America posted the national standings after we closed the month and Hewlett Volkswagen in Georgetown Texas, ranked #7 in new car volume for the entire nation!
I’ve said it many times, the future is bright. New inventory is arriving daily, our new facility is complete, we’ve added staff to accommodate our customers and pure excitement from our employees has this place hopping!
Come see the new facility and see what the excitement is all about, but fair warning, you may catch yourself doing a little dance because this is such a fun place to be.
Thank you for your support, we wish you and your family all the best during this holiday season, and we hope to see you soon!
John Chauvin
General Manager – Hewlett Volkswagen
GEORGETOWN, TEXAS 11/9/2023, Hewlett Volkswagen, one of Central Texas’ beloved and premier Volkswagen dealers, has reopened its doors to a completely renovated state-of-the-art facility that nods to the progressive future of automotive retail and electric vehicles (EVs). The open space and architecture of the facility was intentionally designed to match the already warm and friendly environment created by the sales, service, and management team.
Along with the beautifully redesigned showroom comes an enhanced and optimized service center specifically designed to meet the exact needs of customers, ranging from a routine oil change to scheduling a more specialized vehicle service. The goal being to get customers and their families back on the road quickly and safely.
John Chauvin, Hewlett Volkswagen General Manager stated, “We have been working on the redesign of the VW dealership for nearly five years and are excited to see it come to fruition. The design is unique to the area and incorporates larger spaces in both the sales and service departments reducing wait times and making the in-store experience very pleasant.”
This truly recharged facility allows for more than just an aesthetic appeal, having one of the largest selections of Volkswagen SUVs and EVs in Central Texas including the all-electric ID.4, the 7 passenger Atlas and the fuel-efficient Taos.
You are cordially invited to visit our new sales showroom, VW parts counter, and service center at 7951 Hewlett Loop, Georgetown, TX 78626.
About Hewlett Volkswagen
Since opening our doors in August 2001, Hewlett Volkswagen has been on a path of steady growth fueled by hard work, planning and earning the steadfast loyalty of both employees and customers through exceptional customer service.
New, Certified, & Pre-Owned Sales: Monday – Saturday from 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Service: Monday – Friday from 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Saturday from 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM
4 Helpful Tips
Tom Fornshell, Service Director
First, let me reassure you, the smell is not coming from you. Second, if your car sits outside all the time, the odor can be even worse. But don’t worry, we can help!
Air conditioners have a cold component behind your dash area called an evaporator. This is the part that makes your cabin air colder. And just like that icy cold glass of sweet tea on your table, it sweats… a lot. In fact, it sweats so much, there is a specialized drain for the case the evaporator sits in. This thing leaks water all the time because the evaporator sweats; making it a great environment for bacteria and mold to grow. And, again, if your car sits outside where it gets up to 90 and 100+, these things grow and multiply. Pretty soon things start to smell. And to make matters worse, all the organic matter in the air like pollen, leaves, seed pods, insect parts, and dander can find their way into the evaporator case turning it into a warm, moist, dark, microbial kegger for mold and bacteria. There is a filter (sometimes called a pollen or cabin air filter) that keeps a lot of these undesirables out but that can start to smell foul too when it gets filled with this debris.
Helpful tip #1: Replace the pollen filter. This is cheap and easy. Volkswagen recommends doing it every couple of years or 20,000 miles. The new maintenance schedules can stretch out to 60,000 miles, but that is like replacing the A/C filter in your house every three years!
Helpful tip #2: Get the charcoal filter. There are a few types of filters in Volkswagens. Some are plain paper like your house A/C and some are charcoal impregnated. The charcoal helps with odors and is similar in price to the plain paper ones. If someone will not sell you a charcoal activated cabin or pollen filter, go somewhere else.
Helpful tip #3: If you have severe allergies replace the filter every year preferably right after cedar season!
Helpful tip #4: If none of this helps and the microbial kegger has been going on for a while, you will want to treat the interior of your evaporator system with an antimicrobial chemical. Replace your filter at the same time for the best results.
I always tell everyone to fix safety related items before you fix the optional or secondary concerns. With ambient temperatures continuing in the three digits, air conditioners become safety items especially for very young or very old passengers. These tips are meant to be helpful in making owning your Volkswagen something to smile about.
As always, Happy motoring.
Tom Fornshell
August 2023, Construction Update
By John Chauvin, General Manager
As I walk around the new construction, I am in awe of the space the new facility will have. While I don’t have the actual square footage of the buildings before and after memorized, it looks like the showroom, service department, service write-up area and service drive lanes all have doubled in size. Not only is it much larger, it looks totally different both inside and outside. Seriously, if you walk into the front door, about the only thing recognizable is the half spiral staircase that was in the showroom. Everything else has expanded, moved, and taken on an entirely new look.
Windows are in, sheetrock is up (taped and floated), floor tile is starting to be installed and the air conditioner is on. The original restrooms have taken on a major overhaul and are much larger now. We’ve added additional restrooms to the service write-up area and have expanded the waiting room. This place is amazing, and I cannot wait to see the finish-out work as it gets completed.
As for the parking lot, we have carved a driveway between our VW store and our Collision Center. The first few rows in front of the Collision Center will be turned into added display areas for new vehicles adding multiple parking spaces for us to stock even more inventory than years past.
As for current business: I’ll admit, we were a little concerned about how moving into a temporary location (just 2 doors down) would affect normal business. To my delight, I’m excited to say, business increased. Yes, our old Hummer building has tons of parking for inventory which allows us to stock more cars, but one never knows how things will go when you “move their cheese” so to speak. We’ve added staff to accommodate for this growth, which also helps shorten the time spent when purchasing a new or pre-owned vehicle from us.
I’m also proud to say, with added staff, more inventory, great deals and shorter wait times, we’ve moved into the Top 15 largest volume Volkswagen dealers in the entire nation. And we did it from a temporary location! Our next goal is to move into the top 10 which I’m extremely confident we’ll accomplish when we move into this new facility in just a few short months.
Stay tuned for the GRAND OPENING celebration event. We’re planning a big one and you’re invited!
Thank you very much for your business!
John Chauvin – General Manager
Hewlett Volkswagen, LP
Keep Your Cool in the Summer Heat!
By Samantha Gomez, Service Drive Manager
It’s time to charge up that A/C. Don’t wait until it is too late!
As Texas introduces us to the summertime heat, it is important that your vehicle’s air conditioning system is in full operation. There’s nothing worse than getting into a hot car on a 100o day and having an inoperable A/C system.
Air conditioning systems are designed to keep your passengers cool and comfortable. It is not uncommon for a vehicle’s air conditioning system to go untouched and unmaintained until it stops working all together.
Volkswagen recommends that you check your vehicle’s air conditioning system annually to identify any malfunctions. Sometimes waiting until the system completely stops working can cost you much more in both time and money. And don’t forget that getting stuck in the heat with no A/C is almost unbearable. Our Volkswagen Certified Technicians can inspect, evaluate, and recharge the A/C system to ensure that your air conditioning blows cold!
Take advantage of our Summer A/C special. During an A/C Service and Performance Check, the technician will evacuate the refrigerant and recharge to proper levels, check belts and hoses, check proper operation of A/C system components, check for leaks and add dye when necessary, check blower operation and vent temperatures, and perform a system performance test. We will also replace the ventilation pollen/cabin filter to help optimize the cool air flow and interior air quality.
If you haven’t had your AC system serviced in a while, give us a call at 512-681-3500 and we would be glad to help you.
Summertime Tip: To help maintain cooler temperatures inside your vehicle, we recommend utilization of an interior Genuine Volkswagen Sun Shade. Studies have shown that interior temperatures can decrease by 40o or more with the use of this product. We do sell custom fit Sun Shades in our Service Department.
May 2023, Construction Update
By John Chauvin, General Manager
As each day, week and month go by – progress on our new building seems to take another step towards the finish line. Not that we’re all that close to completion, our time frame is still September, October but watching the workers doing their thing is fun and exciting when I go visit the site. They really get a lot done each day.
Our now “mega-expanded” service shop area is about 98% complete. There are a few small items still to finish but the technicians are back in the shop with lots of extra space, new equipment, new toolboxes, new breakroom, and fresh bright white paint all over. With all this fresh, clean, newness all around them, the technicians seem to really enjoy their workspace because I see smiles on their faces every day.
The service drive itself is being expanded to three-lanes. The service write-up area is being reconfigured in such a way that each advisor faces the drive. This allows for better visibility to help customers as soon as they pull in. We’re also adding restrooms to the customer waiting area for your convenience.
Showroom: What can I say, along with all of VW’s EV elements we’re adding, the actual size of the showroom itself will almost double. As you may have seen, the front of the building has been demolished and the iron support beams are going up. As I walk around, I can get a real feel for the actual size now that the perimeter beams and roof supports are in place.
With all the new Volkswagen EV elements we’re constructing, new furniture for the entire dealership, and a modern look from front to back, Hewlett Volkswagen is on track to be a flagship facility for the brand.
We feel like Georgetown and the entire Austin market is the perfect place to showcase this all-new Volkswagen facility and we really can’t wait for it to be complete and have you at our ribbon cutting. Stay tuned as we’ll announce those dates soon.
Of course, we’re still going strong at our temporary location (two doors down). Our turn rates on new cars have been so high that VW has awarded us with additional inventory. We now have more new and pre-owned vehicles than we’ve had in over two years. Come see us!
We look forward to serving you!
What Does This Light Mean?
By Samantha Gomez, Service Drive Manager
With new technology always in development our vehicles become smarter and more intelligent every year. A Volkswagen is equipped with multiple monitors that are continuously working for you while you are behind the wheel to ensure that you are well informed of the vehicle’s health and safety.
The old days of knowing when something was wrong with your vehicle typically involved being broken down and stuck on the side of the road. With today’s smart vehicles those days are practically gone. Technology has provided us with early warning signs so that the driver knows exactly when service and maintenance are needed.
I understand that it can be alarming to suddenly receive a message on the dashboard or have a warning indicator pop up. What I explain to my guests is this: think of the warning indicator as a traffic light. Green is ‘good’, yellow is ‘caution’ and red is ‘stop’. Green indicators may be items such as ‘push foot on brake pedal to start’ or ‘daytime running lights are on’. A few examples of yellow indicators are tire pressures need attention, exterior bulb is inoperative, windshield washer fluid low or an engine light indicator. If a warning light is flashing or a red warning indicator appears, the vehicle should not be driven and should be towed to the dealership.
Please take a few moments to review the Warning Light Guide. Remember, you can always visit KnowYourVW.com or refer to your owner’s manual for further information. Don’t forget, you can always give us a call at 512-681-3500 and we will be happy to help.
Safe motoring!
Construction Update
Hewlett Volkswagen is undergoing a massive remodel and we couldn’t be more excited. Due to the size and scope of this undertaking, the project has several phases and they’re all coming along quite nicely.
The first phase was to expand the service workshop area. We started with the north side, tore out the old asphalt, replaced the base and poured the slab to withstand the new addition. In doing so, we had to build a temporary wall down the middle of the shop and move a few technicians over to the south side of the building. This also required us to move a few technicians over to our Chevrolet shop. That phase was the first to be completed. All the new lifts and equipment were installed, and the technicians have all moved back in. The north side of the shop was next, doing the same thing. That phase is within a few weeks of completion and all the technicians will be back in the same building very soon.
Next was our service drive. If you’ve driven by, you may have noticed our two-lane service drive awning was torn down to make room for the new and enclosed three-lane addition. All that concrete has been poured and the steel structures are up.
The contractor then started the demo on the showroom. The glass came out, the walls came down and – you guessed it, more concrete poured. Our showroom will be expanded on all three sides, the front, the north, and the south.
The completion date is set for late August. We’re very fortunate to be able to operate out of a temporary site on the Hewlett campus that’s just two doors down. It was our old “Hummer” building and although I say old, it’s really not old at all. Considering most dealers must operate out of a trailer during a remodel of this size, our temporary facility has a lot of great features including a comfortable waiting area and plenty of parking for our customers and our expanding inventory of new and used vehicles.
While we perform the actual service on your vehicle at the newly remodeled shop, Hewlett Volkswagen’s service write up area is 2 doors down at the temporary location too (Hummer building) as many of you have already experienced.
Stay tuned for news on our HUGE ribbon cutting celebration as we get closer to completion. We’d love to have you out to tour the new facility.
John Chauvin
General Manager – Hewlett Volkswagen
Service Drop-Off Options
Do you ever find it difficult to make arrangements to drop your vehicle off for service? Questions often arise such as, when can I drop off my car, how am I going to get to work, what if I can only drop it after the service department is closed?
Stress no more! We are here to help!
We understand that your time is valuable and finding that extra time to fit more into your schedule can be challenging. Please take a moment to review a couple of alternative ways we can help.
Courtesy Shuttle Ride Service
Available weekdays from 7:30am-4:30pm and on Saturday from 7:30am-2:00pm.
During these hours we offer Complimentary Shuttle service to and from your chosen destination within a 25-mile radius of the dealership. We can get you back to Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Jarrell, Hutto, etc.
We also offer free shuttle rides for our guests to nearby locations near while waiting on vehicle service. Popular places include the Round Rock Outlet Mall, Bass Pro Shop, the Georgetown Square, Cinemark Theatres, and many local restaurants.
Our first shuttle of the day typically leaves at 7:30am and continues to shuttle our guests as needed throughout the day. When your vehicle is ready for pickup, we will come and pick you up. Let us take care of you!
Early Bird/Night Drop off
Available Anytime
We understand that it may be difficult to make time to drop off your vehicle during business hours. Having another option to drop your vehicle off is a must. Our Early Bird and Night Drop service options are available to you any time you may need. You can simply drop off your vehicle before your service visit.
If you already have a scheduled drop off time with your advisor during the day and you can’t make it in, you have two options to leave your car.
1. If you plan on dropping your vehicle off when service is closed but the Sales Department is still open, please check in with the Sales Receptionist. They will gather your information for the Service Team, collect your keys and pass on the information.
2. If it’s more convenient to leave your vehicle after hours, please follow these directions. While in our temporary building (on the corner of IH35 and Page Whitney), you’ll need to leave your locked vehicle on Page Whitney, walk around the locked gates at Hewlett Volkswagen and come up to the Service Drive. There you’ll find a Key Envelope Drop Box on the West end of the drive. The box is stocked with envelopes and pens. Complete the information on the envelope, place the key in the envelope and drop it in the security container. Our Service Team will retrieve it when we reopen the next day and will contact you.
We hope these options will be of assistance. If you have questions regarding service drop offs, or need further information, please contact our Service Department directly at 512-681-3531.
Whatever you need, we are here to help.
Regards,
Samantha Gomez, Service Drive Manager
Construction Is (Finally) Underway!
We’ve been planning, drawing, designing, changing, dreaming, you name it – all for this moment. Hewlett Volkswagen is now under renovation. As you may be aware, we’ve moved two doors down to our old Hewlett Hummer building. That facility is extremely nice and has a huge parking lot for all our inventory. The service drive is also located in that building, which is where you bring your vehicle for service now.
Progress is being made.
The north side of the shop on the original building is the side we expanded first. It’s completed, open and fully functional. We moved our technicians to that side so the construction team can start to expand the south side of the shop. In conjunction with the south side service demo, they’ve started the demolition of the showroom. Yes, our original VW building is almost non-recognizable now as they seem to knock-down and haul off huge sections daily.
Obviously our temporary location (old Hummer building) is well marked with signage and directions as to how to get there if you accidently go to the original location. Both sales and service write up (pick up and drop off) is at that location so there’s no need to go to the old location until we move back in.
While we apologize for this minor inconvenience, we invite you to come visit because our temporary location is quite impressive and spacious – complete with a full customer lounge stocked with refreshments and comfy chairs.
We will update as progress continues, until then: happy motoring!
John Chauvin – GM
Hewlett Volkswagen, LP
Patience Is A Virtue
By Samantha Gomez, Service Drive Manager
Patience is something I learned long ago, and it helps during these trying times as we adjust to the growth in our area. With growth comes challenges and change, including crowding, traffic and longer waits. I have encountered this almost everywhere; at the grocery store, the movies, shopping centers and even dining out. The Austin Chamber of Commerce shows that the population of Williamson County grew by 44.1% between 2010 and 2020. Travis County grew by 26%. That’s a lot of growth in a short period of time!
So, what do we do about area growth? Well, we grow with it!
We are experiencing an increase in the volume of guests we serve at Hewlett Volkswagen and we apologize if you have encountered a delay. To meet these demands, we have made some necessary adjustments to help assist with the scheduling and repair process to best accommodate estimated wait times and to minimize the inconvenience.
Our Courtesy Shuttle services have increased, and we are utilizing Uber shuttle services to help with your transportation needs. Our Service Team offers Pit Stop services to our guests that would like to have their fluids and tire pressures checked prior to their scheduled appointment. We are also offering code read scans and battery health tests prior to scheduled appointments if needed.
Many additional processes have been put into place to help with service requests. Please keep in mind that our current appointment scheduling and wait times are temporary as we are working on changes.
What are our upcoming changes?
With excitement, it is my pleasure to say that Hewlett Volkswagen is currently undergoing a building addition. The state-of-the art building remodel and expansion will provide us with more technician bays allowing for faster services and shorter appointment wait times. It will double the size of the waiting area for our guests’ comfort, expand the sales floor allowing for an enhanced customer experience and the addition of an enlarged service drive will make dropping off and picking up your Volkswagen easier. In addition, our Management Team is working diligently on expanding our staff.
We look forward to being able to share this expansion with you. We are here because of you, we appreciate your patience and as always, thank you for your continued business.
Have a great summer,
Samantha
The Beginning of a New Beginning
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, we here at Hewlett Volkswagen are about to embark on a building remodel that will incorporate all of the new EV (electric vehicle) elements and a new design. This state-of-the-art design is currently one of only a small handful built throughout the United States. With Central Texas being an excellent location for electric vehicles, we’re extremely excited to have one of the very first marquis facilities for the Volkswagen brand.
Along with the new look, our showroom will be expanded to accommodate additional sales staff. The service drive will have an additional lane added, the service department itself will have additional service bays added and the customer waiting lounge will get a major overhaul.
While we anticipate this construction project will take over a year (maybe 18 months) we will be operating as normal for a short time more. The first phase of the project is the widening of the service department. By doing this first, that allows the sales staff to stay put for a few more months and the service techs will simply move to the other side of the shop. When the time comes and the showroom construction begins, we will be moving two doors down (south) to our Hummer building.
The timeline as to how and when everything will play out is somewhat fluid. We will update our website on a regular basis as well as have plenty of signage throughout the property to direct you where to go.
This small and relatively short inconvenience will be over before we know it, then it’s on to new beginnings and a bright future. The Volkswagen brand has exciting products (ID.Buzz or VW Bus) in the very near future. We here at Hewlett Volkswagen are extremely excited not only for those new products but to have a state-of-the-art marquis facility for the brand.
We look forward to seeing you very soon!
John Chauvin – GM
Hewlett Volkswagen
Know Your VW
Get Personally Acquainted with Your Volkswagen!
Visit KnowYourVW.com
By Samantha Gomez, Service Drive Manager
Check out KnowYourVW.com. An amazing Volkswagen website that has everything you’ll ever need to know to get personal with your VW!
Have you have ever been confused on how to use a new feature on your vehicle? Do you want to learn exactly what your vehicle has to offer? Have questions regarding warranty coverage and maintenance plans? Or are you ready to add on a personalized accessory to your Volkswagen? Well, if you answered yes to at least one of these questions, you need to visit KnowYourVW.com.
Understanding your VW is now easier than ever. On the site, you’ll discover “Quick Start Guides” and “Short Videos” based on the technology features specific to your vehicle’s model and year.
In these tutorials you’ll learn about topics such as:
• Front assist, lane assist and parking assist,
• Blind spot monitor, rear traffic alert, adaptive cruise control,
• Keyless access and remote start,
• Bluetooth, App-Connect,
• Navigation,
• Digital cockpit,
• How to set the clock,
• Car-Net®, and much, more.
I find this site very helpful and use it myself. I have owned a few Volkswagen models in my day including a Passat, Atlas and now an Atlas Cross Sport and each one is slightly different and equipped with more features and technology, which I enjoy. These videos provide you with a better understanding on how everything operates, and they help eliminate user errors saving you valuable time.
You can also find other information on this website including:
• Warranty information / owner’s manual literature,
• VW maintenance plans / contracts and maintenance interval checklists,
• Vehicle recall and service campaign updates,
• Available parts, accessories, and VW DriverGear,
• Local service and parts coupons, and
• Information on the VW service credit card including online applications.
So, when you have extra time, I encourage you to pull up this website on your computer or phone and learn about your vehicle’s features. It is a great tool for any of your Volkswagen needs.
Be safe out there,
Samantha Gomez
Service Drive Manager
Replacement Keys
Tom Fornshell (aka Dr. Service) Answers the Question:
Can I Get a Cheap Key for My VW Online (or anywhere else)?
The simple answer: Likely, no.
The longer answer: Everyone wants to save money or find a good deal. Without getting into the debate about buying local and supporting your community, it seems everyone is looking for a deal. Even I, a guy born before cell phones, the internet, computers, and even color TV; use the world wide web to find a good product at a fair price… or great price.
Warning: do not try this with a replacement key for your Volkswagen. Keys for your VW need to be programmed to your car both to enable the security for starting and for programming the buttons to lock and open locks. We have never, not one time, been able to program a key someone bought online for their Volkswagen. It is a waste of your money. This is one area where the good deal is simply not a deal.
The problem is each key must have an electronic ”handshake” with your car before your car will allow the vehicle to run with that specific key. The only way for us to do that programming is to bounce the key off VW’s server in Germany. If the key is not listed in the server, we cannot program the car to accept the key’s handshake. VW will not change that. The entire reason is security. You don’t want someone to be able to make a key for your car and drive away with it. Germans take this responsibility very seriously (at least I know the VW and BMW people do). They make it mostly entirely impossible to bypass their security.
Within the last 45 days we have had two VW’s towed to us because someone hired a locksmith to make a key for them and program it for their car. The immobilizers in the instrument clusters were fried due to the programming trickery a “key guy” did to their car. The rather expensive instrument clusters had to be replaced. There is no doubt a locksmith type person out there is taking great exception to this article, and maybe someone can reprogram an older Volkswagen for a key to work… maybe. But experience tells me otherwise.
Save your money, time, and irritation. Get your key from a VW dealer even if it isn’t us. It will save you in the long run.
Stay safe and happy motoring.
Tom Fornshell
Service & Parts Manager
State of the Union
State of the Union
At Least for VW and Hewlett Volkswagen
By John Chauvin, General Manager
As we ring in 2022 and say goodbye to 2021, we reflect on the changes that occurred in the auto industry as well as for us here at Hewlett Volkswagen.
It’s safe to say, 2021 brought more challenges and opportunities than we’ve ever witnessed as an industry. With the micro-chip shortage and supply chain issues causing havoc on the auto industry, we here at Hewlett Volkswagen embraced those challenges and made the best of it.
While we still had inventory shortages, Volkswagen continued to build vehicles. It was up to us to figure out how to get our “unfair” share of those shipments to keep our volume high and take care of our customer base. VW basically went to a turn rate and days-supply algorithm to fairly allocate inventory. Translation, if you had the least amount of inventory and the highest sell rate, you would receive more inventory at a faster pace.
How does that help you? We have the mindset that every car must go. We are making deals on every vehicle we get because, frankly, while it does improve our turn rate and shorten our days-supply, it also takes care of our customers because we can get them into the cars and SUV’s they want at a faster pace.
Of course, while all this has our management team working around the clock to keep tabs on our incoming pipeline, our inventory on the ground and our sell rate for the new car side, we haven’t forgotten about the pre-owned department.
In fact, we’ve increased our inventory on the pre-owned side, more than we’ve ever had actually. Our pre-owned inventory is so robust, we jokingly call ourselves “the pre-owned factory” because almost everyone looking for something pre-owned, drives away with their dream car.
We look for 2022 and maybe even 2023 to be similar with the challenges we’ve seen in 2021 but one thing will be drastically different for us here at Hewlett Volkswagen. Yes, you heard it here first…. We’re putting the final touches on the design of our all-new showroom and service areas. Yes, Hewlett Volkswagen will soon undergo a complete remodel that will knock your socks off. This design is so advanced with technology and EV design elements, one look when you walk in will make you sit back and just say “wow”. It will be beautiful, and we cannot wait. More details to come in my next newsletter so stay tuned.
In the meantime, new inventory is coming in and the pre-owned inventory has its best selection ever so come by and see us, the time to trade is GREAT!
Happy Motoring
John Chauvin – GM
Hewlett Volkswagen
Christmas in November!
Holy Smokes, Volkswagen has opened a Thanksgiving Buffet of deals for the month of November. Three HUGE sale events are happening now.
“Sign then Drive” Event* is back! No “first payment due at signing”. Practically all we need is your signature. Volkswagen started this event many years ago. Its success rate has been so great that many other brands have attempted to copy. This is the easiest, fastest way to get into a new vehicle. Have leasing questions? Let us know. With our total transparent leasing process, we want no questions left unanswered. We’re glad to help but hurry, the event will expire and the best inventory will go first.
Tax Credits: Volkswagen Credit, Inc. (VCI) has announced tax credits on all lease contracts for all model lines. This could save you THOUSANDS! Just ask our employees, this is when they get their new cars! Without sales tax, a payment is considerably less.
No payments until next year! With 45 days to first payment, your first payment will not be due until 2022. Trade in your ride, skip that payment, have extra Christmas cash!
Hewlett Volkswagen just received a huge allocation of new vehicles making our selection better than we’ve seen in many months. Obviously with these three deals out there, the best will go first. We’re out to break records for the month of November and with these deals, the timing to get that new Volkswagen you’ve always wanted could not be better.
Come test drive your next vehicle today, we look forward to seeing you!
How To Buy a Car When There’s No Inventory!
As I mentioned in my previous newsletter, the microchip shortage is real and has caused shipments of new vehicles to dealers to come to a pedestrian crawl. We’re still getting deliveries but not nearly as many and obviously not fast enough.
While just about every auto maker is faced with this, the microchip shortage is just that, a shortage. The supply hasn’t completely dried up, chips are still getting made and installed into new vehicles but at a much slower rate than we’re all used to.
We’ve learned a few microchip production lessons along the way, but people ask all the time, “when is this going to end?” That question seems to have a different answer every time someone attempts to answer it. I too have my own opinion. Yes, Covid played a role in this. The original Covid outbreak (March of last year) more than likely started it. Chip factories did shut down and had somewhat of a stockpile of chips at the time, so they figured catching up would be no issue. That unfortunately hasn’t been the case. They’ve gone through their stockpile and a few manufacturers have had to shut down again due to other Covid outbreaks. The catching up part hasn’t caught up, so to speak.
VW did a really good job in the beginning at predicting this and pushed their microchips over to higher volume model lines so they could continue sales at a somewhat decent pace. That too has slowed down. At first, we’d sell 100 new Volkswagen’s in a month and VW would ship us about 100. Then the summer months arrived and we’d sell 110-120 or more but VW’s shipments went down from 100 to 60 to sometimes only 40 per month. Obviously, this created a lot of visible empty black top on our lots.
So, back to the title of this article: How to buy a car when there’s no inventory? Every auto manufacturer has some sort of “turn and earn” allocation system if you will. The faster you sell them, the faster they’ll send them. The cars (trucks/SUVs included) are still getting produced, albeit at a much lower rate, but they’re still coming. Being that the selection on the lot keeps shrinking, we have been forced to sell from the “incoming pipeline”.
If we do not have exactly what you’re looking for, chances are, one is incoming (or very similar) and will be here very soon. We take a $500 deposit and that gives you first right of refusal. Obviously, we won’t contract you until you take delivery but it’s a way to get a vehicle. If you change your mind or simply do not want it when it arrives, we give you your deposit back and sell it to someone else (usually the same day).
Like many other things in our lives these days, the auto industry is changing rapidly. While none of us can predict the future, what we can do is continue to offer the best sales and service experience possible.
Because some things out of our control may change, our commitment to exceeding your sales and service experience remains our top priority.
Stay safe,
John Chauvin, General Manager
Fall Car Care
By Samantha Gomez, Service Drive ManagerDid you know that October is the official Fall Car Care Month designated by the Car Care Council? Car Care months are designed to bring awareness and attention to the importance of regular car care and preventative maintenance.
In the fall, we can expect falling leaves and falling temperatures. Getting your vehicle ready for these conditions is important. Before you know it, cooler weather will be here. You know, sweater weather!
Here are some items that you should have checked and inspected as the hot Texas summer months can take a toll on our vehicles.
1) Check your fluids– Much like your body, your vehicle needs fluids to keep it running. Assuring your oil is topped off is important for internal engine lubrication and other components. Coolant mixture content and level is important to help keep your vehicle cool to avoid overheating concerns. Washer fluid is a must to keep your driving visibility clear.
2) Check your tires and pressures – As we work our way into the cooler temperatures, cold air can cause your tires to lose air. Colder air is denser, which makes your vehicle less aerodynamic; and lower tire pressures can increase your rolling resistance. This is one reason why it is important to have good tread on your tires.
3) Check your battery – Did you know that a battery in lower temperatures produces less current than in higher temperatures? That is why it’s important to assure your battery is in good health. The last position anyone would want to be in is stuck in the cold. At Hewlett VW, we will check your battery for you anytime at no cost.
4) Wipers – Wipers are most important and most forgotten. In a lot of cases wipers are replaced when they fall apart. But why wait till then? Damaged wipers can lead to visibility concerns and often result in a scratched windshield that must be replaced. At Hewlett Volkswagen, we will happily install new windshield wipers for you. At minimum, it Is best to replace your wiper blades once a year.
5) Brake system– Slippery weather is around the corner. Keep your brakes functioning by inspecting them for wear. Brake fluids should also be checked regularly for moisture content percentage. If moisture content is high this can contaminate the system. A contaminated brake system will impair a vehicles ability to stop and may cause corrosion to system components.
6) Lights – It’s important to check all exterior lights, brake lights, headlights, license plate lights, hazard lights, etc., at least once each year. As the days become shorter, you may find yourself depending more on your vehicle’s lighting system. It is important for you to be able to see and the people around you to be able to see you.
7) Pack a winter car care kit – Be better prepared for obstacles and/or emergencies. A winter car care kit should contain: a flashlight and extra batteries, roadside kit, umbrella, blanket, hat and gloves, water, multi-tool, first aid kit and ice scraper.
8) Schedule time for fall car care– It is always easy to talk about taking care of our vehicles but the most important thing is getting it done!
Feel free to take advantage of our Complimentary Pit Stop Service or Multi-point Inspection. We would be happy to check any of these items for you, anytime! No appointment necessary, no purchase required. We look forward to seeing you!
Safe travels.
What’s All the Buzz Surrounding the New ID.4?
“The ID.4 is super easy to charge at home or at the Round Rock Outlet Mall!” Hewlett VW customer.
“The Hewlett Sales team was really easy and fun to work with. I leased a new iD.4 and Paul, Amanda and Mike made it a breeze. Thank you everyone for making this the smoothest new vehicle decision ever. The financial advantages of leasing an electric Volkswagen are compelling. The staff here is very friendly and supportive. By leasing from VW Credit, I was able to get the $7,500 Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit applied immediately to my lease which reduced my payments, the Hewlett VW team arranged to eliminate vehicle sales taxes with a special lease, I won’t have to buy gas, and my electricity to power the iD.4 is free for 36 months at a nationwide network of chargers provided by Volkswagen. The iD.4 is easy to drive and operate, and so quiet, it is our perfect commuter vehicle. The IQ.DRIVE features have also made my commute easier and safer. No regrets here.”
Russell
Austin, Texas
“The Volkswagen ID 4 is better than a good car, it’s a great one and surely a sign of even better EVs to come from VW.”
Tim Stevens
Road / Show
“The VW ID.4 ticks all the boxes you want for a traditional compact crossover that just so happens to be electric.”
Jeff Perez
Motor1.com
The Road to the 2021 World Car Awards journey concluded today with the declaration of the VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 as the 2021 World Car of the Year as voted by our 93 distinguished international journalists from 28 countries that make up the World Car Awards jury panel. This year’s winner was chosen from an initial entry list of 24 vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists as announced on March 30, 2021. The Top Three finalists for 2021 are the Honda e, the Toyota Yaris and the Volkswagen ID.4.
Vehicles eligible for the World Car of the Year award must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units/year, must be priced below the luxury-car level in their primary markets, and must be “on-sale” in at least two major markets, on at least two separate continents, between May 1, 2020, and May 1, 2021.
Tell Me More, Tell Me More, About The New ID4
Volkswagen’s first – from the ground up – designed electric car for our market is a huge hit. It’s an SUV called ID.4 that seems bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Its spaciousness welcomes small and large framed drivers alike. Volkswagen did it right. Rather than making the ID.4 look like a spaceship with tiny little tires or something out of a Sci-Fi movie, this vehicle looks like a regular car with inherently Volkswagen styling. I was pleasantly surprised by this car the first time I drove it. Oh, and it is super quiet, too. In fact, it is so quite Volkswagen gave it a voice! The ID.4 actually projects an electric car sound below 20 mph, when there is no noticeable road noise, so pedestrians can hear it coming.
For charging, imagine, if you will, filling your gasoline powered car up from your home and rarely or never having to visit a gas station unless you were taking a long trip. With the ID.4 your garage is your “gas station”. Installing a level II charger in your home is already commonplace and it can charge your car overnight, so you always leave home with a full “tank” (charge) if you want to. With a range of 250 miles or more, most people will find this is all the charge they ever need; so, day to day commuting and errands don’t require a visit to a charging station. If you do end up on a longer trip, Volkswagen partnered with Electrify America in building charging stations all over the country. In fact, Rainer Zietlow and Derek Collins recently embarked on an ID.4 cross country trip to visit over 600 VW dealers crisscrossing 48 states. To make things easy, the ID.4 takes a standard type1 (J1772) charging plug available at most all charging stations (Tesla charger plugs are different).
With fewer moving parts, less maintenance is required. Imagine no more oil changes! You will still need some maintenance items like tires and brakes from time to time like all cars do, but overall, you’ll spend less time taking care of your car and more time enjoying it.
Electric cars have some nice features like no carbon emissions and Volkswagen has added more to the ID.4 like the following driver focused features:
Keyless operation with no start stop button. All you do is get in the car with a key in your pocket or purse and put your foot on the brake to put ID.4 in gear and you’re off. Leaving the vehicle is as easy as putting it in park and getting out. The ID.4 is smart enough to turn itself off.
Free charging for three years at Electrify America stations all over the country.
Over the air software updates eliminating the need for a trip to the dealer for updates and enhancements or new features.
These are just some of the advantages of the ID.4 so there is no wonder the ID in ID.4 stands for Intelligent Design.
The ID.4 has only been available for a few months and there are already over a hundred running around the Austin area; so, come check them out. Maybe you will be as impressed as I am with our new electric car.
As always, happy motoring.
Tom Fornshell, Service & Parts Manager
LLumar® Window Tint
Let’s face it, Texas is hot. Window tint is not something we always think of during the fall or winter months but come summer – we’re all looking for ways to cool off. Sometimes when it’s 100 degrees outside, the inside of your vehicle can climb to 130 degrees.
Did you know that 74% of all non-invasive melanoma skin cancer cases are found on the left side of the driver’s body? (according to skincare.org).
Did you know that window tint can block 99% of UVA rays?
Did you know that we install LLumar® window tint at Hewlett Volkswagen?
LLumar offers the highest quality product along with:
o Style & privacy,
o More than 99% UV Protection
o No electronic signal interference
o Limited Lifetime Warranty (guaranteed not to turn purple or bubble)
o Heat rejection
Summer is here. If you did not get your windows tinted when you bought your vehicle, have no fear! It’s not too late.
Come by today and speak with a member of our VW Sales Team or call our Accessories Department for more information 512-681-3194.
With an appointment, we can get you in and out quickly. Let us install your window tint and help make you and your car, summer cool!
ARE WE REALLY BACK TO NORMAL?
Welcome to the first edition of “everything is back to normal, but much better” monthly newsletter. I say that with a grin and a bit of skepticism because we must go back some 4, maybe 5 years ago to attempt to define “normal”. First was COVID, then we had the micro-chip shortage, then the car shortage, then global supply chain issues, then, then, then…. It seemed like something new every few months.
A lot has changed in these few years but nothing bigger than our new modern facility with a much larger showroom and additional service bays and service write up lanes.
With our sales volume so strong and consistently ranked in the top ten nationally, Volkswagen has allocated to us additional vehicles above and beyond our normal allocation. At last count, we had close to 400 new Volkswagens in inventory to choose from.
Good news for you, about the same time these additional vehicles hit our lot, VW also came out with some of the best incentives we’ve seen in 5 years.
With interest rates climbing, Volkswagen knows that a great incentive would be a special interest rate that would save our customers thousands of dollars!
For example, Volkswagen is offering:
0% for 60 months on all New Volkswagen Tiguan’s (over 140 in stock)
And they’re offering,
1.9% for 60 months on all New Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models (also over 140 in stock).
April is a GREAT time to buy! With low rates, a plentiful inventory and a professional staff eager to get you into your next vehicle, there has never been a better time to come in and select your new vehicle. The deals are HOT, the selection is huge, the rates are low, what else can we ask for? The building… yes, it’s new too! Come see us!
John Chauvin
General Manager
Hewlett Volkswagen, LP
