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Part of buying a new vehicle is deciding to buy or lease and which option makes more sense for your life. For some people the answer is easy but for others, it can be a never-ending battle when it comes to making this choice. But don’t stress - we have a helpful guide that can help you decide which option would be a better fit for your lifestyle and your wallet. Take a look below and visit us for a test drive today! Why you should lease: Lower monthly payments: leasing a new vehicle will allow you to get into that new car while not having to pay an arm and a leg for a down payment. You may even be able to upgrade to a higher trim level or add on a few advanced options all while staying within your budget. Small down payment: when it comes to leasing a new vehicle, often times there is a required small down payment or none at all depending on the deal that you agree upon. Plus, if you have a trade-in, this could be your down payment and will keep you from shelling out a lot of cash from your pocket. Latest models & technology: one of the benefits of leasing a vehicle is having the latest models and upgraded technology features when they hit the lot. It today’s industry, cars are always evolving and coming out with better and more efficient features. If you are someone who loves have the latest and greatest - leasing is probably for you. Selling your trade-in isn’t a worry: when you lease, you won’t have to worry about selling your vehicle. Simply, drop your vehicle at the dealership and be on your way. It is seriously that easy. But we know once you lease a Toyota, you’ll want to lease more and more for years to come. So, drop your old one off and pick up your new one in an easy breezy process. Why you should buy: Monthly payment are a goner: once you successfully pay off your vehicle, you no longer have a monthly payment. You’ll only have to worry about paying for fuel, car services, and insurance. If you are the kind of driver who likes to own a vehicle until the wheels fall off - buying is the right option for you. No mileage restrictions: when you opt to buy a vehicle, you are free to drive here, there, everywhere without anyone holding mileage restrictions over your head. If you drive more than the average person or live somewhere where you do a lot of driving, buying your next vehicle is probably the smarter choice! Customize your ride: if you like to customize your ride from top to bottom, buying is most definitely the best choice. You have the ability to add whatever you like without having to pay any customization or excess wear fees. Credit is a-okay: when buying your vehicle your credit doesn’t need to be outstanding. Many people might have this problem and feel like they are trapped. Explore all your options and see where your interest rates may fall. Choose A New VW To Buy Or Lease

Are you planning on teaching your teen how to drive this Summer? Great! We know this can be an exciting yet frightening time for everyone involved. But, we have dedicated this week’s blog to tips for new teen drivers! Or maybe they’re some tips that you can begin practicing in your everyday travels. Regardless, our tips can be applied to anyone driving routine and will make the roadway safer for everyone. Check them out below and let us know which ones work best for you! # 1: Minimize distractions - these can be anything from other passengers to the radio to your cell phone. Keep these to a minimum and never do anything that will take your attention from the roadway. You should give 100 percent of your attention to driving whenever you slip behind the wheel. Driving solo can reduce the risk of a collision and will minimize distractions when a teen is behind the wheel. #2: Turn off your cell phone - cell phones have only caused problems when you’re behind the wheel, even if it is hands-free. Turn it off, stow it and give all your attention to the road. Your phone can become very distracting and will only put you in danger when you are behind the wheel. NO texting, NO calls, NOTHING stow it and don’t put yourself or others at risk. #3: Obey the rules - pay attention to road signs, speed limits, and other rules of the road. These rules/ laws are designed to keep you and other drivers safe each time you set out for a journey. Set yourself up for success and practice the rules of the road. #4: Defense driving is helpful - always be aware of your surroundings and stay at least one car length away from the car you are following. This will act as a buffer zone and will give you enough time to react in the event of a collision or other roadway conditions. *Some insurance agencies will offer discounts if you participate in their defensive driving course to improve your driving skills.* It is important to teach your teen these safe driving tips to ensure they are sculpted into a safe driver, even when you are not in the vehicle with them. Teens Will Love A New Volkswagen

We know you carry more than precious cargo inside your Volkswagen - this week we have listed out some of the most important do’s when it comes to traveling with children who ride in a car seat. Check them out below and start practicing if you don’t already! Do Tips: Make sure the harness-retainer clip is level with your child’s armpits. If they are in the wrong place, the straps could end up sliding off. Take your car-seat to a local inspection site so a professional can ensure the installation is correct. Choose a car-seat with a five-point harness. If you have a forward-facing seat, place the harness straps on your child’s shoulders to ensure the most protection in the event of a collision. If your child has outgrown a car-seat, try using a high-back booster seat. Studies have shown these are safer than backless ones in the event of side-impact collisions. Tighten the harness straps so they are tight enough for you to only fit one finger underneath. Safety-belts should be tightened enough so the seat is only able to wiggle less than one inch from side to side. Did we leave out any tips that you find helpful? Let us know! We would love to hear from you. Source: https://www.parents.com/baby/safety/car/car-seats-dos-donts/ Travel In A New Atlas

When it comes to owning a vehicle there are a few things that you should know. One of those being how to change your car’s battery. If you don’t know how don’t stress. We got your back - this week’s blog has all the information on how to change out the old and bring in the new! A few things you’ll need: A new battery Wrench Corrosion cleaning solution & wire brush Blanket or old towel Park your vehicle on a flat surface with your parking brake on. To avoid burning yourself, give your vehicle time to cool down before popping open the hood. When you’re ready, pop open your hood and place your blanket or towel across the fender of the vehicle. This will keep battery corrosion leakage from leaking onto your engine or front fender. Locate your battery and decipher which is the positive and negative port. Start with the negative terminal, use your wrench to loosen bolts just enough to allow you to remove the cable. Remove the negative cable and pull away from the terminal. Do the same with the positive terminals. Once both cables are removed, unclamp the battery from the holder. Wiggle your battery free and remove from the holder. Once your battery is free, look at the holder and cables. If there is any corrosion, clean it off with your cleaning solution and wire brush. Let everything dry completely before connecting your new battery. When everything has dried, place your new battery back into the holder and secure it with the clamp. Like we disconnected, we are going to reconnect the cables and bolts - this time, the positive terminal will go first. Attach the cable and tighten the bolt. Repeat with your negative terminal. Badda bing, badda boom! You are finished! It is time to close up shop and give that baby a go! Test to make sure that your vehicle starts. If not, make sure all the cables are properly tightened and your cables are clean. If you continue to have problems, contact our service department here. Get A New Battery Inside A New VW

One thing about buying a new car that can be difficult is deciding what to do with your old vehicle. Whether you sell it yourself or trade in towards something new, it can be a hassle. We can take the hassle away at Fiore Volkswagen. This week’s blog is about what to expect and what you need to know about trading in your vehicle. Know Your Vehicle’s Value Knowing your car’s worth can help you get a reasonable amount for your trade. If you are unsure of what your car is worth you could lose out on big $$$ (money). Do some research before stepping into the showroom. There are many online ways to do some research. We offer a trade appraisal on our website through Kelley Blue Book. It’s a good idea to print this appraisal and bring it with you to the dealership so we know what you were appraised for. Fix Up Your Vehicle Any damage to your vehicle can lower the trade-in value, be sure to fix any cosmetic damage that could cost you money. Even a car wash and a vacuumed interior could help bring your trade-in value up a few dollars. Repairing minor scratches with touch-up paint or dents are simple repairs that could really increase your vehicles value if they are fixed. Know What To Expect There may be some wiggle room for your trade and sometimes there is not. It’s important to not feel pressured if a trade value is presented and you don’t like the offer. Working with our sales team can help get you in the right car for the right price. Have your paperwork in order if your offer is something you plan to accept, this could help the car buying process go much more smoothly. If you have questions about trading in your vehicle, stop in or give us a call today. Check Out This Month’s Specials

Your gas tank is home to a delicate ecosystem that you need to nurture, no matter how far you drive or what type of gas you use. This means never topping it off - an important responsibility that a lot of people ignore. Why is this important? A number of reasons, most of which amount to saving money and breaking a habit that I am sure a lot of us have. Check out why you shouldn’t top up the tank, no matter how tempting it might be to get to that perfect round dollar amount. Reason number one is that part of your ecosystem is the evaporative system, and topping off can overwhelm that system. This is because of built up pressure due to the fuel expanding when heated by the movement of your vehicle (or the environment). Topping off your tank is basically the same as overfilling it, and when there’s nowhere for the excess to go, it heads to the evaporative system. The evaporative system then dies on you, which is an expensive repair. Reason number two is just simple money-wasting. Modern gas stations have pumps that can sense when you have overfilled your tank, or tried to do so anyway. The pump, when it senses you’re trying to go too far, just sends the gas right back up the line and into the station’s tank… but of course, you’re still getting charged for that fuel. It’s a waste, plain and simple. If you’re trying to save money, which I think it’s safe to say we all are, think about breaking the topping-up-habit. Leave yourself a note on the inside of your gas cap cover, a reminder on your phone, or just use the power of memory! You got this, friend! Save Gas With An Efficient Car!

If your check engine light has ever come on, then you know the feeling of panic and helplessness that comes upon you when that little engine symbol pops up. But hey! There’s no reason to panic. The five most common reasons that your check engine light can come on are easy fixes that don’t mean that your vehicle is going to just die on you in the middle of the road. Not by a long shot! Check out what those reasons are, how to assess them, and then take a deeeeep breath. You’re fine! The first reason your check engine light might come on is because you need to tighten your gas cap. Or put it on in the first place. This is one of the things people don’t really know about - your gas cap can be a culprit of the check engine light. When it’s loose, off, or broken, fuel vapors can escape and just throw off your engine for a bit. Checking your gas cap should be the first thing you do when you see the check engine light come on. It could also be your spark plugs, especially if you’re nearing (or just past) the hundred-thousand-mile mark on your vehicle. Spark plugs need to be replaced about every 100,000 miles and it could just be time for that to happen! The Mass Airflow Sensor is another component that could be triggering your check engine light. If it is broken or malfunctioning, it will increase your emissions and maybe cause your engine to stall. The purpose of the Mass Airflow Sensor is to tell your vehicle’s computer how much fuel needs to be added or used based on the amount of air that comes into your engine as you drive. Oxygen sensors (O2 sensors) need to be replaced from time to time, so it could be that! The purpose of your O2 sensors is to monitor the amount of unburned oxygen in your exhaust, which then tells your vehicle how much fuel is actually being burned in your engine. If these sensors go too long without being replaced, your catalytic converter could burn out. That takes me to this last possible culprit. The catalytic converter is, unfortunately, the most expensive repair of the bunch, because it reduces your exhaust gases. When this part dies, your MPGs increase and your acceleration ability decreases. If your check engine light comes on, breathe! You’ve got this! Take a minute and check things over, then give us a call and let us know you’re coming in. Don’t wait to get your vehicle looked at - but don’t panic, either. Contact Us Today

Are you just getting into learning about your vehicle? Great! Here are five fluids that you need to know. (Can you tell this is the Quick And Dirty Car Fluids Blog?) Oil What it does: cools your engine, lubricates moving parts, keeps moving parts clean What to do: change it regularly (dealer recommendation) and check it monthly Coolant What it does: regulates your vehicle’s temperature. Where to find it: in a reservoir near the radiator. What to do: if the level is low (level is indicated on the reservoir) take your vehicle to the shop to get coolant topped up. Power Steering Fluid What it does: helps you steer the vehicle Where to find it: reservoir at the base if windshield. What to do: same as above, if the level is low take your vehicle to the shop to get the fluid topped up. Brake Fluid What it does: helps braking mechanisms work properly What to do: if the level is chronically low, your brakes could be wearing out. Windshield Washer Fluid What it does: helps clean windshield of dust, debris, bug guts, etc. What to do: if you run out, get more at your local gas station and just refill the clearly labeled tank. We’re The Shop We Kept Mentioning

Have you all ever wondered what exactly is meant by the numbers on the pumps at the gas station? Do you also wonder why gas has to be qualified as “unleaded” on the pump? Well, we have written a great blog about both of these subjects that will hopefully answer all of your most burning questions! First, come the numbers on the pumps. These indicate the octane level of the gasoline. The higher the octane level, the higher performance of engine it’s supposed to go into. What is octane, you may be asking now? When gasoline is refined from oil, several molecules called hydrocarbons remain in the gasoline. One of these hydrocarbons is isooctane, or just plain old octane. The other hydrocarbons have a lower ignition temperature, which means that they’ll combust under the slightest amount of heat and pressure. Octane is more resistant to that, which means it can withstand more pressure from the pistons in your engine and therefore won’t create a “knock” when it combusts. A word of caution: don’t use higher octane gasoline in your regular engine unless your owner’s manual actively says to use higher octane gasoline! All you’ll be doing is wasting your money! But, if your manual does say to use the high-test stuff, do it. Otherwise, you’ll hurt your engine. It’s a fickle world we live in, folks. Finally, that “unleaded” buzzword. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away (aka America in the 1920s), some scientists figured out that if gasoline had a low octane rating and made engines knock, they could just add tetraethyl lead to the gasoline and it’d kill both of those birds with one lead stone. Sure, everyone in the factories kept dying and the average American had a seriously unhealthy level of lead in their bloodstream, but it kept gas cheap! This persisted until the 1960s and was outlawed completely in the 1990s. After that, the average lead level in the blood of Americans went down by 75%. That’s a lot. Check Out Our New Vehicle Specials!