Every time we see flooding in South Florida, the cars start floating in. The sooner the water is removed from the interior and / or the engine, the lower overall repair costs will be. Call Richie or Lou now at 954-921-1515
There is a lot of localized flooding in Broward and Dade counties. The most important thing to remember is, if you must drive through water, drive through extremely slow. Most Volkswagen’s can stand about 6 to 8 inches of water at slow speeds without having problems. Issues arrive when you encounter those 1 foot puddles and water is sucked into the engines intake system. Because water will not compress inside the engines combustion chamber, serious internal engine damage could occur.
We had 5 cars towed in this week, 3 of them were ready fixed with a simple carpet removal and drying out of the spark plugs, air filters and computers. I expect to see more cars come in with water damage.
Beetles for some reason are not as acceptable to water damage.
Most VW’s and Audi’s with a water leak from the sun roofs are an easy and low cost fix.
Please call the shop 954-232-8877 for immediate assessment of your vehicle.
Dave noticed the transmission on his Audi was hesitating then banging hard as it shifted gears. The shifting problem seemed worse in the mornings, when the engine was cold. When his transmission warmed up, the Audi vehicle shifted smoother.
So he took his Audi to the dealer and was given an estimate to replace the entire transmission. Looking for another opinion, he drove to a local transmission repair shop that supposedly specialized in transmission repairs and was told the same bad news.
Dave was very upset until his friend Curt recommended he have the experts in service of Audi vehicles at German Car Depot give him a third opinion, telling him at the least, GCD would save him money on any repair.
The GCD technicians took the time to discover the problem was transmission fluid leaking from the axel flange seal and once they replaced the seal, the fluid level was refilled and his transmission was shifting smooth.
With their intimate knowledge of the inner workings of an Audi auto’s transmission, they didn’t just tell Dave his transmission was broken and he needed a new one; they explained how working on only Audi cars, the real specialists are the experts at German Car Depot.
Julie U.’s Volkswagen was making a ticking noise so her first thought was to take it back to the local VW dealer who told her the engine was bad due to oil sludge and quoted her an outlandish price to replace it.
Julie did her homework on Google and saw that German Car Depot had excellent reviews by many satisfied customers, so she took her car there for a second opinion.
German Car Depot‘s VW vehicle repair specialists discovered the tick was the result of low oil pressure. Once the experts at GCD desludged the engine and fixed the oil pickup tube and oil pump the ticking noise stopped.
The GCD crew was surprised the oil light and oil buzzer did not come on with all the sludge in the pick up tube found in her 1.8T engine. Richie, her service manager explained to Julie that VW / Audi autos require Oil Standard 502.00 / 505.00 / 505.01 Approved Oils.
Julie was happy she took the time to find an independent alternative to the dealer where she could not only save money but have peace of mind.
Carol S.’s late model Audi A4 was just outside the original factory warranty by a few hundred miles when she felt jerky acceleration and deceleration as well as a shuddering every time she drove her car.
Distraught at having to spend this much money on a car that was still relatively new and trouble she called German Car Depot for a second opinion.
GCD’s owner personally asked her a few questions, most importantly, “did you bring your car in to Audi of Pembroke Pines for any similar issues while it was still under warranty?”
Alan “Ollie” Gelfand, president and founder of German Car Depot suggested to Carol that she fax or email her story to the Audi Dealer’s Service Manager, making sure to include the date of the prior covered service. He further suggested she both email the Audi Owner Customer Relations and give them a call at 1-800-FOR- AUDI.
Following Ollie’s advice Carol did just that and was both relieved and surprised when Audi of Pembroke Pines called her back and offered to replace her transmission for only $1000 for fluid and labor.
Carol was happy with Audi of Pembroke Pines and grateful for the advice she received from German Car Depot who took the time to listen. The moral: “a second opinion is always worth the time and effort”.
Bob K. was at the end of his rope over a persistent battery drain in his 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. After taking his car first to the Volkswagen dealer, then to a local shop, he received expensive estimates for what was diagnosed as “major electrical” problems.
Luckily for Bob, his neighbor was a long time satisfied German Car Depot customer, who assured him that GCD wouldn’t try to gouge him.
Bob was relieved when German Car Depot’s technicians, experts in the repair of Volkswagen vehicles, found the simple problem: the trunk light was staying on, causing the continual drain on the battery. Why? The micro switch inside the latch was bad.
For less than $100, Bob’s Jetta was running smoothly and Bob learned what countless customers already knew: only a technician with experience in Volkswagen vehicle problems of this nature would even know where to look to avoid costly misdiagnosis and unneeded repairs.
For weeks, Sheldon J. had been hearing tire noise every time he drove in his Volkswagen Golf. After long waits to find the source of the tire problem, both a general automotive shop and a national chain outlet told Sheldon he needed expensive front wheel bearings.
Sheldon scheduled a convenient appointment with German Car Depot who put his VW Golf up on a lift and showed him the uneven tread wear on the front tires (commonly known as “chopped tires”). GCD advised Sheldon to get new tires before spending unnecessarily on wheel bearings.
After getting new tires the noise disappeared! By caring more about Sheldon saving money German Car Depot earned another customer’s loyalty.
Brian N. took his Volkswagen Beetle to the Volkswagen dealership for an A/C problem. After waiting two days to get a diagnosis, Brian was told by the dealer’s service advisor that he needed a new compressor along with both a main and auxiliary cooling fan. The estimate was over $1800 and Brian was told the repair would take another 2-3 days.
Brian’s good friend, Dr. Sheldon, suggested he get a second opinion and recommended the experts at German Car Depot, who quickly discovered the entire problem was the fuse box on top of the battery needed replacement. This was causing the fans to stop working which in turn affected the compressor. For under $200 the problem was fixed and Brian was back on the road the same day.
Brian joins the growing ranks of South Florida Volkswagen drivers who recognize that German Car Depot is the VW dealer alternative for fast quality service and repair.
Volkswagen and Audi vehicle owners enjoy some of the world’s best driving experiences — but the joy of driving doesn’t come for free. Keep your German import alive by keeping up with scheduled maintenance. Paying a bit for maintenance at the right time helps drivers ensure passenger safety, maintain a higher vehicle value, and avoid the hassles that come with vehicle neglect. German Car Depot of Hollywood, Florida can help keep your Audi or VW vehicle in top condition.
Types of Scheduled Maintenance for German Cars
Maintenance needs for Audis and Volkswagen vehicles fall into two groups: minor scheduled services and major scheduled services.
Customers may also be advised to have minor interim services performed, such as refilling the tires for better fuel economy or getting more frequent oil changes to protect the engine.
Minor Auto Maintenance Services
The primary type of minor auto maintenance needed is an oil change. Historically, car manufacturers recommended that oil be changed at least every 5,000 miles. However, when auto manufacturers began offering free maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles, they also increased the intervals between scheduled oil and fuel filter services. For example, the intervals covered under Volkswagen’s Carefree Maintenance program for 2009 Volkswagen vehicles are 10K, 20K, and 30K. Even when synthetic oil is used, this new schedule isn’t necessarily ideal for keeping cars in top condition after the warranty expires; a build-up of sludge could contribute to engine damage.
Additional minor services, such as the changing of air filters, have maintenance schedules that vary with the auto. Contact German Car Depot for advice about VW and Audi vehicle maintenance in Hollywood, Florida.
Major Auto Maintenance Services
Major services are typically recommended for Volkswagen vehicles, Audi vehicles, and other cars and trucks at 30K, 60K, and 90K miles. German Car Depot can provide more specific information about your vehicle’s need for these and other major services:
Your German car was designed by world-class engineers and built with top-notch parts. By taking care of your car, you can enjoy years of safe and enjoyable driving.
For assistance with Audi or VW vehicle maintenance and repairs in South Florida, turn to German Car Depot. We only work on Audi cars and VWs. We love your vehicle as much as you do.
Phone: 954-921-1515
Visit: 2130 Fillmore Street, Hollywood, FL, 33020
Schedule an Appointment Online: http://germancardepot.com/schedule-appointment.html.
