Welcome to November, home base for cooler temperatures, fall colors, a great ending to the MLB World Series and when football teams of all age brackets are jockeying for championship runs.  In my opinion, the most important part of November is that it is not only the time of Thanksgiving, but time for all of us to reflect on things we're thankful for. It is with great pleasure for him, but sadness for us here at Hewlett Volkswagen that we announce the retirement of salesman, Pat McGarry.   Pat spent countless years with us coming to work and consistently sold 15-20 vehicles - month in and month out.   The kind of professionalism and work ethic Pat displayed on a daily basis will be impossible to replace.   We are extremely grateful for all Pat has done for us here at Hewlett VW and all he has done for our customers.   Pat took great pride in helping people solve their automotive needs and did so in a manner that simply made everyone he spoke with comfor...

Tech Geek Alert… skip to the advice section to save boredom! Car batteries store an amazing amount of potential energy in the form of a chemical reaction set up between the sulfuric acid and the lead plates submerged in that acid bath.   The energy leaves the battery pretty quickly during the starting process because the starter consumes a bunch in a short period of time. When the engine is running, your car’s alternator recharges the battery, but at a much slower rate. Therefore it takes longer to charge than it does to drain a car battery.  All batteries have a limited number of times they can be charged. The physical parts and chemicals just wear out over time. And, letting a car battery go completely dead dramatically reduces the longevity of the battery; so don’t let this happen if you can avoid it. A fully charged led/acid battery has an open cell voltage of around 13.5-14 volts (these numbers vary with materials and temperature). A volt is a measure of el...

Happy New Year! – Almost. A little premature? Perhaps, but it’s never too early to think about that New Year's resolution. Given enough time, discipline and mental preparation, there’s very little you can’t do. Last year, Hewlett Volkswagen Service Dispatcher Matt Sidles had one big goal in mind. “Don’t make this your first triathlon.” That’s what a seasoned triathlete told Matt as he waited in line at the Ironman 70.3 Austin in October. The event consists of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run.   It takes about a year of hard training to prepare for any endurance sport, and even longer to successfully complete an Ironman competition. “And this was my first one,” said Matt. The Ironman competition invites top athletes from around the world to swim, bike and run their way to first place. But whether you’re an Olympic competitor or a weekend warrior, the competition prides itself on their slogan, “Anything is possible.” With just his prior ...