Year End Review

We have had a great year here at Larry H Miller Volkswagen Lakewood. We wanted to take a look back at some of the Highlights of our year with you. You have made this year a fantastic year and we look forward to many more events and great times with our VW Customers!

The Denver BEEtle buzzed through the town in the St. Patrick's Day parade!

Painter’s Grinding Spring Dub Roast

LHM VW Lakewood Gives Back -  “Go out into the world and do good until there is too much good in the world.” -Larry H. Miller

Syndicate's Road Trip

The 7th Annual Syndicate VW Show in Evergreen

Katy Perry stopped by LHM Volkswagen-sponsored Lakewood High School and performed a concert. http://bit.ly/1g0sHWY

LHM Volkswagen-sponsored cycling team "The Cyclist-Lawyer" took 1st place at Blue Sky Velo CX Cup on Nov. 10 in Longmont, CO (in the 35+ category).

Holiday Toy Drive

Larry H Miller Volkswagen Lakewood

8303 W. Colfax Ave
Lakewood, CO 80214

303-237-1311

Winterizing a car: What does it mean and why is it recommended?

Have you seen ads for winterizing your vehicle and wonder what that entails?  Don’t worry, you’re not alone.  

If you experience winters when temperatures drop below 32 degrees and you’re one of the lucky souls who scrapes ice and snow off your vehicle on a regular basis, you should prepare your car for the harsh conditions. Winterizing is a service that will save money, time and frustration down the road.

Services included in winterizing:

·       Coolant System Inspection - check all fluid levels

o   Adding 50/50 coolant and water mixture to prevent your car from freezing

·       Brakes - Inspecting the brakes and rotors for even and minimal wear.

·       Battery – Testing the battery to guarantee a full charge so the car will start in extreme weather. Battery inspection also includes checking the cables for cracks and brakes, the terminals for strong connections, and the battery fluid level.

·       Tires - Measuring tire tread and adjusting the tire pressure (if necessary). Assuring the tires have proper tread will prevent slipping and sliding on the roads, which can lead to accidents and injuries. Having two sets of tires is a great idea and you can swap your tires at any dealership, tire store or auto-shop for a small fee.

o   Snow Tires – best for roads usually covered in snow and ice. Snow tires are built for maximum grip with softer rubber, deep treads, and studs.

o   All-Season Tires – best for dry/wet conditions and some snow and slush (under 4 inches). Do not count on all-season tires for harsh winter conditions, especially ice.

·       Hoses and Belts – Inspecting hoses and belts for cracks or excessive wear, since cold weather may weaken hoses and belts, especially if they’re already cracking.

Other tips for safe winter driving:

·       Emergency kits – keep an emergency kit in your car. The kit should include extra fuses, flashlight (and extra batteries), duct tape, pliers, a Phillips and flat-head screwdriver, tire inflator (i.e. Fix-A-Flat), washer fluid, jumper cables, road flares, a quart of oil, anti-freeze, a multi-purpose tool (i.e. Leatherman Tool), and a First-Aid kit.  You can find kits online starting around $20 and take up minimum space in your trunk.

·       Blanket, gloves, hat, scarf and boots in the trunk

·       Tire repair kit – usually newer vehicles have these with a spare tire in the trunk

·       Contacts for roadside assistance and/or insurance card in glove compartment

·       Keep your gas tank full 

Volkswagen Beetle 2013

The third time's a charm! This is the third redesign since the Volkswagen Beetle's inception, which also claims one of the highest safety scores among affordable small cars. Fun meets function with enough room for 4 adults, or fold down the back seats for additional cargo storage.

Besides playing Slug Bug as a child, what comes to mind when you think of the VW Beetle? We think of the smile every one has when you see it and take a ride. VW thought of every one when they redesigned this vehicle. With Passenger Seat Height Adjustments, Airbag Deactivation, Adjustable Head Rests, Adjustable Lumbar Seat(s), and Reading Light(s), this vehicle will surely be the answer to a wide range of needs. They even threw in some desires of those living in cold climate with Heated Drivers Seat, Heated Outside Mirror (s), Heated Outside Mirror(s), and a Heated Passenger Seat.

Behind all that happiness and fun the Beetle represents, there are some serious things inside this VW. The safety features alone are taking the Beetle to a new level with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Anti-Theft Device(s), Driver Side Air Bag, Dual Air Bags, 3 Point Rear Seatbelts, 3 Point Seatbelts, and the Side Air Bag System.

We were impressed with the changes in the new Beetle and we think you will be too.

Kicking off football season

We're crazy for football. There's no doubt how much this country loves the sport. It brings tradition, signals the end of a hot and crazy summer and the beginning of a cool and cozy fall. We get together with friends, have a few beers, enjoy a bevy of snacks and yell at our favorite team to "RUN!", "GO! GO! GO!", "TOUCHDOWN!" while we high-five each other, grab another beer and prepare for the next play. It gives us something to cheer for, obsess over and gives strangers a common ground, at least for a few hours.

During the 2012 NFL season, 105 million people watched the first week of games, according to Pro Football Talk. Soak it in. Yes, roughly one-third of the U.S. population was watching football.

So tonight, while we gather around our stadiums and TVs to watch the first game of the 2013 season, we invite you to support your favorite team...and your favorite car manufacturer (Volkswagen, of course!) while using the following items:

Volkswagen Tailgate Football - $7.95

Volkswagen Apron set – $29.95


You've got a grill. A big grill, which means you need an apron. A big apron.  You know, to protect your lucky jersey.  Right.  Moving on. So this apron comes with a bottle opener and an insulated pocket for your favorite chilled beverage. It also comes with an oven mit, but we know you won't use it.

Volkswagen Spatula - $34.95


Of course, you'll need some fancy cooking utensils to use at the grill while sporting your new apron set. Be sure to grab VW's giant spatula - which will flip just about anything you throw on the grill. Except a fan from the opposing team. We suggest sticking to burgers, hot dogs, veggies and of course the German favorite - bratwurst.

Volkswagen Collapsible Cooler - $56.95


While you're manning the grill wearing your apron and stamping the VW symbol into every bit of meat you possible can, your friends can throw you a refreshment from the VW Collapsible Cooler, which holds 48 cans of your favorite beer... err... soda. Or fruit cups.  Yeah, we just realized how ridiculous that sounds.

V-Dub Barbecue and Buffalo Wing Sauce - $18.50


Did someone say "wings"? No tailgate or house party is complete without wings and sauce.  Volkswagen mixed up the perfect blend of spices and herbs so you can get sticky with it. Caution: napkins and stain remover not included.

Need a Volkswagen T-shirt, sweatshirt or hat to model around town? Check out VW DriveGear for more Volkswagen products, clothing and accessories.

Thoughts on a Tiguan at 3,000 Miles

Brian Turk and Tim Dwenger from Listen Up Denver!
Pick up their 2013 Tiguan, sponsored by Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood

Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood sponsors Listen Up Denver! with a 2013 VW Tiguan, which travels around Colorado spreading the latest music news, reviews and photos. The Tiguan can be seen around Denver at The Bluebird, Ogden Theater, Red Rocks and more and traveling to the mountains for some of the world’s greatest music festivals.  Here’s their review of the 2013 VW Tiguan and how it fits in perfectly with the Colorado lifestyle.

Since I picked up The Listen Up Denver Mobile in April from Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood, we have had some good times together and we are only 3,000 miles into our relationship. If we were dating, this is the time I’d usually start noticing the little things I don’t like about a partner. The first three months I’d introduce my other half around to my friends, be perpetually surprised at her beauty, constantly bring her up in any conversation and focus on the attributes that drew me to her. Driving off the lot with a new car is just like dating. After just over three months, and three thousand miles, I am happy to report my eyes have not strayed from the beautiful lines of the 2013 Volkswagen Tiquan.
When I drove The Listen Up Denver Mobile off the lot, I felt like I was dating out of my league. I was enveloped by the extremely comfortable driver's seat, and the metal trim glistened as the sun shone in through the panoramic sunroof. I was extremely taken by its looks. The upright seat position reminded me of an ex’s Honda CR-V, and I immediately had flashbacks of the Honda’s sluggish performance in the mountains. I was hoping the Tiguan did not give such a lackluster performance when humping the hills. I hopped on the highway to head back to Denver and, even though we had just met, I decided I decided to accelerate and she if I could make it purr. I got a growl instead. The 2.0 liter 4 cylinder turbo is a tiger under the hood.

The first couple months of spending time together, The Listen Up Denver Mobile and I spent most of our time taking short trips around the city. We got a lot of looks and smiles, because we are a cute couple, and we invited those looks more by pumping pristine sounds out of the windows. The stock stereo is great, and with the sunroof open and the windows down, you almost feel like you are in a convertible, but safer. The Listen Up Denver Mobile and I were on track for a successful relationship, but we needed to see if we could stand each other for long periods of time; so we decided to take a road trip out to Telluride for the 40th Annual Bluegrass Festival.

This road trip was when I truly fell in love with the car and noticed the only flaw I could find in my new companion. Heading to Telluride for seven days with some camping gear, I noticed The Listen Up Denver Mobile didn't have as much cargo space as I would have liked. With the seats folded down there is a ton of room, but my travelling companion and I were picking two other folks up at the Montrose Airport, at that was looking like a near impossibility with all our stuff. We figured we would worry about it when we got to the airport.

We took to the highway with speed and tons of passing power. The ride was seductively smooth, and at one point it reminded me of riding Denver’s light rail. Just floating along with no bumps, jolts, rattles or jerky turns. Although the Tiquan is considered a compact SUV, it drives like a car, and a sporty one at that. This could be attributed to the fact the Tiguan is based on a Volkswagen Golf frame, and has decades of engineering innovations to stand on. 

The Listen Up Denver Mobile attacked the hills aggressively, but without a sweat. This is what makes the Tiguan perfect for an active lifestyle in Colorado. There was not one moment when I wished for more power, or had to push the Tiguan at all. When we arrived to the airport, it was a bit of a puzzle to fit everything and everyone in there, but after the Tiguan’s seven hour show of stamina, smoothness and sportiness, I figured I could easily deal with this one flaw. It is rare I have four people with a week’s worth of gear heading for the mountains, and everything else makes my heart melt, so like all relationships, I made a compromise. I even got The Listen Up Denver Mobile a little dirty getting to a trailhead, and the ground clearance made me wonder how this drives like a sporty car. Coming back from Telluride I knew the trip solidified the future of our relationship, but the Listen Up Denver Mobile had one more attribute to reveal. Up until the trip back to Denver I had never tried the Tiptronic transmission, and always operated in the automatic drive or sport modes. Not only could the Tiguan make it up the hills gracefully, but it can descend delicately as well. The ability to downshift on the descent was key, and the car performed just as smoothly as in full automatic mode.
I have spent time with other vehicles in the class, and this is the one for me. The Mazda CR-5 felt like a cheap toy when I recently rented one on a vacation, the CRV has Honda reliability, but no style or power, and the GMC terrain is just heavy and boring. The Volkswagen Tiguan could have easily been just another pretty face, but the endless list of attributes make it a keeper. Good looking, powerful, refined, fun, sporty and composed ... the Volkswagen Tiguan makes me want to stay in its seat forever.
-reviewed by by Brian Turk, Director of Operations at Listen Up Denver!

Rows of VWs, Tons of Inspiration and Endless Smiles

Volkswagen enthusiasts traveled from miles around to participate in the 7th Annual Syndicate VW Car Show at Evergreen Lake on July 14, 2013.

More than 200 vintage and restored VWs were on display and crowds gathered to gawk and talk about their work while enjoying local brews, music and food.

The weather was wonderful, the Syndicate C.C. club raked in donations for a local fire department and high school athletic program while giving away a lovely '69 Beetle and everyone left with a smile on their face.

We'd like to thank the members of Syndicate C.C. for inviting Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood to be a part of this exciting and original event.

We can't wait until next year!  Congratulations on a great show!

Check out more photos of this event on our album - Syndicate VW Car Show - July 14, 2013.

 

Travis Johnson wins the '69 Beetle

It's Almost Here!

Join us and the Syndicate C.C. team on July 14 at Evergreen Lake for a Volkswagen filled day of fun!  It's like Christmas morning for VW enthusaists. Or how about a never-ending ice cream cone on a hot summer day? Maybe it's as great as skiing the Rocky Mountains...or bunjee jumping over the Royal Gorge. 

Just show up with your friends and family, grab a cold beverage, stroll the grounds and absorb all the beauty you'll be surrounded with at every turn.  Evergreen Lake is pretty swell to look at, too. 

California or Bust!

[caption id="attachment_273" align="alignleft" width="225"] The Syndicate C.C. van on the beach in CA[/caption]

One of our favorite VW clubs, Syndicate C.C., road-tripped from Colorado to California for The Classic 2013 - dubbed the "Worlds Largest VW Car Show". The VW extravaganza took place Irvine, CA June 7-9, 2013.

A big thanks to the Syndicate C.C. team for representing Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood!

Check out more photos from the road! http://bit.ly/13RUMXk

Volkswagens on the Green

Every year hundreds of Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts gather at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Colorado. They share stories, swap mechanical ideas, take photos of eachother's cars, gawk, gaze and have a great time.

Of course, Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood team members were there on May 19, 2013 to share in the fun. Check out some of the photos Josh Karczewski took while roamin' the grounds.

VWs on the Green photo album.

LHM Day of Service at The Gathering Place

[caption id="attachment_261" align="alignleft" width="300"] Larry H. Miller employees are ready to make and serve lunch at The Gathering Place in Denver. Left to right: Nathan Clark, Cindy Ballard, Eli Fajardo, Dee Johnson, Jason Frank, Josh Karczewski and Rachel Swadley.[/caption]

"A refuge for rebuilding lives" is the motto of The Gathering Place, Denver's only daytime drop-in center for women, children and transgender individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness.

For the 2013 LHM Day of Service, Larry H. Miller Volkswagen planned, prepared and served lunch for the 200 people relying on The Gathering Place's resources for meals and shelter each day. Larry H. Miller Charities applauds and supports the efforts of The Gathering Place as they make a difference for thousands of women and children in the Denver area each year.

Check out more photos from the day of service on our Flickr page.

Learn more about The Gathering Place and how you can help in the Denver area.

Contest Winner - Nicole Kennebeck

[caption id="attachment_226" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nicole Kennebeck (center) celebrates her Whole Foods $300 gift card win with some of the Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood sales staff. Left to right: Josh Sahr, Nic Long, Eddie Neyman and Thomas Furlong.[/caption]

During the month of March, our dealership held a Facebook contest giving away a $300 Whole Foods gift card. We randomly chose a winner and Nicole Kennebeck was the lucky recipient of a shopping spree.  (We suggested she spend her entire gift card on the guacamole.)

Nicole stopped by our store to pick up her prize and take a picture with some of our staff.

While she was here, she also shared her story of how Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood became her "go-to" dealership for all her VW needs.

Nicole's story:
As far as my opinion of Larry Miller VW, I have nothing but rave reviews. First of all, my experience with Larry Miller would not have been the same if it were not for the great staff in service, especially Tony. I had gotten a flat tire, normally not something that is a huge deal, but in this case manifested into one.

As it turned out, Emich VW who had replaced all four of my tires within the last year had misplaced the key to my wheels. When I asked what I could do about this, they told me I could pick up their master copies for a $600 deposit because it could not have been their fault. Because I had no working automobile, this seemed completely insensitive and rude so I decided to call the only other VW near me, Larry Miller.

Tony Ulibarri was the first person in service I spoke to and he went above and beyond the call of duty, truly just a great human. To make a long scenario short, Tony had a porter go to my car three times, got my spare on after hours of back and forth, took my car that morning and even went to the extent of finding the warranty on my tire! The entire ordeal ended up costing me less than $30 AND (something else Emich DOES NOT do) I was sent on my way with a clean car.

This was my first experience at Larry Miller and now I will never go ANYWHERE else. While I was there, I also noticed that the regular maintenance prices were MUCH lower than Emich, even for the oil change. This sealed the deal for me and I will be back to Larry Miller for all my VW needs. (SIDENOTE: I only got a Facebook account a few months ago so winning this contest has been a result of a chain of events that has been truly fortunate.)

Thank you, and all the good people at Larry Miller VW, again for this opportunity!

-Nicole Kennebeck

Thank YOU Nicole, for all your business and support! Congratulations on winning our March Facebook contest, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Painter's Grinding Spring Dub Roast

One of our favorite VW auto shops in Denver, Painter's Grinding, hosted a get-together for Volkswagen enthusiasts to mingle and show off their unique, beautiful and gnarly rides!

Thanks to Painter's Grinding for hosting a great show and to Split Window Syndicate for showing off their Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood sponsored QuadCab!

Want more VW photos? Check out our Pinterest page to see our favorites from the Painter's Grinding Spring Dub Roast.

2013 Top Workplace!

Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood was named "2013 Top Workplace" by The Denver Post. This is quite an honor, since the winners are chosen by their employees. We're extremely proud of the staff we've built at this store. We have a team of Volkswagen-loving people who are dedicated to customer service and providing a truly exceptional experience.

Many thanks to our wonderful staff and The Denver Post for giving us the honor of being a "2013 Top Workplace". It's our goal to continue making this a great place to work, as well as an environment where our clients feel welcome and at home.

Here's to another fantastic year! Cheers!

Happy VW Drivers - Jeri and Derrel Bergstrom

A few of our favorite clients, Jeri & Darrel Bergstrom, recently went home with their dream car - a 2013 VW Beetle TDi in Toffee Brown with the Cornsilk Beige interior. They're life-long Volkswagen drivers and even race Beetles as part of their Iceberg Racing team!

Want to see more photos of our favorite VW clients? Check out our Facebook album "We love our customers!"
 

[caption id="attachment_93" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jeri and Derrel with their custom 2013 VW Beetle TDi[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_94" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jeri and Derrel's Iceberg Racing Beetle[/caption]

We'd like to introduce you to someone special

Meet Dvine59. She's a real beauty. Yeah, she may have had some work done, but we think it looks totally natural.