There’s nothing quite like a fall drive through the Alleghenies, with Route 33 winding toward Elkins or the long descent off Laurel Mountain opening up into a valley view that makes the whole trip worth it. But the same grades that make these drives memorable also put serious strain on your brakes, and a brake…
US-50 between Clarksburg and Grafton, the climbs along WV-20, and the hairpin turns winding through the hills surrounding Bridgeport are exactly the kind of roads that make a Golf R or GTI worth owning. Skipping the Golf R’s scheduled differential fluid service doesn’t show up as a warning light, it shows up years later as…
The ID. Buzz is unlike anything else in the Volkswagen Clarksburg lineup, and that starts with what’s underneath it. A 91-kWh battery pack sits low in the chassis, and depending on configuration, the all-wheel-drive 4MOTION model produces 335 horsepower and can tow up to 3,500 pounds. That low-mounted mass improves stability and handling, but it…
VW’s factory engine air filter interval for TSI engines is set at 60,000 miles or six years under normal driving conditions. Harrison County, West Virginia is not a normal driving environment. The Harrison County Mine Preparation Plant in Shinnston has the potential to emit over 268 tons of PM10 particulate matter per year. Add the…
The roads around Clarksburg and Bridgeport are not easy on drivetrains. US-50 between Clarksburg and Grafton winds through narrow elevation changes and wooded curves that load and unload the AWD system with every bend. Secondary roads throughout Harrison County add potholes, gravel, and off-camber surfaces that put the 4MOTION system to work in ways it…
The VW Taos is one of the more capable compact SUVs in its class, but its 1.5-liter turbocharged engine comes with a non-negotiable requirement that a surprising number of owners overlook: the oil that goes into it must carry the VW 508 00 specification. Using the wrong oil in this engine is not a minor…
Most drivers think of alignment as a routine box to check, pull in, pull out, done. But when you’re driving a VW Atlas Peak Edition, that assumption can quietly cost you thousands. A basic two-wheel alignment on an AWD vehicle with all-terrain tires is the wrong service for the wrong vehicle, and the difference shows…
Last month, a 2020 VW Atlas came in with severely warped front rotors and glazed brake pads after a summer of mountain driving around Clarksburg. The owner had been riding the brakes on every descent, never once using the Tiptronic manual mode available on the shifter. After repeated heat cycles on routes like Stealey Road…
If your Volkswagen Tiguan has started feeling sluggish on the climb up US-50 or hesitates when merging onto I-79 near Clarksburg, the culprit might not be what you expect. Carbon buildup is a silent, slow-accumulating problem in direct-injection engines that can quietly rob your Tiguan of the power and efficiency you bought it for. Here’s…
If you drive Route 20 every day, you already know that sinking feeling when your brakes start pulling or squealing on a steep descent. The truth is, standard brake pads were not designed for the kind of sustained downhill pressure that Bridgeport drivers deal with on a regular basis. Heavy-duty brake pads can cost $150…
