Meet our newest service advisor!

This is Frosty, our newest service advisor. Ask him about our latest winter check offers!

Pulman - Delivering a fantastic customer experience, whatever the weather.

Winter Driving Tips from Pulman

1. Check your tyres, worn tyres will make day to day driving on snow and ice very dangerous.
2. Charge your mobile phone fully, and leave a blanket plus a shovel in the car should you become stuck in a remote area, or even on a main road overnight.
3. Plan your route. Try and aim for main roads which should be maintained and gritted. Especially aim for bus routes are these are usually prioritised.
4. Completely clear your windscreen of snow AND roof. If you brake and the snow slides off the roof of your car,  your visibility will be completely compromised and your windscreen wipers may break if you try to use them. Also fully clean your headlights and rear lights to aid visibility, not only to yourself but other road users.
5. When setting off, cars with manual gears, try and use 2nd gear to pull away. This minimises wheel spin.
6. Once on the road, give yourself 4 times the normal stopping distance to cars and junctions.
7. Drive as if you are on eggshells, brake gently, accelerate gently, but do not too be too timid as a small inclince can cause you to stop and slip backwards should your speed not be adequate.

Drive safely this winter and remember, we can check your car and make sure it's fully set for the harsh winter period with our exclusive Winter Safety Check

Pulman in a winter wonderland

All our showrooms are still open for business despite the hazardous driving conditions and wintery weather. Pop into our showrooms for a nice hot drink and a look at the latest Volkswagen & SEAT models.

Check out the photos below from our Durham site with some great clean up work by our sales team.

Swap your old car for new with Pulman Volkswagen

Our exclusive Swap Shop is back by popular demand!

We will give you the best possible price for your car plus an additional £500.

This fantastic offer is only available on the 19th, 20th and 21st of November 2010.

Simply download the voucher below, print it out, and hand it over to the sales person at our showrooms during the event. Alternatively, just quote the voucher code.

Get your exclusive swap shop voucher here

Don't forget, 3 years free servicing is also available on all new cars purchased with Volkswagen Finance.

Terms and conditions apply. Voucher valid only on 19th, 20th and 21st November 2010. Cannot be redeemed for cash. 3 years free servicing available for up to 3 years or 30,000 miles whichever occurs sooner and is only available when purchasing cars on Volkswagen Solutions. Free servicing offer ends 31st December 2010.

Double Celebration Draws Crowd to Dealership

England cricket captain, Paul Collingwood, and Pulman SEAT Franchise Manager, Chris Slater, help unveil a mint condition SEAT Ibiza Mk1 – one of the very first SEAT models launched in the UK 25 years ago.

More than 150 people gathered at a Sunderland car dealership on Thursday evening for an exciting double celebration.

The dealership formerly known as Alexandra Bridge Cars – one of the oldest SEAT dealers in the country – hosted the lavish bash to mark 25 years with the sporty Spanish brand and, more importantly, becoming part of  the Pulman family.

Now known as Pulman SEAT, the Southwick car retailer pulled out all the stops to deliver an action-packed evening of entertainment for the assembled customers and VIP guests.

Top local band The Longsands provided the soundtrack to the evening as the guests enjoyed authentic Spanish cuisine and wine and the chance to look over current SEAT models as well as a Leon touring car driven by Tom Boardman and a mint condition Mk1 Ibiza which was among the first cars launched by SEAT in the UK.

Then came the highlight of the evening – a lively question and answer session with England cricket captain and local lad, Paul Collingwood.

Finally, a raffle was drawn with the winners picking up an iPod Touch and tickets to see comedian Peter Kay on stage. The raffle itself raised almost £200 for the dealership’s chosen charity NSPCC.

Speaking afterwards, Pulman SEAT Franchise Manager, Chris Slater, said: ‘This was a great occasion for the dealership and we were absolutely delighted that so many people, including lots of our long-standing and valued customers, were able to join us.

‘Firstly, we wanted to celebrate the fact that we were among the handful of dealerships that helped launched SEAT UK a quarter of a century ago and have played an important role in helping to make the thriving brand the enormous success it is today.

‘We also hope everyone left with the impression that things will be even better now we’re part of Pulman which has grown to become one of the very best Volkswagen franchises in the country thanks to its out and out commitment to delivering a fantastic customer experience.’

SEAT UK Director, Peter Wyhinny, was keen to pay tribute to the team at its long established Sunderland outlet and the handful of other original SEAT dealers that helped bring the brand to the UK.

He said: ‘Launching a new brand into a fiercely competitive market place is never easy, but that small initial group of professional and enthusiastic dealers helped SEAT UK hit the ground running and build real momentum.

‘The skill, experience and contacts of the original dealers were obviously instrumental in allowing the company to get a foothold, build sales and grow the network.

‘Today, as a thriving and well-established marque, it’s wonderful to see members of that original group still with us and going strong.

‘The future looks very bright for Pulman SEAT, SEAT UK and SEAT customers in the North East.’

Volkswagen Passat sets economy record

A Passat BlueMotion driven by Sunday Times journalist Gavin Conway has set a new Guinness World Record for the distance travelled by a production passenger car on a single tank of fuel.

 

The attempt involved driving from Maidstone in Kent to the South of France and back.  The Passat BlueMotion finally ran out of fuel close to Calais after completing a distance of 1,526.63 miles – the equivalent of driving from London to Moscow or New York to Los Angeles without having to refuel.

 

The route mainly followed French autoroutes, but included some town driving, resulting in an average speed of just over 45 mph. The amount of fuel used was 77.25 litres, giving an overall fuel consumption of 90.0 mpg –substantially higher than the Passat’s claimed combined figure of 64.2 mpg. The resulting fuel cost for the journey works out at just 6.17p per mile travelled.

 

The Passat BlueMotion used for the record attempt was a standard production model, powered by a 1.6-litre common-rail TDI engine developing 105 PS. In common with Polo and Golf BlueMotion models, the Passat is fitted with aerodynamic modifications to the bodywork, a lower ride height, Stop-Start, programmed battery charging, longer gearing and low rolling resistance tyres.

 

The record-breaking feat was monitored by the AA for Guinness World Records.

 

More information on the Volkswagen Passat

Another winner with Pulman Volkswagen!

Congratulations to Mr Craig Playford in winning the Pulman Showroom competition. Mr Playford correctly guessed the number of balloons in our showroom Volkswagen Polo at Abbey Road Durham and won a meal for two at our Durham based café along with a brand new Sat Nav worth over £100.

Mr Playford commented, “It’s absolutely fantastic to win, I came in to order a new Volkswagen Polo from Pulman and saw the competition Polo. It was a bit of fun and never thought I would win. I was actually looking to buy a Sat Nav so this is perfect and good timing.

What’s great about Pulman is that everyone’s very friendly and they go out of their way to help you. It truly is a fantastic experience and I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

Pulman pride themselves on delivering a fantastic customer experience! Look out for the next showroom competitions where you could be the next winner of a Sat Nav or AutoGlym kit worth over £100.

Winner of The Pulman ipod Touch Competition!

Congratulations to Doreen McAllister, winner of our last customer newsletter competition. We would like to thank everyone who entered the competition, over 200 entries, which was a fantastic response! Unfortunately there can only be one winner of the brand new Apple Ipod Touch (8GB) and that was Doreen McAllister.

 

When asked what it meant to win the Ipod Touch, Doreen McAllister commented, 

"I'm absolutely thrilled. I can't believe I've been so lucky as I've never won anything before. I'm looking forward to using it and listening to it in my car (Volkswagen Golf).

 

I've been a customer here for over 7 years and can honestly say I've always had an excellent service. It's so lovely to walk in and to know everyone by name and that everyone know's me. Everyone at Pulman are very friendly, always dropping me off or picking me up when I book my car in for a service."

 

Look out for our next customer newsletter and our next competition, you can be as lucky Doreen McAllister and be our next Pulman winner.

New Touareg arrives at Pulman Durham

Visit our Durham showroom for an exclusive look at the New Touareg 3.0 V6 SE TDI Bluemotion.

The stunning new Touareg combines off road capability with the impeccable qualities you've come to expect from a Volkswagen.

Visit our showroom to learn more about the new Touareg, and visit our website for the latest Volkswagen offers

Pulman at the Durham Dubs North East Volkswagen Show

Pulman are proud to support the Durham Dubs show this weekend at Sedgefield Racecourse (Saturday 28th August).

We'll have all the latest Volkswagen merchandise and accessories at fantastic prices! You can find the whole range on our exclusive EBay Store. Plus we'll be displaying the latest models, including the powerful New Touareg and the stunning new SEAT Leon Cupra R.

Also on display will be hundreds of both modern and classic Volkswagens with prizes going to the best in show. The competition is fierce and the cars will turn out in absolutely pristine condition.

We'll also be displaying a vintage 1960s Karmann Ghia at our trade stand. This extremely rare model was designed by an Italian designer and build with authorisation from Volkswagen by the Karmann coach builders.

If that's not all, we have an exclusive offer for our blog, twitter and facebook fans. Get 10% off all parts, accessories and merchandise purchased at the show with the exclusive voucher below.

Simply download and print the voucher (Adobe PDF) and hand it to the Pulman staff on your visit.

Download your voucher here

Pulman Group Ebay Shop

The new Polo, from just £8,995 at Pulman Volkswagen

The fantastic new Polo S 1.2 60 PS is now available for £8,995 saving £795 on list price!

 

Plus, purchase your new Polo with Volkswagen Solutions and receive 3 years free servicing.

Solutions example for Polo 1.2 S 60 PS 3 door
35 monthly payments of	£99.82
Deposit	£2,698.50
Retail cash price	£8,995.00
Amount of credit	£6,296.50
Optional final payment	£4,578.00
Total amount payable	£10,994.20
Acceptance fee*	£149.00
Option to purchase fee**	£75.00
Excess mileage (plus VAT)	3.6p per mile
Typical APR 13.0%

Hurry though, this offer ends September 30th 2010.

 

Retail sales only. *Payable with first payment. **Payable with optional final payment. Further charges may be payable if the vehicle is returned. Indemnities may be required. Subject to status. Volkswagen finance, freepost VWFS. Offer may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Available to over 18s. Correct at time of writing. Cars must be delivered before 30th September 2010. Images for illustrative purposes only.

Pulman having fun at the NHS Family Fun Day

The weekend of the 21st and 22nd of August was time once again for the annual NHS Family Fun Day and Motor Show in association with NHS Fleet Solutions.

Pulman were on hand to display a fantastic range of cars with a dedicated event support vehicle handing out balloons and goodies to the families visiting the show. The Pulman Fleet team were on hand at the event to show visitors around the cars on show and to promote the competitive new rates across the Volkswagen range.

Included in the display was the new Golf Bluemotion boasting fantastic economy figures and a CO2 output of just 99g/km.

Visitors could also try their luck at entering the exclusive Pulman competition to win a signed Newcastle United Football Club championship winning shirt, by guessing how many balloons had been hidden in the New Polo on display!

For more information visit the Pulman Fleet website.

SEAT set for Sunderland Success

Sporty Spanish car maker SEAT is set for even more success in Sunderland following the takeover of its award-winning dealership in the city.

Alexandra Bridge Cars in Southwick was one of the first SEAT dealers in the UK and built a glowing reputation for excellence over the past quarter of a century.

Now though, the hugely popular and highly regarded retailer has been acquired by the North East-based retailer Pulman  – one of the most successful and innovative retailers in Volkswagens nationwide network.

And the new owners, who operate the Volkswagen franchises in Sunderland and Durham, have pledged to offer customers the best of both worlds as they look to make the latest addition to their growing family even better than ever.

But loyal customers of Pulman SEAT, as it will now be known, should not expect to see change for change’s sake or a sea of new faces on their next visit.  On the contrary, long-serving Sales Manager Alex Paget will continue to oversee matters in the showroom, while Service Manager Lee Morris and his experienced team of technicians will remain in the workshop.

Both teams will be strengthened, however, in order to further improve customer satisfaction and ensure all visitors to the dealership receive the highest levels of care and attention at all times.

It’s an approach that has served Pulman well down the years, with Durham Volkswagen going from strength-to-strength over the past decade and the acquisition and subsequent expansion and transformation of Mill Garages in Sunderland two years ago where the goal is to deliver a fantastic customer experience.

Mike Pulman, founder and Managing Director of the Pulman Group, which now employs more than 130 people, said: ‘We are thrilled to add such a fantastic dealership to our stable.

‘We are also extremely excited to be working with SEAT which is undoubtedly one of the most exciting brand’s around with a great line-up of models.

‘Being from the North East myself I’ve been aware of Alexandra Bridge for many years and am well aware of the fantastic reputation the team at the dealership worked hard to build and maintain in the local community and beyond.

‘Our intention is to build upon the many strengths of the dealership by adding the ideas and innovations that have made our Volkswagen franchises among the very best in the country.

‘By strengthening the fantastic team already in place at the dealership and instilling our own approach to customer care, I am sure Pulman SEAT will go from strength to strength and that customers old and new will be impressed.

‘As a group, our overall goal is to deliver a fantastic customer experience as we know that, ultimately, we’ll only be successful if we keep our customers happy.’

For more details about the SEAT range or to speak to a sales or service adviser, call Pulman SEAT now on 0191 549 2926.

A Fantastic £22,000 raised for the NSPCC and Freeman Hospital

It’s that time of the year again, when bacon rolls are served, the golf clubs are out and Pulman Volkswagen charity golf day is about to begin. 6 hours later, after the birdies, the misses, the hole competitions and auction it was announced that a phenomenal £22,000 was raised for the NSPCC and Freeman Hospital to share.

This fantastic achievement smashed all previous records. For the 5th year running, Pulman Volkswagen held their annual charity golf day at Chester-le-Street golf club on Monday 5th July. There were 23 teams with prizes for first, second and third placed four balls.  The individual best score was achieved by Ray Scotting from Gilder Group.  A delighted Mike Pulman Managing Director of Pulman Volkswagen said “We are so proud with what has been achieved, it was truly fantastic. The golf day just get’s better and better, over the previous 4 years we raised just over £30,000, so to raise £22,000 in one year is amazing.

Chester-le-Street golf club has once again exceeded our expectations and we would like to say a big thank you to all our sponsors that made it possible to raise the amount we did.”

All proceeds are shared between the NSPCC and NHS Freeman Hospital. Dennis Clark from the NSPCC comments, “this is absolutely amazing, £11,000 towards the NSPCC is fantastic and I would like to thank everyone at Pulman Volkswagen for all their hard work on making this possible.”

The golf day had lots of twists and turns and exciting competitions, including a nearest the pin and longest drive competition.  A four ball at the home of the Ryder Cup, the Celtic Manor with overnight accommodation was also won, a prize kindly donated by Executel. There were exceptional auction prizes including a 10 seat box for the Newcastle United verse Manchester United game, as well as 10 seat box for Disney on ice and Peter Kay tickets kindly donated by Metro Arena.

Mike Pulman continues, “NSPCC and Freeman Hospital are fantastic charities. We’ve certainly set ourselves a benchmark now for next year, I can’t wait to see what we achieve!”

A hole in one and a new Volkswagen car

It’s not often you see a hole in one achieved on a golf course, but on Thursday 24th of June that’s exactly what happened. It was a gorgeous sunny morning at Ramside hall, Jeff Tabb walked up to the tee on hole 15, placed his ball, aimed his shot and after a few moments hit a hole in one.

Not only did Jeff Tabb achieve an amazing hole in one, he also won a brand new Volkswagen Polo, kindly donated by Pulman Volkswagen. Jeff Tabb commented: “Having played the 15th Hole at Ramside Hall on a number of occasions I knew the hole was a good test, after selecting the 5 iron in my bag I just thought to myself make sure you take a slow swing and hope for reaching the centre of the green!

After taking my shot one of playing partners Iain Prescott shouted out “that’s got to be close, in fact Jeff that’s really close!” it was only when we approached the green and saw the large pitch mark in front middle of the green that I realised that the ball could well be in the hole because there was no sign of my ball. Sure enough when I eventually reached the pin there it was the ball in the hole! It was a tremendous feeling to achieve the feat of a hole in one and to win this great car makes it even better”.

The golf day was in aid of Niemann-Pick Disease Group charity (NPDG), Craig Mathieson organised the golf day at Ramside Hall for the past 5 years in the name of his niece Lucy who was affected by the rare, neurological condition Niemann-Pick Type C disease, which currently has no definitive treatment or cure. The NPDG provide expert care, advice and support to families affected as well as research in hope that one day there will be a cure.

Craig Mathieson comments, “NPDG charity is very personal to me and is something I hold close to my heat as my niece Lucy suffered from the Niemann-Pick disease. The Ramside golf day was created in Lucy’s name 5 years ago. It is absolutely fantastic that Jeff won the hole in one and I would also like to thank Mike Pulman for supporting us over the last 5 years.”

Toni Mathieson, Craig’s sister-in-law and Lucy’s mother is delighted with the outcome of the day, “the golf day was fantastic raising over £5000 for the NPDG charity. The funds will be used to provide a continuation of much needed support service for children affected by Niemann-Pick diseases and their families."

Mike Pulman, Manager Director of Pulman Volkswagen commented, “it was a privilege to be asked to be involved in the Niemann-Pick charity golf day, and we are so pleased that the hole in one was won. Niemann-Pick Group are an amazing charity, providing support for families affected by this terminal neurological disease. It was one fantastic shot by Jeff who deservedly wins the new Volkswagen Polo.”

Congratulations to Steve Cram and the COCO team for raising over £15,000 at the celebrity charity golf day at De Vere Slaley Hall.

It was a gorgeous summer day last Wednesday 19th when the celebrity charity golf day teed off, raising over £15,000 for the COCO (Comrades of Children Overseas) charity.

The atmosphere was buzzing, it couldn’t have been a more perfect setting, hosted by the stunning De Vere Slaley Hall in Northumberland. The bacon butties were served, the itinerary for the day laid out, golf buggies distributed, everyone at their starting holes for a shotgun start! Twelve o’clock came and they were off!

Over two courses, The Hunting and the newer course The Priestman, 36 teams and a few hours later the tournament was won by Ashes winning cricket star Steve Harmison and raised over £15,000 for COCO.

COCO charity was founded by former Olympic athlete Steve Cram in 2000, and since has raised over a staggering £1.7 million to help fund projects for children in developing countries. The COCO vision is “to protect and enrich the lives of vulnerable children through poverty reduction education and improved health”.

Steve Cram said “This year’s COCO Charity Golf Day at Slaley Hall was a magical event and I would like to pay huge thanks to all those who participated in helping raise in excess of £15,000 for the charity.

The event has grown in popularity and respect as a successful fundraiser and this has only been made possible by the support of some of the best sponsors we could wish for, including of course Pulman Volkswagen as well as the countless others who have donated time, effort and energy to make the event so special.”

Mike Pulman the Managing Director of Pulman Volkswagen attended the day and commented: “It was absolutely fantastic to be part of the COCO charity golf day, Steve and the team did unbelievably well raising over £15,000. It was a lot of fun even though I didn’t win, maybe next year!

We were also proud to sponsor this event, it’s such a fantastic cause, focusing on giving children who are living in poverty access to a brighter future. Well done the COCO team.”

Save up to £7,559 on a new VW Sharan

We have a selection of un-registered Volkswagen Sharan 1.9 S TDI from £16,495, saving a massive £6,525 on list price.

We also have a selection of un-registered Volkswagen Sharan 1.9 SE TDI from £17,995, with a fantastic saving of £7,559.

These cars are strictly limited so call us for more details on 0191 383 7525 or visit www.pulmanvolkswagen.co.uk

£500 extra towards your part exchange

Pulman Volkswagen will give you the best possible price for your part exchange plus an extra £500 at the Pulman Swap Shop event this bank holiday weekend.

Download your voucher here.
Simply bring the voucher with you to claim you extra £500, or quote the included voucher code.
3 years free servicing is available on all new cars when purchased with Volkswagen Solutions.
Visit our showrooms on the 29th, 30th and 31st of May to take advantage of this fantastic offer, but only for this weekend!
For more information visit our website - PulmanVolkswagen.co.uk

'Unbelievable Value' says The Telegraph

Telegraph columnist, Mike Rutherford, looks at the fantastic savings available across the Volkswagen range and compares the current on the road prices with that of other popular brands.

In typically understated fashion, Volkswagen has just revealed its latest 'Unbelievable Value' slogan which must have taken an in-house VW wordschmidt all of five minutes to dream up and implement. Exciting and original it is not. But rarely, if ever, has a company so accurately described in so few words what it, its prices and its products are all about.

Read the full article at The Telegraph website.

For more information on the 'Unbelievable Value' of the latest Volkswagen, visit Pulman Volkswagen.

Protect your paintwork from Volcanic Ash

As we're all aware, the travel conditions thanks to the volcanic ash spreading from Iceland are finally starting the improve.

However, the ash can still cause damage to your cars paintwork without you even knowing.

Autoglym, one of the leading manufacturers of car valeting products, has made some recommendations to keep your car looking its best. 

• Volcanic ash is extremely abrasive, so to combat this make sure to thoroughly soak the car to loosen any deposits on the paint surface.
• Continue to keep the car wet while you sponge the surface
• Use an appropriate bodywork shampoo to counteract the acidic nature of the ash and pay particular attention to your wiper blades as build ups of the ash can scratch your windscreen.
• Regularly changing the water you use will stop ash being constantly applied to the clean bodywork.
• Rinse thoroughly using fresh water and dry fully using a microfibre towel or synthetic chamois.
• Wax the surface to provide an extra layer of protection.

Autoglym finally recommends you wash your car frequently while the ash cloud still spreads to keep deposits to a minimum and your car looking as good as new.


Pulman Volkswagen is an official supplier of the Autoglym range of products, including a comprehensive protection pack, which can be obtained directly from our parts department.
Autoglym and the Autoglym logo are copyright Autoglym - www.autoglym.com

New look for Touran revealed

The latest edition of the Touran has been unveiled at the Leipzig motor show. The new Touran follows the standards set by the New Golf and Polo. The new Touran will also receive a range of new, efficient engines and also a new technology called Dynamic Light Assist which helps to control the headlights so as to avoid dazzling other road users without compromising on visibility.

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Volkswagen News from the Geneva Motorshow

With the Geneva Motorshow in full swing at present, Volkswagen is keen to push the latest additions and updates to the range.

Click read more below to find out what models were on display at Geneva!

The New Sharan

Updated with new looks, a new high quality interior, and rear sliding doors for extra accessibility.

The New Amarok

Tested to the limit by supporting the Dakar Rally, soon to be available as part of Volkswagen Commerical Vehicles.

The New CrossPolo (Polo Dune in the UK)

The rugged Polo makes a comeback with a new style.

The New Golf Plus Cross

The Polo's bigger brother, rugged look with extra features.

The New Touareg

The class leading 4x4 updated with a new look, new features, more refinement and more efficient engines. Look out for the hybrid version coming soon!

All these new models will soon be parking up in the Pulman Volkswagen showroom.

Polo GTI Unvealed ahead of Geneva Motorshow

Photos have been released of the new Polo GTI ahead of the Geneva motor show. The new Polo GTI will be launched in August at Pulman Volkswagen, but you can get your order in soon for this latest hot hatch!

Click the "read more" link below to see more photos of the new Polo GTI!

The New Polo