Monthly Archives: June 2018

Car Care, DIY

Easy Repairs You Can Do on Your Own BMW

Having a BMW is awesome, but it can be costly to maintain if you take it to the shop or the dealership. Luckily, there are plenty of easy repairs you can do on your own. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few things you can do in your own garage or driveway to keep your BMW running smoothly.

First, Have Somewhere to Work

The first thing you need to do is make sure you have somewhere to safely work on your car. If you have an attached garage, that will be ideal, but if you’re like most of us, your garage is probably a catch-all for everything you don’t have space for in the rest of your home. Before you get started working on your car, take some time to sort through your junk and organize your garage. Not only does this give you somewhere to keep your car while you’re working, but it also makes your work area safer and less cluttered, too.

Change Your Oil

Changing your oil is one of the most straightforward repairs you can do — and it can save you a lot of money in the long run. You need:

  • Fresh oil – Check your owner’s manual for the correct oil.
  • A new oil filter.
  • Tools – A wrench or socket to remove the drain plug and an oil filter wrench.
  • An oil catch pan for your old oil.

Jack the car up and place it on jack stands. Never work under a car that’s only up on a jack. Locate the oil pan and position your catch basin under it. Remove the drain plug and let the old oil drain out. Set the old oil aside and replace the drain plug.

Use the oil filter wrench and loosen the old oil filter. Remove and discard it. Put a little bit of fresh oil on the gasket on your new oil filter and screw it into place — not too tight, though. You don’t want to use the filter wrench to tighten it. Then, refill your oil to manufacturer’s specs, check for leaks and you’re done.

Replace Your Drive Belt

A broken drive belt can leave you stranded. For cars that use serpentine belts, it runs your alternator, your power steering, your air conditioner and your water pump. Replacing them is simple, though. You’ll need:

  • A replacement belt.
  • Tools – A socket wrench with a long handle or breaker bar.
  • Belt map – Usually located on a sticker under your hood or in your owner’s manual

Remove the broken drive belt. Study your belt map and locate all of your pullies. Thread the belt through the pullies as detailed on the belt map until you reach the belt tensioner. Use your socket wrench and breaker bar to pull the belt tensioner back until you can place the belt over the tensioner, then slowly release it to place tension on the belt. Done!

Replace Your Battery

This can be a little trickier, depending on where your battery is located. Some BMWs have their batteries in the trunk or under the back seat. The only difference between these and batteries under the hood, though, is that these have a vent that needs to be placed correctly.

You will need:

  • A replacement battery.
  • Tools – Open-ended wrenches or sockets.
  • A car memory keeper

First, plug in your memory keeper. This helps to keep a charge in your car’s systems to prevent problems with the engine’s computer — as a bonus, it also keeps you from losing your pre-set radio stations! It isn’t required for all cars, but it is recommended.

Once you’ve located your battery, remove your terminals — negative first, then positive. Then loosen and remove your battery hold-down. Finally, remove the battery itself, replace it with the new battery and reattach your terminals in reverse order. Unplug the memory keeper, and you’re good to go.

Taking care of your BMW is easy if you have the right tools and plenty of space to work. Take some time to organize your garage and pick up a few tools, and you’ll be turning wrenches in no time.

Editorial

How to Not Crash Your First BMW

Congratulations — you just signed on the dotted line and got to take home your first BMW. It’s so tempting to put the pedal to the metal and see what your new car can really do — but the last thing you want to do is crash your new car right after you pick it up! Here are a few tips and tricks to help you keep your new BMW on the road.

Know Your Car

Before you get behind the wheel, make sure you do some research on your new car. What is its top speed? How fast can it go from 0 to 60? What about stopping distance? If this is your first time owning something quick, you might be shocked at the difference between this and your old clucker.

While you probably won’t be trying to break that speed record, it’s still a good idea to know what your car’s capabilities are before you start driving it. It lets you know what to expect when you take off from a stoplight or have to slam on the brakes to avoid a distracted driver in front of you.

No Lead Feet

The BMW M5 30th anniversary edition can do 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 199 miles per hour. Even if this isn’t the model that’s sitting in your garage, chances are your BMW has more power than you’re used to in a car. Take off your lead boots and drive smart — you’re not going to hit that top speed on your daily commute or anywhere else unless you’re on a track, so stick to the posted speed limit when you’re on public roads. It can be tempting to push it on a straight highway, but remember you’re not the only one on the road.

No Distractions

It’s important to remember this anytime you’re driving, but it’s especially important if you’re behind the wheel of a powerful car like a BMW — be aware of your surroundings. Don’t let an accident on the side of the road, your favorite jam on the radio or a lovely sunrise distract you from driving. In this same vein, leave the cell phone in your pocket or your glove compartment. Distracted driving was responsible for 3,450 fatalities in 2016. And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 83,000 accidents each year are the direct result of people driving while sleep-deprived. Driving without sleeping for 24 hours slows your reaction times — it’s roughly equal to a 0.10 blood alcohol level.

Don’t Show Off

Just search YouTube for “BMW Show Off Fail” and you’ll find hours of footage that is fun to watch but not so fun to be a part of. If this is your first time in a fast car, you might be surprised at how many people want to race you at a stoplight. It might seem like a fun challenge, but the pride you get from beating someone off the line isn’t worth the dozens of things that could go terribly wrong.

Getting your first BMW is an awesome experience, but you want to make sure you’re driving safely. The last thing you want to do is have to tow your BMW to the shop because you crashed it. Don’t speed, don’t get distracted and don’t open up that throttle unless you’re on the track. BMWs are powerful, but that power can be dangerous in inexperienced hands. Other than that, enjoy your new BMW and the fantastic comfort and security it offers — you’ve earned it.

Editorial

Why you should choose a BMW over an Audi

There is intense competition between the Germain carmakers behind Audi and BMW. Luckily, this competition benefits the customers the most. This competition leads to more luxury and benefit in car designs which make a car owner as satisfied as possible. BMW and Audi are both luxury car brands, catering to a specific segment of society. The companies know that the more perfection they serve, the loyal their customer base will become.

Audi and BMW may be the most competitive brands when it comes to cars, but we have picked out some reasons why you should choose a BMW over an Audi:

More designs:

BMW launched four models in 1975. Today, this number has increased to more than a hundred. There is a lot of variety in the make and models of BMW. There are so many sizes, engines, and colors to pick from, and this has made BMW a hallmark of success.

When you pay close attention to the variety of BMW models, you realize this has happened to prevent BMW owners from deflecting to other brands for better options. If you want better options, they are right here in a BMW sales shop.

The executives at BMW follow a simple principle: they don’t want the customers to grow bored. The more attention you pay to your customers, the more your customer satisfaction rate will increase. Maintaining a successful vehicle line between all the luxury car brand proliferation is a sign of their competitiveness.

Brands like Cadillac, Audi, and General Motors are always grappling with confusion to get more models in the market for everyone. Meanwhile, BMW cruises smoothly with its wide range of options.

Flexible assembly lines:

A BMW model is fixed in eight final assembly plants around the world. Four plants are located in Germany, two are based in China, one is in South Africa, and a complex is in Spartanburg. The Spartanburg plant specializes in all crossover BMW models, which are called Sports Activity Vehicles by BMW.

The part kits for BMW are assembled in developing countries like India and Thailand. This shows the cost-effectiveness of the lineup and the flexibility to stay true to the assembly requirements throughout the year. Multiple body types can be created out of these plants with the same efficiency.

There are experts in Logistics in every plan who direct the whole process until the vehicle is completed to be delivered in more than 140 countries. Then there are complications like the delivery of engines to the Spartanburg plant and the journey of a Sports Activity Vehicle back to Europe.

Trading options:

When we talk about variety, we also pay attention to the fact that the company will help you trade in your vehicle in exchange for a better and more suitable model. If your car lease is expiring or your family is growing, you can choose a bigger or better BMW model.

BMW also sells more of these small luxury cars than any of its competitors. Customers don’t find it very hard to decipher the alphanumeric names of BMW cars. In the i3, a small battery powered car, i stands for innovation. In the 328i, which is a sedan with a gas engine, the ‘i’ stands for direct gasoline injection to the cylinders.

If the trading choices are a bit confusing for you, the company has trained product experts for you. These experts are trained by BMW and employed by car dealers like We Buy Any Car in the UK who are well-versed in retail sale prices and every tip that you possibly want to know about BMW vehicles. These people are trained after inspiration from Apple Store agents. They aren’t made to force shoppers to buy a car, they just mystify them with their vast knowledge of every model and its luxury functionalities.

The resulting sales numbers are significant for the company. People never lose interest in the brand, and there is always the chance to introduce something new.

Driver-focused vehicle:

As their slogan goes, BMW goes a mile in providing the ‘ultimate driving machine’ to its customers. When you get into a BMW, you see a dashboard that is gathered towards your driver’s seat. You will find out within minutes that the car prioritizes giving all main functions access to the driver. Heating changes and infotainment can be accessed by the front seat passenger, but all other options are in close range of the driver.

All BMWs are, without doubt, the most comfortable driving machines. The 3 Series cars are labeled to be all you ever wanted to drive and own. They have desirable, practical and hugely comfortable parts that will end up impressing the most critical of drivers. Most BMWs are rear-wheel drives, except SUVs and sports cars that are four-wheel drives.

BMW vs. Audi:

Many people will bring all the classic arguments to push one brand over the other. However, as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, car choices also depend on the needs of the owner. There are some things which define and distinctly differentiate BMW from Audi choices:

BMW is a maker of FWD while Audi makes sports cars with more power to the rear. Fans can go on and on about these specs about FWD for ages, but BMW’s xDrive is a groundbreaking model that is just an excellent model to own.

The interiors are amazing in a BMW, while the Audi focuses on a sports car perspective. BMW is a car for families and caters to families of every size.

BMW and Audi are rivals in small cars, and their models even came close to rivalry in 2017. Both had great interiors and smooth functions. When it comes to SUVs, it is a strong suit of BMWs. Their models rank on top for the luxury SUV classes. Safety scores for these SUVs are perfect, and they provide excellent functions in the latest model. Audi falls back with their limited backseat and safety score.

BMW promises a single price and stays close to it while for the Audi, prices start lower but can quickly gather to a higher number.