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Why You Should Never Park Your BMW on the Street

Bringing a BMW home means you’re taking on a certain responsibility. You need to care for it, protect it and maintain it — if for no other reason than a well-maintained BMW will last you for many years. Where should you be parking your BMW, and why should you avoid parking it in the street?

Careless Drivers

You can be the safest driver in the world, but you have no control over all the other drivers on the road. All it takes is one distracted driver — especially an uninsured one — and you’ll find yourself on the hook for a costly deductible or expensive repairs. Parking your car in the street leaves you vulnerable to anyone texting and driving, doing their makeup or trying to eat breakfast while they’re driving to work.

Car Thieves

A luxury car like a BMW is a prime target for car thieves. According to industry experts, most car thefts occur when you park a vehicle on the street or on your property. Leaving your BMW on the street is like walking into a junkyard while wearing a steak around your neck to greet the junkyard dog. Don’t make your favorite vehicle a tempting target. 

Snow Plows

In the winter, the most dangerous thing isn’t the ice, snow or cold temperatures — at least to your car. No, the most dangerous beast is the snowplow your city uses to keep your streets clear. If you leave your BMW on the street, you could end up with scratched paint, broken windows or worse. The snowplow driver isn’t targeting your car maliciously — they just can’t see it under all that snow, so you’re tempting fate by leaving it on the side of the road.

Keep your car in the garage during the winter months to avoid this kind of damage. If you’re worried about an old garage door opener that might not function as it used to, upgrade your current model for one connected to a smart home system. Some even come with security lights and alarms to ensure your ride’s security.

Harsh Weather 

A rainy day might seem like an easy way to wash your car, but harsh weather can do all sorts of damage to your vehicle. Severe winds can throw debris that will scratch your paint. Hailstones can break windows and shatter windshields. Parking your car on the street leaves it vulnerable to all of these things. Around 20% of the automobiles parked on the street regularly get struck with flying debris.

Birds

If you park outside, there’s always the risk that a passing bird might poop on your car. In addition to being unsightly, bird poop and splattered bugs are both acidic enough to burn through your BMW’s clear coat in 48 hours or less. Leave it for too long, and it could potentially eat down to the bare metal. The easiest way to avoid this is to park your car indoors and keep it off the street. 

Always Park Indoors When You Can

There are plenty of reasons to park indoors whenever you can, especially if you spent the money to bring home a luxury car like a BMW. Rocks, bird poop, careless drivers and snowplows can all damage your vehicle if you park on the street. Save yourself the expense and heartache by parking in your garage as often as possible. 

10 Most In-Demand Jobs for Car Enthusiasts 2020

It’s the beginning of a new decade, and many people might be looking at this new milestone as an excuse to start a new career. Whether you’re an amateur mechanic that’s looking for a change or a high school student trying to figure out what you’re going to do with your life, 2020 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for car lovers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the automotive industry is expected to grow by 17% through this year, which is faster than the average of all other occupations.  For automotive enthusiasts, what are the most in-demand automotive-related jobs for 2020?

(All salary information collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics unless otherwise indicated.)

1. Automotive Repair Technician

First and foremost, there will always be a need for those skilled and knowledgeable enough to repair and maintain everyone else’s daily drivers. You don’t need a degree to become a mechanic or repair technician, though a post-secondary program certificate may be required. Automotive repair technicians can expect to make an average of $40,710 a year, or $19.57 an hour. 

2. Detailer

There’s nothing better than a nice clean car, and automotive detailers have the awesome job of keeping those cars clean and sparkly. You’ll learn on the job and there are is no educational requirement to become a detailer.  The average hourly wage for automotive detailers is $24,530 a year, or $11.79 per hour. 

3. Rental Agent

Whether you’re renting a car for a vacation or need a replacement while yours is in the shop, rental agents are there to help.  If you like working with people and cars, and want to find a decent career without worrying about college or a post-secondary program, look for a job as a rental agent. Automotive rental agents can earn upwards of $31,200 a year, or around $14.52 an hour. 

Pictured: Dr. Hans-Christian Baertels, President BMW Group India

4. Tow Truck Driver

If you need a rescue — whether that means a flat tire, a dead battery or a car accident —  you call a tow-truck driver.  Getting into this industry requires a post-secondary program and a CDL, but you can enjoy an average annual salary of $30,389 a year.

5. Vehicle Inspector

Whether you’re inspecting vehicles for emissions regulations or ensuring that the cargo is safe to transport, vehicle inspectors are a necessary and important part of the automotive industry. It’s also one a lucrative career, with the average inspector earning $73,720 annually, or $35.44 per hour.

6. Automotive Engineer

If you don’t mind heading to college for a bachelor’s degree and enjoy working with technical things, becoming an automotive engineer is a great option. 

Engineers are involved in every part of the creation process, from design to manufacturing and even — in some settings — in repair. On average, an automotive engineer can earn $87,370 a year or $42.00 an hour. 

7. Electric Car Repair

Electric vehicles are becoming more popular with each passing year, and it takes a specific type of skillset to be able to maintain these vehicles and keep them running smoothly. This field is so new that the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t have any specific wage data yet, but on average you can expect to earn around $33,010 a year to repair and maintain electric cars. 

Furthermore, the renewable industry is expected to grow by 63% between 2018 and 2028. Considering electric and autonomous vehicles are rapidly developing within BMW and other automakers, a job working with EVs may help further your career and transform the automotive industry.

8. Car Sales

If you love getting to hang out with the newest cars on the market every year, there’s no better career than automotive sales. The median annual salary for a car salesperson is $39,903, though that can vary from state to state and depends on whether you receive an hourly salary, commission, or both.

9. Manufacturing 

If you like to get your hands dirty but prefer putting this together rather than fixing them, automotive manufacturing can be a great way to get the best of both worlds.

On average, automotive manufacturers can earn upwards of $43,203 annually.  This is also usually a unionized position which means you’ve got better benefits and more protection. 

10. Car Designer

For those on the more artistic side of the things, becoming an automotive designer might be right up your alley. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in a related field, like graphic design or engineering design, but in this field, you can earn upwards of $66,590 a year or $32.01 an hour creating the cars of tomorrow. 

Looking Forward

If you love cars but don’t want to get your hands dirty, there are plenty of growing careers that you can take advantage of if 2020 is your year to make a change ad choose a new career.

BMW vs. Uber: Who Will Be the Next Amazon of Transportation?

Uber has disrupted the transportation industry, but it may not dominate the roads of tomorrow thanks to BMW’s recent innovations.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO, announced plans for Uber to become the “Amazon of transportation,” but BMW may interrupt these plans with their own services and vehicles. As Uber becomes more than a carpooling app, the German automakers are becoming more than a manufacturer.

BMW announced a slew of projects to compete with Uber in 2019, and since then, both companies have been significant signs of progress.

But who is in the lead, and why does it matter for BMW?

Doing It All

What does being the Amazon of transportation mean? It means being a service that does it all, from ferrying people around to delivering food to making the vehicles of the future. It’s a bid to get into every aspect of transportation.

Though it began as a ride-sharing app, Uber now offers a variety of services like Uber Eats, a food delivery system, and Uber Freight, an app that matches carriers and shippers.

BMW has announced competitive offerings with the help of auto company Daimler. The joint venture includes things like Reach Now, a mobility solution that provides ride shares, bike rentals and public transportation planning.

BMW and Daimler’s transportation services compete directly with Uber, who’s also been incorporating more than just cars into their offerings. While the details of their approaches may differ, both companies are looking to provide a variety of transportation solutions to customers.

The Race for Driverless Transportation

BMW and Uber are looking into more than just connecting drivers with passengers. Both are joining the race to put safe, efficient driverless cars on the road.

Uber’s shaky acquisition of self-driving vehicle company Otto shows they’re serious about pursuing driverless technology. But they’re not alone. BMW hopes to release its self-driving electric car, the iNext, in 2021. 

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year, BMW also showed off a concept for a driverless vehicle interior, focusing on maximizing passenger comfort. In line with this philosophy of relaxation, they also premiered the i3 Urban Suite, a modified BMW i3 that allows passengers to lounge in a hotel-like experience. The Urban Suite needs a human driver for now, but the cabin arrangement could easily apply to a driverless car as well.

Uber has begun testing driverless vehicles in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. For now, they will be in manual mode, driven by a person. But they hope the data collected by these tests will bring them closer to operational self-driving vehicles.

Who’s Ahead?

Both Uber and BMW are running towards big goals in the future of transportation. The companies are not just pursuing a more varied array of services, but more advanced technology as well. The determining factor in who emerges as the new king of the road may be whoever can make these technologies a practical reality first.

Uber is quite literally reaching for the skies, as it unveiled a concept for a flying taxi at CES 2020. Working prototypes won’t be ready until 2023, and after that, it’s unsure when they will be available to the general public.

BMW’s focus remains on the ground, with much of their CES concepts aiming to provide passengers with a more enjoyable ride, with or without a human driver.

Features like their smart windshield will require a 5G connection, but this isn’t a far-off reality. BMW’s iNext, set to release next year, will support 5G connectivity.

Both companies’ concepts are lofty, and both seem to be making strides in achieving them. But BMW looks closer to bringing their new technology to the road, with the iNext coming out soon while Uber has yet to announce a release date for its self-driving cars.

As for their current transportation solutions, BMW’s Reach Now already has more than 6 million users, so they may soon catch up with Uber in the ride-sharing field.

If Uber doesn’t show significant progress in the coming years, BMW might beat them to their goal of being the Amazon of transportation.