Monthly Archives: September 2020

DIY

Everything You Need to Work on Your BMW

Whether you want to make some modifications to your BMW or simply have to perform repairs and maintenance, you’re going to need a few tools. Turn your garage into a makeshift mechanic shop with these essential pieces of equipment. Then, get to work!

1. Floor Jack and Stands

If you plan to work on any of the components beneath your BMW, you’ll need a floor jack to lift and lower it. You’ll also need at least two jack stands to hold your car in place. Purchase stands that are rated for the weight of your vehicle to ensure the safety of both you and your car.

2. Wheel Chocks

Every year, roughly 13,000 automotive technicians sustain injuries while performing regular maintenance and repairs. To minimize injuries and fatalities, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates the use of wheel chocks while operating on heavy machinery. These little blocks will keep your BMW in place as you work and will provide peace of mind if you don’t trust your parking brake.

3. Micro-Abrasive Tube Brush

It’s also wise to have some tube brushes on hand. Use nylox micro-abrasive brushes for internal deburring and finishing applications. For battery maintenance and scrubbing the inside of cooling tubes, you might use a wire tube brush instead. You might also use these brushes to eliminate rust, clean corroded light sockets and unclog EGR ports.

4. Socket Wrench Set

You must replace your spark plugs every so often. When the time comes, you’ll need a socket wrench to remove the old ones. Purchase a set with multiple sockets to ensure you always have the right size for the job. Odds are good you’ll be using it for more than just spark plugs.

5. Breaker Bar

Sometimes nuts and bolts simply won’t move, no matter how much force you use. In this case, you’ll need a breaker bar. The long handle provides maximum torque and stability. Ones with flexible heads also allow you to work from any angle and reach around tight spaces for the best leverage.

6. Tire Pressure Gauge

AC Schnitzer M3 Wheel

In a BMW — and any car, for that matter — correct tire pressure is critical. Check the pressure every so often by using a gauge to take readings. Some even come with a built-in air bleeder to easily reduce tire pressure and a display that glows in the dark so you can ensure your tires are full day or night.

7. Creeper

Working on the undercarriage of your BMW for long periods of time calls for something a little more comfortable than a skateboard. Invest in a creeper with cushioning to support your body and rotating wheels to easily roll you under your car. After an hour or two on your back, you’ll be glad you did.

Do Your Research

As you know, BMWs are luxurious and come with a hefty price tag. Therefore, if you want to perform maintenance work on it, you must know what you’re doing. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying to repair damages on top of the problem you were trying to fix in the first place.

Before grabbing your wrench, take some time to research the job you’d like to tackle. Read the owner’s manual, consult YouTube and public auto forums, and speak to experienced modders. These resources are invaluable as you work to maintain your ride and care for it properly.

Editorial

How to Become a Better Driver

So you’ve got a BMW, and you don’t want to be the next person featured on Reddit’s “Idiots In Cars.” How can you become a better driver? Driving is a skill that we all tend to learn young. Getting that driver’s license and heading out on the road on our own for the first time is something of a rite of passage. While we hone our skills as we get older and spend more time behind the wheel, it’s easy to get trapped by bad habits we picked up while we were still learning. Thankfully, it’s never too late to become a better driver.

Don’t Tailgate — Ever

Tailgating is never a smart idea, no matter who you’re following. Drafting became popular on long trips — using the downdraft from large semi-trucks to reduce the amount of fuel you burn. While it does work, the benefits are negligible, and you’d have to be far too close to stop safely to save any appreciable amount of gas on your trip. Tailgating causes more than 950,000 injuries and 2,000 deaths every single year.

Be Mindful of Your Speed

We all know what speed limits are and how to follow them, but one thing that driver’s education teachers often neglect to say is that we need to be mindful of road conditions. Driving 75 mph on the interstate is only safe during optimal conditions. During rain, fog or other dangerous weather, meeting the speed limit isn’t safe. 

Learn to Identify Dangerous Intersections

Not all intersections are created equal, and some can be more dangerous than others. Learn how to identify and navigate them safely. Frontage roads, roundabouts and intersections with blinking lights can be incredibly dangerous if you’re not careful. Some roundabouts can reduce traffic accidents by up to 82% — but they only work if the drivers navigating them know what they’re doing. 

Don’t Weave Through Traffic

No one likes getting stuck behind a slow car or a huge truck that struggles to accelerate, but you need to be smart about changing lanes. Weaving in and out of traffic increases your risk of ending up in an accident. Be careful when you decide to change lanes. Give other drivers a wide berth, move smoothly and don’t travel at high speeds. This isn’t a NASCAR track. There are no winners, but if you lose control and cause a pileup because you were impatient, there will be plenty of losers. 

scottie

Don’t Drive Drowsy

We all know that driving under the influence is both dangerous and illegal, but we’ll get behind the wheel after pulling an all-nighter or working a double without a second thought. What your driver’s ed teacher neglected to tell you was that drowsy driving is just as dangerous. Being awake for 24 hours slows your reaction times. It’s roughly equivalent to driving with a 0.10 blood alcohol level. For comparison, you’re considered legally drunk in most parts of the country with a 0.08 BAC. 

Practice, Practice, Practice

When it comes down to it, the only way you’re going to become a better driver is to get behind the wheel and practice. If you’re worried about dangerous intersections, take the time to navigate them during off-peak hours or at night. Drive safely and focus on honing those skills.