For most people, a car is one of the most expensive things we own. The number climbs exponentially when that car is a luxury model like a BMW.

If you’ve got a BMW or another luxury brand in your garage, what tips do you need to know to protect that investment?

Park Indoors

One of the easiest ways to protect your BMW is to park indoors. If the BMW isn’t your daily driver, you could be in an attached or detached garage, a secure parking facility, or even vehicle storage.

The goal here is to keep your car out of sight, so it’s out of the minds of thieves and out of the way of drivers who might crash into it while it’s parked on the street or in your driveway.

Clean Your Garage

If you have a garage on your property, it becomes a catch-all for everything that won’t fit in the rest of your house.

Sure, you can shove it all against the walls to make room for your car, but then you risk something heavy falling and damaging your paint job or breaking a window. If you’re going to park in your garage, take some time to clean and organize it first. Your BMW will thank you.

Keep The Door Closed

It’s nice to leave the garage door open when you’re working on your car or are actively in the room, but other than those moments where you are physically present in the garage, keep the door closed. Open garage doors will increase the likelihood of your car being stolen.

Stay in the Light

When you have to park out in the world, make sure you choose your parking spaces carefully. This tip is critical if you’re out at night. Choose areas that get a lot of foot traffic and are well lit.

Things like dark alleys might not have a lot of competition for parking spaces, but there’s a reason for that. Stay in the light whenever you can if securing a space in a parking garage or another structure isn’t possible. 

Lock Your Doors

This tip might sound like common sense, but it’s one of the easiest things you can do to protect your BMW. It’s also one thing that many people overlook. Lock your doors.

From the moment you leave the car to the moment you get back behind the wheel, your doors should be locked. Some vehicles will automatically lock the doors while you’re in motion, as well as an additional security measure to prevent carjacking. 

Splurge on the Detailing

It’s not always thieves or errant drivers presenting a threat to your automotive investment. Sometimes it can be something as simple as a rock kicked up by another driver or a car door opened a little too forcefully.

While you can’t prevent every scratch and ding, a thorough detailing job, including a good coat of wax, can help to absorb some of the damage and prevent it from reaching your paint job. 

Invest in Luxury Insurance

Buying a car insurance policy isn’t like heading to your local Geico office and asking for a quote. If you’re driving or storing an expensive car, make sure you have insurance to match.

The price tag might be a bit larger, but the coverage will be more comprehensive, and you can be sure that you’ll be ready in case you get into an accident or squirrels chew through your headlight cables. 

Don’t Skip Your Maintenance Days.

Protecting the outside of your BMW is only part of the equation. There’s no point in spending the money to bring home one of these luxury cars if you’re not going to take care of it.

Stick to the manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule. Change your oil, rotate your tires, and take care of your BMW. Do that, and it will take care of you for many years to come.

Drive Carefully

Finally, the most important thing you can do to protect your BMW — and yourself — is to drive carefully. Don’t act like you’re on a racetrack.

Practice your defensive driving techniques, and do whatever it takes to avoid a collision. It sounds simple, but of course, it’s not your driving skills that you need to worry about — it’s everyone else when you’re out on the road. 

Protect Your Investment

Whether your BMW is brand new or something that would qualify you for an antique license plate, it takes a bit of work to keep it safe both on and off the road. Make sure you have a secure place to park, keep your doors locked, and drive carefully. 

A silent car is stunning. Quiet cars show that they are well-kept, as a louder car might signify troubles with the engine. BMW is one company that pushes for silent and quiet vehicles to make a more enjoyable drive. 

Younger drivers are more likely to own a BMW, but that doesn’t mean that numbers won’t change in the next few years. Once everyone sees the quietest BMW models on the market, they may change their minds for a more peaceful drive.

How to Keep Your BMW Quiet

BMW is known for its quiet engines. If your engine is warm and you go under a certain MPH depending on the model, you shouldn’t hear the car at all. Still, if you find yourself hearing the vehicle while seated in the cabin, you can take measures to dampen the noise.

Try out some of these methods when you can’t help but hear the noise your BMW makes.

• Rubber Floor Mats: Rubber floor mats will absorb any additional noise coming from your car and help you tune out the noise from your engine.
• Partition: If the noise is coming from your trunk, you can either remove the items or install a partition that can separate the cabin of your car from your storage space. While it won’t eliminate the noise, it may help deaden the sound.
• Weatherstripping: Sometimes, the sound of the wind outside can leak in. Check the weatherstripping around your car. The rubber should deafen the sounds from outside, but if it seems to be rotting or falling off, either get someone to replace it or replace it yourself to keep your car running quietly.

The Quietest BMW Models on the Market

All BMW models have their pros and cons, but these models are renowned for how quiet they are — either all the time or most of the time. With the right conditions, you won’t hear your car at all. These cars range from brand-new to older and experienced. 

1. BMW M340i

This brand-new BMW is a 2022 edition, and it just may be the quietest car on this list. At almost 70 MPH, the sound only reaches 65dB — which is phenomenal, as that sound is hardly louder than a person’s voice. 

In addition to its lack of noise, it comes in various cool colors, dark and moody blues, greens and reds. It also boasts a locking glovebox with an anti-theft stereo, and you can access the car without a key — which makes getting ready in the morning so much easier.

2. BMW X7

This 2022 BMW model is a luxury sports activity vehicle with several models. The Alpina isn’t as quiet as the other BMW X7 models due to its powerful engine. Still, if you value the power of the Alpina, you may find it better that way, as most people prioritize luxury cars for the experience and exclusivity, not the sound of the engine. It sports fine leather interiors and is the largest edition of BMW available, seating up to seven people.

3. BMW X3

This model has been around for a while, but the 2022 edition has plenty of updates to help it compete with newer models. With its redesigned exterior and palette of fresh colors, the latest version of the BMW X3 picks up where older models left off and brings it up to today’s standards. These cars haven’t yet been released, but you can look forward to their multiple cameras that survey all angles and remote starting when it does release.

If you have the older version of this car, it may not be up to your standard. You might choose to work on it yourself instead of handing it over to a shop. With the correct tools, you can adjust your BMW yourself and ensure it’s still in its prime. Just make sure you have common resources like jacks, ramps, a mallet and more on hand so you can reach for them when you need them.

4. BMW i3 S

The BMW i3 of 2021 has two models: the original and the S. The i3 S is the sportier of the two, which means it might be a bit louder than the standard i3. It’s an electric car that drives pretty silently and offers a change of pace from gasoline — making it perfect for the climate-conscious BMW enthusiast. It isn’t a great family car, but it handles spectacularly for the individual driver.

5. BMW 335d

If you’re more in the mood for an older or used car, the BMW 335d is an excellent option for a first-time BMW owner or just someone who enjoys a taste of the silent engine. Old and reliable, this car is easily upgradable. While it may not be the most silent car, due in part to its age and the fact that it’s a diesel vehicle, once the engine is warm, you’ll find that it’s much quieter.

Find the Best BMW For Your Lifestyle

A silent car is fantastic, as it exudes luxury and helps you understand that you’re doing your best to be eco-friendly. BMW strives to keep its cars as silent as possible with high-performance thresholds for everyone. Though your BMW may not be as quiet as you’d like, you can take steps to make it even quieter — but even if it isn’t a silent car, it’s much quieter than other cars you may meet on the road.

Feature Image Credit: Volo Auto Museum

The BMW Isetta is the world’s first micro-car with unique origins and an even more unique design. While it’s probably not your first choice for a vintage car, it has a rightful place in the vehicular history books and maintains a sizable cult following. Here’s a closer look at the 1957 BMW Isetta.

A Brief History

The 1957 BMW Isetta was originally not a BMW at all. The vehicle first emerged in 1952 from an Italian company called Iso SpA, which had only made motor scooters and three-wheel trucks up to that point. Owner Renzo Rivolta decided to take his business to the next level and started mass producing a bubble-shaped car with the Iso Moto 200 motorcycle engine. 

Rivolta named his new vehicle the Isetta and officially released it at the Turin Motor Show in November 1953. We won’t spoil the car’s details here, but needless to say, the Isetta caused a lot of commotion among the crowd. No one had seen such a strange vehicle before. Its acceleration was poor, and it could only reach 47 miles per hour, yet it passed all safety inspections and had fantastic mileage.

Iso SpA quickly received offers from other European manufacturers to purchase the rights to the Isetta’s body, and Rivolta came to an agreement with BMW in 1954. BMW was not an auto giant at the time, but a steadily growing German manufacturer still recovering from World War II.

BMW’s 1955 model became the world’s first vehicle to achieve a fuel consumption rate of 50 miles per gallon and was considered the pinnacle of single-cylinder cars. The company continued to produce Isettas until 1962 and made a total of 161,728 vehicles. Of that number, only 8500 made it to the United States.

Isetta’s Defining Features

The Isetta is best known for its egg-shaped body and lone entry point. Instead of side doors, one front door opens directly to the driver’s seat. The entire front interior panel, including the steering wheel, is connected to the front door. The Isetta’s front wheels also sit 47.2 inches apart while the back wheels are 20 inches apart, giving it a three-wheel look that Rivolta wanted.

Isettas are known for pairing remarkably well with bright colors, especially red and baby blue. The chrome wheels, bumpers and luggage rack perfectly contrast with the primary color. Some specific models also have light accents, such as a tan retractable roof on the convertible model or a beige front door.

The interior has a simple design: one leather booth seat that comfortably fits two people. It quite literally feels like a pod from the inside, with smooth walls and very few accessories. All you see are the steering wheel, ignition, speedometer and four-speed stick shift. A small luggage area sits behind the booth.

Performance

The Isetta is not known for blazing speeds. Its modest 297-cc four-stroke one-cylinder engine takes about 30 seconds to accelerate the vehicle to a top speed of 55 miles per hour, making it practically unusable on major highways. Perhaps that’s for the best, because its body doesn’t offer much protection. 

Modern sedans dwarf the Isetta and can cause serious damage. The confined space could easily trap passengers in the event of a crash, but Rivolta was apparently aware of this defect. He installed an emergency exit in the Isetta’s roof to give the vehicle two exit points instead of one. 

However, what the Isetta lacks in speed and security, it makes up for in mileage. Even the very first BMW model made in 1955 sported 50 miles per gallon, and the 1957 model averages about 60. A full tank of gas will take you 159 miles.

1957 BMW Isetta Sub-Models

BMW produced five variations of the 1957 model:

• Standard 1957 Isetta (manual 4)
• Isetta 250 (1 series, manual 4)
• Isetta 250 (2 series, manual 4)
• Isetta 300 (1 series, manual 4)
• Isetta 300 (2 series, manual 4)

The 250 models have a little more torque and horsepower than the standard model, and the 300 models are just a step above the 250s. The maximum speed ranges from 50 to 55 mph.

Where to Find a 1957 Isetta

With such an odd portfolio, the Isetta is a viable vehicle in only a handful of settings. If you want to find one, start your search in coastal cities with limited elevation. Isettas suit the quiet, laid-back atmosphere that beach towns tend to have. They’re also popular restoration projects, so one could be hiding in a garage somewhere in your hometown. 

If you manage to find an Isetta in driving condition, expect to pay at least $45,000 for it. Isettas that need work range from $17,000 to $30,000, depending on the parts you need.

The Strangest BMW Ever Made

BMW has released many obscure vehicles over the years, but nothing looks quite like the Isetta. Its bubble-shaped exterior, vibrant colors and absurd mileage make it the strangest BMW and one of the most peculiar vehicles ever made by anyone.