BMWs are well-loved for their high horsepower, sleek design and smooth handling. These luxury cars are incredibly fun to drive and come from a German company with over 100 years of experience in the automotive industry. Because BMWs are fine-tuned machines, they’re expensive to own and maintain.
Once you’ve purchased one of these beautiful vehicles, taking care of it becomes your responsibility. Properly maintained, a BMW can last for 200,000 to 250,000 miles. However, towing a BMW can cause serious damage to the car if done incorrectly. Here are three tips for safely towing your valuable BMW.
Use the Tow Hook
Every BMW has a tool kit conveniently built into the vehicle. You can check your vehicle’s trunk to find the compartment where these tools are hidden. Once you’ve opened up this compartment, you should see a tow hook attached to a bolt. These pieces fit into a covered screw hole that’s located on the exterior of your vehicle.
Depending on which model you own, your BMW should have a covered screw hole on the front, back or both ends of the vehicle. It may be off-centered and is covered by a tiny plate that blends into the car’s finish. You can click this small plate off and safely store it inside the vehicle while your car is being towed.
Once you’ve taken the plate off, you can screw the bolt and tow hook into your car until it’s secure. You can use the hook to tighten the bolt into your BMW. If you’d rather have a tighter fit, separate the two pieces and screw the bolt in first with a socket wrench. Then, you can screw the hook on by hand.
Invest in a Tow Bar
Your BMW doesn’t come with a tow bar, but this piece of equipment is an essential for safely towing your vehicle. Once you’ve attached the tow hook securely to the exterior of your BMW, you’ll need to connect the hook to the vehicle towing your car. Using stretchy or brittle material for this job is a very bad idea.
Do not use a rope to connect your BMW to a tow truck. Even a small amount of stretch could cause your car to veer off course, skidding around turns and potentially damaging the vehicle. In a particularly bad situation, a poor connection could also weigh down the tow truck and cause it to lose control.
Tow bars are designed to securely connect your BMW’s tow hook to a tow truck. They’re designed to handle different amounts of weight, so make sure you choose one that’s adequate for your vehicle. Just to be safe, it’s a good idea to buy a tow bar that’s strong enough to tow a car heavier than yours.
Hire a Flatbed
Another safe option for towing your BMW is to hire a flatbed truck. This allows you to lift your car off the road, keep it flat and move it safely from one location to another without worrying about serious structural or cosmetic damage. Although flatbeds can be hard to find, they’re the best option for towing your vehicle safely.
Most mechanics strongly advise against flat towing – BMW transmissions must be lubricated while in use to prevent damage. Lubrication happens automatically when your car is running, which is why it’s so important to turn your car on and put it in neutral while it’s being towed. However, many newer BMW models should not be flat towed even in neutral.
Car professionals disagree about whether you can use a dolly to move your BMW. Tilting your vehicle on a dolly could stress the frame during turns when one of the wheels is more elevated than the other. You should never pull on the undercarriage of a BMW – they’re not built to handle the strain.
Always Check the Manual
When in doubt, always check the manual for your specific BMW. Older models may be capable of making different maneuvers safely than newer vehicles. The best way to tow your car depends on the materials it’s made of and the way its parts are designed to function together. Your car’s manual should give clear directions about what you can do without harming the car.
Because BMWs are luxury vehicles, they take an extra amount of care. They’re fine-tuned to provide an optimum driving experience, designed with smooth transmissions and powerful engines that make for superb handling. A vehicle of this quality requires extra care to protect it from being damaged when towed. Use this guide to confidently move your BMW wherever it needs to go – without causing damage or entailing expensive repairs.