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BMW Climate Control Hacks for Your Pet

Dog owners know there’s hardly anything as fun as going out on a playdate with your furry best friend. Whether you take them to the pet store to meet other dogs and pick out a bag of treats or drive to the dog park, it’s always great to explore the world together. 

While you’re driving around together, there are a few ways pet owners make their dogs more comfortable. You might get your smaller dog a tiny car seat or your bigger dog a harness seatbelt. They could prefer to fill the backseat with toys or ride with their head out of the window.

Those are great ways to have fun and stay safe on the road, but dog owners should also think about the interior temperature of the car. BMW has already thought of that with their Climate Control feature. Read on to learn more about why regulating your car’s temperature is so important and how you can use it in your BMW.

Why Pets Need Climate Control

Most dog owners frequently travel with their pets, which makes it crucial that those dogs are comfortable and safe. Safety restraints and seat protectors go a long way in protecting both the dog and the car, but temperature plays a significant role as well.

Some breeds, especially short-nosed brachycephalic breeds like pugs and bulldogs, and long-haired breeds that are more comfortable in cold weather, can experience heatstroke at temperatures as low as 90F.

On the other side of the coin, small breeds and those with short hair can start experiencing symptoms of canine hypothermia at 40-32F. Whether it’s hot or cold outside, if you’re leaving your pet in your car, you need climate control.

How BMW Climate Control Works

The controls are always located under the air vents between the front seats, regardless of the model of your BMW. Press the Auto button to begin the Climate Control system. Using the red and blue temperature adjustment buttons, set the temperature to whatever you prefer. As long as the Auto button is still on, the car will heat or cool to maintain the temperature you’ve set.

It will also adjust the fan speed according to how quickly it needs to regulate the temperature. It’s similar to Tesla’s “Dog Mode” which also includes a message on the console screen letting passersby know that your four-legged friend is comfortable in a climate-controlled environment.

BMW drivers in cold climates where it snows frequently will enjoy another aspect of Climate Control: it automatically senses the humidity in the car, so it adjusts that whenever you open the car door and let snow blow in. Climate Control also monitors the temperature of the windshield and will automatically defrost any snow or ice that collects on it overnight or while you’re in a store.

In the near future, you might be able to use BMW’s climate control features in more than just your favorite coupe or sedan. The manufacturer unveiled plans for the NorthFace Camper Futurelight Trailer early in 2019 — a portable camper that is designed to help you bring all the comforts of home out into the wilderness.

While BMW hasn’t announced any plans to include climate control features in its camper, it would be nice to be able to keep yourself or your furry friends comfortable out in the world.

What the Future Holds

BMW owners love the Climate Control feature because they don’t need to worry about fidgeting with the settings to keep their car at a comfortable temperature for their dog. It’s enough to make you wonder how this technology will advance in the future.

Even if you’re only running into the store for one thing, you should never leave your furry friends in a car without climate control technology. Technology like this will save canine lives in the future, as companies like BMW expand their current Climate Control programs.

For now, Climate Control makes car rides easier and more enjoyable for both dogs and their owners, so try it out in your BMW the next time you go for a drive.

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What to Do If You Crash Your BMW

No one wants to think about car accidents, but no matter how safely you drive, they can happen to anyone. Whether you’re driving to work, to school or just to the grocery store in your BMW, what should you do if you accidentally drive your car into a storefront or other building?

A Look at the Statistics

Accidents between cars and buildings are more common than most people think. On average, there are 60 accidents where a car strikes a building every single day in the United States alone. These accidents result in upwards of 4,000 injuries and 500 fatalities every year.

While the majority of these accidents are the result of operator error and pedal error, many of them could be prevented with the installation of bollards — steel or concrete poles secured to the sidewalk outside the business. These bollards are designed to take the impact of a car instead of letting the car strike the storefront, potentially injuring pedestrians or customers.

What should you do if you crash your BMW into a store?

Assess

As with any car accident, the first thing you need to do is to assess the situation. Are you injured? Are any of the passengers in your car injured? Is the car dangerous — on fire, or billowing smoke? If you aren’t obviously injured, you can get out of your BMW to assess the situation. If you are hurt and the car is safe, the best idea is to stay in the car — moving after an accident can end up making the injury worse.

You’ll also want to call 911 and let them know there has been an accident so emergency workers can respond.

Collect

Step two is to collect information from anyone involved in the accident. If you end up striking a storefront, this will include exchanging information with the store owner or the manager on duty. You will also want to collect contact information from any witnesses. The first responders will also gather this information, but it can be useful to have in case your insurance company requests it.

Report

Once the police have finished their work and you are free to go, get a copy of the police report and contact your insurance company to let them know you’ve been in an accident. They will contact the store’s insurance and will likely request a copy of the police report.

Once you’ve reported the accident to your insurance company, they will handle the majority of the rest of the process. They may contact you again if you were injured or if they need any additional information.

Go

Finally, whether you feel injured or not, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. The soft-tissue injuries caused by car accidents such as whiplash can take days or weeks to manifest symptoms, so it’s important to get checked out.

Getting in to see your doctor soon can also help you out with your insurance company. If you wait more than two weeks to see your doctor, it becomes more difficult to pin the blame for the injury on your accident, so if you are out of work because of injury, you will want that paper trail to pass on to the insurance company.

Accidents happen, no matter who you are, so the only thing you can do is be prepared for them when they do occur. Knowing how to respond in the event of an accident can help the recovery process go a little more smoothly.

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Checklist for Buying Your First BMW

Dream cars are as many and as varied as the people who dream of them, but almost every driver has fantasized about owning a luxury car from German manufacturer BMW. While getting your hands on a brand-new BMW might seem out of reach, if the opportunity does present itself, what do you need to do first? Here’s an easy-to-follow checklist to help you navigate the purchase of your first BMW.

Know Your Credit Score

When was the last time you pulled your credit report? You might know how much money you bring home every payday, but even if you’re making $10,000 a month, you might have trouble getting your hands on the keys to a new BMW if you’ve got bad credit.

Tools like Credit Karma are useful for keeping track of your credit accounts and finding out if someone has opened a card or taken out a loan in your name, but the credit score they provide isn’t always accurate. Take advantage of the Federal Trade Commission’s offer of a free credit report once a year — you can pull one report from each of the three major credit reporting companies (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) and compare them to your information.

Do Your Research

There are a lot of options when it comes to getting a new — or new-to-you — BMW. Do you want to pick up your new car at the dealership, or travel to Germany to pick it up in person? Do you want a new car or a used one? Do you want to buy or lease?

Do your research and make your decisions before you get to the dealership — or, if you’re buying used, before you meet with the seller. Not only will this help you get the car you really want, but it will also keep you from getting pressured into paying more for something you didn’t need in the first place.

Don’t Forget Insurance

BMW M2 Performance Parts

Whether you’re buying new or used, you need to make sure you have insurance before you drive away. If you’re going with a new or an expensive used model, you’re not going to want to choose one of the standard car insurance companies. Instead, find a company that specializes in insurance for high-dollar vehicles like BMWs and other luxury cars.

A good insurance policy will give you better overall protection, and keep you safe in the event of an accident or theft.

Go Certified

You might be able to find a BMW on Craigslist for a steal, but you’ve got no guarantee the previous owner didn’t ride the car hard and put it up wet, so to speak. If a new BMW is out of your price range, but you have your heart set on that German manufacturing, make sure you choose a certified pre-owned BMW. Not only do these come with a warranty and roadside assistance, but the mechanics at the dealership have inspected it and repaired any problems.

There’s nothing quite like getting behind the wheel of a BMW, especially if it’s yours. Just make sure you do plenty of research, and don’t forget to pick up a good car insurance plan to protect your new investment.