10 Expert Tips for Taking Care of Your BMW
If you’re lucky enough to own a BMW, you’ll know that what you have is more than just a car – it’s a marvel of engineering, a high-powered machine.
But did you know that your BMW can last for decades if you look after it?
Driving a BMW is a unique experience, and taking care of it is the best way to protect your investment.
Here are some expert tips on how you can give your BMW all the care it deserves.
Important Services
No matter how well you take care of your BMW at home, taking it to get serviced by a professional regularly will keep it running for longer. According to bmw dealers in az, the three most important components to get serviced are the engine, the brakes, and the tires.
Engine
Your BMW’s heart is its engine – it’s what keeps it going. A malfunctioning engine is a hazard on the road, and a non-functioning engine renders the car useless.
It’s essential to get your engine looked at by a professional a few times a year – this will help you avoid costly repairs later and keep your car running smoothly. While you’re at it, get your transmission checked too.
Brakes
You probably already know how important your brakes are – they are all that lies between you and losing control of your car. Making sure your brakes are working should be part of your regular maintenance routine.
Because brake fluid is hydroscopic, it absorbs moisture from the environment. When brake fluid mixes with water, it can cause brake system failure. You should take your BMW to a professional mechanic to have the brake system flushed every two years.
Get your mechanic to use good-quality brake fluid, and while you’re there, get him to inspect your brake pads to make sure they are clean.
Tires
Tires are an essential component of your car because they hold your vehicle securely to the road. Most accidents in the U.S. are caused by damaged, deflated, or worn-out tires – so it’s a good idea to check your tire pressure and treads at least once a month.
Your tires will also need to get rotated every six months. Failing to do so can result in your front tires wearing out much faster than your rear tires, which means you’ll have to replace them sooner. Keeping your tires in good condition isn’t just for safety though, it will also improve your BMW’s fuel economy.
What You Can Do at Home
While you should get your BMW serviced by a professional mechanic regularly as part of your maintenance routine, there are a few things you can do at home to extend the life of your BMW and keep it looking and feeling like new.
1. Park in the Shade
While it can be challenging to make sure you always shade your BMW from the hot Arizona sun, you should try to park your car in a shady spot whenever you can.
UV from the sun’s rays can damage the exterior and interior of your car – leading to perished plastic, cracked leather, and a faded paint job. You should also invest in a shade screen for your dashboard.
2. Treat Your Leather
If you’re lucky enough to have a leather interior, you should clean and treat it to protect it. You can treat the leather inside your car with an oil-based protective leather wax to minimize the formation of cracks and tears. You can also invest in seat covers.
3. Keep it Clean
Dirt, dust, sand, and other small particles can make their way into your car’s delicate moving parts, so keep your car clean.
Keeping your BMW clean – the exterior and interior – doesn’t just make it look new; it also changes how you treat your car. From a psychological perspective, having a vehicle that’s sparkling clean will make you less likely to mistreat it.
4. Wax the Exterior
Waxing the exterior of your car every time you wash it will keep it looking shiny and new and prevent it from rusting. You can wax your BMW yourself, or you can take it to a car wash for a professional buff and treatment.
5. Check Your Treads
Although you should have your tires rotated by a professional every six months, you should check your treads for wear and tear as part of your at-home maintenance routine.
An easy way to tell if your treads are worn down is to stick a penny into the tread. If the tire doesn’t go past Lincoln’s head, you need to replace your tires.
6. Clean Your Headlights
Over time, your headlights get dirty and dull, which is dangerous because it can reduce your visibility when driving.
If the plastic covers for your BMW’s headlights are looking dull or yellow, you can use an abrasive headlight cleaner, an electric drill, and a buffing wheel to make them look as good as new.
7. Run Errands in One Go
Your BMW will run at its best when the engine is warm. When you make short trips, the constant stops and starts cause unnecessary wear and tear on your engine. When you are out running errands, try to make all your stops in one trip.
8. Drive Carefully
Reckless driving is not just dangerous; it’s terrible for your BMW as well. Flooring the brakes, accelerating aggressively, and speeding around corners ultimately shorten the lifespan of your car and will end up costing you more in repairs.
Accelerating smoothly and gently applying pressure on your brakes will cause less unnecessary wear and tear.
9. Buy Quality Gas
Your BMW is a high-performance vehicle, and it should be treated as such. The gas you use can make a big difference when it comes to performance and maintenance.
Ditch the cheaper, lower-quality fuel and opt for premium gas instead. Gas stations with premium fuel will have their gas filtered, and their pumps will be changed more regularly – which means the gas they sell will be cleaner, too.
10. Keep an Auto Log
Keeping an auto log sounds complicated, but it’s straightforward to do. Keep a pad of paper and a pen in your car and record every time you fill-up with gas and how much mileage you get out of it. If your gas mileage changes suddenly, you’ll know to go and see a mechanic.