BMW represents the epitome of German engineering, coupled with sheer driver pleasure and anyone who has been behind the wheel of a BMW will always prefer the pilot seat to the backseat – so is the charm of the ultimate driving machine.
Getting a BMW to your garage is no mean task – it is a part of the dream for many, and takes careful planning, right from choosing the correct model to kit out the car with the particular options to make sure that the car bears your signature style. Pre-Owned BMWs often offer a low-entry price barrier to the magical kingdom of BMW and is often a chosen way to acquire the dream machines by many.
Each BMW model spots some of the most advance technologies on offer on automobiles, and the perfect amalgamation of technical prowess and driving dynamics plays a major role in making BMW the acclaimed Driver's Car it is touted to be. The machines are painstakingly put together at the state-of-the-art factories with care and love, to assure you that each BMW offers you years and countless miles of flawless driving experience.
With a little care and pampering, we can make sure that the BMW continues to offer the same level of driving pleasure and perfection it offered on the day 1, even after years down the lane.
Most of the drivers never bother to even glance at the owner's manual – in most of the cases, the owner's manual will be relegated to the attic (or, if they are slightly more lucky, to a dark corner in the glove box). The manufacturer has put countless hours of effort to bring you the owner's manual and it usually is the best place to get concise and concrete information about your car – from the type and grade of oil to use to the type of bulb to use in case you need to replace the bulbs.
The owner's manual will have detailed information about the service intervals and the tasks to undertake during each service. While it is the job of service center to make sure that the car is serviced properly, you can always use the lists provided in the owner's manual to cross check it. Knowing the jobs need to be covered in each service can help you to make sure that you do not fall the prey if the service center try to fleece you by doing unwanted jobs.
Each BMW boasts rich coats of paint and copious amount of clear coat to keep the paint safe, but the moment the car leaves the factory, the environment will start taking toll on the paint. The best way to keep your car clean and shining for years is to make sure that you take care of the paint, right from the first day.
There are many products available in the market, which will help you keep your BMW's paint at top nick. Take help of detailing experts and apply a coat of wax or a protecting agent to make sure that the tar and other particles do not attack the paint surface directly. Make sure you are not applying polish directly since polish is abrasive and will eat the clear coat of your car – a new car do not need polish for some time.
Once applied, the wax coat will make sure that the tar particles and other impurities are deposited on the wax coat and these can be cleaned easily by washing with the specified compounds. While waxing the exteriors, make sure that a fine and smooth brush is used to clean the logo and the cervices on the badges. Always make sure to mask the plastic trims, if your BMW has plastic trims or embellishments, and then restore them using specific products for plastic trims.
The interior of your BMW comes kitted with premium materials. Since you spend most of your time inside the car, make sure that you keep the interior clean. Say no to eatables and drinks, and if possible, stay away from smoking since the smoke particles will get deposited on the trim and will have that after smoke smell lingering in the cabin.
Keep your seats and floor clean by vacuuming them often – it will remove all the dust and traces of other materials. Depending upon your seat having fabric upholstery or leather draped, use specific cleaners and polish. If it is fabric, apply a seat shampoo and conditioner and follow it up with a good protectant. Make sure you do a rubbing down to remove any excess amount of the shampoo or protector.
If you have leather interiors, use a good leather conditioner to keep the leather supple and shining. Make sure you do not let water or other liquids to spill on your car's seats and if accidently it happens, do a cleanup at the first instance. A fresh interior looks nice and smells nice, and will add to the life of your cabin and to the value of your car.
In case you are parking the car under the sun for prolonged time, use a sunblock on the windshield so that the sunrays do not fall directly on your interior. The sun blocking screens are available at car accessory shops and always choose one that fits properly on your cars' windows and windshield.
Alternatively, whenever possible, park the car under a car cover, if you are leaving the car in open for long time. A car cover can block lot of rays and can help in keeping the interior's temperature low.
While the BMW engines are manufactured adhering to the strictest of standards, it is always better to take some elementary precautions to prolong the engine life. A cold engine will be devoid of any oil in the internal parts (it only takes a couple of hours for the oil to drain fully to the oil sump) so when you start the engine from cold, always give it few seconds before you slot the car in gear and move off.
You may have heard people warming up the engine by giving accelerator input as soon as they switch on the engine – this is a habit you should avoid if you love your car. Sudden accelerator inputs when the engine is cold and the oil is not fully circulated will do more harm to the engine than good.
While the modern manufacturing practices have removed the old running in guidelines, it doesn't mean that you should drive the car like you stole it, right from the showroom. Take it easy for the first few hundred kilometers and then take the car to its limit step by step. This gradual increment will help you understand the car's capabilities fully and will help you to appreciate the nuances of power and handling
Do not babysit your car always – your car is mean to see redlines and once in a while (under controlled circumstances), take your car to the limits. Any part, if not used for long, will not perform at its best.
On a proper road, stretch the legs of the car and floor the accelerator and redline the car. If your car comes with all-wheeldrive, engage the all-wheeldrive and drive off the tarmac once in a while. At the end of the day, even low mileage cars depreciate heavily, so there is no point in buying the car and keep it in the garage as a garage queen.
After all, BMWs are made to be driven hard and the pleasure of owning a BMW is culminated only on those adrenalin pumping drives.
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