In a poll done by AutoTrader of UK drivers, 45% of people polled think that BMW-drivers are the worst around. While these findings are controversial, they speak to a trend among luxury car drivers. That’s right, luxury car drivers love to drive fast and furious.
Are you one of them? Then you could benefit from a conversation about BMW maintenance. Your car is your baby, and you want to keep pushing it to the limit for as long as possible.
To make sure your Beemer is in it for the long haul, though, you’ve got to take care of it. That’s why we’re bringing you these top 10 tips to maintaining your BMW.
Wondering which parts need to be serviced more than others? How about some DIY maintenance tips for some quality time with your BMW? Check out this list for the answers to these questions and more!
1. Service Your Engine Twice a Year
The engine is the heart of the car. As such, it’s the most important part to service if you want to keep your car going strong. A BMW is no exception.
Even a small engine hiccup can lead to much bigger problems. That’s why we recommend getting your engine serviced twice a year. If you have frequent issues with your engine, it might be time to look into getting new BMW parts.
2. Treat Your Leather Frequently
Here’s a tip you can DIY: keep your leather looking clean and polished with frequent at-home treatments. Better yet, keep those babies covered with a seat cover. That way, you won’t have to deal with tacky and unsightly cracking as your car ages.
3. Get the Brakes Flushed Biennially
Want to avoid totaling your Beemer? You’ve got to get your brakes, and brake pads checked regularly. What’s more, get your brakes flushed every other year to avoid the potentially damaging buildup of water particles in the brake fluid.
4. Wax On, Wax off
Another do-it-yourself tip, waxing your car often and well is a great way to spend some quality time with your Beemer. Frequent waxing keeps your car’s paint looking fresh. More importantly, it helps ward off rust.
If you don’t want to wax your BMW yourself, no worries. Just ask the guys at the local car wash for a thorough waxing for the same effect.
5. Get New Tires Every 5,000 Miles
Did you know one of the top reasons for wrecks every year is damaged tires? Poor tires also lead to low gas mileage and poor performance from your car. Keep that BMW looking and driving good with a replacement after every 5000 miles.
6. Check Your Tire Treads
Do you drive your car hard? Then you may be worried about needing new tires more than every 5,000 miles. Here’s a trick: you’ll know when it’s really time for a tire change when the treads wear down.
To check your treads at home, place a penny in your tread. If Lincoln’s head is taller than your tread, that’s usually a sign that it’s time for new tires.
7. Flush the Transmission Every 50,000 Miles
So, the BMW dealer you bought your car from told you your new BMW comes with a lifetime-fill of transmission fluid. That may be the case, but when your transmission fails because of poor transmission fluid, you’re going to wish you’d done otherwise.
Instead, save some time and money by getting your transmission fluid flushed out every 50k miles. Trust us, you’ll be glad for this tip later when you don’t have to fork up thousands of dollars for a BMW replacement transmission.
8. Make Fewer Shorter Trips
Like all cars, your BMW runs best when it’s all warmed up. Yet, did you know making short trips during which you have to turn your car on and off frequently can actually damage your car? Even running around with a cold engine can add to the wear and tear of your engine.
Instead, try to run all your errands at once. Better yet, use a strategy in which you don’t have to be constantly turning your engine off and on. That way, you won’t rack up damage to your car from frequently running it cold.
9. Get an Oil Change Every 5,000 Miles
Yes, your BMW Owner’s Manuel probably recommends oil changes every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. But we don’t think that’s good enough. The longer you wait between oil changes, the more carbon builds up in your car’s valves.
If you want your car to last as long as you do, get an oil change every 5,000 miles. Your car will thank you by running longer and stronger.
10. Don’t Scrimp on Gas
According to Hedges & Company’s research, the average BMW owner makes over $120,000 per year. We know you’ve got it– so, don’t scrimp on gas. All luxury cars, and BMWs in particular, run better and longer off high-purity gas.
This means purchasing premium gas whenever possible. Yet, it also means choosing higher-end gas stations. That’s right, low-quality gas pumps don’t use technology to filter out impurities as more reputable gas station pumps do.
In case you aren’t sure what counts as a high-quality gas station, here are the stations our friends at Car Bibles recommend:
- Shell
- Texaco
- Conoco
- Chevron
- BP
- Exxon
- Kwik Trip
- Mobil
More BMW Maintenance Tips
Loved these BMW maintenance tips and want more? Then you’ve got to check out more tips from The US Auto Repair. Subscribe to the blog today and get news and updates delivered straight to your inbox!