If you haven’t guessed it yet, what I am talking about is a custom fitted car cover for your bimmer. Yes, even if you garage your car or other fine vehicle, time and the elements will certainly attack your car’s finish. Sure, you can do regular washes and waxes, but the inevitable will happen: something, somewhere will damage the finish. Besides, do you want to spend every weekend polishing your car? I doubt that!

No, you can’t drive with a car cover on, but you can certainly have a car cover on hand to keep your parked car safe. Yes, there are enough things out there that can harm an expensive finish, even damaging it to the point where only an expensive repair can remedy the insult. The following are some of the hazards just waiting to happen:

1.    Bird excrement – You don’t need to be parked under a tree for your car to get hit; a single drive-by bombing by a winged creature can do your finish in.

2.    Weather – Rain, snow, ice, and especially hail can damage a car in mere moments.

3.    Trees – A small branch can scratch any finish.

4.    Sun – Harmful solar rays are bad for your skin and your car’s skin too.

5.    Pollution – There is no place on earth that is pollution free. Acid rain and airborne driven particles just love a new car’s finish.

6.    Kids – Try keeping your neighbor’s kids away from the car. You may succeed, but hit balls can make a beeline for your wheels. Some car covers even offer protection against minor impacts.

All right, so you are cleverly thinking that your garaged vehicle is immune to such petty insults, right? Well, in one word you are incorrect. Indoor air pollution and dust can take its toll on your car’s finish as can small impacts from anything that falls off of a wall and onto your car.

The solution? Select a car cover that is right for your vehicle. Even if you keep your car garaged most of the time, the best car cover on the market can protect your bimmer from moisture, the sun, dirt, pollution, and small impacts. Choose one that is custom made for your car with side mirror pockets built in and four layers of quick drying polypropylene material to provide the ultimate level of protection. You don’t want something so thin that it doesn’t provide all around protection – you just never know when you will have to have your car outside for an extended period of time – and you don’t want a car cover that entombs your BMW either. Instead, select one that works with your beamer, not against it.

Best of all, premium car covers can be had for under £200, a worthy investment for any car luxury or not. So, enjoy your new car, but give yourself some peace of mind by selecting a car cover that can protect its finish and keep it looking great for many years.

Enough can’t be said about regular oil changes and oil filter replacement. Personally, I have oil changes every 2,000 miles. The recommended schedule is every 3, 000 miles. Because of my prompt attention to regular oil and filter changes, I have a 1978 Buick LeSabre with 195,000 miles on it and in 2006 it still runs like a dream. It should go without saying but a lubing of the chassis or “lube job” some call it, should be performed at the same time you have the oil changed.

The air filter, when dirty, is a common problem when you notice your car has less power and is using more fuel. A simple check of the filter will give you an idea of how dirty it is. Mechanics will almost always agree that this simple step can go a long way in improving your vehicle’s performance. Air filters are instrumental in decreasing the amount of dirt, dust and other damaging contaminants going into the engine. Simply put, your vehicle runs less efficiently when the filter is clogged with dirt and grime. Filters should be replaced every 3,000 miles. Also, have the air filter changed when you have an oil change performed on the vehicle to save time or an extra trip to the mechanic.

And while we’re talking about filters, the fuel filter is probably the most overlooked or forgotten item for regular checkups. Auto experts don’t understand why this happens but it does. Remember the Buick I just mentioned? I have had the fuel pumps and fuel filters checked regularly on that vehicle. I can honestly say I get approximately two more miles to the gallon when I calculate mpg/number of gallons of fuel used after I have replaced a fuel filter. Whenever you happen to notice or think to yourself, “I sure am using more gas lately”, check the fuel filter.

Regular replacement of the brake pads is also very important. Many expert mechanics will agree that all parts to the brake system are the most important safety features on an automobile. You must be able to stop your vehicle quickly and safely. All brake pads will wear out eventually. If you start hearing squealing like sounds or the feel of the pedal upon braking is “mushy”, you need to consider that the brake pads are beginning to become worn out. The responsibility of the brake pads is to provide friction with the pad to make braking or stopping possible. Brake pads can be easily diagnosed for wear and tear with regular examinations.

operating in a dance with the distributor and ignition coils. Many things can indicate problems and spark plug wire malfunction. There may be corrosion at the wires or connectors. Resistance can increase as the wires get older. The material encasing the wires may be shredding or wearing out.

The first sign of trouble generally comes when you start noticing a missing or stuttering type action when the vehicle is operating. There’s a significant tugging like symptom that feels to you that your vehicle can’t get the energy to move. Always keep your spark plug wires clean. Always troubleshoot for wires that look worn out or are not properly applied to the spark plugs. Replacing your spark plug wires will mean efficient starting and less ignition type problems that can follow because of worn spark plug wires.

Wash Me! Well maybe this one isn’t actually vehicle “maintenance” per se, but doesn’t a clean vehicle make you feel better? Again, have you ever noticed the vehicle seems to run smoother when she’s clean? Having the engine steam cleaned on a regular maintenance plan can also go a long way in extending the life of your engine. Engine cleaning will keep the corrosion and grime from building up on your spark plug wires too. It will help when you are looking over your engine for leaks, unplugged or loose wiring and keep the corrosion off your vehicle’s battery.

While these aren’t the only “regular maintenance” tips available, you can always research your vehicle’s handbook for other ideas that can help extend its life and keep it running in optimal condition.

That is why it is good to use BMW parts when changing anything, even a fan belt. You should always replace them with genuine BMW parts. To always ensure good performance from your BMW and to maintain its authenticity.

But of course that doesn’t mean you have to pay dealership prices for the parts. A better place to get the parts is online, do a little research. There are many stores online which specialize in BMW parts new or used. The prices are lot less then dealership prices, but be cautious as they might not have knowledgeable staffs like at the dealership. They might sell you a part that isn’t right for what you need.

But if you want to get your parts threw the dealership, the mechanics might tell you exactly what you need, and you can also ask them questions. That is a great way to ensure you get what you want. At the end of the day, you don’t want to be made a fool of.

But indeed the best place to buy any type of BMW parts is at the dealer. They either have the item in stock or they can order it for you. Yes, they will be more expensive, but it does give you peace in mind that you are getting the right genuine BMW parts. Take care of your investment; you’ll be sorry if you don’t.

So, first off – did you know that there are many simple car maintenance tasks that most of us can do, albeit with a little instructional help? I know this is true and I’ve learnt how to do many maintenance repairs to my BMW, all with help of YouTube and similar video sharing websites!

The next best thing to having a qualified mechanic right there with you in your garage is to have a video of him at work on fixing the exact repair you need to make. The internet offers exactly this. For example, search google.co.uk for ‘simple car repairs‘ .

On your results page, click on ‘show options’  and select ‘video’s’. You should now have a results page full of online videos showing you how to make simple car repairs. You can also search in the same way for a video solution to the exact problem you need to fix on your BMW.

Now, should the above solution not be enough and you’re in need of more expert help, I can wholeheartedly recommend Google Maps as a great way to find a range of mechanics in your area. There are a number of car maintenance jobs I would never recommend you attempt yourself, unless highly experienced – this would include anything related to your brakes, emissions or clutch. Type ‘car mechanic’ into the search box and Google Maps should detect your local area from your broadband connection – if not, simply add your town/city to the end of your search keyphrase.

Google Maps I’ve found often offers better results than google.co.uk. This is down to the fact that many smaller businesses are able to rank alongside their bigger (and more expensive) competitors. You can also see where any potential mechanics are based in relation to yourself on the map. Remember, if you have sourced your BMW parts and accessories online, then you may not need an approved BMW garage to fit them – especially as your parts should come with at least a 12 month guarantee from a good online supplier. So, look out for the most cost effective mechanic based locally and insist on sourcing the parts yourself!

BMW Car Commercial

Some of us accept that this is the accepted reason as to why they cost so much to maintain. I’m sure BMW is delighted with that fact! As someone who needs to know where my hard earned pennies are going, I need to know a bit more about it all, here’s what I’ve discovered:

• All of my three BMW’s to date have managed to go for over 200K miles. Compare this to my previous Ford, VW and Saab cars prior to my BMW’s which began to have problems between 100 and 150K miles! Hence, BMW parts and accessories do cost more but they do definitely go further in my experience!
• All of three BMW’s have been at least 80KG heavier than all of the other cars I have owned. I believe this is one of the features that makes them an all round safer car to drive. Driving so many miles, I have unfortunately been involved in an accident or two – nothing serious as yet, touch wood!  The two times something has happened in a BMW, my car has come out far better than the other, including a 4×4 Jeep. I would imagine that the robust nature of a BMW car must also feed down to their parts, which in turn would explain at least some of the added cost.

So, overall I believe the additional cost of maintaining your BMW comes down to the quality, reliability and durability of your BMW parts and accessories. For that additional fee, you drive further and more safely than you would do in other cars.