Make sure your brakes are in good working order, get them checked!
August isn’t just the last full month of summer, it’s also Brake Safety Awareness Month. If you’re planning on taking one last summer vacation before the season is over and before school starts, be sure to have your brakes checked out to keep you and your family safe on the road.
Brake Safety Awareness Month aims to encourage motorists to learn and be aware of the importance of having a safe brake system in their BMW.
We all know brakes wear and tear over time, so it’s important to stop into your independent BMW repair shop and have your brakes routinely checked for maintenance. Your qualified BMW mechanic will check the brake lining wear, fluid level, rotor thickness, condition of the hoses and brake lines, the brake dash and warning lights and perform other checks to correctly diagnose if there is a problem with your brake system.
Common warning signs that your BMW is needing brake service include:
Grinding
Squealing
Hard pedal feel
Pedal hops or vibrates
Soft or low brake pedal feel
BMW pulls to the left or right
If you experience any of these warning signs or you see your brake warning light on, it’s time to head into your local BMW service shop immediately for brake repair.
So you’ve found your dream BMW. It’s used, and looks like it’s had a few wear and tear repairs over the years, which is normal. Should you purchase it? Not before you obtain a pre-purchase inspection.
Used Car For Sale! Get a Pre-Purchase Inspection First!
It’s necessary to get a pre-purchase inspection done before buying a used BMW because you don’t want to end up with a vehicle full of expensive to remedy mechanical and safety issues that are not evident to the casual eye.
What Is A Pre-Purchase Inspection, Anyway?
A pre-purchase inspection is a detailed report about the cosmetic, mechanical and safety condition of the BMW you are interested in purchasing.
To avoid purchasing a poorly maintained car or succumbing to other buying pitfalls, we always recommends a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified BMW mechanic before purchasing a used BMW vehicle. We have saved many buyers from getting into a situation where they have been taken advantage of, and I have made sure their dream vehicle does not turn into a nightmare.
Take your car to a qualified BMW mechanic before buying.
At Eurobahn Motorsports we do Pre Purchase Inspections on used Vehicles every day!
Buying a Used BMW Long Distance or Without a Warranty
If you plan on buying a used BMW long distance (located in another city/state) or without a warranty, it is definitely a MUST that you get a pre-purchase inspection. Major risk is at stake if not.
In fact, we that found that so many clients are buying vehicles long distance these days, so she do a thorough inspection to help buyers make sure they are getting what they’re paying for.
The most common mistake buyers make is not having inspection reports and the title work on the car they are looking to buy reviewed by an expert before they purchase the vehicle. Buyers need someone who knows what to ask on behalf of them, and that’s what we help to do.
Sure anyone can do their homework before they buy a vehicle, which is good and part of the process, but there is so much more to make sure the buyer is protected when spending thousands of dollars on a used vehicle.
The seller should be willing to let you have a pre-purchase inspection done prior to buying it, if not, then that is a red flag and they’re likely hiding something from you about the BMW.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist and Price
Once your potential used BMW is being inspected by a BMW service provider, it’s common for a few minor flaws to show up on the pre-purchase inspection. Finding these minor flaws can actually help in the overall price negotiation process if you do buy the used vehicle.
A thorough inspection should cover over 125 items in the following areas (not limited to):
Overall condition of the BMW
Visual problems with the body and frame
Leaks and broken components
Engine analysis and problems
Road test
The following past problems can be identified by a qualified BMW mechanic while inspecting the vehicle:
Frame damage
Poor repair work
Car previously owned by a smoker
Flood damage
Prices vary from BMW shop to BMW shop and are dependent on how thorough of a pre-purchase inspection you choose for your potential BMW. The more detailed and extensive an inspection, the more it will cost you – but the more it could save you in the long run.
In the end, it is worth the money purchasing a pre-purchase inspection, in the long-run, to avoid costly repair bills that can add up in the future. So buy your used dream BMW with confidence, knowing you’ve taken the appropriate measures and gotten a pre-purchase inspection.
Is that Satan in your hood causing a fire and smoke? No, you're vehicle is probably overheating.
Is that Satan in your hood causing a fire and smoke? No, you’re vehicle is probably overheating.
Your BMW can tell you all sorts of things from when it needs gas, to when it needs to go into the shop. Being proactive about the latter can help you save mucho de dolares down the road.
Here are some scary signs your car may be telling you…in which case you ought to run to your BMW service shop like you’re being chased by brain-eating zombies in a horror flick.
Tires:
Some hair-raising signs your tires are in trouble and you could be in danger include a tread depth below 1/16th of an inch, the appearance of a tread wear indicator bar, presence of cracks and weathered sidewalls and bulges and blisters on tires. Also, if you notice your BMW is vibrating, this too, can be a sign that you need to replace your tires.
If left unattended, bad tires can lead to poor car handling/steering, which can contribute to serious auto accidents and tire blow outs that can leave you on the side of the road. Also, you may be at risk of hydroplaning on wet days due to tread wear-down and your fuel economy will be lowered.
Seized Engine:
Something’s a-brewing in your BMW when you witness light tapping noises or a knocking sound. This can be a sign of a possible seized engine. This sound should spook you enough to head to your mechanic ASAP and have it tested (that is, if you can drive there). The repair for this problem is dependent on what is causing the seize. If you can have the entire engine replaced with all its components, it can be very costly. Avoid this frightful mess by getting your BMW serviced routinely by a qualified BMW mechanic.
Overheated Engine:
Think your engine is possessed by the Devil? Not likely. Some warning signs of an overheated engine includes a temperature gauge in the “red,” putrid smells of burning oil or metal from the radiator, abnormal power and leaks underneath your car.
To remedy this, have your BMW mechanic check for leaky/clogged/collapsed hoses, loose clamps and for a faulty temperature gauge and water pumps, etc. Frequent overheating can cause serious engine damage, but if caught early it’s not too costly of a repair.
Transmission Problems/Failure:
Transmission problems and possible failure may be lurking around the corner in your BMW with certain evil signs. To avoid digging a grave for your transmission, these signs include refusal to go into gear, strange burning smells, clunking/buzzing/humming sounds, gear slippage, dragging clutch, transmission fluid leak, check engine light appearance, shimmying into gear, vehicle jerking in park or neutral, and delay of response when shifting into gear.
If your transmission starts acting up then you are in for a whirlwind of trouble and possible costly repairs. Keep your BMW up-to-date with its routine maintenance to avoid this, and take it to your local BMW shop immediately.
Broken Timing Belt:
Don’t be shocked to the core when your timing belt breaks in your BMW if you avoid the warning signs. These potentially hazardous signs include a shaking vehicle, a hard start, expelling more exhaust than normal, high-pitched noises and vehicle shut off while driving.
A broken timing belt that sidelines you along the freeway can also cause damage to other engine components, which you definitely don’t want.
Change the timing belt in your BMW at the recommended service interval. When you take your BMW to your local BMW service center, your qualified BMW mechanic will inspect the timing belt to make sure there are no cracks, chips or spots, and look at the teeth of the belt.
The way your BMW sounds and smells, to how it performs on the road can be telltale signs that it needs maintenance…but don’t be alarmed about all things that go bump in the night, because not every bone rattling shake or blood curdling squeal means your BMW is about to go belly-up and you need a new plot in the cemetery. It’s just a best practice to be aware of these things and have your BMW routinely serviced to avoid them.
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