Even if you’re attentive of how well your BMW is maintained, there are plenty of ways you can affect the health of our vehicle without being completely aware of it. Many can be categorized as driving habits, but not all of them. These examples will help you stay more aware.

Your Brakes and Transmission

One key to long-lasting brakes is to be smart about your driving and to avoid the assumption that you can rely on them for everything. Always calculate your distances wisely and be attentive of your stopping, both in terms of pressure and frequency. It’s also not uncommon for drivers to abuse their transmission without realizing that they’re doing so. Avoid sudden shifts from reverse to drive. If you’re driving manual, try not to rest on the transmission all the time, or you may be putting unnecessary stress on the system. And don’t ride the clutch either!

Your Engine

It can sometimes be tempting to rev up the engine or accelerate aggressively from a stop. While it’s great to enjoy the power of your BMW, it’s possible to enjoy a higher driving experience without compromising safety and the health of your engine. You don’t want to put excessive strain on your drivetrain, and you certainly don’t want to wear out your brakes with the inevitable hard stop that will follow. You should also avoid driving for too long with a low tank of gas, otherwise you could end up with unfriendly sediment in your fuel line or the need for a fuel pump replacement.

Other Bad Habits

Even if you pay close attention to all of the factors noted above, you never know which habits could be going unnoticed. For instance, it’s usually a bad idea to carry excessive loads, so be sure that you know the limits of your model before carrying large amounts of extra cargo. Not only does it affect your fuel economy, it’s not particularly good for your suspension, drivetrain, or brakes either. Last but not least, don’t fall into the habit of ignoring potential problems and putting off regular maintenance. Always watch out for anything unusual, and when it doubt, take it to a BMW certified technician!

Being equipped with the right knowledge and having a local technician to trust for maintenance are the two most important ways to make your BMW last. We’re here to help with both! Call Motorwerkes at (403) 768-3165 to find out what we can offer you.