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When Should You Remove Your Winter Tires?

1 March 2017

Driving safe and taking good care of your BMW during winter is all about preparedness. One of the most important elements of this is a quality set of winter tires. However, once the end of winter comes near, you may be wondering when it’s safe to switch them out.

The Right Tire for the Right Season

Unfortunately, it’s still quite common for drivers to opt out of using winter tires during winter, and many people mistakenly assume that all-season tires are adequate for snowy, slushy, and icy conditions. The truth is that switching to winter tires when necessary is very important for your safety and the condition of your BMW, not to mention gas milage and the longevity of the tires themselves. Removing them at the right time is crucial, as the tread on winter tires will wear down considerably faster in warm weather.

Temperature Is Everything

The main environmental factor determining the performance of any type of seasonal tire is temperature. Each kind is specifically designed to do their job within an optimal temperature range in order to give you the best control relative to road conditions. It is sometimes recommended to remove your winter tires when temperatures start to exceed 7 degrees, but the exact figure will often depend on your tires. The weather will vary from year to year, but a more general rule to follow would be to make the switch at the beginning of April.

Things to Consider

Switching out your winter tires at the right time is just one component of keeping them in good condition for as long as possible. Storage is another. Keep them in individual tire storage bags and store them in a space that isn’t too hot or humid. They shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight either. Avoid stacking other objects on top of them, as it’s important to eliminate any stress from their surface so that they stay in good shape. Most importantly, choose the right set! A local BMW-certified technician will be able to make a recommendation just for your vehicle.

Making a smooth transition between winter and spring is important for the cleanliness and mechanical health of your BMW. Motorwerkes is here to help you with any aspect, from repairs to a post-winter inspection or detailing. Call us at (403) 768-3168 to schedule an appointment!

Signs that You’re Being Too Hard on Your BMW

23 January 2017

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.

Why Is Routine Oil Service So Important?

16 January 2017

There are many rules of thumb to keep up with when it comes to taking care of your BMW. Staying on top of your scheduled maintenance is one of the most important, and particularly when it comes to oil service. If you’ve ever wondered why, we’ve got the answers.

Oil and Your Engine

An engine is a complex mechanism comprised of many moving metal parts that tend to rub up against one another at very high speeds. Naturally, this creates friction, and motor oil is there to make sure that this friction doesn’t get out of hand. Over time, however, that oil is exposed to a lot of heat, oxygen, and other factors that add up to oxidation and other changes in its molecular structure. The result is a sludgy version of what it used to be, too viscous and unclean to do its job. In fact, at this point it has more capacity to harm your engine than help it.

Understanding Oil Service

The main goals of an oil servicing are to drain the used oil from the oil pan, replace the used oil filter with a new one, and add clean oil to the engine. However, an oil change is an excellent opportunity to gain an overall sense of the condition of your vehicle. Therefore, a truly skilled BMW oil servicing will take you a bit further in terms of value and detail. Our oil services, for instance, include a complimentary 40-point visual inspection that can uncover any number of issues worth addressing. Topping up of all fluids and a tire pressure check are also good moves!

Securing a Routine

Developing the ability to stay on top of routine maintenance of any kind is important no matter what model of BMW you have. Once you’ve decided to follow your local technician’s recommendation for your vehicle and not to avoid or put off that oil service, this will be the perfect precedent for you to set a higher standard of care. It will mean that you can establish more positive car ownership habits that will save you money in the long term and keep your car on the road for as long as possible!

Your BMW deserves expert routine maintenance, and you deserve the best possible experience to go along with it. If your vehicle is due for oil servicing, the team at Motorwerkes can provide this and so much more. Call us at (403) 768-3165 to find out what we can do for you!

Only the Best: Sticking to BMW Parts and Maintenance

9 January 2017

After last week’s blog we may know what makes a BMW what it is, but what about BMW parts and maintenance? You’ve probably noticed we stress the importance of proper, certified care, and there are plenty of reasons for it! Let’s run through some of the most important ones.

Tools and Techniques

If you take your BMW to a generic mechanic, that mechanic may possess fairly comprehensive knowledge of how automobiles function and what they need in order to operate properly. However, a certain level of specialized expertise will be missing. In order for a BMW to receive the right care, the latest and greatest BMW-certified diagnostics and repair tools are necessary, from hardware to software. To top it off, the mechanic working on your BMW needs to have extensive experience with and intimate knowledge of the maintenance techniques that are going to bring out the best in your bimmer.

The Right Parts and Fluids

There’s no getting around it: if you want optimal, long-term reliability and performance, the highest quality approved parts and fluids are the only way to go. You may think that the recommendations in your manual are just there as a formality, but the truth is that the people who engineered and designed your vehicle understand its needs better than anyone. For instance, a BMW always requires synthetic oil of the right formula. Meanwhile, low-quality aftermarket parts may seem to save you money, but they won’t hold up like OEM parts and top-notch aftermarket upgrades will. This means longer life and higher cost-effectiveness in the long run.

The Standard of Service

Setting aside all the technical and mechanical details, you really can’t beat the BMW philosophy when it comes to client experience. BMW-certified technicians have dedicated a lot of time to learning the ins and outs of BMW maintenance and repairs, but it’s not just to attain the status of a certified expert. It’s because living up to BMW’s high standards of service is a challenge they believe is worthwhile. Every BMW driver should leave their service appointment happy and excited to enjoy their drive once again. You can’t always count on generic car service for that!

A BMW isn’t just any car, so it shouldn’t be treated with generic parts or sub-standard maintenance. Once you experience dedicated care from a BMW certified technician, you won’t want it any other way. Get in touch with Motorwerkes at (403) 768-3165 to learn why!

A Brief History of the BMW

2 November 2015

You may have read our blog recounting the history of the famous BMW roundel. There is, however, always more to a company than its logo. As experts on the work of such a time-tested brand, we’re always eager to dig into its past and find out more. Here’s how it all started.

Early Origins

For much of World War I, German mechanical engineer Karl Rapp operated Rapp Motorenwerke, one of the central military aircraft engine manufacturers in the German state of Bavaria. With the arrival of a new engineer named Max Friz, Rapp Motorenwerke designed the groundbreaking IVa engine that would radically change the shape and reputation of the company. Rapp resigned in 1916 and the manufacturer was eventually restructured and merged with two others to form Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works).

Branching Out

The end of World War I had a significant effect on the newly-formed BMW company. A clause in the Treaty of Versailles restricting German aircraft engineering meant that the design of other technologies was necessary. After further restructuring and a change of logo in the early ‘20s, BMW built its first complete vehicle: the R32 motorcycle, establishing the boxer-twin shaft-drive powertrain layout that BMW still uses today. In 1928, they produced their first automobile, the Dixi, and less than a decade later introduced the famous 328. This model redefined the sports car and made automotive history. BMW grew to become a global-scale company in the early ‘70s, founded its Research and Innovation Centre in 1990, and has remained at the forefront of vehicle design and engineering since.

Toward the Future

With nearly a century of production to their name, the future of automotive design holds interesting prospects for BMW. Demand for electric mobility and other sustainable technologies is creating a complex new chapter in the company’s history. Focus these days is on increased efficiency and decreased carbon footprint in the product lifecycle, including recycled materials, lightweight construction, and the continued development of bivalent hydrogen/gasoline engines. From the innovative IVa aircraft engine to the hydrogen-based car of the future, things have certainly come a long way.

Whether it’s a simple repair or an impressive performance upgrade, we at MotorWerkes believe your BMW should be in the hands of a team that loves it as much as you do! To find out what we can do for your vehicle, feel free to get in touch with us at (403) 453-0269.