bmw service center locations

Taking Care of Your Tires During Spring

15 April 2016

In previous blogs, we’ve spoken more generally about how the seasons affect your tires, particularly when winter car care is needed. This week, we’d like to refresh and expand on this a bit. Now that spring is here, a tire switch or rotating might be needed!

Switching Types

Did you drive your BMW frequently during winter or did you store it? If you drove it, you probably had a set of winter tires installed. As mentioned in our blog on spring car care, you should switch these out for summer times once winter is over. If the temperature outside has started to exceed 7 degrees, this is generally a good time to make the exchange. Ensuring that you are equipped with the appropriate tires for the season will optimize your traction and safety as well as reduce the likelihood of tire failure.

Wear & Rotation

If a vehicle you stored during the winter was not fitted with winter tires, have a look at the tires that it’s currently equipped with. How is the condition of the treads and siping? When was the last time you had them rotated? Signs can take many forms, including vibration during your ride and visible wear such as cupping and feathering. Having your tires rotated at the proper interval will maintain even wear between front and rear and extend the overall life of your set, not to mention improve your mileage over time. How often you rotate will depend on your vehicle, so asking your technician for a personalized recommendation is a great idea.

Pressure

As you may know, a change of season can mean a few different things when it comes to tire pressure. If you’ve stored a vehicle, you should check to make sure flat spots have not developed due to low temperatures and extended periods in a stationary position. If you drove your BMW during winter and are switching tire types, don’t forget that it can be easy to over-inflate in warm weather if you’ve become accustomed to the low pressures experienced in the cold. As long as you know what to keep an eye on, your tires will stay in great shape!

Taking your BMW for a drive on a clear day is what many of us look forward to once spring gets going. To keep everything running smoothly so that you can have best ride possible, get in touch with the Motorwerkes team at (403) 768-3163 today!

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Owning a Luxury Car

10 April 2016

While the word “luxury” may seem intimidating for some, a top-notch vehicle could be more within reach than you think. Here are 5 insights that might surprise you.

The Entry-Level Model is Your Friend

These days, the leaders in luxury vehicle production are catching on to the fact that expanding their consumer base is good for business. Both BMW and other companies offer a number of entry-level models that make their standard of quality more accessible, allowing new consumers to enter their markets. BMW’s 3 Series Sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe are perfect examples.

Your Investment Has Sustainable Value

When you’re considering the purchase of a home, one of the top factors on your mind might be resale value. The same can be said when looking for a quality car! The great thing about luxury vehicles is that, as an investment, they retain their value much better over time. The cost/benefit aspect of this is particularly true of entry-level models.

Well-Made Means Cost-Efficient

While it may be tempting to stay as under-budget as possible in the short term, things change a bit once you look at the bigger picture. If your vehicle of choice was relatively inexpensive upon purchase, its structural integrity and quality may not be so great. A vehicle that has been carefully constructed using only the highest quality parts is usually less likely to fail you in a costly way later on. As they say, you get what you pay for!

Safety Is Priceless

One thing that manufacturers like BMW are particularly renowned for is the amount of research and engineering that they invest into safety for many of their models. A luxury vehicle will likely be equipped with advanced airbag systems, stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, and more. At the end of the day, you can’t put a price on safety and peace of mind for you and your passengers.

You’ll Have Specialized, Dedicated Support

What many of us specializing in BMWs know about top-quality vehicle design is that it has a way of attracting truly passionate experts. With a high standard of engineering comes a high standard of maintenance and care. Your vehicle will get more than just run-of-the-mill maintenance, it will get a personal touch that money can’t buy!

Have more questions about the perks of owning a vehicle with the mark of true quality? Motorwerkes is here to provide you with answers and more. Give us a call at (403) 453-0269 today!

The Importance of Using Supreme Fuel

21 September 2015

Depending on your vehicle, you may or may not already be using supreme fuel. Some require it, some only recommend it, but in general it holds a number of benefits for the condition of your engine. Let’s have a look at how exactly it works and why it’s important to give your vehicle the best fuel it can get.

When Combustion Goes Wrong

The engine in your vehicle relies on a smooth cycle of combustion to keep its crankshafts moving and the wheels turning. In order for this to work, the air/fuel mixture in each cylinder must be ignited by its corresponding spark plug at precisely the right moment during every cycle. If the mixture ignites prematurely, you’ve got pre-ignition, which leads to “knocking” or “pinging.” This is an aggressive, audible change in pressure that the cylinder was not designed to handle. With thousands of cycles happening every minute, knocking can take a disastrous toll on the integrity of your engine.

Where Supreme Fuel Comes In

Compared with regular fuel, the high octane rating of supreme fuel indicates that a higher temperature is needed for combustion. Supreme is therefore more resistant to pre-ignition. This is particularly important if you have a love for high-performance vehicles, as the cylinders of these engines are designed with higher compression ratios. This means that your combustion chamber and cylinder can get a more efficient degree of mechanical energy out of a given cycle. With a high ratio comes greater risk of knocking, so the use of supreme fuel is critical.

What About Regular Engines?

While high performance engines absolutely require supreme fuel, many people argue that it is useless for lower-ratio engines that don’t need it. This isn’t necessarily true, especially if your car is a bit older. Over time, carbon deposits accumulate on the inside of your cylinders, and this affects your compression ratio. You may have found that as your vehicle has aged, you’ve begun to hear that dreaded knocking sound. Using supreme fuel could be a great way to keep up with the aging of your engine and stop pre-ignition at the source. This will ensure a much longer life!

If you’re looking for an excellent service or performance centre specializing in BMWs, Motorwerkes is here for you. Our dedication to providing the best possible customer experience is second to none, so give us a call at (403) 768-3162 today!