BMW Service – Understanding Your Bill

No one likes to spend money on their car, I hate it as much as you.  However, it’s a fact of life that all cars will at least need gas and oil changes in order that they continue to serve you on a daily basis.  BMWs require more than the average car, but less than others.  Needless to say, luxury cars usually produce luxury maintenance bills, as they are of a higher performance and have more electronic gagets that can break or fail for no apparant reason.  When customers bring their BMW to my shop in San Diego, I feel as though my number one job is to make them understand what they are buying and why.  To me, that’s just as important as fixing their BMW properly.

So, lets just say you brought your BMW to get it serviced and it was recommended that you have an Inspection II performed and your control arm bushings needed repair.  The service advisor tells you that the total cost will amount to about $1000.  Do you know what you are getting?  Did you understand what he or she told you?  Did you just say ok?  Stop.  I see a lot of past bills provided by customers, and in many cases I’m a bit shocked as to what they were charged for, and even more shocked about what things were not done to the car that should have been.  In addition, these bills are extremely difficult to read and are chock-full of words and sentances that just seem to fill the page and nickle and dime the poor bastard up to a $1000 with not much being done.  Call it illegal, call it un-ethical, but that poor bastard was the one that approved it all.  No wonder mechanics have a bad name, they’ve earned it.

Before we get into your $1000 BMW service or repair bill, I think it’s important that I point out that running a shop is expensive.  At my shop in San Diego we carry a lot of BMW parts in inventory, and BMW parts are expensive.  We’ve got the property to pay for, the tools to pay for, oils, fluids, computers, employees, worker’s comp, insurance, etc. etc.  This stuff is expensive, and it is all necessary in order that we exist, and yes, you’ll help pay for it.  It’s a fact of life.

One question I get asked frequently is “What is your labor rate?”  This is probably the worst factor to determine where to bring your BMW.  What you should ask is “How much does a brake job cost?” for example.  Why is this important?  Let’s do a comparison.  You can go to ‘Brakes ‘R Us’ where the labor rate is $95/hr. for the brake job where they will use standard (code for cheapest available) pads and rotors, and slap it all together and send you on your way for about $1100 in the end for all four wheels.  Then there is us, where the labor rate is more.  We use High quality rotors such as Brembo, and higher performance pads such as Mintex, which we’ve tested on hundreds of cars and found better performance and very low dust accumulation on wheels.  We’ll clean and lubricate every brake component, and send you on your way.  Price is about $975 for the same job.  Why?

Unfotunately I don’t have all the answers as to why certain shops charge what they charge or operate how they do.  What you need to do as a customer is understand what you are paying for — make the service facility do that, if they can’t, go elsewhere.  Look at your bill!  Check to see what was done, and look to see what they charged you for.  Were you charged 0.25 hours for them to check your brake light bulbs?  If so, you just got charged almost $20 by the guys that charge $95/hr. to have one guy step on the brake pedal while another guy says “yep, they all work.”   Look for parts on your bill, many bills have a ton of 0.25, 0.15, 0.35 labor items that all add up while the actual parts list that went into the car is rather short.  We have a pretty clear bill to understand as far as BMW Service is concerned.  Parts are in one column and labor in another, both easy to understand and clear to read.

With any car, not just BMWs, the most important thing you can find is a service center that you trust and can rely upon.  It’s worth its weight in gold.  Ask around, talk to other owners, and make sure that you feel comfortable when you’re in for repair.  Like I said, everyone hates spending money on their car, but if you get the most bang for your buck, and feel comfortable with the services that you are getting, it makes that $1000 bill a bit easier to swallow.

Happy Motoring!

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW of the Week – Not just any old 2002!

When it comes to cars, my jaw doesn’t drop that often, but this 1974 2002 turbo will make the jaw drop and the drool flow.  I’ve seen a fair amount of turbos, but I’ve never worked on one nor driven one — I got to do both, thanks to this immaculate car that had been impressively restored by Casey Motorsports in Petaluma, CA.  The turbo rolled into the shop for the usual stuff 2002’s need – new spark plugs, a valve adjust, some fluid changes and you’re pretty square for another few years.  But when an example like this is in the service bay, the cameras come out and the car stays a bit longer.  This car has everything going for it.  Looks great, mechanicals are even better, and a few special touches in the right places.  I took over 300 pictures in super high resolution, so here’s a few shots:

Very well displayed, great stance, perfect wheels if you run aftermarket, what more can I say?

In the 70s in and around europe, if you saw a 2002 turbo, this was usually the view for a few seconds.  Great personalized plate to compliment.

I did not focus too much on the interior as they are pretty spartan, but just as clean and true to original.

So this is all fine and dandy.  It’s a nice turbo, everything is there, where it should be, big deal, blah blah.   Then you put it in the air, open the hood, and what you see is nothing short of perfection.  I can tell you that whomever put this car together, took their time and really made sure that everything was dead-nuts perfect.  Kudos to the guys at Casey Motorsports.  This is what I rarely see; most of my time with 2002’s and 3.0cs cars I’m spending more time correcting mistakes from past repairs than I am actually upgrading the car. This is amazing work.

Many think that the restoration business is glamorous.  It has been hyped up by TV shows and specials that run during Monterey Week.  I can personally tell you that I’m am so glad that I’m not the guy that did all of this work.  When you put forth this much time and effort into a project, it becomes difficult to realize the fruits of your labor and see how damn good it really is.  By the time a car gets to this point, you’ve probably pushed the car 5 miles around the lot when it didn’t run.  The amount of time you’ve spent cleaning, prepping and painting parts amounts to the length of Paris Hilton’s last stint in the slammer.  Things catch fire, parts get lost, you bleed a lot. It can beat down your spirit.  There are mornings when you arrive at the shop the mere sight of the car justs craps on your day.  I’ve been there and, depending on the car, sometimes you never fully appreciate what you’ve accomplished.  All in an effort to make it look like it had never been touched.

I, however, only need to finish the oil change before I get to take it out to ‘make sure that it is driving as it should’ . . . today, I’m the lucky guy.

If you’ve never driven a 2002 turbo, it is just a super hoot.  Sounds mid-west corny, but it really is a damn hoot to drive.  You start off and it feels as if you’re driving an early 2002 with a single barrel carbureator – not much power, just nice and smooth.  At about 3500rpms, you start to feel like you are driving a 2002tii (which it kind of is one), then at right about 5500-6000rpms, the sweet whistle of the turbo system starts to sing and the damn thing launches you about as fast as that little engine could.  I was grinning like a kid.  It truely is the best ‘toy’ that I’ve ever driven.  Total hoot to drive.

Two additional tid-bits that make this car a bit special is the surviving engine break-in sticker on the windshield as well as the driver’s sun visor has been signed by Motorsports Hall of Fame legend Brian Redman, who has had plenty of time behind the wheel of a BMW.

This is truly a great example of a 2002 turbo and I am extremely thankful that I was able to freshen the basics and take it for a spin.

Consider yourself Boosted!

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz Service

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW Diesel and the Super Bowl – Super Idea

OK, so Volkswagen may have had the wittiest commercial during the Super Bowl as the pint-sized Darth Vadar brought the car to life with the use of the force, but my favorite commercial of the night was BMW’s promotion of their diesel 335d with David Bowie’s ‘changes’ in the background.  BMW has been making diesel cars for the non-USA market since the early 90’s but it has only been recently that they have been available in North America.  I’ve been pretty disappointed with their lack of promoting the diesel product as well as dealers’ aversion to keeping them in stock.  Hopefully, this commercial is a step in the right direction.

The benefits of modern diesel engine cars are no secret, but they lack the sex-appeal that the US market is built around as they do not boast high horsepower numbers and at times their 0-60 times seem a bit bleak.  However, just as Bowie stated, things have ch-ch-changed.  The current 335d has 265hp with an astounding 425ft/lbs of torque all while achieving 36mpg.  The 36mpg is a very conservative figure — a customer of mine clocked his 335d from San Diego to Las Vegas getting roughly 39-40mpg while driving approximately 80-90mph.  Impressive.

Now that we’ve got power, and miles to burn at the pump, there should be no problem moving these cars from the factory to the road, right?  Well . . . unfortunately we’ve got a 10k price difference between the 335d and its brother the 328i.  This price gap is huge, and probably the reason that we aren’t seeing more on the road or at the dealerships.  BMW of San Diego currently has nearly 200 3-series cars on the lot.  6 are diesel.  None are manual and all of them are over $50k.  Sad.

The savings at the pump doesn’t bridge the price gap and the lease rates are about $100/month more and allow for only 10k miles a year.  Those in the diesel or hybrid market are typically racking up the miles while those driving under 10k miles per year aren’t putting gas mileage at the top of the new car priority list.  Now, I could go into how much better diesel is for the environment than hybrid, and about how their longevity will far surpass that of a hybrid, but that would be a whole different article on its own.   What is important, is that BMW’s diesel project survives in the US market as an economically sound purchase that helps the environment and keeps the BMW spirit with it.  If they don’t sell, they won’t stay.

I love the new diesel cars on so many levels and the commercial was great, but give people a reason to buy them.

Safe Driving and don’t grab the green pump unless you’ve got a diesel!

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

SMG = ‘Serious Money Gone’ on your BMW.

The e46 M3 is actually one of the most reliable cars BMW has built in the last 10 years . . .  unless you have the SMG option on your transmission of course.  The first generation SMG (or Sequential Manual Gearbox) transmissions have not held up well over the long run and are starting to empty the pockets of their loyal owners.  So if you are in the market for an e46 M3, stay clear of the SMG.  If you currently have an SMG M3, this may be what you’re in for if you haven’t had the pleasure already.

When the e46 M3 came to market with the SMG option, it was widely assumed/stated that if there were any issues with the transmission that it would warrant replacement and that they were not to be serviced.  Nor was any service attempts to be made.  However, us being technicians/mechanics, it is in our blood to just fix things.  Sometimes we can go to great lengths to do so.

We belong to a large group of Independent BMW Service shops that regularly email each other when strange problems arise; to date I have about 60 email threads focused solely on the SMG issues and the failed attempts to fix them.  The replacement parts are expensive, none of them can be returned, and attempts to fix a failing SMG usually wind up with the shop losing it’s ass and the customer about to sue.  It’s quite depressing to read the trials and tribulations inflicted by our friend the SMG.

Prehaps the most common problem with the SMG will be that of the skip shift.  You’ll be driving around town, cruising along, listening to some tunes and minding your own business; everything is A-OK in your M3 world.  Then some dipshit with the latest Mitsubishi with glowing paint and the ugliest wheels you’ve ever seen wants to mess around.  His blasting ‘music’ sounds like something the military would use to get terrorists out of a lock down and the bass is so loud it rattles his car on every hit and almost knocks off his flat brimmed Hurley hat.  You say ‘time to teach this punk a lesson.’  Light turns green and you start to see his plastic horsepower machine in your rear-view until it’s time for 3rd gear to kick in.  All of a sudden you slow down, he flys by, and you see a flashing ‘4’ in front of you and a Mitsubishi off in the distance.  FAIL.

If you experienced this yesterday, I suggest you take the day off from work, detail your car and get ready to trade it in for something else — you deserve a new car anyway.  Of the 60 email threads, this one has proven to be the most daunting and haunting.  Here’s an excerpt of one email:

We also had some issues couple of years back with one that had similar faults and symptoms, We put in new clutch, new control pump, etc. Still no go, new shift housing, no go. New gear box, car went.

I haven’t spoken to this shop personally, but I would almost have to assume that this was a personal car of the owner.  The failed attempts to fix the SMG issues before ultimately replacing the gearbox would probably total in the $3k range.  With the gearbox itself costing over $7k.  So now we are up to $10k in attempted repairs until we have found a fix.  Ouch.  I’ve got countless documented cases of this symptom/fault with the SMG and they have all resulted in the replacement of the gearbox, with the shop eating a large amount of the bill and the customer being irate about their bill.  Ugly, ugly, SMG.

With all that said, there are a number of symptoms that have been able to be fixed.  Unfortunately none of the parts to do so are cheap, and in many cases a recommended repair will not guarantee success.  So if you currently own an SMG car, let this sink in, digest it, and then decide how much you love that car as it might cost you big time in the future.  If you are considering the purchase of an SMG car, you might want to think twice or make sure you get a bullet-proof warranty that specifically states that the SMG transmission and associated parts are covered.  Unfortunately I’ll continue to have the great pleasure to tell folks “I can do this $1200 repair, but in no way can I guarantee it will work, and you’ll still have to pay the bill as I cannot return the part”  Kinda like russian roulette for cars.  Pretty bleak.

Take Care and happy paddle shifting.

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW with a Dead Battery? Stop. Tow. Save Tons of Dough.

My hope is that you’ve found this posting before AAA, or other form of assistance, has come to rescue your BMW with a dead battery.   I know you only have one hour to leave work, grab the kids from practice, and pick-up dinner, but stop and just have your BMW towed.  DO NOT jump-start the car and DO NOT let any roadside assistance service install a new battery in your BMW.  It can be the most expensive battery or jump start of your life.

BMW’s built from 1999 through about 2003 do not respond well to a jump start, and pretty much every BMW built after 2004 needs to follow an exact procedure in order to change the battery properly.  While we’ve been aware of this for quite some time, a recent customer’s troubles has exemplified what can occur if someone tries to change a battery when they are ill informed.

I got a call from a towing company owner who was having trouble with a 2006 530i.  They acted on a AAA call for one of our customers who’s battery had died.  They went to the residence and jump-started the car followed by the AAA representative selling the customer a new battery.  That is where the trouble started.  The AAA rep disconnected the battery (strike one and strike two), and then installed the wrong size battery and re-connected the battery cables (strike three).   Much to his surprise, the car would not start, the steering became locked, gear shifter locked, and there were no instrumentation lights.  This 5 minute operation just resulted in what will be 3 weeks of the customer not having a car, and AAA coughing up a heap of $$.

The BMW electrical system has gotten extremely complex, mainly due to the fact that they aren’t just cars anymore.  They are a home computer, entertainment center, home office, and a robotic personal assistant all wrapped in steel with an engine and 4 wheels.  This all requires a significant amount of wiring, control modules, and electrical monitoring systems that make everything work.  To complicate things, all of these functions rely upon each other for power and reliability.  Simply put, they are strung together like old Christmas tree lights – one goes out and the rest of the strand is closed for business.  The main difference is that instead of just grabbing that extra bulb that came with the lights, fixing the strand can start with a $280 module – in this case the Car Access System, or CAS.

There’s no guarantee that the rest of the lights are going to shine after it is replaced.  These support groups are so fragile that any disturbance in power can render the module useless, which hopefully illustrates why changing a battery can become the most expensive little light you’ve ever tried to replace to get things going again.  The second victim of this battery change attempt was the SZL, which is basically the control module that controls things such as wipers, instrumentation, steering wheel buttons, the horn, turn signals, etc, etc.

In short, you cannot just change a battery, there is a specific procedure that must be followed in order to do it successfully.  Ben Amen at our shop explains:

The car must be off and key out of the ignition.  The battery should be sonically tested for bad cells, and once tested poorly, should be replaced with a battery of the SAME SIZE and Cold Cranking Amperage to ensure these complex systems receive the same power input that they would from the factory.  When removing the cables one must be very mindful of the delicate positive AND negative terminals, as each connection contains a very sensitive micro-control module on them that monitors power input and output of the battery in addition to communication with the airbag deployment string of modules.

Once the battery is replaced, it must be digitally registered with the car’s DME (Digital Motor Electronic control computer) so that the alternator ‘knows’ how to properly charge the battery and prevent premature wear on the alternator itself and the battery.  Sometimes, some control modules must be updated  when the battery is registered with the car.

OK, enough technical stuff.   Let’s talk dollars.  In this particular case, the car lost several modules and one battery cable.  Tons of re-programming and coding was also needed as each step was executed during repair in order to save modules that had yet to be affected.  Total?  Over $2300 for one mistake.  I’m starting to think there might be a market for battery warning stickers . . .

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

Aftermarket BMW Parts vs. OEM BMW Parts – What’s the Deal?

 

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the parts that go into BMWs during Service and production, especially when it comes to OEM Parts vs. Aftermarket Parts.  As a consumer, I feel it is pretty important to know what these terms actually mean, and how they affect the longevity of your BMW.  I field an amazing amount of calls by potential customers concerned with OEM parts going into their BMW, all the while many do not understand what OEM actually defines when it comes to the description of a particular BMW part.  So . . . let us expose a few terms, what they actually mean, and how they affect your BMW.

BMW Genuine Parts

BMW Genuine Parts are those parts which have been purchased from a BMW Dealer.  This does not necessarily mean that BMW produced the part, rather that they are a re-seller of parts that have been produced for them.  Some Genuine parts are produced by BMW but they are usually limited to interior trim pieces, sheet metal, bumper covers, wiring, etc.  Most other parts are produced by other companies for use in BMW repair or production.

The Good – Genuine Parts should be just as good as the part that failed you, and the part will also be backed by BMW’s warranty policy for parts which is usually 12k miles or 12 months.

The Bad – Genuine parts are expensive, and they aren’t always the best available.  Genuine Water Pumps are of great concern due to the plastic that is used for the impellar of the pump.  This plastic has been prone to failure, while many aftermarket water pump manufacturers have eliminated this plastic in favor of all metal pumps.

OEM Parts

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, plain and simple.  It does not mean ‘BMW Genuine Part’ but is basically the same or sometimes better.   During the production, BMW, like many corporations, outsource to many different companies to produce parts for them during assembly.  BMW puts together a mechanical design specification and quality requirement and sends a bid request off to numerous corporations.  These corporations submit bids and are granted a production contract from BMW.  As you might expect, this is big business.  Therefore, your spark plugs are not made by BMW, they are made by NGK or Bosch.  Brake pads are not made by BMW, they are made by Pagid or Jurid.  Shocks are not made by BMW either, instead they will contract with Bilstein or Sachs.  BMW didn’t make your alternator either, chances are that Valeo or Bosch made that instead.  But these are all OEM suppliers for BMW.

The Good – You can get what is basically the same part in your car without having to pay hefty prices

The Bad – The term OEM gets thrown around A LOT by parts suppliers.  Sometimes you need to know if the part is actually an OEM Supplier rather than “OEM Quality”  For the most part, if you see “OEM Quality” or, my favorite, “Meets or Exceeds OEM Standards” the part is probably a piece of junk that won’t last.

After-market Parts

An After-market part is a part that has been produced outside of an OEM production contract.  For instance, Sylvania has the contract for turn signal bulbs on an X5, but on eBay you can find hundreds of other bulbs that can be used in place of the original bulb.  This is probably the largest category of parts available to consumers.  After-market parts cover everything from tires to turn signals that have not been produced under contract from BMW.   Some after-market parts are great, while others leave little to get excited about.  It is important to do your homework and look for reviews when entering into the aftermarket parts arena.

The Good – Options, options, options.  The reason aftermarket parts is such a large category is due to the fact that consumers like to have options and like to customize.  There are also a lot of exceptional upgrade parts available such as shocks, tires, lights, etc.  If you know how to navigate this world of parts, you can really find some incredible products for a vast array of applications.

The Bad – There’s a lot of junk out there for sale.  Remember that while there are some good deals and products on the market, you usually do get what you pay for.

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW of the Week – e28 M5 Time Warp.

I’ve got a bit of a disorder where I’m no longer impressed with many cars.  It’s an occupational hazard that keeps me from getting excited about any BMW unless I find something to be excited about.  Call it overly critical, perfectionism, or purely a case of over-exposure. It is what it is.

So . . . when I get a car like this into the shop, well, it’s just . . . impressive.

This e28 M5 came to me from its new owner who was a close friend of the original owner who had passed away some time ago.  The car has a touch above 42k miles and it is super clean. Here are some pictures that show that it’s a really nice M5.  You just look at it and say ‘That’s a REALLY nice M5’  Enjoy . . .

 

To drive this car is simply amazing.  The first thing I noticed is that it is not loud.  I never really got into the original M-cars as most of them are buzz-boxes and they are a bit before my time as far as personal dream cars.  Then I ‘got it’ and realized why people loved these cars so much.

Driving this M5 brought me to think I should have the Pet Shop Boys on the radio and a Members Only jacket covering my Ralph Lauren polo shirt all while peering through a set of  Ray-Ban Wayfarers at each approaching turn.  This car drives like it is new.  This car drives like it is new.   Unreal.  I’d repeat it again but I’m sure we’ve got the point.

This car is humbling and somewhat depressing.  I just can’t reproduce a car like this.  There are a lot of things I cannot do as a restorer of BMWs; that is precisely why I’m so impressed with this car.  The things I notice and love about it aren’t necessarily the things that get others excited,  but lets go back to the pictures . . .

Keep in mind that this car has not been restored.  The door hinges are so perfectly preserved it’s almost sickening.  Each piece of hardware has its original coloring and finish.  When most cars are restored, hardware is sent out for plating and it all comes back shiny and new, but all the same color and finish.  During original assembly, different types of hardware had different hues and finishes, all of which are on display on this M5.

Looking around at all the latches and catches, you see a similar trend throughout this time capsule of a car . . .

The engine bay is equally impressive.  It has the original A/C set-up that has not been converted to R134 and the A/C lines still have their original foam insulation still in-tact.   The throttle linkage is immaculate with no dirt or corrosion present.  When I took these photos, the car had yet to be detailed . . .

What really makes this car special is a richly documented history and a definite museum-quality example of BMW Motorsports in the United States.   The trunk of the car tells many a story when you look through the records and see how preserved the tool kit is . . .

The most fortunate thing about this car is that it is in very appreciative hands and was not the subject of a big-wig auto auction going to the guy with the deepest pockets.  I know what was paid for the car as does the owner, the seller and possibly a few others.  No one else really needs to know, as this car is simply priceless.  The unfortunate thing about this stunning M5 is that once more the bar has risen for me as to what I find ‘impressive.’

Sometimes I miss the days when a simple shiny and clean 20 year old BMW would leave me awestruck . . .

 

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW of the Week – 2003 330i

At first glance this BMW isn’t looking so bad, but the closer I get the worse things turn out to be.   This car came to us with the customer complaint that it ‘felt a little loose’ in the front end of the car.  ‘Loose’ is quite an understatement as the control arm bushings are about ready to fall out of the car.  The typical 3 Series BMW in San Diego will need new control arm bushings in the 55k range as the roads are a bit harsh and the bushings take a beating.  He’s got about 120k on the clock so instead of doing the second set of bushings, he still needs the first.  This is the least of my concerns for this sad car . . .

When a BMW has a windshield with a massive crack, it speaks volumes about the lack of care and/or respect that the car receives.  A crack like this takes weeks to develop, but I’m sure it has been there for over a year.   It makes the car look like shit, not to mention that it is illegal to drive around like this in San Diego.

If you look at the many uses for packing tape you’ll notice that ‘keeping your rear window up’ is never mentioned.  However, this clever fellow has found that it works just as well as a new window regulator.  Don’t do this, spend the $300 and get the damn thing fixed.  Packing tape doesn’t do a great job keeping the window up, but it does wonders on your trim and paint when you go to remove it.

I haven’t gotten in the car yet but I’m sure there are more treasures that lie ahead.  I put the key in the ignition to start the car and all these friendly and familiar warning lights pop up on the instrument cluster.

The right side headlight is out, but the left side still works so that’ll do for now.  Gee, he’s out of gas, what a surprise . . .

The car needs brakes badly.  The rear brakes are metal-on-metal and the front brakes aren’t far behind; but the car still stops so it’s all good.  The air bag light is also on, but who needs air bags when you have seat belts . . .

This is a first for me.  It has been almost 70k miles since he has had any sort of service on the car.  Now he may have had an oil change here and there, but the car was obviously serviced by some joint that cannot reset the service light.  When the -69,175 blinked on the indicator I laughed harder than I have in awhile, you just don’t see this, maybe he’s going for some sort of record.

I see a lot of people toss ATM records, dry cleaning slips, or fast food reciepts in the back seat of their car, but this guy just tosses multiple parking tickets in the back instead.  I counted about 13 parking citations in the back of the car which means that he’ll be due for a tow in about another week or two.  The good news is that I figured out how he’s going to pay for the tickets . . .

The back seat of your BMW is not the place to start a recycling business.  In case of a hot date or business meeting he’s got some LA Looks hair gel ready and waiting.  As far as I can remember, Arrowhead spring water has been clear, not brown.  I don’t want to know what he’s got brewing in there.

This is truly a shame.  Another example of a perfectly nice BMW trashed by its owner.  These are great cars and in my opinion, one of the best cars that BMW has produced over the last 20 years.  That said, you must maintain your car if you want it to continue to serve you.  Buying a car, trashing it to the point that only a junk yard will buy it, and repeating the cycle is way more expensive than a little preventative maintenance and some tune-ups along the way.

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW Modifications – Do this First

Before you start dumping gobs of horsepower into your BMW or installing the latest and greatest coil-over kit, learn how to drive it first!  It’ll cost you a heck of a lot less money, you’ll have tons of fun, and in the end you’ll actually know a lot more about your car and your limitations as a driver.

I was at a confrence in St. Louis a few years ago and hanging at the hotel bar with current NASCAR driver Boris Said.  He had just purchased a new M5 and was just about ready to get rid of the car.  I asked him why.  His answer, ‘it’s just to damn fast to drive around town’

However, I can pretty much guarantee that as these words came out of his mouth, Joe-Racer Boy was online ordering some sort of turbo-charger kit for the same car.  He’ll probably wreck it a week after it gets installed.  It never ceases to amaze me that while BMW continues to make faster and better handling cars, that some tuner company will offer all kinds of shit for people to buy.   Learn to drive first!!  Here’s how . . .

Your local BMWCCA Chapter will be of great resource in your new quest of driving perfection.  A good first step is to sign up for an Autocross event.  Autocross is a full day of driving around a ‘track’ that has been set-up with cones in a large parking lot. In San Diego we might have one of the better autocross events, as most of them are two-day events and they are held at Qualcomm Stadium; a huge lot with interesting dips and slopes.  Autocross is the best $50-70 you can spend, and in general it is a very safe experience for both you and your car.  The BMW Car Club will have several experienced instructors present offering in-car instruction, and they’ll serve you lunch.  When the autocross ends, you’ll have a huge smile on your face, you’ll know a lot more about your car, and you’ll realize that you need a lot more practice!

Driving school would be the next option and has a much different feel than an Autocross.  You’ll be on a real track, it’ll be a full weekend event, and you’ll learn a hell of a lot more than the Autocross events that you’ve attended in the past.  Driving schools are also offered by the BMWCCA along with several private schools depending on which track is in your area.  Prices on these schools vary depending on location and duration.

One huge benefit in all of this ‘learning to drive’ stuff is that it might actually save your life one day.  If you do all of this before you bolt on a turbo kit or spend thousands on a suspension kit, you might find that your car is fine the way it is or scale back the modifications to better suit your needs as a recreational driver.

Have Fun!

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com

BMW Leather Care – Start early and often

My buddy Tommy had me replace his seats as the seat sides were cracked and the leather was basically pealing off in little chunks.  We are getting ready to load the new ones in and he claims “This sucks, you’d think that they would have used better leather”  Then I proceeded to explain that he had no one to blame but himself.  You MUST care for your leather, or it will not hold up over time.

So you are looking around the car care isle and wondering which product of the dozen or so would be best to use and it gets confusing.  They all make certain claims about rejuvenation and conditioning, but if your seats look like Tommy’s they aren’t going to be saved.   You’ll need to start over with different seats or get yours re-upholstered.

As far as all those leather care products,  the best product on the market in my opinion, is Leatherique.  You won’t find this on the shelf as it is a little pricey and doesn’t fit the whole shelf set-up of a conventional car care store.  Visit their website for details at http://www.leatherique.com.

I’m by no means a leather expert so I’ve asked George Pavlisko, CEO of Leatherique to help us better understand what’s going on with our leather and how to properly treat it.

George on leather . . .

Leather is very tactile, just like our own skin, if your skin is dry, you can feel it with itchiness, discomfort, and see it with redness, flaking, etc.  Our leather has no way to let us know it is getting stressed.  As good stewards of a natural, recycled product, it is up to us to keep it in a healthy state.  If you think of your leather as skin, and treat it as well as you would your own skin, you’ll have the best results for the longevity of leather.  Jeans, cords, chinos can be like 600 grit sand paper on the surface of your leather.  I have a joke that I tell at seminars that a bare bottom is the best way to protect your leather.

An old finish can oxidize from the sun and commercial products with wax and silicone clogging the pores. Any interior prior to about ’92 has a surface sprayed lacquer which tended to oxidize and harden over time.  After about ’92 most interiors are a water based finish. We began the technology for water based products and set the industry standard for others to follow as everyone used lacquer until the EPA began regulating tanneries and leather manufacturers.

It is not unusual for good leather to last for generations.  When the Titanic was found, human remains had long disintegrated over years, but leather satchels and wallets were able to be retrieved and still held preserved paper money and artifacts.  Leather is more durable than people realize when cared for properly.  It is an excellent investment as it can easily be restored when it becomes worn, the color can be changed. It is always luxurious, adjusts to body temperature easily, it’s comfortable, and a true mark of quality. 

What are the challenges that leather faces as a seat covering over time?

Normal dryness from temperature and use, Ultraviolet rays, harsh chemicals from commercial products, normal wear and tear as you slide in and out, neglect, and over treating with commercial products that can actually harm the leather. 

What doesn’t “mix” with leather that causes it to wear, crack, and dry out?

 Neglect, products designed for rubber/vinyl, silicone based products, wax based products.  Saddle soap is formulated to clean perspiration and trail dirt from a horse and rider, it is too harsh for finished leathers and can break down surface color.  Products with alkaline ph, products with heavy petroleum oils.

If you have a new set of seats, how often should you clean and care for them?

At least every 6 months.  Folks who begin treating their leather properly when it is new are the most happy after several years. They don’t experience the spider web cracking, severe cracking, dryness, flaking, and damage caused by neglect or over treating with useless commercial products.

How long can an individual expect their seats to last if properly cared for vs. seats that are never touched? 

The life of the car.  Proper maintenance is the key here.  We have many friends who own car dealerships, and use our products on their cars.  However, they never encourage a customer to maintain their interior as they know that once an interior starts looking shabby, the owner will want to trade it in for a new model. The owner spends most of their time inside the car viewing the interior.  A well maintained interior shows pride of ownership and sense of accomplishment. 

Many of the BMW sport seats suffer in the bolster area especially from the driver getting in and out of the car over time.  Any way to prevent or prolong this? 

You can prevent it by being very careful getting in and out, keep the leather healthy and supple, and if the color wears off, keep the color intact with new dye.

Is it a by-product of the leather being dry and vulnerable? 

No, not dry as new hides should not be dry, it is from normal use.  As the leather flexes and the fibers pull and the padding underneath breaks down over time, there is less support for that area, and it will develop stress cracks and wear off the surface.

I’ve tried so many other products but stick to Leatherique as it is far and away the best.  What makes your product so different than the others as it seems that there are leather products and then there’s Leatherique?

Most of the commercial products are fast gratification waxes, silicones, or petroleum distillates with a lot of fragrance and water that temporarily make the surface of the leather shiny and smelly.  Average people associate that with doing something good for leather.  Our Rejuvenator is only nutrients of cosmetic grade that nourish the actual fibers of the leather, just as the animal’s blood stream nourished the protein based fibers when the animal was alive.

I’m not expecting to get any secret formula out of you, but I’m curious what the others use as a base vs. Leatherique as they are clearly different.  Yours is more of an oil while others remind me of hair conditioner.

There are no real oil molecules at all in our product.  Fats and proteins are a different type of molecule, and if you remember from your chemistry the molecule bonds with the protein receptors in the fibers of the leather, while heavy oil molecules just sit and are not absorbable into the leather.  The commercial products can rot stitching and cause it to pull apart, while the Rejuvenator molecules will dissipate if absorbed by cotton thread in stitching or seat belts as there are no receptors to absorb the protein and collagen molecules. 

My thanks to George at Leatherique for the great information and insight into proper leather care.   Taking care of your leather isn’t that hard.  If you make an effort twice a year to retain the look of your seats, it surely will pay off.

Chris Keefer

Independent Motorcars

5836 Autoport Mall

San Diego CA 92121

858-455-5836

www.independentmotorcars.com