Tips for Driving BMW Through Hills & Terrains

Posted on | 27 Jan 2017 By Anita Gaal

Drivers have come to expect more from their BMW than what you may expect from another brand of car and for good reason. BMW’s are known for their innovation and commitment to unparalleled standards for both luxury and performance and that is expected to be maintained even on a variety of inclines and terrains. You don’t purchase a car solely because it drives straight lines well on flat surfaces and you shouldn’t expect your BMW to fold at the first sign of less than ideal terrains. There are however important tips to consider to keep navigating these less than ideal hills and roads easier on you and your car at the same time so consider these tricks before your next drive.

Important tricks to consider

• Utilize Your Hill Descent Control– Hill Descent Control is a driver assistance system available in four-wheel drive BMWs. When navigating a hill it will take control of the vehicle and hold it at a steady, pre-determined speed. This will help control the brakes so you the driver can better focus solely on steering and navigating the hill. Combined with the BMWs anti-lock braking system, HDC is a great feature for driving on loose downhill surfaces like gravel, grass or snow and gives you excellent stability and helps to prevent the vehicle from skidding.
• Use the Right Drive Gears– If your vehicle has an automatic transmission then it’ll be easier for you to drive uphill as opposed to a manual one. Your transmission automatically will switch to a lower gear with lower RPMs when your speed gets low enough but there is a way to get more power while being easy on your engine and transmission. Your BMW should have drive options like D1, D2 or D3 to give your vehicle more climbing power and speed while maintaining higher RPMs, D2 or D3 will offer you an easier uphill drive while allowing for less wear on the engine by maintaining the RPM levels.
• Check Coolant and Engine Oil Levels– If you are going to be driving steep uphill or downhill grades, check your engine oil and coolant levels prior to heading out. These should be filled close to the MAX line and will help keep your engine from overheating and well lubricated to avoid added strain.
• Clean Your Car After Driving Rough Terrains– After driving on any poor roads or terrain you can check your vehicle’s safety by removing any excess dirt and mud from the body and by clearing mud, snow, ice and any other types of debris from the wheels and tires. You can also inspect your BMW after driving for any damages that may have been caused by the terrain.
• xDrive Is Worth It– On most top selling models of BMW, xDrive All Wheel Drive is available and should be considered before purchasing any new BMW. It is a permanent all-wheel drive system that distributes the engine power between front and rear axles and it can send 100% of power to either axle at any time. It constantly changes how much power is delivered to the front and rear wheels to give you the best traction possible at all times. This makes handling any terrain, hill or windy road easier and gives you more grip and control of your vehicle. This option is extremely popular with BMW drivers so if you think that you may be driving a wide variety of terrains with your BMW, consider just how effective and beneficial this feature may be before purchasing your new BMW.

Don’t neglect car maintenance

Chances are you will have to navigate some rough terrains at some point and time with your BMW and while it is designed to handle anything the roads can throw at it, maintaining your car is always a good idea. Knowing the best ways to care for your car during and after driving these roads and hills will help preserve your BMW’s performance and appearance as well. Being better prepared is never a bad thing and when it comes to the health of your car, you want it to be running properly for its’ entire lifespan and following these tips and others when it comes to care, your BMW will also likely have a longer lifespan as well.

Featured Image credit goes to : DathArt

BMW X4 image credit goes to : DathArt

The Journey of a Car from Being Boxy to Curvy

Posted on | 13 Jan 2017 By Anita Gaal

While it’s true that we’ve come a long way in terms of the technology that goes into each new vehicle when compared to the first ones over a century ago, it’s also readily apparent how far vehicles have come from a design standpoint as well, going from boxy designs to sleeker more curvy ones that most recognize on the streets today. There’s a reason that when you see a well-kept older car, you turn your head and have to look: simply put, they just don’t make them like that anymore. With advancements in technology and design capabilities, the natural progression has led to sleeker cars that are more aerodynamic but for car enthusiasts, looking back it’s easy to see how we’ve gotten to where we are in terms of design. Here are just a few important steps in the history of vehicle design from the boxy beginnings to what we know now.

1908

Though combustion engine automobiles had been around Europe as early as 1807, in 1908 Henry Ford applied the idea of assembly line production to auto manufacturing, creating the first affordable and dependable vehicle available to the public. Between its’ 1908 debut and its’ discontinuation in 1927, the Ford Model T sold over 15 million cars. It set the template for body design as well, with a “runabout” body style with no doors, windshield or windows, instead drawing closer resemblance to old horse drawn buggies.

1920s

Into the 1920s the snubbed chassis and box-like wheelbase of the original Model T would begin to lengthen and closed-body designs started to gain popularity over the open-carriage style. The rapid expansion the US was enjoying led to more paved roads and vehicles could lead to longer, lower and more elegant vehicle designs as opposed to the tractor or carriage body design. These new designs became symbolic of the 20s with the engine sometimes having up to 8 or even 16-cylinder engines that required long-nosed bodies with curved runner boards.

1930s

The 1930s saw a huge innovation largely change the way that car bodies were designed. The monocoque, or single hull chassis made cars significantly lighter, easier to produce and more structurally sound. This impacted the aesthetics as well as features like fenders, headlights and runner boards became more integrated into the body. By the end of the 30s teardrop inspired designs like the Cadillac Sixty Special were extremely popular family vehicles. With cars becoming a status symbol for middle to upper class families, styling and aesthetics became more important and an integral part of the car design.

1940s

World War II put a huge interruption into commercial car production but it also contributed to one of the biggest car design innovations: Ponton styling. This was seen as a culmination of blending things like runner boards, headlights and fenders into a single form. This became a design lynchpin throughout the 1940s and 50s with visually cohesive vehicles that had bulbous headlights and bulging hoods that flowed with the car’s surface.

1960s

Shifting from the boat-like designs that the “Big Three” of auto designers (GM, Ford and Chrysler) were known for, European and Japanese imports became more and more popular in the United States. Smaller, less cumbersome designs from companies like Toyota, Nissan and others made up a large portion of the market. At the same time, U.S. muscle cars began to come to fruition with cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro debuting with extended hoods and low-profile cabins.

1980s

With the 80s consumers began focusing on issues like safety and fuel efficiency so boxy, uninspired designs began to come into the market more. Some of the most fuel efficient but slowest cars came from the 80s, which also saw bright vibrant colors be exchanged for metallic paints as well.

1990s

Seen as a reaction to the bland cars of the 80s, fluid curves and contours returned in cars like the Porsche 911 and the Mazda Miata. These more elegant lines brought to mind the design choices for vehicles in the 30s and 60s.

2000s

The 2000s brought about car designs of all sorts of shapes, styles and forms though it’s the SUV that may have made the biggest impression on the era of vehicle design. Hard lines and well-defined chassis highlighted the larger, more solid and durable body designs made the SUVs popular with a wide audience of drivers.