The BMW Group Plant in Munich, Germany was lucky to be the birthplace of the 10 millionth 3 Series Sedan, a 320d in Imperial Blue. In over 40 years since the first 3 Series Sedan was created, the BMW Group has produced more than 14 million cars of this model series. This landmark 10 millionth automobile was part of the newest class of 3 Series Sedans, which was just launched 2 months ago in July. It’s safe to say workers throughout the Munich plant feel honored to be a part of history.
As the only facility to have produced all six generations of the BMW 3 Series, BMW Group Plant Munich has become a leader of 3 Series production. In order to meet the demands of various generations, the plant constantly enhanced and adapted its production systems to become one of the most advanced in its industry. The highly successful 3 Series now has a number of body and equipment options so you can build the BMW of your dreams, anywhere in the world.
Though the high demand of this series has lead to additional production plants in South Africa and China, the BMW Group Plant in Munich currently produces 1,000 cars a day, half of them BMW 3 Series, making them the largest production plant for the model in the world.
For more information about the latest and greatest BMW news, check out our blog.
Most noises from your BMW are the harmless notes of a fully functioning vehicle. Plastic and metal bits from your BMW’s body bump and squeak as they rub together, tires hum against asphalt, wind whooshes past windows, and your engine creates an endless buzz that grows barely noticeable over time.
Most BMW owners know, however, that all sounds coming from your car – especially from the engine – aren’t so harmless. Any noticeable thumping, banging, clicking, squealing or other odd sounds from your engine could indicate a serious problem. If ignored, these underlying problems could lead to major engine damage or failure – both of which pose a threat to your safety and can result in a breakdown. Prevent costly engine repairs and replacement by bringing your BMW to a certified BMW technician at the first sign of these common noises:
Grinding/Screeching: If you hear these noises when turning on your engine it could point to a worn drive belt or pulley.
Hissing or Sizzling: Usually heard after the engine is turned off, these sounds could indicate coolant or oil leaking into the heated part of the engine, a crack in the vacuum line, or an overheating engine.
Knocking/Rough Running: This is one of the most common engine sounds that indicates an issue with ignition coils, spark plugs, and valve gear, or even piston rings and connecting rods.
Whirring: Heard deep within the engine, these sounds indicate an issue with water pump, power steering pump or alternator. If you hear this noise start by checking power steering fluid levels and fill if needed. If the problem still persists, visit a BMW technician for further inspection.
Boston Motor Werks is the local independent BMW specialist you can count on for dealership quality service, maintenance, and repair for all models of BMW. Our certified master technicians are experienced in diagnosing a wide variety of engine sounds and offer complete repair at affordable prices. At the first sign of any strange engine noises, call us at 617-489-0291 or fill out our online form to make an appointment.
As we head into the long days and sweltering heat of summer, certain steps are necessary to stay healthy, happy, and safe. In order to stay hydrated and avoid heat exhaustion, you have to drink more water. To protect yourself from sun burn and sun damage, you have to wear sunscreen or seek shade.
Much like the special precautions made to keep yourself and your family safe, there are many things you can do to protect your BWM’s engine and, especially, tires during the summer. Here are a few simple tips that can protect your tires from melting, blowouts, and other catastrophic failure that could put you in danger.
- Check Tire Pressure Frequently. Heat significantly increases air pressure in tires and, combined with friction while driving, can lead to tire blowouts. Once tires have had a chance to cool, use a tire gauge and make sure pressure is within the recommended range for your tires. We highly recommend checking pressure before going out for a drive.
- Measure Your Tread. Low or poor tread on tires drastically affects their ability to react to the road, especially in rain and slippery areas. Once tread is below 2/32”, the tires are considered a hazard. Visit Boston Motor Werks to have your tire tread checked frequently.
- Visual Inspection. One of the best ways to protect your tires from major damage is by taking notice of damage in its early stages. Any bulging, uneven wear patterns, cracks, cuts or other abnormalities can be a sign of imminent tire failure. If you notice any signs of damage visit Boston Motor Werks your thorough inspection and repair if necessary
Our experienced mechanics and BMW specialists are available 5 days a week to keep your vehicle operating safely for many summers to come. From inspection to repair to expert advice, you can get everything your BMW needs at Boston Motor Werks. Contact us today for a free estimate of our services.
We have a customer from Walpole MA, who recently purchased a 15 year old BMW. Needless to say, his 15 year old vehicle was giving him some trouble, between steering and shifting, all the way to engine problems.
Over the past five months or so, we have been working with this gentleman on repairing his car, and making his old e46 driveable again. Since his commute is so long, it’s important to have a reliable car.
This gentleman has been so impressed with our repair services, he wrote a five star review on Yelp!
We repair and service BMW of all years and models; whether you have a fifteen year old BMW like this gentleman, or a brand new model, our mechanics will get the job done right, fast and efficient!
To schedule a free estimate for one of our BMW services, please give Boston Motor Werks a call at 617-489-0291.
Just as you take care of your skin by applying sun block to your skin during the summer, you should take similar precautions when it comes to your BMW. As you know summer in the Boston area can get extremely hot, be sure to protect your Bimmer from the summertime heat and other elements!
First and foremost, be sure to get your AC and cooling systems checked so that while you sit in the beach/work traffic, your car doesn’t over heat. We will inspect the air flow around the radiator and radiator cap to check the coolant levels and to check for any cracks. We will also check the functionality of your AC system; we will check the filter and repair any leaks.
Next on the checklist is to check your tires; just as winter deflates your tires, the hot weather can overinflate your tires, which will reduce your fuel economy. Have us check the pressure and tread of your tires to make sure everything is up to snuff before you take a long road trip!
Make sure your brakes are working properly. If you’re hearing strange, squeaky noises or “grabbing” everything you hit the brakes, be sure to notify us right away!
Are your lights working properly? We will check to make sure that there is no wiring problem that could potentially effect the functionality of your lights.
We can check your battery for corrosion and leaks; if you haven’t changed your battery in years, it will be a good idea to have us inspect it, especially if you’re planning a road trip.
We will check the fluids of your car to make sure they are at the proper levels and colors; this includes checking the brakes, oil, power steering, and the transmission.
Summer is still a couple months away, so you have some time to knock some items off this checklist! For more information, or for an estimate on any of the BMW services we provide, please give Boston Motor Werks a call at 617-489-0291
This is a common question we always receive from customers come the end of winter/the start of spring. Seeing how we living New England and the weather is so unpredictable, it’s tough to provide clients with an exact date on when they should swap out their snow tires for summer tires.
We advise all of our clients to wait until the threat of any snow is completely gone; anyone remember the April Fool’s Day snow storm we had a few years ago?! Many people jump the gun and remove their winter tires the first warm weekend of the season; stop and take a breath, and remember why you purchased these snow tires in the first place, for safety!
Being caught in a spring snow storm without your tires is never a good time, nor is it safe! Summer tires are at their best, when of course the weather is warm; they don’t offer much traffic during cold and snowy weather.
For more information about when to remove winter tires or any other BMW service questions, please give Boston Motor Werks a call at 617-489-0291.
It is not a good idea to drive with a failing transmission; not only is it dangerous, but the longer you wait, the more money you will spend to repair both the transmission and the damage it caused to your car! So we are here to tell you some of the red flags that indicate a failing transmission.
- Overheating: Overheating can cause some major damage to your transmission; what causes overheating? Well of course the heat causes overheating. But the major cause of overheating is stop and go traffic and heavy towing; be sure to check the fluid levels, and if it’s leaking, be sure to change it!
- Difficulty Shifting: If you’re having difficulty shifting, or the gears aren’t smooth, there is most likely a problem with your transmission. Make sure to have the transmission fluid checked, as well as the shift cables and clutch linkage.
- Slip Issues: If the gears are acting up, or you’re having trouble accelerating or coasting, you might be experiencing a transmission slip problem. This is dangerous, and if you’re experiencing any of these problems, you should have us inspect your BMW immediately!
- Clutch Issues: If you can’t shift gears because the clutch is still spinning with the engine, you have what is known as “Dragging Clutch”. If you hear a weird grinding noise when you’re changing gears, you may have an issue with the clutch, and should have it checked out immediately.
- Clunking & Other Strange Noises: If you hear any type of clunking or whiny noise in your automatic or manual BMW, it usually indicates a major issue with your car.
So when determining the strength of your transmission, keep your eyes, nose and ears on any unique smells and sounds! If you have even the slightest inclination that your transmission might be failing, please bring your car into Boston Motor Werks as soon as possible! Please feel free to give us a call at 617-489-0291!
We couldn’t tell you how often a customer calls us in a panic because there is an odd smell coming from their BMW; we ask these customers to describe the scent, and based on their description, more often than not, we will have a pretty good idea what’s going on with your car!
Below you will see some examples of different scents, and what issues they can represent:
- If you’re smelling burning rubber, could indicate a number of issues ranging from: drive belts, all the way up to loose hoses. If the hoses become loose, they tend to rub up against the drive pulleys, which is why you’re smelling burnt rubber. If the engine department is hot, do not reach in to untangle the loose hoses, bring it in to us immediately!
- Maybe you’re smelling oil? If so, you could have an oil leak that is seeping through your exhaust system; common signs of an oil leak is smoke coming from the engine area, or oil on the pavement.
- A gas leak is usually indicated by the smell of gas; a gas leak indicates that your BMW will need a repair in either the fuel tank or injector line or even both! If you smell fuel you should bring in your BMW to us immediately, because a gas leak can result into a possible fire.
- Are you smelling a sweet syrupy scent? This could indicate issues with your engine coolant; this is usually related to the car’s cooling system.
- The scent of burnt carpet usually indicates some sort of brake issue, which is a huge safety hazard. If you’re smelling burnt carpet, please bring in your BMW right away and have the brakes checked!
- The smell of rotten eggs is never a good one, and it can indicate some serious problems with your BMW; it often means there’s a problem with your catalytic converter. Or it can indicate a poor running engine, which leads to the catalytic converter overloading and malfunctioning.
For more information on odors, and what they indicate about your BMW, please give Boston Motor Werks a call at 617-489-0291. We offer free over the phone estimates!
As long as your BMW is properly maintained throughout the year, it should be more than ready for New England’s toughest weather; this means following your manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations. This will include fluid changes at their recommended intervals.
We do suggest purchasing winter tires, as New England’s weather is very unpredictable; one day it could be sunny with highs in the 50’s and the next day we could be having a blizzard, so it’s important to be prepared for any weather condition this winter!
If you don’t have winter tires, your car could easily get stuck in just a few inches of snow.
Once you purchase your snow tires, you will be happy you did; once it snows, you can tell the difference between snow tires and regular tires. For one you won’t get stuck, and two it helps you better control your car and skidding and fishtailing is limited!
For information on how to maintain or winterize your BMW, please give Boston Motor Werks a call at 617-489-0291.
When determining time lines to have your BMW services and inspected, you should most often refer to your owner’s manual; this manual will usually indicate the mileage benchmarks where you should have your BMW inspected.
BMW are such high tech cars that the vehicle itself will tell you when you need to have your car serviced; older models have lights that will let you know when you need to bring your car into our shop. The lights are green, but when they turn red, it’s time to bring your vehicle into our garage. We recommend having an oil change when there are about two green lights left (there are usually five total lights).
Depending on which lights are red, we will perform an Inspection I or Inspection II service.
Newer vehicles have condition-based service, or CBS, which the vehicle software calculates service intervals using an algorithm based on various sensors, driving style, average traveled distance, ambient temperature, and other variables. This will actually tell you which parts need to be replaced. For X-drive cars, their transfer case fluids need to be replaced regularly
We recommend performing air and cabin filter replacements every 30,000 miles. Spark plugs on most non-M vehicles should be replaced every 60,000 miles. Automatic transmission service, as well as transfer case and differential service, should be performed every 60,000 miles as well, as part of the Inspection II service. Despite the improvements in synthetic fluid technology, our experience has taught us there is no replacement for old-school maintenance intervals.
For more information about when you should have your BMW services, or for an estimate, please feel free to give Boston Motor Werks a call at 617-489-0291.
