It is amazing how many phone calls we receive and people just want to know the price of brakes. Nothing else, just the price. Not, “how good are they going to work?” “Are they BMW or Mercedes brakes? Is this what MINI recommends?” Just, “I think I need brakes – how much?” and “…the other shop told me it was only…..”

Have you really thought about the safety issues involved in stopping your BMW, your Mercedes or your MINI, (or any car)? Stopping may the the most important safety factor when it comes to getting you and your family safely from A to B, without an accident.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

Thanks to all of our clients who visited us this past year, or called for information regarding their BMW, Mercedes or MINI!

We continue to celebrate our 30th year of business in the South Bay, helping thousands of fine vehicle owners over those decades. We are so grateful that you have chosen our team of professionals to help you. If you are happy with us, (and we know that you are from your surveys and reviews) we always appreciate your referral to friends and family. We are adding more services throughout the next year due to requests from our clients. So, if you have another European car at your home besides the BMW and Mercedes, our Master Techs will be glad to help! Just give us a call or send an email.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

Yes, the rainy season is upon us. Here in the Bay Area it is expected to be colder and wetter than normal due to the la Nina weather event.

What that means is that you may want to check your tire pressures a bit more often, due to the fluctuations in the weather. Tire pressure drops because air just seeps through the tire on a regular basis, but the pressure also drops as the ambient temperature drop. Tire pressure loss is exacerbated by cooling trends, and the increase in condensation in the tire contributes to that loss also.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

It’s not a “tune up” anymore. Every so often someone will call and ask for the price of a BMW “tune up”. That is usually an indicator of a new BMW owner, as BMW service intervals are “inspections”. Most have been trained in the lingo of European repair.

For probably 80 years or so, the servicing on cars was referred to as a “tune up”. That was when spark plugs were changed anywhere from 3-6K miles! In the old days, there would be ads for “points and plugs”, a combined service that involved ignition points and condensers and spark plugs.

Obviously, times have changed and the term “tune up” can mean different things to different people. There can also be widely varying price differences, because of those variations. “Tune up” in the current arena of car repair is not relevant. Relevance is what everyone wants these days, and “tune up” is not it!

[Read the rest of this entry...]

I was no more than eight, still okay with holding my mom’s hand when we went to Fisherman’s Wharf for a day trip. Busy sorting through souvenirs and snapping pictures, something caught my eye glinting from the corner of a shop. There she was, bathed in shards of fog-sliced sunlight – my first mini. Covered in gold coins from roof to fender as a showpiece of the odd at the Guinness World Record Museum, I fell for her diminutive stature. My eyes danced over her cheerful lines and racy good looks. Then, tugged away for a clam chowder lunch, I swore I’d own her some day.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

In 1926 the two men, who both laid claim to creating the first automobile would merge. They formed the Daimler-Benz AG Company. By that time both companies had 40years of experience with motorcar production.

In 1886 Karl Benz obtained a patent for a three-wheeled vehicle with a 984 cc, single cylinder engine. In that same year, Benz invented the spark plug, while Gottlieb Daimler built a four-wheeled carriage with a 46 cc, single cylinder gas engine that he’d patented three years earlier. Amazingly, considering that the two men would turn out their motorcars in the same region of Germany, they were never destined to meet.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

Don’t be confused. Sure, you are in a hurry and that envelope appears to be a BMW mailer. Did they send you another letter about a service special or a great lease rate? Oooopps no – it’s a recall!

Your Recall information can be found at NHTSA.gov, but usually you will receive a letter from the manufacturer. There will be a campaign number associated with the specific recall of your year and model. At that time you will want to take it back to the dealer for the fix. Assuming you did receive the letter, be sure to have it with you at the time you make your appointment.

It is important to keep all of your BMW, MINI or Mercedes records of repairs or recalls in a safe place. We know of cases where clients missed out on a huge recalls that had to do with emissions. That can result in thousands of dollars spent because one did not read or understand the notice received. There should be a phone number on the recall notice, and by calling that someone will explain the process in detail to you. It is your responsibility to know and understand your rights when it comes to your safety recall.

Just today, we had a query why tires on a Mercedes would feel “squishy” when making turns. BTW, in the car world this is often called “side wall flex”. There could be several reasons, but here are the most common situations that could cause side wall flex during a turn.

You wouldn’t try to run a marathon in a pair of high heels would you? Or would you mountain climb wearing slippers? That would be crazy! Your car is no different.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

I think it’s fair to say, that it is a sad day in Cupertino. Just a few months ago, we were excited to see the vision of Steve Jobs new Apple campus (dubbed by the press as “the Spaceship”) come to life at our weekly City Council Meeting. Today he resigned as CEO.

According to his statement he believes that great days are ahead for Apple. We thank him for his contributions to Cupertino, the world and to our success in the community. We wish him peace as he transitions to another phase of his life. Bless you, Steve.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

During the the first quarter of 2011, the CAP aka the Consumer Assistance Program, (related to the Smog Check program) retired over 12,310 vehicles. How many of these were old BMW’s, MINI’s or Mercedes, that could have been saved if only they had been cared for lovingly during its life? We’ll never know the answer to that one.

[Read the rest of this entry...]