Blog / Life Hack

Keep Calm & Drive Smooth In The Snow With These Tips! | Flemington, NJ

  Snow, snow, and some more snow! While you’re still digging out at home, we’re starting to dig out at the dealership. But we still want to help you conquer the snow once you’re finally dug out. On this week’s blog, you will find a few snow driving tips that will aid you this winter. We encourage you to refresh and learn these tips if they’re new to you and hurry on over to our service scheduler to schedule your next service appointment to ensure that your BMW is ready for the last few weeks of winter! Let’s get started on those driving tips first though!    Drive Smooth 
  • Be deliberate, gentle, and gradual. It’s important to drive smoothly and make no jerky movements that can cause an accident slip on the road. A good life hack is to pretend you’re driving with a hot cup of coffee in your lap and you don’t want to spill it. 
Look Ahead & Look Here
  • When roads get more slippery, you should be looking farther down the road and anticipate what to do next. If there are turns, slow way down. When roads are wet, allow double the stopping distance and triple with snow, and even more with ice. Use extra caution and concentration. If you feel your vehicle beginning to slide, always look where you want your vehicle to go, not where it’s heading at the current moment. 
Deal With Skids 
  • When skids happen, it’s important not to panic, stay calm, and don’t stab on the brakes. For a front-wheel skid, ease off the gas, in a moment or two, the wheels should regain traction. Then aim where you want to go as your traction returns. For rear skids, quickly turn the steering wheel in the same direction the rear is sliding. Ease off the gas and brakes. Steer back in the original direction when you regain traction. 
Constantly Assess Traction 
  • During a snowy/ icy drive, it’s important to continuously assess your traction situation. If your vehicle is equipped with ABS systems, traction-control systems, or stability-control systems, your vehicle is more likely to have a successful trip. But don’t rely strictly on these systems. It’s important to stay vigilant and cautious when on the road. 
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Start The Year Off Right By Organizing Your Trunk! | Flemington, NJ

Staying organized is a task that not all of us are good at; I am one of those people. But this year, I am dedicated to getting organized and staying that way. But where to start? YOUR VEHICLE! Your vehicle is a great place to start and this week we are telling you WHY it is so important to stay organized when it comes to your vehicle. So, when you’re ready - come see us to upgrade your ride and let’s start fresh! Flemington BMW's Vehicle Organization Tips: Increase Your Safety Have you ever come to a quick stop and all of a sudden your belongings that live in the back seat are now in the front? Well, if you have encountered this, know that it is NOT SAFE. When these items come flying, they can either damage your vehicle or hurt you or another passenger. That’s why it’s a smart idea to keep your cabin clean, organized and free of any items that do not call your vehicle home! Save That Money Having a full, heavy trunk can be costing you more than you think. And it will even negatively affect your vehicle's fuel mileage. So, what to do? Get rid of all your unnecessary items in your trunk and vehicle to help increase fuel efficiency and keep you away from the pump. You might even find a few lost belongings during your time cleaning! Bare Necessities Once your trunk is cleaned out (and I mean really clean, get the vacuum and give a good scrub), you should only keep important items in the back of your vehicle. Keep other items like a first aid kit, emergency kit, warm clothing, blankets, and other items alike are perfect - in your vehicle's trunk. You don’t need 24 shopping bags and old, empty water bottles in the back seat, so get rid of them! Contain The Mess Using organization tools will not only make your life a lot easier but will also set you up for success when you are desperately looking for something in a time crunch. Items like shower caddies or specifically designed car organizers are great tools to invest in that will help you stay organized.

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Keep Cool In Your BMW. Tips To Keep The Temperature Down. | Flemington, NJ

Temperatures are on the rise here in NJ and if you’re already tired of the hot summer heat when entering your vehicle, you’ve come to the right blog because this week we have our five top tips to help keep your vehicle cool when you’re away from it. Check out those tips below and contact our team when you’re ready to get out of the heat and into our dealership to upgrade into a new BMW! Flemington BMW Tips To Keep Cool: Use a sunshade or window visor. This is a great go-to method for drivers who are hoping to counteract the hot interior temperatures throughout the summer season. We recommend placing your sunshade or window visor each time you exit your vehicle for more than a few minutes. If you’re looking for a pro tip, put a sunshade on your rear windshield as well! Use a dash cover. Using a dash cover can make a big difference in making your vehicle’s interior more comfortable during hot temperatures. Dash covers will help you from touching hot vinyl surfaces and will also protect sensitive vinyl from any sun damage which can cause cracking and fading. Cover your steering wheel with a hand towel. Even when you use a sunshade, your steering wheel can still get very hot. Our recommendation is to place a small towel over your steering wheel. This will help keep your hands from burning when in contact with the steering wheel. Park in a shady area. When and if possible, park in shady areas. And if you’re going to be outside of your vehicle for an extended period of time, it’s worth a farther walk if you are able to park in the shade. You’ll be much happier that you parked farther away in the shade after your day out! Keep your possessions out of the sun. Keep any and all possessions, delicate or not, out of direct sunlight. Try storing your items underneath your seat or in a glove box. You can also throw a blanket over your possessions for extra measures. If you can’t find a place in your car that will conceal heat-sensitive goods, consider placing them in the trunk.

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12 Car Care Tips To Celebrate The Holidays! | Flemington, NJ

Winter weather conditions can be a little rough here in Flemington, NJ but one thing that is for sure is that you’ll still be driving in style behind the wheel of a BMW. Am I right? Whether your travels take you near or far - it’s important to make sure that your vehicle is prepared for those ever-changing conditions. And although you may have checked your fall maintenance off your list, winter weather demands more from your vehicle and can leave you stranded if you have performed the appropriate kind of services! Our 12 Car Care Tips For The Holidays! Check your battery. The winter is known for killing an already dying battery. Don’t be left out in the cold because you neglected your battery all year. Fill up the fluids. Oil, windshield wiper, transmission, brake, steering - if it’s a fluid, fill it up this winter. Give your tires a look over. If the tread or depth is looking poor - think about replacing them. Keep your tires filled to the correct PSI. Not only will this give you better gas mileage, but driving with tires at improper PSI levels can lead to dangerous situations. Replace your wipers and choose a set specifically designed for winter weather conditions. Take a look at your headlamps and tail lamps. If they’re dead, dying, or dirty - show them some love. Inspect your vehicle on daily basis. Replace any/ all filters that haven’t been changed recently for a clean smelling vehicle and improved gas mileage. Show your BMW some love by having the interior detailed. Get an alignment if your vehicle steering has been a little “off”. This is a good way to keep you safe and in the right lane. Problems with your vehicle starting? Replace the spark plugs. Stick to the recommended octane rating. This will improve your gas mileage which will make your wallet happy!