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As A BMW Owner, You Should Know These Essential Things About Car Maintenance

According to statistics, the average American spends about 101 minutes every day driving. And in his/her lifetime, spends around 38,000 hours driving. We spend so much time driving because we rely on our cars for going to work, running errands, and going on fun road trips. Those who own cars, for them their car is an essential part of their lives. And when you are a BMW owner, you car is not only a vehicle for you but a treasure that you are proud of. So, when you experience issues in your expensive, stunning, and beloved BMW, you get frustrated because BMW repair is known for taking a lot of time, money, and energy. However, you won’t have to go through unnecessary BMW repair issues if you follow the advice listed in this blog. Below are some key things that BMW owners should do to keep their car running smoothly for years.

Take Car Maintenance Seriously

Keep in mind that it might be easy to purchase a BMW, but it is not that easy to maintain it. Since it is a premium car, it calls for careful maintenance. But the problem is, many BMW owners do not know the importance of proper car maintenance. They ignore the timely maintenance needs of their car because they deem the process to be inconvenient, time-consuming, and stressful, which is not exactly true. If you get in touch with an experienced and reputable auto repair shop in San Antonio, all your BMW maintenance requirements and issues will be taken care of by experts. You need to understand that cars that are not well maintained pose problems later on. Not only poorly maintained cars are more prone to accidents, they are also likely to require costly repairs in the future. So, be wise and get your BMW serviced and maintained by top auto repair shops in San Antonio.

Some Essential BMW Maintenance Tips

Yes, it is true that only trained auto mechanics are capable of fixing technical issues in your BMW. However, as the owner of a BMW, there are certain things that you can do to keep your car in top condition both in terms of appearance and function. What are those things? Let’s take a look at them.

• Try To Park Your BMW In The Shade – Car owners should know that UV rays are quite capable of causing damage to your car’s exterior as well as interior. So, we will advise you to park your car in the shade whenever possible

• A Clean Car Works Better And Looks Better – Make sure both the interior and exterior of your car are always clean. Cleaning your car regularly will not only make it look better but work better as well. You might not know but dirt and dust accumulation can cause damage to your car’s delicate components

• Inspect Your Tire Treads – No matter how good your BMW’s tires are, they will eventually go down in quality and performance. That is why it is important check tire tread to get an idea whether it is time for you to replace them or not

Apart from these, some other things you should do include protecting the leather, waxing your car, clearing the lenses, buying clean gas, etc. And as far as technical issues and maintenance requirements of your BMW is concerned, you can contact JM Automotive. We are BMW repair specialists in San Antonio. We are trained and equipped to handle literally every issue and maintenance needs of your BMW.

Reasons Why Your Car’s AC May Not Be Working Properly

Nothing ruins a supposed-to-be-good road trip than a troubled car. Flat tire, overheated engine, discharged battery, and many other roadside emergencies can put a break to your fun-filled car ride. However, road trip spoilers aren’t limited to car troubles that impact its performance. A faulty car AC can also be one of the culprits for your degraded car ride and driving experience. This is especially true during the summer months when the outside temperature easily reaches 100 degrees. This is why it’s vital to keep your car AC in good condition throughout the year by regularly visiting an auto air conditioning unit service expert in San Antonio. It is also a good idea to know some of the probable reasons why your car AC might stop working properly.

Here are a few reasons why your car AC may not be functioning as it should:

Mold and Mildew Buildup
You probably didn’t know, but your car AC vent can be home to contaminants, including dirt, bacteria, mold, and mildew. When these contaminants build up in the AC vents, the AC may stop cooling the cabin properly. If left unattended, this could lead to AC failure and affect every driving session. To prevent the buildup of mold and mildew, it’s best to visit an auto AC repair shop in San Antonio, TX, to get the vents cleaned.

Electrical Issues
While mold and mildew can potentially affect a car’s AC performance, electric issues have their fair share in causing AC problems. An unwanted short circuit in the electrical panel of the car’s AC can prevent the unit from working. These types of electrical issues are more common in regions where the outside temperature goes above 45 degrees. Electrical wires may get hot enough to cause a short circuit in the panel and stop the AC completely. In such a case, the only thing left to do is repair the car AC in San Antonio.

AC Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant leakage is another common cause due to which the AC may stop cooling the cabin. While it is unlikely that the AC will develop leakage on its own, it may start leaking the refrigerant if it is old and has not been serviced or paid attention to for a long time. In most cases, an accident is the likely cause of refrigerant leakage in an AC unit of a vehicle. If your car AC isn’t cooling properly after an accident, you may want to visit a car air conditioning repair shop in San Antonio as soon as possible.

Damaged Condenser
Since AC units cool air with the help of a condenser, any problem in the condenser can cause the unit to stop working properly. If there is a blockage in one of the vents as a result of dirt and debris accumulation, the condenser may not function as it’s supposed to, which can eventually impact the overall unit’s performance. To get it diagnosed, it’s best to see an auto AC repair shop in San Antonio, TX.

Is your car’s AC not cooling properly? Bring your vehicle to our auto AC repair shop in San Antonio, TX, and let us fix the issues without breaking your wallet.

Learn When Your Car Needs Valve Adjustments

Although valve adjustment has now become less necessary in modern cars – all thanks to the adoption of roller-follower valve train designs that reduce friction and tappets that help maintain optimal valve clearance – it is still a crucial part of the engine maintenance in old cars. Still, many car owners tend to ignore it because of the associated cost. That said, not getting your car engine valve adjusted at a regular interval or when necessary at an auto repair shop in San Antonio, TX, can ruin car performance and may impact its engine life significantly. Repair shops are there to help car owners out with any needs that they require so it is important for them to get their car checked out as soon as they hear or feel something is wrong. Using advanced technology like auto repair software can help with customer needs and get their car serviced efficiently and correctly so there is a minimal delay.

Why your car valves need adjustment

When you drive a new car, its engine is perfectly aligned, which means that all of the engine components work together in sync to deliver you a smooth driving experience. But as you complete a few hundred or thousand miles, the components begin to settle into a slightly different pattern. Similarly, the gap between the top of the valves and the cam that operates them starts changing, which often creates unnecessary engine noise and impacts its performance. By regularly adjusting your engine valves by visiting a car repair center in San Antonio, you can maintain the right space between these two parts to ensure a smooth engine operation and lasting performance.

Driving your car with too much clearance

If there is too much clearance between the valves and the cam, the car engine will start making a rattling noise, and there will be lackluster acceleration. If left unchecked, the engine will undergo too much mechanical wear and tear, impacting the car’s performance to a great extent.

Driving your car with valves too tight

Just like too much valve clearance can cause engine problems, too tight valves can also reduce compression in the cylinder and cause more damage to the engine. In some cases, the engine may overheat and burn out a valve, demanding costly car repair in San Antonio. If your car is experiencing overheating without any reason, it may be because of tight valves. In that case, it’s best to consult an auto repair shop in San Antonio, TX,

Signs that you need valve adjustments

Once your car’s valves start to lose their correct clearance, they are easy to notice. One of the signs is rough idling time, especially when the temperature drops. This rough idling is often the result of the valve closing late, which chokes off fuel. Another sign is the rattling noise from the engine head, which arises from the valves knocking against the camshaft. This noise can annoy you when the engine is cold, but you may hear less of it once the engine warms up. However, no matter how insignificant it gets after the warm-up, it’s best not to overlook it and get your valves checked by an auto repair shop in San Antonio, TX.

If you have reasons to believe that your car needs valve adjustments, feel free to visit us at our local car repair shop in San Antonio and take home back a car that performs like new on the road.

Understanding Various Car Noises: What Do They Signify?

Often, when you are starting your car, you hear a loud squealing noise. Similarly, when you are cutting corners, you hear a clicking sound coming from your steering wheel. What are these noises? Do they have a meaning? Do they indicate a problem? In this blog, we are going to talk about the various common car noises and understand what they signify.

1. Regular Squealing Sound – The first common noise that a car makes is a squealing sound that comes from the engine area after you turn your car. This noise is commonly caused by the worn-out serpentine belt slipping on the metal pulleys inside the engine. In most of the cases, the belt commute can be readjusted at a car repair store in San Antonio and the problem can be fixed. If there is no fix available, you might just have to replace the belt. The belt is important because it helps powers various components, such as the alternator, starter, water pump, air conditioning compressor, radiator fan, and more.

2. High-Pitched Squealing Sound – Another common car noise is a high-pitched squealing sound we hear while we are applying brakes. This noise can point to worn out brake pads that require replacement. The more metallic the squealing noise, the more the brakes are damaging the rotors. Make sure to have the pads replaced at an auto repair shop in San Antonio as soon as possible. The noise can also be caused by the buildup of rust on your brakes. If that’s the case, there is nothing much to worry about. The noise will usually go away once you start driving again.

3. Clicking Noise – The third most common car noise is the clicking sound we hear when we are cutting corners. This can be a result of a worn or damaged CV or constant velocity joints. CV joints are just like the ankles and wrists on our bodies. They allow for the vehicle’s axles to move with flexibility while the wheels are spinning. Clicking sound while turning and accelerating usually indicates the need for a CV joint replacement. Contact JM Auto Repair today to know more.

4. Loud Tire Noise – The fourth most common car noise we want to talk about is loud tire noise. While driving, if you hear noise coming from your tire, be sure to check tire pressures. If the pressure is fine, have your tires properly checked for balance and alignment. In some cases, the wheel might be causing a noticeable vibration noise. In each of these situations, have your tires checked out at an auto repair center in San Antonio, TX. This is important to ensure your car grips the road properly at all times.

Final Thoughts

Car noises say a lot of things about the condition of your vehicle. Remember to pay close attention to them the next time you go for a drive. Also, be sure to make note of the location from where the sound is coming from so you can easily communicate the issue to your local vehicle mechanic.

No matter what problem you are facing with your car, bring it to JM Automotive’s repair facility and our professional technicians would provide you with the most appropriate solution.

Boosting Fuel Efficiency For your Vehicle in Winters

With September approaching, it wouldn’t be unwise to say that winter is just around the corner. For vehicle owners, it’s a dreadful season, as their vehicle’s fuel efficiency takes a huge hit. As the temperature goes below 20 degrees, most vehicles, especially gasoline-powered, experience a mileage drop of nearly 12%. Several reasons contribute to fuel efficiency so disappointing — from reduced tire pressure because of cold temperatures to increased time after ignition to reach optimal engine temperature to aerodynamics, and many others. But few practices can enable vehicle owners to achieve better fuel economy in winter, and these are:

Avoid short trips

Engines take more time to reach the optimal fuel-efficient temperature in winter than summer. This means that if you drive over short distances, you will have to spend more time warming up the engine. However, you can boost fuel efficiency should you combine several trips into one trip in a day.

Minimize idle time

Many people think that idling the engine for long will help them get a better fuel economy. However, experts at JM Auto repair in San Antonio believe that driving helps the engine reach the optimal temperature faster than idling and, therefore, no more than 30 seconds should be spent idling the engine.

Check tire pressure

For the best fuel efficiency in cold temperatures, it’s best to keep tire pressure at the recommended levels. Use a gauge to check the tire pressures to ensure the required tread depth for maximum traction. Should you encounter problems with maintaining the correct tire pressure, visit a certified auto repair San Antonio to resolve the issue.

Tuning up your car for colder weather conditions and using the recommended oil can also help you increase your vehicle mileage in winter. For more information about winter car maintenance, visit JM Automotive in San Antonio or get in touch with us today.

Reasons Why Your Car Needs A Tune-Up At Fixed Intervals

Every car owner knows how important it is to regularly change the oil so that their car continues to run smoothly. But if you think changing the oil and filter in a couple of months is enough for your car’s maintenance then you are mistaken; there’s a lot more to car maintenance than this.

It doesn’t matter whether you own an Audi, Ford, Honda, or Mercedes Benz, the fact remains that all cars require proper engine maintenance to run flawlessly. One way of ensuring that your car runs smoothly for years, offers better fuel economy, and doesn’t demand costly repairs in the future is regular car tune-ups. With the help of routine car tune-ups, you get to enjoy several benefits. In this blog, we’ll be taking a look at why car tune-ups are important. Let’s get started.

• With routine car tune-ups, you will be able to detect small problems and fix them right away. Often car owners neglect small issues in their vehicle until they turn into serious, big ones. Even if you go with a standard tune-up service, your spark plugs will be assessed and replaced, wires and filters will also be inspected, and so will other key systems. It is wise to have small repairs and tune-up done on your vehicle than to wait for bigger problems to surface in your car
• We may not regard tires as essential parts of our vehicle as we regard others. But the truth is it is the treads of the tires that actually grip the road and keep us safe on our road or mountain trips. Worn off treads can make the car unsafe to drive. This is why tune-up service is important as it properly inspects tires for tread depth, proper inflation, and wear patterns
• Cars break down all the time on roads. They mostly break down because their owners do not have their key systems and parts assessed by a qualified technician at fixed intervals. If you do that, parts such as pumps, air filter, battery, hoses, belts, transmission fluid level, etc. will be thoroughly checked and if any issue is noticed, needed repair will be recommended straight away
• For a great number of people, a car is a massive investment. If you belong to this group of people, then you can save yourself from big financial troubles that could arise because of expensive replacements in your vehicle through routine tune-ups. Tune-ups also improve the fuel economy of your vehicle, which help you in saving money

JM Automotive in San Antonio is a reputed auto repair center where you can bring your car for a professional car tune-up service. We’ll inspect spark plugs, coil packs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor, and other parts. If you’re looking for the best auto repair in San Antonio, TX, then look no further than JM Automotive.

Why Your Car’s Engine Losing Oil

Oil is the lifeblood of any engine. Without it, the engine will be destroyed in seconds. That’s why we must check the oil level regularly in between oil changes, especially when using synthetics with longer oil change intervals, which could use up all the oil in some engines before the next oil change. So, what is causing your car’s engine to lose oil? The problem may be external or internal:

• External Oil Leak-Additives in engine oil today help keep the different seals and gaskets soft and pliable so they don’t shrink and get hard. However, if the oil is left in the engine longer than what it’s rated for, the seals and gaskets can shrink, become hard, and start leaking. This is commonly associated with sludge buildup. This can also cause leaking with valve covers, timing chain covers, oil pan covers, and sometimes even an oil drain plug. What’s especially at risk are things in the engine exposed to high pressure, such as oil pressure sensors, oil filters, crankshaft seals, and even head gaskets. if a positive crankcase ventilation valve fails, it can also cause major leakage issues with seals and gaskets. So if your engine’s dripping oil or you find oil stains on the pavement underneath your vehicle, it’s more than likely coming from one of those areas on your engine.

• Internal Oil Leak– The second thing that causes an engine to lose oil is internal oil consumption. This can be due to worn piston rings, which allow the oil to enter the combustion chamber and be burned. This is another reason why it’s important to regularly change or clean your air filter. A dirty air filter will cause premature wear the piston rings by allowing fine particles of dirt to enter the combustion chamber. Next are worn valve stems and worn hardened valve stem seals, which also allow the oil to enter the combustion chamber and be burned. Consuming enough oil on the inside of the engine can cause a catalytic converter to wear out prematurely. This is due to a rise in temperature from the oil being vaporized by the catalytic converter. If you’ve got blue colored smoke coming out of the tailpipe when you first start your vehicle up and before the catalytic converter warms up, then you probably have oil being consumed inside the engine.

One big caveat to remember is once the engine oil goes beyond its rated service life, it will be depleted of the additives put into the oil, which typically is six months to one year. What would happen is the oil will break down and evaporate quicker, which will also cause oil loss. You also need to remember that all engines are different and some engines just burn more oil than others due to engine design. So, the best way to avoid engine oil loss externally and internally is by simply changing your oil regularly before it gets dirty. Also, don’t leave the oil longer than its rated service life.

Is your BMW’s engine losing oil? Bring it to our facility and let our BMW repair specialist fix the problem!

Tips for Bettering Your Car’s Air Conditioning System

Those who have been through the summers of Texas know how difficult it can be for one to drive a car without turning on the air conditioning. Known for having some of the hottest months in the nation, Texas heat can definitely take a toll on you. This makes it essential to know ways of keeping your car’s AC system working effectively throughout the sizzling summers. Below are some important things to keep in mind.

Get Your Fan Belt Assessed

You’ll benefit from getting your car’s drive belt properly assessed at our repair shop; it is critical to ascertain that it’s working properly. You must know that the proper functioning of the belt not only maintains air conditioners’ operation intact, but it also supplies power to other key constituents such as power steering pump, alternator, and water pump..

Take Care of Cleaning

Do not make the mistake of clogging your condenser by allowing debris to accumulate. It is best to ensure that both the radiator and AC condenser are not filled with all sorts of debris; keep both of them cleaned. If you do not do that, a chocked condenser limits the flow of air across the unit, which brings down the capacity of breaking down heat produced by the air conditioning system.

Timely Flushing of Radiator

Make use of good quality cleaning chemicals and flush your radiator about every 2 years. If you take care of your car’s engine cooling mechanism, you will notice that your air conditioner will continue to operate at the right temperature. An overheated engine can definitely have a bearing on the performance of your car’s air conditioning system

Know When to Turn off Your Car’s AC

You should first turn off your car’s AC and then shut off the car’s engine. This helps in two ways: first is that you reduce the intensity of being hit by heatwaves when you get out of your chilled car. Second is that you will be doing your car’s battery a world of good. How? When you turn on your car the next time, the battery is saved from working hard to turn on two things simultaneously, the air conditioning and the engine.

Follow the above-mentioned steps and your car’s air conditioning will work just fine. If you ever need any help with it, we are always here to provide you with world-class repair services. As BMW repair specialists, we are capable of tackling any type of issue with your car. Along with BMW, we also handle Audi, Mercedes, Volvo, Volkswagen, and many other top-class cars.