With the ice and snow over the past few weeks, most of us have been driving around on salted roads (or at least those of us who were lucky enough to get salted roads!). What you may not be aware of is that salt can cause damage to your car. It can cause corrosion and can speed up rust, which is particularly relevant to older cars. Without getting too scientific on it, salt increases the electrical conductivity of water and so accelerates corrosion.
Now that the cold spell seems to have subsided, it is probably a good time to give the car a good wash and try and get rid of the salt off the bodywork and undercarriage of the vehicle. Make sure in particular to wash the underside of your car to get rid of the salt which will have bounced up from the roads. When you’re washing the car make sure also to get the mud and muck out of the wheels and wheel arches. Give rubber, trims, door seals and tires a good wash and rub also. If you’re washing it yourself make sure it has a high pressure nozzle so that you can get the water at power into those hard to reach places.
You may also find that your car mats have turned white in sections. This can be caused by road salt from your shoes. Mostly this can be removed with soap and water but if this doesn’t do the job you can also try some vinegar diluted with water.
Tire pressure-
Advantages of Correct Tire Inflation Maintaining correct tire inflation pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Correct tire inflation pressure allows drivers to experience tire comfort, durability and performance designed to match the needs of their vehicles. Tire deflection (the tread and sidewall flexing where the tread comes into contact with the road) will remain as originally designed and excessive sidewall flexing and tread squirm will be avoided. Heat buildup will be managed and rolling resistance will be appropriate. Proper tire inflation pressure also stabilizes the tire's structure, blending the tire's responsiveness, traction and handling.
Tire pressure must be checked with a quality air gauge as the inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated through visual inspection.
Disadvantages of Under-inflation
An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by only 6 psi it could weaken the tire's internal structure and eventually lead to tire failure. Lower inflation pressures will allow more deflection as the tire rolls. This will build up more internal heat, increase rolling resistance (causing a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%) and reduce the tire's tread life by as much as 25% while increasing the probability of irregular tread wear. Drivers would also find a noteworthy loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, it typically represents about 20% of a passenger car tire's recommended pressure.
Disadvantages of Over-inflation
An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when encountering potholes or debris in the road, as well as experience irregular tread wear. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities as well causing the vehicle to ride harsher and transmit more noise into its interior. However, higher inflation pressures reduce rolling resistance slightly and typically provide a slight improvement in steering response and cornering stability. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie drive a BMW Hydrogen 7.
Kristen Cavallari – Drives a BMW 3 Series Coupe
Amy Winehouse drives a BMW 7 Series.
Nick Lachey drives a 645
David Akers – Kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles – drives a 7 series
Desean Jackson – WR for the Philadelphia Eagles drives a BMW
From 2010 onward BMW is raising the stakes with a 535 hp, 6.0-liter, turbocharged V12 powering the 760Li. For the 760Li the sticker price will begin at $136,600. This makes the 760Li the only large luxury sedan in at this price point available with a V12 in the US market. The new 750i is powered by BMW's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, which first appeared under the hood of the new X6. The twin-turbocharged V8 will be powering the 750i and 750Li models, in both traditional two wheel drive and BMW's new xDrive (AWD) versions.
Compared with the outgoing model, the new 7-Series sedan grows by 5.5 inches at the wheelbase. The European market also has a choice of a 3.0-liter twin turbo diesel delivering 242 hp and 399 lb-ft and the familiar twin-turbo gasoline 3.0-liter inline-six upgraded to 323 hp and 332 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic transmission will be mated to the V8 engine, with the shifter moved from the steering column back to the center console. The new 7-Series will roll on 18-inch alloy wheels shod in all-season run-flat tires in a 245/50R18 size. Two styles of 19-inch wheels with performance-oriented rubber will be optional. Weight-saving measures have shaved about 120 lbs thanks largely to increased use of aluminum in the body as compared to the previous generation car despite the new car carrying more standard equipment. Another detail change meant to improve fuel consumption by reducing drag is a flap in the grille that eliminates unneeded airflow.
Four-wheel steering will be included on the 7-Series option list, along with an all-wheel drive option known as x Drive. With the four-wheel steering system the rear wheels will turn in the opposite direction as the front ones at speeds below 35 mph, and will turn up to three degrees in the same direction as speeds climb above that. A new active chassis management system BMW calls IMS will give users the choice of Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus settings, changing settings such as shock settings, steering effort, gear change speed and smoothness, and the sensitivity of the stability control system.
A new night vision system promises to increase safety for pedestrians. The new system will be able to detect human presence in front of the vehicle and then flash a warning symbol on the display. Moreover, the system will be able to tell if a pedestrian is in the road or safely on the sidewalk, although it's not clear how the system can differentiate the two. The new system is so advanced, it's also able to read speed limit signs and warn drivers when they are driving too fast. However, this feature will only be available in Europe for the time being. A lane departure warning system will notify drivers of cars in their blind spots via a vibrating steering wheel and a message on the dashboard-mounted screen, which now grows to 10.2 inches from 8.8.
The big BMW will also be keeping an eye on your speed during inclement weather. The camera can detect fog or rain, and will warn drivers when they are approaching an unsafe speed. Despite the warning, the system has no control over the speed of the vehicle so those with lead feet need not worry.