Your BMW is an investment, so you should take excellent care of it to keep it in the best possible condition. When extreme weather conditions hit, you must take extra precautions to protect your car and minimize potential damage.
Use these practical precautions to protect your vehicle and ensure it’s safe, whether it’s a rainy or sunny day. After all, your BMW is your baby, and you don’t want anything to happen to her.
1. Check Tires for Skid Protection
Driving in wet or icy conditions increases your risk of losing control and drifting from your lane. The first thing you should do before winter hits is maintain your tires. Regularly check the tire pressure and ensure you have sufficient tread to stick to slippery roads. In extremely icy climates, you may need to fit a set of snow tires to ensure your prized BMW sticks to the road and doesn’t end up in a ditch.
Consult your manufacturer’s manual for the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle in icy conditions. Remember that tire pressure drops in cold weather as the air contracts. Always check a cold car’s tires when the vehicle hasn’t traveled in three hours to ensure an accurate reading.
2. Rely on Defensive Driving
Consider taking a defensive driving course if you live in an area with extreme weather. Knowing how to control a skid before one happens in real life is essential for keeping you, your family and your vehicle safe.
Learn how to handle a skid, what safe following distances are and how to drive securely on wet roads. Avoid driving through standing water puddles that could hide potholes, and do not drive in stormy weather if possible.
It’s tempting to check your phone while driving in a storm, but distracted driving triples your accident risk, regardless of the weather.
3. Use Flood Protection in the Garage
If you anticipate flooding, park your vehicle safely in your garage. Prevent water ingress by boarding windows and packing sandbags around the perimeter and outside the garage door. If your garage is below ground level, install a sump pump to avoid flooding and protect your vehicle from water damage.
You’ll need a backup power system to keep the pump running, so consider long-lasting batteries with automatic charging features. A float switch ensures the sump pump doesn’t run dry and burn out. You can use a gas-powered generator in a power outage, but keep sufficient fuel stored to get you and your BMW through the storm.
4. Protect Against Rats
Rats may be the last thing on your mind when protecting your car from extreme weather, but sudden heat spells and rainy weather can drive rodents indoors. Your garage may look like the perfect hiding place for a family of rats or mice, and they’ll love chewing on your precious BMW’s wiring and air filter material.
To play it safe, spray your engine with a rodent-deterrent spray or use rodent tape to discourage them from eating your car’s wires and rubber tubing. Take the vehicle to a nearby mechanic and ask if you can quickly use their lift to jack up your BMW so you can adequately spray it from beneath.
5. Use a Car Cover
If you don’t have a garage or carport, a car cover is one of the most efficient ways to protect your vehicle from debris and hail. The padded cover securely fits the car, staying in place even in high winds. If you expect a hurricane, keeping your BMW secured in your garage with a car cover firmly strapped over it is your best bet. The cover will keep flying objects from hitting your car if your garage experiences damage.
Thanks to technology, car covers now include smart options that let you control them remotely according to changing weather conditions.
6. Park Strategically
When a storm hits, the best thing you can do is park your car strategically at the side of buildings opposite the storm’s winds. You can also use tree shade to protect your vehicle from UV damage during severe heat waves. Even facing your car’s windshield toward a shady position can help prevent cracks forming on the dash and steering wheel.
Extreme Weather Protection
Protecting your BMW from extreme weather requires foresight and planning. Avoid traveling when anticipating a storm, and prepare your tires for winter roads. Also, prepare your garage to protect your car from hail, rain, flooding and rodents.
Ensure you are the best driver you can be with quality defensive driving courses that teach you how to drive during extreme weather. Familiarize yourself with your car’s handling capabilities before you drive in stormy weather, and slow down in the snow.
