Automotive Services

So you have your BMW, and you love it. Maybe it’s your first, maybe it isn’t, but either way, you know it’s unlike any other car on the road. With all that said, you still want to improve the performance. If you’re like most BMW drivers, you love speed and handling, and if some is good, more is better. This is why the aftermarket industry has taken such a keen liking to BMW as a marquee; the cars are easy to get excited about, and the owners love to modify them.

For this reason, there are a ton of options, and it can be really overwhelming when you’re trying to enhance the performance or handling of your BMW. This article will focus on a few popular brands of High Performance parts that increase horsepower and torque, but please read some more of our articles which discuss cosmetics, handling, etc.

BMW Performance Parts

In the last couple of years, BMW themselves has entered the segment with a line called “BMW Performance.” There’s no rival for OEM parts in quality, and a lot of these parts feature beautiful carbon fiber, etc. You should note, however, that there are some drawbacks. While BMW Performance parts are dealer-approved and won’t raise flags at the dealership, they are much more expensive than other alternatives, and do not make as much power. Still, if you’re picky about quality and OEM fitment, this may be a good option for you

DINAN

Long a mainstay in the BMW industry, DINAN performance products were among the first to be sold in BMW dealerships, and thus have earned a pretty sturdy reputation. However, while their parts are by far the highest quality and best engineered, DINAN is bound by restrictions, and because of their own warranty replacement program, you’ll often find a lot of the same compromises as you would with BMW Performance: high cost, low power. Still, if you want a highly trusted name more than you want max power gains, and money is no object, DINAN could be the brand for you.

Active AutoWerke

In many ways an institution in the BMW industry, Active AutoWerke has been tuning and upgrading BMW’s for over 27 years. Their parts are known for their high-quality, no-fuss performance, and make very respectable gains across the board. Active offers software, exhausts, superchargers, and much much more – just like DINAN – however their parts are often much more affordable and available from a wider range of dealers such as online shops.

AC Schnitzer & Hamann

In Europe, these two names are akin to DINAN in the USA – only bigger. AC Schnitzer, for example, works directly with BMW and purchases bare chassis’, in order to build full car conversions. These companies offer full lines of high performance parts for BMW, such as exhausts, software, pulleys, and more, but often their performance parts are made by other companies such as SuperSprint or REMUS. This is because the “big tuners’ Specialize in one thing, be it wheels or aerodynamics, and the rest of their program is there to accompany their primary products, allowing customers to build full “AC” or “hamann” cars. In most cases, it’s better to go elsewhere for your BMW Performance Upgrades, because you’ll pay less and get virtually the same thing.

When searching for car mechanics, the best way for you to find reputable ones is to ask your friends, relatives, officemates and neighbors for recommendations. Word of mouth is still the best way to go about doing things, and the people you know will be able to provide first-hand experience on which mechanics perform great work, and if the rates they charge are reasonable.

When considering a mechanic, be sure to inspect the car servicing and repair shop carefully. Check if a mechanic and his crew are organised; this is usually an indicator of the efficiency and quality of a mechanic’s work. Another thing you can do is check the outside area of an automobile service shop. If numerous vehicles that look like they are not in for repair are present, this could indicate that the owners had to leave them because they could not pay the bills. While car-owners who can’t secure the money for repairs are a dime a dozen, a shop that has too many of these customers can be suspicious. This usually means that the repair shop has unfair policies that force customers to do away with their vehicles.

When asking for recommendations, it’s always a major plus if someone who works for the government, a school or the police force points you to a mechanic. These institutions almost always go to the best mechanics and repair shops, so you’ll be quite safe if you follow suit.

Nevertheless, finding the “perfect” mechanic is still a mission chock-full of hits and misses. Don’t expect your mechanic to produce the best work all the time. Rather, expect to get proper customer service and reasonable charges.

It happens all too often. You walk into a car repair shop to have a problem addressed, usually something quite obvious and simple such as a cracked side view mirror or maybe just a regular oil change. Once you go to pick up your vehicle, the mechanic meets you with a grave face. He discovered something that needs “urgent” attention and will also inflate your bill by hundreds of dollars. He pretends to be helping you, because after all, he didn’t need to give your car that extra, free inspection. Unless you know a thing or two about the inner workings of cars, you feel a bit weak and at his mercy.

Stop! Before you’re tempted to relinquish your keys for another few days while your auto gets poked and prodded for no good reason, you need to investigate whether you’re being scammed or whether your mechanic actually did help you dodge a bullet. Some shady mechanics make big business by performing unnecessary repairs or simply by claiming they have completed them when in reality your car just sat on the lot. But you might think how could you possibly find out the truth?

The easiest way to avoid unnecessary scams is by choosing a trustworthy mechanic. This is often the trickiest part. If you have a local shop that you frequent, they may use multiple mechanics throughout the life of your auto. Ask friends and family for recommendations and experiences with local mechanics. Look online for consumer reviews if available. Most importantly, visit and chat with the car repair mechanic for a few minutes before even mentioning your car’s problem. Signs of a professional, honest auto shop include fairly clean and organized premises (a bit of grease is to be expected of course), cars being serviced orderly and efficiently, qualifications and certificates displayed, and easily understandable service contracts.

Another way to avoid unnecessary repairs is to keep tabs on your car yourself. If you perform regular maintenance such as oil changes and engine checks, the less likely it is that you will suddenly have an unexpected repair. Ensuring you bring your car in at the first sign of problems can also help ward off unwanted car repair. If your mechanic does bring up some extra work that needs to be attended to, ask him to show you the problem and walk through it with you. Ask for all prices up front as well as time estimates.

One of the worst scams a car repair shop can pull is charging you far over the estimate or performing another job without first getting the approval from you. This is illegal and unacceptable. All car repair shops should contact you the moment they believe the job will cost more or if they think there is another problem that needs to be addressed. Ask for the price of parts up front as well. There is a good chance you can shop around and find a better deal than what is on offer.

Car locksmithing is a niche industry with little known of its importance. It is a specialised industry and there is only one accredited car locksmith on the Sunshine Coast. Many try to dabble in the industry from auto electricians to mechanics but they soon come to realize it is not as easy as it seems. There are many reasons why people would need a car locksmith and many won’t realize how valuable these smithies are until one of these situations lands in their lap.

The top 5 reasons for needing a car locksmith according to local locksmith company Winston Locksmiths, are very common but aren’t the only reasons. There are many variables that can arise and without the right knowledge and equipment, most roadside callout companies, car dealers and mechanics will be calling a locksmith anyway.

The number one reason for needing a car locksmith is the loss of an only car key. Many people simply don’t have a spare key. Whether they think they won’t loose theirs or they just don’t think about it, the day often comes when the key is missing without a trace. Depending on the type of car, a replacement key can be a costly expense especially when going through your dealer or insurance company as they will need to pay a locksmith on top of your initial ‘break in’ fee. Why not cut out the middle man and go straight to the car locksmith who can get into your car, bring a replacement key with them, program it on sight and have you off and traveling again often within an hour.

The second reason for needing a car locksmith is when the remote or blip blip simply stops working. These seemingly handy little remotes are a thorn in the locksmith industries’ side as they constantly need replacing, fixing or replacement batteries. According to Greg Winston, on the Sunshine Coast 5 remotes are sold to 1 key to give an indication of the reliability of a simple key.

The third reason is when a car’s ignition jams. The first thing drivers do in this case is to call their mechanic, dealer or insurance company like RACQ. Once again, however, it would make sense to cut out these middle men who are going to employ the services of (and charge the driver for) a car locksmith anyway.

Locking keys in the car or as those in the industry term it, ‘lockout’ is high on the list for car locksmithing inquiries. With options like calling your mechanic or breaking a window, car locksmiths are the quickest, safest and often least expensive way to get back into your car. A window breakage could end up being expensive and not to mention unsafe for the one breaking the window and also for the car as it is left exposed to the elements and criminals until the window is fixed.

Finally, and probably the least known reason is that car ignitions and locks actually need replacing every 5 to 6 years due to general use. Because keys are made from metal, when it rubs constantly against other metals it will eventually wear down. Smart locksmiths use a combination of brass and metal keys so that the key wears down before the ignition does but if inferior all steel keys are sought from key cutters, the likelihood is that your locks and ignition will wear down much quicker than expected. To prolong the life of an ignition, ensure brass and steel combination keys are chosen.

There are three common ways to learn how to weld stainless steel. SMAW (shielded metal arc) or stick welding, GMAW, commonly referred to as Mig welding (metal inert gas), and GTAW (tungsten inert gas) or Tig welding.

Stick or Arc welding.

The methods to weld stainless using an arc welder differ little to that of welding mild steel. Generally a small gauge stainless steel electrode is used for arc welding stainless metals. A safety note of caution, like mild steel there is a coating of slag left on a completed bead, with mild steel the slag needs chipping off, however stainless slag has a propensity to ‘ping’ off as it cools. This can cause serious eye damage so always wear eye protection using stainless electrodes. Using an arc machine is a relatively easy way to learn how to weld stainless steel

Mig welding stainless steel.

Again a similar process used on mild steel. Obviously you will need to exchange the mig welding wire for stainless steel wire. This is usually available in 304 and 316 grades. Use 316 grade stainless wires in high corrosion areas and for marine applications. You will also need to use pure argon gas instead of c02 that is used for mild steel. Mig welding is common in metal fabrication shops.

How to Tig Stainless.

This method is the most difficult to learn how to weld stainless steel, however in my opinion it is the most satisfying and offers a pure joint between base metal and filler metal.

Using a tig requires more skill but in a way is similar to using the Oxy-Acetylene gas process. Tig welders use a small hand held torch that carries a tungsten electrode to create the arc. Tungsten is used as it has an extremely high melting point. The tungsten tip, when struck to the metal creates the arc and begins the fusion process; at this point a filler rod is introduced to add substance to the joint. This is where the operator needs a steady hand.

Learning how to weld stainless steel comes down to using the correct equipment and choosing the best process for the job. For basic welding of stainless the arc or mig process will suffice, however if you require a top quality finish or are constructing an item that requires a clean finish such as a commercial food mixing component the tig welder is the way to go. As with everything using the correct process and practice will soon get you to expert status in no time.