Friday, April 28, 2023
LIVE: Top Gear's Best Supercars of 2022 Part 1: Lambo Sterrato, Porsche 911 GT3 RS and more!
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
BMW - History Of The Car Company
It all started with Karl Friedrich Rapp's ambition to improve and reinvent the engines and to make them more powerful than ever before - and it was also Rapp who actually laid the groundwork for BMW. Right before the first World War, the demand for high-performance aircraft engines has sky-rocketed, and this is how Karl Friedrich Rapp's ascension to success started. The BMW company is actually the direct result of merging three different manufacturing companies in one: The Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach which was located in Thuringia, the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke located in Bavaria (which specialised in aircraft engines) and, last but not least, the Rapp Motorenwerke company which specialised in vehicle engines - the latter soon became Bayerische Motorenwerke.
As mentioned above, BMW started as an aircraft engine manufacturer, and it did that for more than a decade - it was not until the late 1920s when BMW actually became a full-time automobile manufacturer that also offered BMW servicing, upon purchasing one of the factories mentioned above (the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach). Rapp's dream was to push the performance of its engines to a whole new level, and this is how the first line of luxury vehicles emerged, back in the 1930s. These vehicles radically changed the way people saw cars and, most importantly - comfort. Featuring no less than six cylinders, these luxury car line was actually the predecessor of the first sports car manufactured by BMW, a car that quickly gained notoriety amongst sports enthusiasts due to its state of the art engine combined with its aerodynamic design. Nonetheless, the joy of BMW as an automobile manufacturer was short-lived, as the company had to stop its production of motorcycles and automobiles when World War II started, as the company started to manufacture aircraft engines yet again.
It was not until the late 1940s when BMW was back on track and it re-started its production of motorcycles and automobiles: BMW started to focus more on automobiles rather than motorcycles, given the high demand for four-wheeled cars. It must be said that BMW enjoyed a great success in the motorcycle manufacturing field, given the fact that it managed to set the first world record-breaking speed towards the end of the 1920s, with its 750cc bike that reached the staggering speed of 216.75km/h. Less than a decade after that, BMW officially released its first roadster, the well-known 328 model. A few years after restarting its automobile production, BMW focused on luxury saloons which became tremendously popular within less than a year. Over the next few years, BMW became stronger and more popular, and it eventually received the license to start building vehicles under the reputable and immensely popular Rolls Royce brand.
Most Important Milestones For BMW
Throughout its 99 years of existence, BMW has enjoyed a wealth of groundbreaking achievements, and everything started with the establishment of the BMW company as we know it today, which took place in 1916. The second most important milestone was the manufacturing of the first motorcycle carrying the BMW logo, the famous BMW R32, which took place in 1923. As mentioned above, BMW stopped manufacturing automobiles and motorcycles during WWII, and the first BMW automobile (the 501 model) was manufactured in 1951, which also marked the beginning of new and promising era for this automobile manufacturer.
In 1972, the BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded, and one year later, so was the renowned BMW museum along with the company's headquarters. In 1994, the company started to expand its business to the United States of America, and it was also then when the company bought the Rover Group. Four years later, Rolls-Royce would come to the company, and one year after that the first automobile of the BMW X-series was manufactured. In 2004, the company released a very compact class of automobiles known as the BMW 1-series, followed by the release of the BMW I-series in 2013, the world's first line of electric cars that did not release any greenhouse gases, as they were entirely propelled by an 100% electric motor.
BMW Outside Of Germany
Although BMW was only producing and selling its aircraft engines, motorcycles and automobiles locally, it slowly started to expand its horizons throughout Europe, followed by Africa and, eventually, by North America. BMW opened its first manufacturing plant in South Africa back in the 1970s, and it quickly became one of the company's pillars, with tens of thousands of automobiles manufactured each year. More than two decades later, BMW opened yet another manufacturing plant in South Carolina, which became famous for two of the brand's bestselling models: the BMW X series (X5 and X6 in particular). The South Carolina manufacturing plant is one of the company's most productive plants, as it produces more than 100,000 cars each year (approximately 600 automobiles each day). Last, but not least, the British factories should not be neglected either (especially those located in Goodwood and Oxford), as they specialize in manufacturing high-end 4-cylinder BMW engines.
To sum it all up, this is the brief history of BMW cars and how they rose to fame throughout the decades. Car owners should know that BMW repairs are conducted in all countries where the company's subsidiaries are present, and it is of utmost importance to opt for the services of a fully-certified and expert BMW repair center such as AP Autocare, as this is the only way to be sure that your current car parts are replaced with genuine, high-quality components that come with the BMW quality guarantee!
AP Autocare, based in Bristol, are specialists in the repair and servicing or prestige cars including BMW. For more information on their BMW car servicing and repairs in Bristol, UK please visit http://www.apautocare.co.uk or telephone 0117 963 8916
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9056650
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Is the 2023 Jaguar F-Type R the performance car you will REGRET Not Buying?
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
The Future of Design - Volvo
Sunday, April 16, 2023
All You Need to Know | The new BMW 3 Series
Friday, April 14, 2023
At Star Tech European, We Do Things Differently!
Maintenance
Although we use the manufacturer’s recommended inspection specifications, we will never sell you something you don’t need. At your time of service, we’ll inspect your filters, spark plugs, and other maintenance issues and make our recommendations based on your car’s needs.
Let us inspect your car and tell you what we see your car needs to keep it running at its best, without spending more money than you need to.
We proudly use Motul Synthetic Oil engine oil products and original equipment filters.
Call us at 707-455-8870 today! StarTechEuropean.com
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
The new Polo | Who says you can’t? | Volkswagen
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
SAFE STEPS Road Safety: Pedestrians
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Mercedes-Benz Museum – A Girl Called Mercedes
The short film, which lasts around two minutes, invites the viewer to see the history of the Mercedes-Benz brand in a new dimension.
Thursday, March 30, 2023
The History of the Volkswagen Beetle - The People's Car
In 1938 the German automaker Volkswagen released their version of the economy car called the Volkswagen Type 1, or more commonly referred to as the Volkswagen Beetle. The names "Bug" and "Beetle" were adopted by the public, but it was not until late 1967 that Volkswagen began using the name "Beetle" in their marketing. It was previously known as only the "Type 1" or the 1200, 1300, or 1500, which were the names it had been marketed under in Europe prior to 1967. The numbers indicated the size of the vehicle's engine in cubic centimeters.
The 1967 model of the VW Beetle underwent a few changes, the car itself didn't get bigger, but many of the mechanical systems and components did. Some changes to the Bug included a larger engine. Output of the electrical generator had been increased from 180 watts to 360, and also had been upgraded from the old 6-volt system to the 12-volt system. The clutch disk was also made larger and changes had been made to the braking system, the flywheel, and rear axles.
Although the VW Bug has been widely despised for its styling, rough ride, weak power, along with high noise levels, it was also the longest and most produced vehicle for a single design.
The "Beetle" or "Bug" whichever you wish to call it also played a roll in the military. In 1935 prototypes of the Kdf-Wagen appeared.
Produced by Daimlet-Benz in Stuttgart, Germany the first prototypes were born. With its already peculiar round shape, and the rear-mounted, air-cooled engine, The factory only produced a small number of the cars by the time war began in 1939. The first mass-produced version of the Beetle were used for military vehicles, like the Schwimmwagen and the Kubelwagen.
The military bug was created to be as simple as possible, so that little could go wrong. The 985cc air-cooled motor proved to be effective with German Afrika Korps in Africa's desert heat with The built in oil cooler and the superb performance of the flat four, or "pancake" engine configuration. The suspension was equipped with compact torsion beams in place of the more commonly used coil or leaf spring suspensions.
Once World War II was over, the shortage of jobs led to the reopening of the factory in Wolfsburg by Allied forces. The production of the Beetle from then on recommenced. The production increased massively over the next decade, with the one millionth car rolling off of the assembly line in 1955. The Bug's performance was far superior compared to other automobiles in its category with a top speed of 72 mph. The production was surpassing 16 million in 1972, and by the 23rd of June in 1992 the company had sold over 21 million of the cars.
The Volkswagen Beetle is the world's best selling design with the same name. The VW Beetle outlasted most all of the other vehicles who had copied the rear-mounted air-cooled engine layout like those by Subaru, and General Motors.
The Beetle began to phase-out in 2003. The annual production ad reduced to 30,000 from its peak of 1.3 million in 1971. As the last Beetle rolled off of the assembly line, it was shipped off to the Volkswagen company museum in Wolfsburg, Germany.
In 1998 Volkswagen introduced the new Beetle which was designed to look a lot like the classic Beetle. The new Beetle was designed with a water cooled engine being placed in the front of the car.
The new VW Beetle has turned out to be a very popular car and has become a pop culture icon and been featured in many movies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/580232
Monday, March 27, 2023
What If You Forget To Change Your Oil?
What if you forget to change your oil on time? Can you damage your car's engine by not changing the oil late? Do you really need to change your oil every 3,000 miles? Obviously, you should change your oil regularly, but exactly how much damage you will cause by changing the oil late? This video looks to answer this question. We'll discuss what happens to oil viscosity as it ages, and what happens to oil additives in over time.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
2023 BMW i4 eDrive40: This Is A Surprisingly Good EV
Monday, March 20, 2023
BMW Manufacturing | BMW Plant Spartanburg South Carolina |
BMW Manufacturing | BMW Plant Spartanburg South Carolina |
Saturday, March 18, 2023
Life With My Classic – Episode 2 | Raz Roken Rehan aka Mr. AMG
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Life With My Classic – Episode 1 | Maximilian Seitz
Saturday, March 11, 2023
Peugeot 408 - This car came out of NOWHERE?
Thursday, March 9, 2023
The Volkswagen Tiguan | A Little Assist
Sunday, March 5, 2023
Launch of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet
Thursday, March 2, 2023
The next sphere of future premium mobility | The Audi activesphere concept
Monday, February 27, 2023
Why Car Repair Should Be Left To The Professionals
Clutch
Fixing a clutch. Simple enough, right? It seems to be. However, most people don't realize that fixing a clutch is more complicated and can be a delicate procedure. The biggest hurdle one would find is that many times it involves dropping the engine. This is not something that most can do in their garage.
Recharging the A/C
Every automotive store carries A/C recharging kits. If they do that, then it must be something a novice could do, right? Wrong. Not even counting the added complications of Freon, there is so much more to it. Working with the A/C system involves very high, specific pressure, specialized tubing, and odd components - most of these allusively buried in the dashboard or tied into an incomprehensible computer - not to mention many other things related to the first law of thermodynamics. If that word is not recognizable, you more than likely have no business even being in there.
Working around or on the airbag
Though thankfully this particular area rarely needs to be worked on or around, it is still a good idea to know what the possible outcomes could be. The most important thing to think about if working on or around this area - including any close by panels - is that there is a significantly sized explosive charge tucked away in there. Does 'explosive charge' sound a lot like a bomb? It should, because that is essentially what it is. Definitely make sure that someone with training in that particular area works on that part of your car. A hand being blown off isn't worth the extra money saved by doing it ones-self. It is guaranteed that the hospital bill for that would be significantly more expensive than just having a professional do it for you.
Rebuilding a differential
Anytime someone is messing around with gears it can lead to disaster. It takes a delicate, sensitive touch. Differentials are even trickier. If the gears are even slightly off, your car will sound like it has been taken over by a disgruntled poltergeist. Not to mention that in a very short time, the teeth will completely wear out and disintegrate. The contact patch between the gears has to be so carefully aligned that it is mathematically perfect.
Even the seemingly simplest of jobs are so involved that many times doing your own car repair can cost more than taking it to the shop. A car repair technician can do the job right the first time and save lots of time and energy.
For more information on car repair, Hershey, PA residents can go to http://www.certifiedpreownedofhershey.com/Body-Shop.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9236426
Friday, February 24, 2023
Simplify Sightseeing | BMW iDrive Challenges
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
SAFE STEPS Road Safety: Speed Limits
Saturday, February 18, 2023
Thursday, February 16, 2023
The Mercedes-Benz Files – 540 K Streamliner
Sunday, February 12, 2023
Which Age Group Causes The Most Car Accidents?

Friday, February 10, 2023
The All-New BMW 2 Series Active Tourer
The next progression in driving pleasure - Introducing the all-new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.
The second generation of the sporty all-rounder returns with the 230e xDrive plug-in hybrid and 223i, boasting a far wider range of equipment than its predecessor, perfect for anything life throws at you.
Complemented by a luxurious interior, with space creating a “floating” armrest, advanced curved display, and wireless charging for compatible phones.
Monday, February 6, 2023
The 2024 Volvo EX90 Is Volvo’s New Flagship Luxury Electric SUV
Saturday, February 4, 2023
Mercedes-Benz Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC | The Traffic Jam
The evolution of DISTRONIC Active Distance Assist: Push the pedals in traffic jams is a thing of the past since this assistance system from Mercedes-Benz was introduced.
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Sunday, January 29, 2023
We Are Star Tech European
We are a European Automotive Service and Repair facility. We specialize in Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Mini.
From minor services like oil changes to major repairs, we are skilled and ready to service your vehicle with care and thoroughness. With over 40 years of experience, we have the knowledge to give you the best service possible.
Unlike most repair facilities, Don Westhaver the owner of this facility is the head mechanic!
23 Union Way
707-455-8870
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crash Tests Of All Time
Sunday, January 22, 2023
2023 BMW i4 | Talking Cars with Consumer Reports #393
Thursday, January 19, 2023
The 2022 Jaguar F-Type R still has a SUPERCHARGED V8!
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Friday, January 13, 2023
10 Things Everyone Should Know About Tires
By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist
You probably know tires are made of rubber — but how much more do you know? Here’s a run-through of some important tire-related terminology:
1) Aspect ratio
This technical-sounding term refers to the relationship between the width of a tire and the height of the tire’s sidewall. High-performance “low profile” tires have “low aspect ratios” — meaning their sidewalls are short relative to their width. This provides extra stiffness and thus better high-speed handling and grip — but also tends to result in a firmer (and sometimes, harsh) ride. “Taller” tires tend to provide a smoother ride and better traction in snow.
2) Contact Patch
As your tires rotate, only a portion of the total tread is actually in contact with the ground at any given moment. This is known as the contact patch. Think of it as your tire’s “footprint.” Sport/performance-type tires are characterized by their wider footprint — more tread is in contact with the ground — which provides extra grip, especially during hard acceleration on dry pavement and during high-speed cornering.
3) Treadwear indicators
These are narrow bands built into the tread during manufacturing that begin to show when only 1/16 of the tire’s tread remains. Also called wear bars, treadwear indicators are there to provide an obvious visual warning that it’s time to shop for new tires.
4) Speed ratings
An alpha-numeric symbol you’ll find on your tire’s sidewall that tells you the maximum sustained speed the tire is capable of safely handling. An H-rated tire, for example, is built to be safe for continuous operation at speeds up to 130 mph. Most current model year family-type cars have S (112 mph) or T (118 mph) speed ratings. High performance cars often have tires with a V (149 mph) or ZR (in excess of 149 mph) speed rating. A few ultra-performance cars have W (168 mph) and even Y (186 mph) speed-rated tires.
5) Maximum cold inflation load limit
This refers to the maximum load that can be carried in a given vehicle with a given type of tires — and the maximum air pressure needed to support that load. In your vehicle’s owner’s manual, you should be able to find the recommended cold inflation load limit. It’s important not to exceed the load limit (or over or under-inflate the tires) as this can lead to stability/handling problems and even tire failure. Always check tire pressure “cold.” Driving creates friction which creates heat; as the tires warm up, the air inside expands, increasing the pressure. Measuring air pressure after driving can give a false reading; you may actually be driving around on under-inflated tires.
6) Load index
This number corresponds to the load carrying capacity of the tire. The higher the number, the higher the load it can safely handle. As an example, a tire with a load index of 89 can safely handle 1,279 pounds — while a tire with a load rating of 100 can safely handle as much as 1,764 pounds. It’s important to stick with tires that have at least the same load rating as the tires that came originally with the vehicle — especially if it’s a truck used to haul heavy loads or pull a trailer. It’s ok to go with a tire that has a higher load rating than the original tires; just be careful to avoid tires with a lower load rating than specified for your vehicle, even if they are less expensive. Saving a few bucks on tires is not worth risking an accident caused by tire failure.
7) Radial vs. bias-ply tire
Bias-ply tires have their underlying plies laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread; radials have their plies laid at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread. That’s the technical difference. The reason radial tires are dominant today is that they help improve fuel efficiency and handling; they also tend to dissipate heat better than bias-ply tires. No modern passenger cars come with bias-ply tires these days and their use is generally not recommended. (Exceptions might include older/antique vehicles that originally came equipped with bias-ply tires. Some RVs also used bias-ply tires, etc.) It is very important never to mix radial and bias-ply tires; dangerously erratic handling may result.
8) LT and MS tires
These designations indicate “Light Truck” and “Mud/Snow” — and are commonly found on tires fitted to SUVs and pick-ups. LT-rated tires are more general purpose, built primarily for on-road use — while MS-rated tires typically have more aggressive “knobby” tread patterns designed for better off-road traction.
9) Temporary Use Only
Many modern cars come with so-called “space-saver” tires which are smaller and lighter than a standard or full-size spare tire. They are designed to leave more room in the trunk and be easier for the average person to handle when a roadside tire change becomes necessary. However, they are not designed to be used for extended (or high-speed) driving. Your car will probably not handle (or stop) as well while the Space Saver tire is on – and you should keep your speed under 55 mph and avoid driving on the tire beyond what’s absolutely necessary to find a tire repair shop where you can have your damaged tire repaired or replaced.
10) Treadwear, Traction and Temperature ratings
Each tire has three separate ratings for Treadwear, Traction and Temperature.
Traction ratings run from AA to A to B and C — with C being the lowest on the scale. The ratings represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement under controlled testing conducted by the government. C-rated tires are marginal and should be avoided. Never buy a tire with a Traction rating that isn’t at least equal to the minimum rating specified by the manufacturer of your vehicle.
Temperature ratings from A to B to C — with C being the minimum allowable for any passenger car tire. The ratings correspond to a given tire’s ability to dissipate heat under load; tires with lower ratings are more prone to heat-induced failure, especially if driven at high speeds (or when overloaded). As with Traction ratings, never buy a tire with a Temperature rating that’s less than specified for your vehicle.
Treadwear ratings differ from Traction and Temperature ratings in that they aren’t a measure of a tire’s built-in safety margin. Instead, these ratings — represented by a three digit number — give you an idea of the expected useful life of the tire according to government testing. A tire with a Treadwear rating of 150, for example, can be expected to last about 1.5 times as long as a tire with a Treadwear rating of 100. These are just guides, however. Your tires may last longer (or not) depending on such factors as how you drive, whether you maintain proper inflation pressure and rotate the tires per recommendations — and so on.
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