Factory/Dealer trained BMW (Senior/Master) Technician Required

BMW Senior/Master Technician required at our busy Chelmsford premises.

Full time position available due to workload and continued re-investment.

Candidate must be self motivated, able to work without supervision to a very high standard.  Teamwork also very important.

The successful candidate will benefit from working in a busy and professional environment, technical training courses and a generous financial package.

Applications in writing with full CV should be addressed to: Mr Daniel Bearman Esq   C/O PMW Ltd.

All new and irresistible BMW 650i convertible is here

BMW Series 3 for 2011

Apparently, since the release of the new BMW 650i convertible, it had won unofficial beauty pageant for the aficionados and fans of all the things BMW. The spring 2011 will be remember by the appearance of the new and irresistible BMW convertible model. Across the internet there is a spate of positive reviews, praising the muscular design of BMW 650i convertible.

In 650i convertible performance and class really walk hand in hand and one should expect to see quite a few of them on the road. The engine is one of the strongest BMW produced so far, with a 4.8 liter V8 and 360 horsepower. One can get about 21 miles per gallon, which is worth taking note of, as prices of gasoline are currently going through the roof.

Like most of the new BMW models, the 650i convertible has automatic rain sensing windshield wiper and fog lights. The climate controlled seating can keep everyone happy no matter what the weather is like outside. The security systems built into this convertible is near the top for this class of vehicle. Knee protection systems, head restraints, airbags, driveway protection, rollover system and remote key-less entry, all make a nice set of useful extras. Out of all of BMW’s convertibles this is the one that really grabs your attention and holds it. The MRP on this bad boy, will cost you right around $85,000, so be prepared to shell out a good chunk of change but according to all of the online reviews , it is well worth it.

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BMW Series 3 gets ready for 2011

BMW Series 3 for 2011

BMW Series 3 is earning its rankings by reaching the second place in popularity amongst reviewed upmarket midsized car models. This sedan is the one of most luxurious midsized cars on the market today and although it is luxury model its performance doesn’t luck the punch. Series 3 line is based around the powerful motor and has an exemplary suspension that makes everyday driving into a relaxed experience. But in comparison with Lexus ES, BMW Series 3 lucks in terms of ultimate luxury, but it outshines Lexus ES in terms of performance.

A very strong in luxury midsized sedan market is abundance of safety features and BMW Series 3 is a leader in that field. Out of all the available safety and reliability features BMW scores 9.2 out of 10 in the review. Series 3 comes in all the popular body styles: coupe, sedan, wagon and convertible. As well, customers can choose between the rear or all wheel drive transmission. So it is no wander that Series 3 is the BMW’s top seller in United States market.

The new 2011 BMW Series 3 has a few improvements over the previous Series 3 predecessor. It is slightly heavier, a bit faster and it has an updated look. New car is focused on performance and this shows in the design of the interior. One can immediately see that design was optimized for driver involvement, although interior is still pretty cozy.

China leads in BMW sales

After a few millennia spent in shadows, China is finally emerging to the international stage and all the big multinational corporations are looking up. BMW is no exception. And there is a good reason why BMW should not be an exception. In 2009, BMW’s worldwide net profits fell 36%, with Chine being the only exception. In 2010, sales of BMW cars in China doubled in comparison with year before. This year BMW is looking to expand its sales capacity in China, from 40,000 vehicles to 300,000. That is more than seven fold increase.

And, being an emerging economy, China boasts a smallest chauffeur-driven cars. While in the rest of the world one would expect Rolls-Royce to be chauffeur driven, in Chine it is quite normal to demonstrate business prowess of this kind, with a humble 5-Series sedan. So, no wander that BMW will be producing a long-wheelbase version of BMW 5-Series to meet this somewhat special, if ever growing demand.

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Tailor made BMW

BMW 530d after crash test

If you want to drive a car that will turn heads, then you have to be ready to dress to impress. Not yourself, the car. This is exactly what BMW’s design team, lead by Chris Bangle, has achieved with BMW’s GINA roadster. This concept car ventures further than many petrol head’s imagination will ever go, so we might safely say that it will never see serial production. But we are sure that it will be very popular with car magazine editors.

The fabric that is used is water resistant and translucent, polyurethane coated Spandex. Spandex is well known for its durability and resistance to stretching even if exposed to either low or high temperatures. Actually, Spandex is used in a clothing industry under the different name, known as Lycra. So, most people who are interested in outdoor sports will know about it.

In the features department, GINA’s skin offers some surprises. It is not simply a roadster that is covered by fabric, it is a car that can change shape as well, James Bond style. Although not yet on a level of the Transformers, but more in kind of semi-practical way. For example, fabric and frames around headlights form the shapes similar to eyelids. So when you turn the headlights on, hidden electrical and hydro-electrical actuators get into action until those ‘eyelids’ open. Another feature is, that depending on the speed, you can raise a rear wing, to get a more speed hungry look.

As well, doors are shaped like scissors and they literally roll up, as you open them. And fittingly enough, if you are possibly looking for any indicators or brake lights, they are only available in a hide-and-seek mode. That is to say, they are hidden under the fabric, which is translucent enough. Whatever was the design brief, but it looks very cool.

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BMW’s iDrive extends support for iPod

iDrive

The times when you had to depend on a few old cassette tapes to add to that feeling of freedom that fast driving gives you, had long gone. Now, your BMW is fully compatible with a panoply of indoor and outdoor portable entertainment systems, like iPod, iPhone, MP3 player and USB sticks. With a flick of few switches, you can choose amongst thousands of your favorite songs. The main advantage of this system is that they have a very similar user interfaces it is really easy to transfer from one device to another.

Actually BMW is actively working on evolving the iDrive into ConnectedDrive technology, which is a type of a networked car intelligently integrated into the services available in the outside world, like GPS and Internet. What this means in relationship to iPhone and Ipad, is that one will be able to not just listen to the preselected music from these devices, but he will be able to download and exchange the software applications between the car and his mobile devices. Also, according to BMW’s US Technology Offices senior engineer Robert Passaro, we will not need to wait longer than 2011 to see these goodies in action. System is going to be completely upgradeable, so users will have a complete access to the latest features and applications.

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Ecotune What?

We are pleased to announce to our regular customers that we now have EcoTune software platform in our workshop. This ECU diagnostic and tuning solution enables us to bring your car to the new performance level, without compromising your car insurance or manufacturer’s warranty.

The way EcoTune works, every customer can choose his own optimized tuning, either for performance, economy or environmentally friendly basis. From our experience, it seems that everybody wants performance on the pedal first and then some economy second. We can certainly deliver most of our customer’s requests. The only caveat is that software can, nowadays, push hardware beyond its limits. This means, that in some cases, when customers want the highest possible performance, we would need to advise them to first get appropriate hardware updates. Otherwise, longevity of the vehicle can be seriously jeopardized.

Will EcoTune affect my motor insurance policy? To really give a proper answer to this question one would need to look into each case separately. But, in general this upgrade will enable safer overtaking and cleaner emissions. A good thing to know is that EcoTune is completely transparent to even main dealers and one could certainly say that insurance companies in the current economical climate will be hard pushed to refuse any applicant who implemented this modification. We certainly advise you to be completely open with your car insurance provider and provide them with all the information regarding EcoTune. At this point it needs to be said that large numbers of Local Councils and logistics companies are using vehicles with EcoTune.

Currently, we only can do EcoTune performance tuning on the vehicles that are brought in to our Chelmsford workshop, but in a future we plan to provide a mobile service at either your home or workplace.This type of work might take a few hours at most, as each car is different. Some cars can be accessed through diagnostic port, some need interaction with vehicle’s computer and others would even require replacing the chip inside ECU.

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New Mini BMW D

BMW 530d after crash test

If there is such a thing as small BMW, it must be a BMW Mini. Fortunately for the famous Mini, however you repackage and re-brand it; is cool and will always be of the distinctly British origin. And as far as BMW’s Mini stable of models is concerned, there is new kid on the block: Mini Cooper D (D for diesel).

With such a small and light car, one wouldn’t worry about fuel economy, but with 74.3mpg and 99g/km CO2 Mini Cooper D stands up even to Toyota’s Prius. This brilliant performance is mostly owed to a new turbocharged direct-injection 1.6 liter engine which produces more of everything. More power, more torque, more economy and less pollution.

If you are just pulling away and your engine is still in 1st gear, the characteristic agricultural shudder will definitely betray the fact that there is a diesel engine under the bonnet. But as soon you change into the 2nd and 3rd gear, things considerably improve in the audio department. You could be fooled into thinking that you were driving a ‘noisy’ petrol powered vehicle!

There are many cosmetic improvements all around: Bumpers are new, there is a new black cross-piece bellow the numberplate, look of the rear lights had been changed and there are new wheels and choice of paint colors. BMW has taken care of those who must have Internet wherever they are, with Mini Connected in-mini infotainment suite of gadgets, which is a version of BMW’s own iDrive. Practically you just plug your Mini D into your iPhone and you are good to surf the Net. Definitely do not use this feature while you are driving!

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Crashing the BMW

BMW 530d after crash test

Nobody likes to be involved in a car crash and very few people can say that they have trained for such a situation. It is no wonder that technology is slowly taking over this hazardous situation. Taking into the account the speed with which modern electronics react, versus the speed with which an average human can react, it is no wonder that BMW started experimenting with those systems many years ago.

In the recent world premiere, the BMW 530d equipped with anticipatory assistance system successfully passed a so called “offset crash”. This system was integrated into an upgraded Active Cruse Control, which was extended with new sensors, like a radar. The whole system is designed in such a way that it doesn’t interfere with driver’s control of the vehicle until it is absolutely necessary to do something. So one doesn’t need to fear that car will suddenly start breaking, on its own.

The way it is done: a collision threatening situation is divided into several stages. First system will just pass a visual warning in a form of a lit up symbol on a dashboard or a small head up display. If situation continues to worsen, still without any reaction from driver, an audible alarm will sound off and at that point brakes will be pretensioned. Basically braking system will be prefiled with braking fluid and brake trigger level will be automatically lowered, all in order to reduce the time that is needed to engage the brakes. If finally, car enters into the third and last stage; where collision is imminent and unavoidable, the car will take over and activate brakes as required.

In the tests run at DEKRA, near Neumunster near Hamburg, the speed of BMW 530d that was approaching an offset obstacle was reduced, at the point of collision, from 60 km/h down to 40 km/h. That is great success for the new system since it reduces a kinetic energy absorbed by passengers by 33%.

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BMW’s SUVs great birthday

The BMW X5 was introduced back in 1999, first generation models are now about 11 years old. In a car industry where fashions came and go every year; nobody wants to be reminded of how long their model was in the market. We are talking about the continued development and face lifting of the model range which makes BMW owners much more proud.

BMW’s line of luxury SUV’s has now passed the million production units.

It is certainly amazing as it is, to sell, for example one million iPhones, or even one million T-shirts. BMW’s X1, X3 and X5 line of SUV vehicles is manufactured in BMW’s US factory based in Spartanburg, South Carolina. When it was first introduced; the X5 was considered to have reasonable off-road performance with distinct on road handling and performance equal to that of a normal car.  The X5, more belonged to a refined second generation of Sport Activity Vehicles.

When BMW owned Land Rover it borrowed heavily on the British 4×4 expertise. Unfortunate as it was, Land Rover was passed around different car manufacturers, first to Ford, than to Tata. But BMW built strongly on this expertise and created several models, like smaller X1 or midsized X3. BMW X5  was conceived as a luxury crossover SUV. It shares several components with Range Rover HSE, like Hill Descent System and Off Road Engine Management system. Last year a new trend was born with smaller SUVs to offer them in both 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive version. This offer makes sense; since a great number of drivers never take their car off road, but still want to enjoy higher driving position.

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