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3 Tips To Keep An Older Luxury Car On The Road

8 March 2022 by Herman Mills

Many people make the mistake of buying used luxury cars without doing enough research or preparing for the experience beforehand. While late-model luxury vehicles might look like a phenomenal deal, they can quickly turn into an expensive headache. Despite this, owning a used luxury car doesn't have to be a budget-busting ordeal.

If you want to make sure your vehicle lives a long and high-performance life, then these three service tips are for you.

1. Focus on Maintenance

A common reason for poor ownership experience with high-mileage German luxury cars is deferred maintenance. While economy car manufacturers focus on ease-of-ownership, many luxury manufacturers instead focus on performance. Maintaining that performance requires more care and paying close attention to scheduled upkeep.

Luxury car's primary maintenance procedures are known as Inspections I and II. You can find information about what these inspections entail in your owner's manual. The best way to avoid expensive repairs over the long term is by adhering to these guidelines and servicing your vehicle according to the information in your manual.

2. Don't Ignore Problems

Are you used to putting off repairs for strange noises, unusual smells, or odd driving behaviors? If you are, it's time to give up those habits. Deferring repairs will often lead to more expensive problems, which can mean pricy repair visits when dealing with a high-performance German automobile. When you notice a problem with your car, it's a good idea to have a qualified shop investigate soon.

You may also want to consider investing in a cheap OBD II scan tool. These tools plug into your car and provide you with diagnostic information, including computer troubleshooting codes. Using one of these tools lets you stay on top of issues with your vehicle, so you know when a problem is severe enough to require immediate attention.

3. Consider Preventative Maintenance

Luxury cars have fairly dedicated online communities, meaning you can find a lot of advice for specific models and years. This advice often includes common failure points and problems that crop up at particular mileage intervals. For example, valve cover and oil filter housing gasket failures typically occur on N55 engines at around 100,000 miles.

Instead of waiting for failures, consider implementing a preventative maintenance plan. If you know you'll need to eventually replace a part, dealing with it on your own time can mean avoiding the cost of a breakdown or additional damage. A good shop specializing in German cars such as All German Auto may also be able to recommend preventative maintenance tasks to help keep your vehicle reliably on the road.

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