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Renting a Luxury BMW Overseas: 8 Tips

Traveling the world is an opportunity to splurge on luxury experiences. You could stay in a 5-star hotel or dine at Michelin Star restaurants, but your vehicle might be the first thing on your mind.

These simple tips make renting a luxury BMW overseas feel like a breeze. You’ll drive around the globe in style without any extra hassle.

1. Look Into an International Driver’s Permit

Your driver’s license allows you to drive your car anywhere in the U.S. legally, but it doesn’t mean much abroad. You’ll need to look into getting an international driver’s permit before leaving home.

The permit allows people to skip applications and driving tests in each country because the United Nations regulates the permit process. Getting the permit may take hours or weeks, depending on the country processing your application. Apply early to skip the wait and get your luxury BMW faster.

2. Prepare Your Paperwork

When picking up your luxury car, you’ll also need to present paperwork. It verifies your identity and that you’re legally allowed to drive. Arrive at the pickup destination with specific paperwork with updated information, such as:

  • Your driver’s license
  • Your passport
  • Your international driver’s permit

You can also contact the pickup office or company to inquire about the necessary paperwork before your trip begins.

3. Consider the Size

Will you road trip through a country with tons of luggage and rental equipment? Maybe you plan to cruise around a city for a long weekend with just a few bags in your trunk. Estimate how much room you’ll need to carry your vacation supplies to pick the right luxury BMW model for your trip.

4. Research Rental Companies

Car rental companies operate slightly differently. Some will have more luxury vehicle models than others. The rules regarding who can rent them, what paperwork they need and the size of their down payments required at pickup also change with each brand.

Research the rental companies with pickup locations at your destination. They’ll have online catalogs of their various models so you can double-check that your preferred luxury BMW is available. If not, you’ll know you need to find a different rental company or another model.

Some companies also provide essential driving supplies while others don’t. You may need an ice scraper if you’ll drive in snowy climates or an atlas in case your smartphone battery drains completely. Inquire about provided supplies to determine if you need to bring them in your suitcase.

Source: BMW

5. Investigate Insurance Options

Drivers need car insurance to cover their vehicle repairs if an accident occurs and rental cars are no different. You may also need more comprehensive insurance when renting a luxury model.

Check with your current car insurance provider to see if your policy includes luxury rentals. Many policies include rental car models, but that may or may not apply to luxury vehicles. If it doesn’t, the rental company may have stand-alone policies that extend through the length of your trip.

6. Map Your Mileage

Your luxury BMW model will change how much you budget for gas. Check the model’s miles-per-gallon ratio, then map how far it is from your lodging to each entertainment or restaurant venue you’ll visit on your trip. Mapping your driving distances and calculating the gas you’ll need to afford may reveal that you need a different luxury vehicle to fit your budget.

7. Double-Check Parking Arrangements

The latest research published by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation found that for every 100,000 people in a metropolitan area, 234 will experience motor vehicle theft no matter what type of car they drive. Renting a luxury vehicle may increase your chance of becoming part of that statistic because thieves can make more money off higher-end vehicles. Consider finding lodging with more secure parking arrangements than standard hotels.

Private parking garages with security systems and code-access gates in rental home neighborhoods may be available at your destination. They’ll make your BMW more secure while you’re resting between adventures during your trip.

8. Remember the Transmission

Luxury cars don’t always have automatic transmissions, so read the vehicle’s specifications before booking your rental. The M3, M4 and Competition models have manual transmissions, while others are only automatics. If you’ve only driven cars with automatic transmissions, that could change which company you rent from or the model you choose.

Find the Best Rental Luxury BMW

Traveling only gets better when you rent a luxury BMW overseas. Anyone can figure out how to drive their dream car using tips like these. Figuring out how to get your driver’s permit, how much gas you’ll need to buy and what model is best for your needs will help you rent the best BMW for your upcoming adventure.

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What’s the Future of ADAS for BMW?

Advanced driver assist systems have proven useful for small tasks, such as parallel parking and blind spot detection. These technologies have been around for over a decade, begging the question: What’s next? What new capabilities will the next generation of ADAS bring to the table for BMW and the automotive industry as a whole?

New ADAS in BMW’s EVs

BMW announced the anticipated release of the 7-series in 2022, which includes the all-electric i7, 740i and 760i xDrive. It’s the first time BMW has unveiled a fully electric line of vehicles, but another “first” is arguably more important: a brand new ADAS. The 7-series will give the public its first glimpse of the most recent developments in driver assistance technology.

Some key elements of the new ADAS include the latest models of cameras and radar sensors, updated AI software, and a 5G connection for the BMW Cloud. The cameras have eight megapixels, which would mark the first time the public has access to this technology. It would reduce the number of cameras in the vehicle and double the coverage.

Drivers can also adjust their ADAS with remote software updates, enabling them to add and remove functions when switching to a new BMW. The 7-series will get automatic updates to ensure it remains at the forefront of BMW’s technological development.

ADAS Personalization

According to BMW’s ownership group, the goal of the new ADAS is to provide drivers with the best possible support and comfort in all traffic conditions they might encounter. They want to focus on improving the ADAS’s capabilities in connection with the driver’s personal habits — assuming they aren’t dangerous.

With this goal in mind, 7-series vehicles allow their owners to customize the steering and braking functions. The ADAS then studies the driver’s preferences and applies them to its usual functions, such as cruise control and highway driving. Perhaps most impressively, people can now take their hands off the steering wheel while going up to 80 mph. 

The opposite goes for bad habits. If someone uses their phone too often or has other dangerous tendencies, the ADAS will provide recommendations to mitigate these problems.

Improved Driver Safety

The main benefit of ADAS has always been improved safety. As many as 35% of car owners have credited forward collision alerts or automatic braking with preventing an accident, while more than 50% said their ADAS helped them escape a crash in the first 90 days of ownership.

Collision warnings aren’t new, but BMW has taken their capabilities to the next level. The 7-series ADAS includes new features specifically for stop-and-go urban traffic, such as the city collision mitigation function. It warns the driver of pedestrians and cyclists around the vehicle. It also helps with tricky driving tasks such as left-hand turns in the middle of traffic.

Other mainstays are also back and better than ever, including the speed limit assist, evasion assist and lane departure warning. These functions come with updated visuals and sounds to get the driver’s attention without causing a major distraction. BMW’s new ADAS has set the standard for driver safety and customization.

Recent Developments With Other Manufacturers

BMW gets most of the spotlight because of its luxury status, but 2022 was also a big year for ADAS with other manufacturers. You’ll notice some similarities between BMW’s recent advancements and these developments:

  • Honda began using a new SENSING Elite system, which meets the requirements for Level 3 of autonomous driving.
  • Continental AG released two new sensors — the Current Sensor Module and Battery Impact Detection system — to help EV owners preserve their vehicles’ batteries.
  • Magna and Blackberry collaborated to develop wireless QNX software, which is essential for Wi-Fi and 5G vehicle integration.
  • Magna’s latest cameras, which include 3D and surround view, made their first public appearance in the 2022 Toyota Tundra. 

These trends give the average driver a glimpse of what’s to come with ADAS. Autonomous driving hasn’t advanced as fast as hoped at the start of the century, but the steps taken in 2022 show a promising change of pace. Honda reaching Level 3 — also known as conditional automation — is a significant milestone for domestic vehicles.

Given BMW’s recent progress, Level 4 looks extremely close to becoming a reality soon. Level 4 is high automation, where the ADAS performs tasks by itself under certain circumstances. Some commercial vehicles have reached this level on a small scale, but not with the average car. That could be the next step in the evolution of ADAS.

Autonomous Driving Regaining Momentum

Autonomous driving development slowed to a trickle for much of the 2010s and 2020s, but manufacturers are starting to regain momentum. BMW is at the front of the pack with its latest 7-series, but more impressive advancements could be in store for 2023.

Car Care

How Does Humidity Affect Your BMW’s Performance?

Living in a coastal area is pleasant because of the warm weather and proximity to the beach. What sounds more fun than taking your BMW on a cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway? 

Unfortunately, these areas can adversely affect your car’s performance. One of the biggest hindrances is humidity. This guide will show you how humidity affects your vehicle and what you can do to protect it all year long.

How Does Humidity Affect Your BMW’s Performance?

Depending on where you live, humidity can significantly impact your car’s performance, and not positively. Start with the heart of the vehicle: the engine. Humidity affects your engine’s burn rate. Higher humidity leads to a slower burn rate and increases its combustion duration. Therefore, your machine isn’t as thermally efficient as it should be in normal conditions.

Another problem humidity can cause is misfiring. The humid air increases the moisture that can get stuck inside your distributor cap. Thus, the engine has trouble firing as it would in dryer conditions. Higher humidity levels lead to higher nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and heat transfers. Additionally, they can cause knocking. Humidity puts stress on your engine and can shorten its life span.

Besides the engine, cars feel the effects of humidity through their sensors. Humidity can cause lights on your dashboard to appear even when no problems occur. The increased moisture triggers false alarms that typically go away when the parts dry. If they don’t, check for issues and reset the warning signs.

The summer months can bring sweltering heat, requiring an air conditioner for comfort. But the humidity also takes a toll on this system. When you need it most, your car’s AC unit has to remove the moisture from the air before it pushes cool air through the vents. Constant humid conditions can lead to a dysfunctional AC that blows warm air instead of cool, making summer even more unbearable in some places.

Where Should You Store Your BMW?

Even if you drive your car a lot, you still need a place to store it. In some locations, the heat can last all day and the humidity lasts through the night. Where should you keep it?

The best option is to store your car in a climate-controlled garage. These storage units protect your vehicles from humidity and other weather conditions, so you’ll never have to worry about such damage. They also protect your car from theft because these facilities have security cameras.

Another place you can store your BMW is your home garage. Though it’s more convenient, be careful about the humidity. In the summertime, humidity levels can increase to as much as 90% inside your garage. High-humidity garages can quickly damage your car if you don’t take the proper measures.

One solid investment is a dehumidifier. This machine keeps your garage dry and reduces the risk of mold and mildew on your essential items.

If you can’t find a garage or don’t have one at home, you can take some measures into your own hands. First, find a shady spot to reduce the temperature as much as possible. Some people, especially those who have collector cars, use baking soda in their vehicles to absorb moisture. This substance absorbs moisture in the air and mitigates the humidity’s adverse effects on your vehicle.

How Can You Protect Your BMW From Humidity?

Some people like high humidity levels because they’re good for the skin and better for their sinuses. However, their cars might not appreciate it as much. If you live in a humid climate, there’s not much you can do to avoid humidity besides moving. But here are three preventive measures you can take to protect your BMW.

  1. Routine Maintenance

The best defense against humidity is routine maintenance. You should regularly monitor your engine and fluid levels for your windshield wipers, power steering, transmission, and brakes. Engines must work harder, so wear and tear increases in humid climates.

  1. Wax

One of the worst effects of humidity is the risk of rusting. The moisture makes your BMW’s metal corrode much faster because it reacts with oxygen and electrons on the surfaces. One way to prevent rust from forming is to wax your car. A good rule of thumb is to wax your vehicle twice a year. The extra layer of protection goes a long way in extending the life of your precious BMW.

  1. Tires

Another part of your maintenance should be to check the tires. Heat typically causes objects to expand, and that logic holds for tires. Over-inflated tires raise your risk of blowouts. Keep your tires between 32 and 35 PSI when cold so they stay at a proper level while on the road.

Protecting Your BMW From Humidity

Picture living in Miami Beach or anywhere along the Atlantic Coast. The sun shines brightly during the summer, but the dewpoint is chronically high. Some people embrace the humidity, but your car may say otherwise. Moist air affects engine performance and can cause overheating. Over time, it can also be the culprit of rusting.

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