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I have some information from BMW Europe about keeping your car clean. These are BMW's recomendations so I suggest that you take them seriously....

If you are wondering about how I got this info, I had a chance to meet a BMW offical from Germany.

1-BMW does NOT recommend any cleaner or any kind of solvent on cleaning dashboard. Use only a damp soft cloth to clean your dashboard. These dashboards are designed to stay new even under very hot sun. BMW says the solvents, protectants actually worsens the dasboard's protection against the sun....

2- If you have a monitor (Navigation/TV) on your BMW, do NOT clean it with a cloth. This WILL scratch the monitor screen. Instead, do this: First blow some DRY air with your breath to clean the "excessive" dust on your screen. And then USE a very soft (the ones that the ladies uses with their make-ups)make-up brush to clean the rest of the dust and dirt on your monitor. Do not use an excessive force to clean the monitor with your brush... Do NOT touch the monitor-secreen with your hands.

3- Do wax&polish your car every 3 months if you want to keep the "show room shine for at least 10 years. (BMW recommends 3M's products.)

4- If you have a leather trim/seats, if you see that your seats are getting dirty, then clean them with a damp soft cloth. BMW also recommends you clean your leather seats with BMW LEATHER CARE SOLVENT (Should be available at your BMW dealer) at least in every 6 months.

5- Bird droppings are one of your worst enemies of your paint. Do WASH them out whenever you spot them on your paint. Do NOT wait. If you must, you must NOT wait more than 7 days. (But not recomended)

6- Do NOT wash you car EVERYDAY. But Do NOT wait to wash your cars more than a week. BMW strongly recommends that you wash your car every week not more not less. Becareful not to scratch your paint when you wash it.

7- Do NOT use very powerful cleaners/solvents on your BMW. BMW recommends BMW products for cleaning your car. (If not available, he said Amway & Blue Coral products are good)

8- Try NOT to use vehicle cover. This will worsen the paint/finish's condition. Also, it will keep the moisture no matter what kind of vehicle cover you use, it MAY accelerate the corrosion.

If you realize, you do not need to use lots of cleaners to clean your BMW. Most of the time, a clean, soft damp cloth will be enough. Why? Beacuse this is a BMW. The parts are made in such quality that you should not need to use lots of cleaners. Most of the parts are already designed to have protection on themselves so by using cleaners you will actually be worsen their shields... So, don't be too obsessive about cleaning your BMW. BMW already thought of everything for you....

Also he said, if your on-board monitor says your range is only 20 miles with the current gas levels, do GET SOME GAS. Do not drive it. Get more gas before you drive it. Driving it below 20 miles will damage the catalytic Converter on your BMW. (This is a very expensive and important part of your BMW)

Last but not least: Do NOT let your cars sit on the garage for days. Drive it! BMW has a part called "catalytic convertor" if the car is not used this part WILL eventually damage the whole engine... So at least you should drive your car 3 days a week he says...Again, isn't a car made for driving? :-)

This "catalytic converter" is a very delicate and important part of you BMW. Try not to make it sorry...

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