It takes a lot of time and effort to keep a luxury car looking fantastic and running smoothly.  When spring rolls around and the winter months have passed, it’s time to get down and dirty and get your vehicle for the warm and sunny seasons.  You should look at several areas when performing maintenance on your BMW:

The Interior

• More than likely the carpet and flooring in your BMW is subjected to lots of water and salt throughout the winter; therefore, rust may be forming in places you can’t even see, such as below your car’s carpet. A high quality rug/carpeting shampoo will help you to remove any salt and/or grime from your BMW’s carpet fibers. Don’t forget to clean and freshen up the car’s upholstery too.
• Clean any vinyl in the car with a vinyl cleansing product to help fight against any drying, flaking, or cracking.
• Scrub and shine your BMW’s windows, both inside and out, to increase the driver’s visibility.

Under the Hood

• Switch out your BMW’s engine oil & filter if it is needed (you should do this around every 3 months).
• Get a thorough tune-up from a professional BMW maintenance shop if necessary (check your BMW owner’s manual to see the frequency at which you should get a tune up).
• Look at and inspect the cooling system hoses for leaks, switch out engine coolant fluid if needed, and check drive belts for cracks or splits.
• Have a professional test your antifreeze. This prevents your coolant from boiling in the summer.

Check Your Tires

• Check the pressure of your BMW’s tires. Changes in temperature (even the change from winter to spring) can affect it. Having good pressure in your tires will give you the best gas mileage and save your tires from any wear & tear!
• Make sure your tires are in good condition. Over the winter season, did they sustain any damage? Do you see anything visibly wrong with the tires such as any cuts or places of over-inflation (bulges) in the side walls? If so, visit a professional maintenance shop and have them checked.

As spring is upon us, take note of these spring maintenance tips for your BMW and head outdoors and take a look at your car!  If you are in need of a professional shop, contact Carmine’s Import Service for the highest quality in BMW repairs and maintenance!

It’s the time of year when you can really start to take care of your German masterpiece, your Audi.  With the warm weather, you can get out in the sun and give your car a good wash or even take a look at a few thing to keep it in good working order.  If you’re an Audi owner, then take note of these extremely useful spring repair and maintenance tips:

• Fuel Injector Flush – One very useful maintenance tip that will undoubtedly help your Audi to function at it’s peak is a flush of its fuel injector.  Cleaning these parts may in fact even help you get better milage!  One quick maintenance task for double the rewards!
• Cooling System Flush – A cool engine means that your car will run more efficiently.  So, to maintain a cool engine, it is necessary to change out your Audi’s engine coolant fluid on a regular basis!  What better time than spring 2012?
• Brake Fluid – Brakes keep you and other drivers safe on the road.  To make sure that your brakes never fail you, you need to change out your brake fluid.  Due to the high temperatures that brake fluid is exposed to, most vehicle manufacturers suggest a periodic and regular replacement of the fluid.
• Motor Oil – As teenagers many of us probably heard our parents asking if we had checked the oil in our cars every few months.  Well, they weren’t just blowing hot air, your car needs a change of motor oil on a pretty regular basis to operate properly.  So take advantage of the spring atmosphere and change out your motor oil!

These are four quick and easy spring maintenance tips that are sure to keep your Audi in good working order.  However, if you should run into larger problems, visit Carmine’s import service of the Triad for assistance!

As with any model of car, you need to make sure that you are servicing yours regularly and that it is maintained well. When spring rolls around, we are just creeping out of winter and into warmer weather. This can be hard on a car, and for that reason, we have decided to provide you with some tips for maintaining and servicing your Mercedes Benz this spring.
There are a few elements to your vehicle that you will want to keep an eye on and service frequently to ensure good working order.  Those various aspects include:

• Spark Plugs: The spark plug is an important element in any vehicle, because without it, you are going nowhere.  As far as Mercedes vehicles go, depending on the model you own, you will need to have your spark plug services or replaced every 4-5 years.
• Timing Chains: Many modern timing chains can be expected to last the entire lifespan of a vehicle.  But, there have been some issues with various older models of Mercedes Benz cars.  Therefore, it always best to service this element of your vehicle every few years, just to be sure it is in good working order.
• Coil Springs: The springs are another aspect of your car that should be inspected with some frequency.  You want to make sure that you utilize a professional service for this because springs are hard to look up in a Mercedes parts catalogue, and it is extremely important that should you need to replace your springs that you use the proper part.
• A few other elements that should also be checked on a regular schedule: head gaskets, transmissions, oil capacities, coolant, and the vehicle’s battery.

All of these elements ensure that your Mercedes runs smoothly from day to day and therefore should be looked after on a regular schedule – especially when transitioning into spring from winter.

To have a professional service and take care of your Mercedes in the Triad, contact Carmine’s Import Service today!

Spring is here and that means it’s time to keep a closer eye on your Volkswagen to ensure that it is in good working order.  There are several tips to keep in mind when repairing and performing maintenance on your Volkswagen this spring season.

Here are some of them:

Tip #1: The best way to ensure the overall best performance from your VW is to clean the engine routinely.  A clean engine will run cooler and be less likely to cause premature failure of other parts on the vehicle. This is also a fairly simple job, so it can be done as necessary.

Tip #2: A regular replacement of all lubricants, filters, coolants, and other parts is critical to the performance of your Volkswagen. Sensing and mechanical tolerances have become so tight even slight variations can create drastic performance changes.

Tip #3: Know your Volkswagen’s systems and particular requirements before starting any project. Do not attempt to fix what you don’t understand.  If something is unknown to you, take your vehicle to a trained professional and ask for their assistance.

Tip #4: Keep in mind that all changes and maintenance might not take effect immediately.  If your Volkswagen’s computer is designed to learn and adjust, these updates can take some time to become noticeable.

So, this spring season, keep these tips in mind.  What’s more, you should also take your Volkswagen to a professional such as Carmine’s Import Service for routine tuneups and maintenance.

Carmine’s currently serves Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem, and the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina.

Call us at 336.993.5506 or send us a message today!

This month, Carmine’s Import Service is putting more money in your pocket with service discounts that are sure to please. When you visit our shop in Kernersville for vehicle service, we’ll give you up to $30 off!

• $10 off any service over $100
• $20 off any service over $200
• $30 off any service over $300

These service discount specials are available until Feb. 29th. If your vehicle needs work, bring it to Carmine’s Import Service, your foreign automotive specialists! Contact us online to schedule a service appointment, or give us a call at (336)993-5506.

Any Volvo owner can tell you that their car was a huge investment and that they would do anything to keep it good working order.  That being said, we all know that cars sometimes run into some mechanical problems that can delay our use of them.  Volvos are not immune to this inevitable reality.  So, when an event like this occurs, we are left looking for a solution to repair our Volvo.

Well, seeing as most of us aren’t expert car repairman, we typically seek out help from a professional.  When you’re a Volvo owner, however, you need to go one step further.  You can’t just take your car to any repairperson, you have to find and depend on someone who has experience and knowledge about working on your specific make and model Volvo.  Someone who has driven and worked on Hondas their whole life is probably not your best bet if you want the highest possible quality in the repairs.  Think of it like this: if you are having eye problems, you see an optometrist, not a cardiologist.  The two really aren’t interchangeable, and neither are repairmen.

So the next time that your Volvo has some mechanical issues, you should seek out your local professional who has enough experience working on the type of vehicle you have to make a quality and professional repair.

Carmine’s Import Service of the Triad is your go to service for foreign car repair. They have the experience and professionalism to repair your car the correct way, the first time.  They also have wonderful customer service.  Contact them today by calling 336.993.5506.

Carmine’s Import Service is pleased to offer a rare opportunity to win a free premium home brewing system. The Tassimo Suprema T45 makes you the perfect cup of coffee, espresso, or tea and is a wonderful gift for someone special on Valentine’s Day!

Wondering how you can have a chance to get your hands on this beauty? It’s simple! Leave a comment below in response to this post letting us know you’re interested; be sure to use an e-mail address which we can contact you at. We will select a random winner from the entries and contact you directly if yours is the lucky name! Enter soon, the contest ends Feb 17th!

Also, be sure to check our our service discount deals running through February – get up to $30 off on all service!

*Carmine’s Import Service would like to limit this giveaway to our past and present customers. You must be over 18 to participate in this giveaway. If your comment is not immediately displayed, do not be concerned as all comments are moderated as a precaution against spam.

Keeping your foreign import vehicle in top condition is essential to protect your investment and ensure that it is running efficiently. One of the most affordable and effective ways to do this is with routine oil changes. Giving your engine clean oil will enable to stay well lubricated and protect your most valuable components.

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about how often you should go between oil changes. Some car manufacturers recommend very long intervals between oil changes. This is just a ploy to make their vehicles appear maintenance-free. The truth is that leaving oil in an engine longer than 7500 miles can cause costly damage to today’s advanced engines. Neglecting to change your oil could cost you thousands in repairs and possibly leave you stranded with a car that will not run.

Most of us would love to keep driving our vehicles without having to stop for service. Unfortunately, the nature of an automobile engine makes this impossible. Lubrication of the engine is essential for reducing friction and damaging heat from building up and destroying sensitive parts. General guidelines suggest that you have your conventional oil changed every 3,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first.

Engines using high quality synthetic oil can generally run longer on each oil change, however using synthetic does not necessarily mean that your interval should be drastically lengthened, and the engine manufacturer requirements may vary. High performance engines in many European imports such as BMW and Mercedes using synthetic oil still require a regular oil change every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, and these fine-tuned engines can suffer even greater from delayed service.

You will want to have your oil filter replaced each time your oil is changed as well. A filter is essential for removing solid particles and contaminants, like dust and dirt, from the oil before they damage the engine.  Over the years, the oil filter in most vehicles has been downsized to save cost and space. The traditional “quart-sized” oil filters of the past have been replaced with “pint-sized” filters today.  The smaller filter must be replaced more often because they have less capacity than the older, larger filters. This is why the recommendation for replacement has changed from every other oil change to every 3000 miles.

The good news is that an oil and filter change is a relatively quick service trip. It is often something that can be completed within a few minutes. It is also one of the most affordable routine services available. Considering how important clean oil is to the performance and longevity of your engine, it makes sense to schedule a time every few months to have this service completed by a trained professional.

There is no reason to head to the dealership each time you need an oil change or routine service on your foreign import or luxury vehicle. There are independent shops in most areas that specialize in maintenance and repairs for these cars, trucks and SUVs. Often these independent service centers are less expensive than the dealership with shorter wait times and improved customer service.  All technicians are ASE certified and highly trained at servicing these complex engines.

Schedule an appointment for an oil change with Carmine’s Import Service in Kernersville. We provide expert service and repairs for foreign imports and luxury vehicles in Greensboro, Winston Salem and High Point.

When you purchase a Mercedes-Benz car or SUV, you are getting a luxurious, complex vehicle that will give you many years of pleasure if properly serviced. Don’t trust your vehicle to just anyone. Carmine’s Import Service is the Triad’s premier service provider for Mercedes-Benz and most foreign imports.

If you purchased your Mercedes at a local dealership, your salesperson probably explained the importance of servicing and repairing your vehicle at their facility. While dealerships provide a wide variety of maintenance and repair services, it is not necessary to take your vehicle to the dealership for routine service. Many people prefer to go to a local service provider who offers a high level of customer service. At Carmine’s Import Service, we offer superior workmanship with a high level of customer satisfaction. We even offer a 2year/24K mile warranty against defects and failure on all parts and labor purchased and performed at our facility (some exceptions may apply). This is one of the best warranties in the automotive service industry.

We use only original equipment manufactured (OEM) parts and genuine Mercedes parts so that your vehicle is repaired to industry standards. Stop wasting time at the dealership. Come to Carmine’s Import Service in Kernersville for all of your Mercedes-Benz service and repair needs. We are conveniently located to serve Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point.

Routine maintenance is vital to the performance and longevity of your BMW, but finding a trusted auto repair shop can be a challenge. Consumers typically look for a service center where a trained and professional staff offers maintenance and repair services at an affordable price. Many vehicle owners have discovered that local auto shops, like Carmine’s Import Service, offer distinct advantages over the dealerships.

Listed below are five reasons that consumers are choosing independent shops instead of the dealer for professional service and repairs for their BMW vehicles.

Price: Generally, independent shops tend to be less expensive than dealerships. Most local shops are housed in smaller, less impressive facilities than you will find at a typical dealership. This results in lower overhead costs for the independent business owner. As a result, they are able to charge more competitive prices to their customers.

Customer Service: Most independent shops rely on word of mouth recommendations to generate new business. As a result, they tend to focus strongly on customer satisfaction. Their business depends on repeat customers and referrals so they tend to spend more time making sure their customers are completely satisfied. Some businesses even offer referral programs that award customers for sending their friends and loved ones to the shop.

Location: Repair shops are often more conveniently located than the dealers. There may be dozens of independent facilities on your way to the dealership. It may be more convenient to visit a shop close to your home or office, especially if you need to leave your vehicle for service. Often, these small shops will offer a complimentary shuttle service to their customers.

Personal Relationships: Due to the smaller size of local shops, there are typically fewer technicians for you to get to know. It is much easier to develop a personal relationship with three or four people as opposed to the large number of different people you may encounter at a dealership. You know when you walk in that you will see an employee that you recognize and perhaps have a personal relationship with. This type of personalized service can foster a sense of confidence between the consumer and mechanic. Simply having easier access to a technician at a local shop than those at a dealership means that the consumer can ask questions and get explanations more readily.

Flexibility: Independent facilities tend to hire technicians who are trained to service a wide range of vehicle makes and models. This makes the local shop ideal for families with different car models. Finding one place to service all of the vehicles in the home is more convenient than having to visit multiple dealers for routine maintenance.

It is important to remember that a dealership cannot void the warranty on your new or used vehicle simply because you do not use their facility for maintenance or repair. Consumers should not feel pressure to return to the dealership for routine check-ups simply because of a warranty.

Carmine’s Import Service in Kernersville, NC is the area’s premier independent service center for BMW and other foreign imports. Call us at 336.993.5506 to schedule an appointment.