Daily BMW Distraction - 03/17/2016

The plastic headlight retainer rings on a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc will eventually break at the tabs leaving you with a headlight that flops around in the lens housing. Plastic becomes brittle with time and simply replacing these pieces are now either hard to find or expensive.   The last time I...

Whether buying a new or secondhand alternator, there are two important details worth researching to better understand what you'll be getting. An alternator's primary function is to provide a steady flow of electricity to the vehicle while running, as well as keep the battery topped up on its...

We're very happy to announce that this past week we launched a new blog at fcpeuro.com/blog. We've got a lot to come for this blog, and we're really excited about some new things we're working on, so don't worry, we're definitely not done! We won't be posting to this blog any more but we've also...

I do a lot of window shopping on Craigslist. I actually consider it one of my favorite forms of entertainment. Doing the homework and researching a particular type of car is half of the fun when car shopping (yes, I consider it fun). I have found that certain groups of sellers exist with...

Brake system inspections and component replacement is vital to the safety of your vehicle. For new cars a safety inspection which includes brake system inspection is manditory for your car to be considered road worthy especially if you're buying something with some miles on it like a Volvo S60 or...

When a radiator fails, often the first thing that comes to mind is, "How much is this going to cost me to fix?" Radiators are not cheap components, and often the labor to replace one exceeds the cost of the part, even if you're doing it yourself. (Time is worth money,  even if you're a...

A BMW should be smooth, powerful, comfortable and smell like leather. But what if it's not powerful anymore? What if it smells like burning oil? These are just a few things a new valve cover and gasket can fix. Oil leaks from the valve cover are common on these engines as they age, and the valve...

My 940 was in need of new radius rod bushings. Every time I braked, I would hear a familiar and unnerving clunk. At first, I thought that was part of the character of an old RWD Volvo. But I guess I eventually wisened up to the fact that cars shouldn’t clunk. If they clunk, it’s never good. I...

A question that arises when looking up vehicle parts is the location of the production date. Many online parts reference sites and dealerships ask for the production date along with the model and VIN number when certain items such as a DME or anything which year model specific. I personally went...