Congratulations! You have officially entered the luxury market and are now the proud owner of an exceptional automotive. Becoming a luxury car owner at Park Place does have its perks, from sales to service, your client experience will be unmatched as our experts take care of your Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus, Volvo, Jaguar, or Bentley, like it’s their very own.
Upkeep can be difficult for any automotive owner, but driving a high-end vehicle means that any lapses in maintenance could be very costly to the performance and lifespan of your luxury automotive, not to mention your wallet.
Here are seven essential tips to keep your luxury vehicle in pristine condition throughout your ownership experience, courtesy of our Park Place experts:
1. Use Your Dealer for Service
Luxury vehicles are expensive vehicles no matter the make. Whether Lexus, Mercedes, or Jaguar, your dealer is extremely knowledgeable about that specific vehicle. Most even require the dealer technicians to have special training and tools to perf
orm maintenance on the high end models.
Tom Kruzel, Service Director at Park Place Lexus Grapevine, says that many times vehicles come through that others have “tried to work on” and it ends up costing the client more money and more time to get the vehicle back in shape. Regular service at the dealership means that the service experts can catch many things, like a leaking water pump, before they become a concern or you need to call a tow truck. If you need to schedule a service appointment with Park Place- it’s easy to do using our online Service Scheduler.
2. Use Factory Parts
Factory parts are worth the investment. Research and development spends enormous amounts of time and money to make your vehicle world class- and that means outfitting the cars with quality parts that are manufacturer specific. You wouldn’t put gasoline in a diesel fuel tank, so why use aftermarket parts made to “look” like factory parts to service your luxury vehicle?
3. Detail Your Car
Cam Mayfield, Service Director at Motorcars Dallas, recommends performing a yearly detail to maintain the new car, luxury look and protect your paint. Not only does this keep your eye-catching vehicle look shiny and new, but it also helps hold the car’s value in case you decide to trade in or sell in the future. Marc Lustig of Infiniti Las Vegas, adds that a waxing every 6 months will further help maintain your vehicles paint.
4. Clean Off Any and All Bird Droppings
After your cars been detailed and waxed, be diligent in cleaning off any and all bird droppings as soon as you can. Bird poop will not only make your luxury vehicle look dirty and ill maintained, but the bird droppings can actually etch into the paint if left sitting.
5. Regularly Inspect the Tires
Tires are the only part of the vehicle that actually touches the road; they affect your vehicles handling, ride, braking, and overall safety. Luxury cars actually have soft compound tires that can be costly to replace, so regular tire maintenance and inspection come highly recommend by all of the Park Place Service Directors.
To maintain optimum performance, tires must have the correct air pressure; tread depth, and balance. Under inflated tires is a leading cause of using excess fuel and straining the engine, adds Rod Moreno of Park Place Lexus. Moving a flat tire is not easy- and for good reason. Checking your tires on a regular basis says Park Place Motorcars Arlington’s Service Director, Jeff Cole, is an important step in protecting your safety and your automotive investment.
Ideally, tire inspections should be performed at least once a month – especially if you drive over potholes and road debris, live in a hot climate, or regularly drive long distances. And if you are planning on taking a long road trip, always inspect your tires for small problems, such as a nail, before it becomes
a more expensive and time-consuming issues.
6. Don’t Forget to Align the Wheels
After you take care of your tires, don’t forget to align the wheels! Wheel alignment should be performed yearly. If your vehicle has impacted any kind of road hazard, get it aligned as soon as possible. When your wheels are out of alignment, your tires can wear unevenly and your vehicle might not handle the road safely. Remember- new tires can be expensive- so follow recommended tire maintenance routines to save money and keep you safe.
7. Keep a Battery Tender
Vince Knighton, Service Director of the Park Place Premier Collection, recommends keeping the vehicle on a battery tender if it will sit for a long period of time. If they are not maintained, and you do decide to take your Bentley or Rolls Royce out for a spin, the battery will go flat and you will be left stranded.