BMW Repair Portland
MINI Repair Portland

I had a dream last night, or was it this morning, about people getting arrested for drunk driving after holiday parties. Yeah, it was kinda depressing. Statistics went flying by, but the one I can remember, and I seldom remember my dreams, was $10,000. Ten grand is what people have told me they’ve spent on their DUI odyssey. That’s inclusive of fines, court costs, diversion programs, attorney’s fees, etc. Ten grand is a lot of money. We all know better, we know not to drink and drive, yet people do it daily. As human beings, we have a remarkable capacity for engaging in behaviors that are against our self-interest, and this certainly qualifies as one.  Please think about it before you start drinking this year. What’s the strategy? In a world of ridesharing options, there are a few worth considering. Make a plan, because having that ignition interlock, if you get to have one while retaining your driving privileges, is going to be a big dr ... read more

The season of rain, and sometimes snow, is upon us here in the Pacific Northwest, and with it comes an increase in vehicle crashes. While we cannot control the behavior of others, we can control our own, and utilizing safe driving practices is one. Stopping distances increase on slippery surfaces, so leave more room than you might normally between your car and the one in front of you. Yes, people might (will) cut in front of you into that extra space, it happens to me all of the time. Don’t let those less-than-safe behaviors get to you, and drop back a few more feet after it happens. I’ve spent a bit of time in auto wrecking yards searching for no longer available parts for old BMWs, and with few exceptions, every BMW and MINI I’ve seen had front-end damage. In other words, their career on the road was ended because their driver drove it into something else, often another car. By allowing greater distance between your car and the on ... read more

We’ve seen many images of flooding and flooded cars on the news recently. This year it’s Hurricane Florence making the headlines, last year it was Harvey. In previous years it is been Ike, Sandy, and Katrina. All of these storms have destroyed many cars, with one million being attributed to Harvey alone. These cars don’t all go to the crusher, some get cleaned up and resold, especially the more desirable and valuable ones, like BMWs. We know because we’ve seen some of them here at Pacific Motorsports. As people are more aware of flooding, and the damage it causes, in the areas most affected, these flood cars are usually sent away to be sold, to places where flooding may not be a consideration when shopping for a car. How can one protect themselves from unscrupulous, or merely ignorant, sellers flogging a seemingly good looking car? As with any ... read more