Enhance Your Winter Driving Experience and Safety

It’s official – winter’s here in Nebraska.

   

After the recent snow, we can’t deny it. Although snow may look pretty, it’s not the most fun to drive in. Star Class Motors can help to make driving your luxury vehicle in the Omaha area this winter a little safer, and maybe even enjoyable.

     

#1. Invest in Snow Tires NOW!

The biggest recommendation we have for enhancing your winter driving experience is to invest in a set of snow tires. Snow tires, also called winter tires, definitely live up to their name – most snow tires claim to cut the distance it takes to stop in snow down to half the distance. This is because they’ve been specifically designed with a softer compound of rubber making them “stickier,” which is good for grabbing cold surfaces. They also have more traction than all-season tires because they have more tread depth. The best part: there isn’t much of a cost difference; they cost about the same as a quality set of all-season tires and they don’t really affect your luxury vehicle’s MPG either. You don’t want to leave them on all year, though; the rubber is much too soft for warm Nebraska summers. Star Class Motors has a tire rotation program in place where we’ll not only switch out your vehicle’s tires, but offer first-come first-serve storage space for the off-season tires when you’re not using them. Our preferred brands of snow tires are the Bridgestone Blizzak, and the Michelin X-Ice, which are the highest rated on the market.

#2. All Wheel Drive (AWD) and Snow Tires

On another note: let’s talk about All Wheel Drive (AWD). There seems to be a bit of confusion on the best use for it, so let us offer some clarity. AWD can be found in many luxury vehicles and can be a great tool when you’re trying to get going on a slick surface or make it through a few inches of snow. The downfall is that it won’t improve your vehicle’s steering or braking. In fact, it can still take a good distance to stop in slick conditions, especially with all-season tires. That’s why, if you ask any of the Star Class Motor techs, they’ll recommend snow tires over AWD any day! And, having both would be even better.

#3. Check Your Wipers and Washer Fluid

In addition, two of the most important details to have up to par are your wiper blades and washer fluid. If you can’t see or have a way to clear your window, you should not be driving! Too often, these details are overlooked until you’re already on the road. In very cold or inclement weather, you should always check your wipers and washer fluid before you hit the road. Check them while you’re still in the driveway or parking space. Don’t just check to make sure they work, though. You should also look for signs of wear like subtle cracking. This could mean that your wipers are getting dried out and won’t work as well as new ones. If you need to replace your wiper blades, Star Class Motors usually recommends Bosch or Trico, but most brands will get the job done. It’s a small expense to change them out, especially if you do it yourself, but the benefits are worth it. Windshield wiper fluid is also important, but beware–don’t necessarily buy the least expensive one on display. Some washer fluids won’t help in colder temperatures and, if you read the fine print, say “Summer Formula.” Look for one that gives a temperature range; Star Class Motors recommends a 30-degree-below formula. Face it, there are few things worse while driving than getting caught in the rain or snow, or having some other vehicle splash your windshield, and not being able to clear it completely.

#4. Check Your Antifreeze

Antifreeze, also known as coolant, is also crucial. It serves three purposes: helps the water stay in liquid form as opposed to boiling over or freezing, lubricates your water pump, and cools down and dissipates the heat made by the engine (where the term “coolant” comes from). Antifreeze is a mixture of propylene glycol and water, and it must remain within a certain ratio to work well. If there is too much water in the tank compared to the amount of propylene glycol, the tank could freeze in cold weather and cause major problems for your engine. Excess water can occur if you’ve recently had a leak fixed or came from a warmer climate, so, checking this is very important. There’s a special tool most shops have, including Star Class Motors, which can measure the amount of water in the coolant system. Keeping your levels up is another area you can DIY. Most stores will sell either premixed, or, if you’re up to it, full strength antifreeze which you can mix with water yourself. Star Class Motors uses Peak Antifreeze because it mixes well with any other type of antifreeze that might already be in your tank.

#5. Wash Off the Road Grime

Another great service Star Class Motors offers, and most don’t think about when it’s cold, is a thorough car wash, including the underbody. In most of the Midwest, the road crews use salt and other road compounds to keep the roads from becoming slick and helping to melt anything frozen. These are great for the roads but not for your luxury vehicle. If not taken care of, it can cause rust. Star Class Motors recommends a weekly car wash, including the underbody, to help maintain your vehicle’s exterior.

#6. Let the Car Warm Up

The final point we’d like to make is one that always seems to be questioned: Is warming up your vehicle important in the winter? The short answer: YES. Warming up your car not only makes it comfortable for you, but helps your car bring the fluids to top running temps; the oil flows better, fittings and plastics will wear more easily, and your car will drive better overall. Just like an athlete wouldn’t compete without warming up, neither should your luxury vehicle. This is especially crucial for BMWs with a crank shaft – driving without warming up first can cause huge problems otherwise.

Star Class Motors wishes you safe travels this holiday season across Nebraska and the Midwest this winter!

Adding More Power Without the Fear of "Heat Soak"

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With the release of the new Dinan dual core intercooler the stage 3 DINANTRONICS Performance Tuner is now becoming available for applicable models. This stage of tune is specifically designed to optimize the intercooler efficiencies. With its main purpose to extend the increased power band throughout the entire boost rev range, not just the upper RPM spectrum as what naturally happens without the tune and just the intercooler. What this means is that a more linear and extended power delivery can be achieved to go along with the dual core intercooler's inherent temperature and pressure advantages.

We here at Star Class Motors are proud to offer Dinan performance solutions. At Dinan their passion for both BMWs and BMW parts is evident in their dedication to designing and producing the most innovative and performance driven BMW aftermarket parts on the market. Serious enthusiasts turn to Dinan because they appreciate their ability to make BMW performance upgrades that outperform the rest of the BMW aftermarket industry. When customers want performance they turn to Dinan first.

Contact Dane at (402) 932-7827 or by email here for more information or ordering details.

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DINANTRONICS Performance Tuner for the F22 / F23 M235i, F30 / F34 335i (w/ MPPK, Auto Trans.) & F32 / F36 435i (w/ MPPK, Auto Trans.)

(ONLY applicable to cars equipped with an electronic waste gate.)Install Time: 1.5 hrs

BMW Factory Ratings: 320 HP, 330 lb-ft torque (326 HP, 379 lb-ft Measured)

With DINANTRONICS Tuner, Dinan Exhaust, CAI, and Dual Intercooler: 399 HP, 455 lb-ft torque

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DINANTRONICS Performance Tuner for the F30 / F34 335i (w/ MPPK, Manual Trans.) & F32 / F36 435i (w/ MPPK, Manual Trans.)

(ONLY applicable to cars equipped with an electronic wastegate.Install Time: 1.5 hrs

BMW Factory Ratings: 320 HP, 317 lb-ft torque (327 HP, 353 lb-ft Measured)

With DINANTRONICS Tuner, Dinan Exhaust, CAI, and Dual Intercooler: 401 HP, 436 lb-ft torque

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DINANTRONICS Performance Tuner Description

The DINANTRONICS Performance Tuner is a highly engineered and sophisticated piece of computer hardware and software that enhances engine performance, without negating or voiding your new car warranty coverage and without affecting long term reliability or the functionality of on-board diagnostic systems. It is also the only tuning device designed to be emissions legal in all fifty states. The ultimate objective of developing this piece of technology was to provide the ability to control every signal entering and exiting the BMW factory Engine Control Unit. These items are unique to Dinan and together they embody the apex of performance engineering in a powerful, reliable, and warrantied package.

Contact Dane at (402) 932-7827 or by email here for more information or ordering details.

F8X M3/M4 Exhaust Comparison - Stock vs. Dinan Free Flow Exhaust

Dinan’s Free Flow exhaust system features 100% stainless steel construction measured to exact specifications to ensure proper fit via factory hangers and mounting points. Dyno tuned for maximum exhaust flow with minimum backpressure, this system is designed to provide a more aggressive sound under acceleration, while reducing drone inside the vehicle, thanks to computer controlled valves that limit noise during low speed driving and open fully during high-load conditions to allow free flow. The exhaust gasses exit through larger laser engraved polished quad tips.

Every Dinan® product comes with industry exclusive factory matching new car bumper to bumper warranty and is designed and tested in Morgan Hill, California and can be purchased and installed at Star Class Motors, an authorized Dinan Performance Center.

Star Class Motors' Sales Program

If you’ve been dreaming of owning a certain European luxury performance vehicle, look to Star Class Motors’ pre-owned vehicle sales program to help make that dream a reality. Star Class Motors offers a better option in the Omaha area for finding that special car you’ve been looking for. Besides choosing from European luxury automobile brands like Audi, BMW, and Jaguar, every pre-owned vehicle we buy meets a long list of quality standards– because we consider quality to be of the utmost importance in everything we do. So, when you purchase a pre-owned European luxury vehicle from us, you know you’re still getting the very best. First of all, we never buy any pre-owned vehicle with a salvage title or history of an accident. That should go without saying, but we just wanted to be clear. The pre-owned vehicles we sell will have never had and body work done or any other major repairs. We’ll also never buy a pre-owned vehicle that was owned by a smoker. You can never truly get rid of the odor– there are only temporary fixes, and we know how to spot those. The bottom line is, we’re not afraid to turn away from a pre-owned vehicle purchase because the car isn’t something we’d personally want to drive.

Star Class Motors’ sales program usually looks for late model, European luxury performance vehicles that have low mileage, a sign that the car was well cared for. Although we mostly find those vehicles at auctions, the ones we purchase are typically lease-returned vehicles or executive demos. When we buy from private party sellers, it’s usually because we’ve already established a relationship with the vehicle’s owner and know the car’s history because we’ve been servicing it.

Once a European luxury performance vehicle meets the Star Class Motors quality standards, we do a full tune up. All service work is done on site by our factory trained and certified technicians. These passionate professionals treat every pre-owned luxury performance vehicle as if it were their own. No vehicle is sold until it has been uniquely cared for by them.

Our service doesn’t stop after the sale either. Our customers understand the heart we put into the vehicles and trust our trained technicians to handle their ongoing maintenance needs. We aim to keep our customers for life so we keep up with the latest advancements among the European luxury auto brands. For example, Star Class Motors became an authorized Dinan Performance Center.

Buying a car from Star Class Motors isn’t like buying from any Omaha auto dealership. We don’t accept all trades, and we keep our inventory and margins low. We’re a small, quality-focused business, and therefore, we’re able to offer a more personalized experience. For example, all of our employees are available to answer questions, you can even talk to the person turning the wrench on your vehicle! Our ultimate goal is that our customers will see how well their vehicle was cared for before they purchased it, and that they’ll continue to use us for their ongoing maintenance after the sale.

Bottom line– you’ll have greater peace of mind when you purchase a pre-owned European luxury performance vehicle from Star Class Motors.

The secrets every used car dealership doesn’t want you to know

When it comes to buying a pre-owned European luxury performance vehicle, or any pre-owned vehicle for that matter, there are certain things most dealerships won’t come right out and tell you. We don’t play by those rules, so read on, because we’ve got some insight to share. The Star Class Motors pre-owned vehicle sales program has some seriously high quality standards when they look at purchasing vehicles, and you should too. Here are the things you should be aware of:

CarFax

For starters, CarFax shouldn’t make your final decision. Although CarFax is able to give a list of repairs and accidents, it can only show you what’s been reported. (Got a buddy who does custom paint jobs?) Any repairs that were done personally or “off the books” won’t show up on a CarFax report, and it happens more often than you’d think. We’ve seen for ourselves plenty of cars that had clean CarFax reports, but weren’t even close to any one of our quality standards. Reputable repair shops and dealerships will report all incidents of service and repair they preform, but without a trained eye, they might miss repairs done by others if they aren’t on the CarFax report.

Paint quality

When Star Class Motors’ sales department looks to purchase a pre-owned vehicle, they start by walking around the vehicle, looking at it from different angles. One easier item to pay attention to is paint color and quality matching. When you open the doors, hood, and trunk, if you see evidence of a lot of sanding, scratches, or the two sections look mismatched (like the hood and the front bumper), body work was most likely done to the vehicle. Besides color, also pay attention to the texture of the paint. No paint job, even a factory paint job, is perfectly smooth, but will have its own “orange peel” type texture. You can check this by running your hands along the panels to see if the texture doesn’t feel the same. At certain angles you can also see the texture and notice the change where body work was done.

Obvious signs of repair work

Along with paint texture, check all of the seams where sections of the vehicle’s body meet. For instance, check to make sure that the bumper edge lines up perfectly with the rear side panels. If anything looks even the slightest bit mismatched or out of line, the bumper was most likely replaced at one point. (And if that repair isn’t on the CarFax report, walk away!) Also check to see if any bolts have been painted over or the paint’s been broken, and what condition they’re in. For instance, if the underside of the body looks its age, but you notice some bright shiny bolts or other hardware, beware. If you see something that is visually inconsistent with the rest of the car, you’ll know that work was done there.

Tires and routine maintenance

You also want to make sure the previous owner kept up with routine maintenance on the vehicle. One of the best ways to gauge this is to check the tire tread. All 4 tires should have the same depth of tread. The brands and models should match, too. Also check to see if the hub caps and rims have any curb rash- a sign that the tire alignment and balance may be out of whack. It’s also a sign that the previous owner may not have been the most careful of drivers, which should make you wonder about how well the vehicle was cared for overall.

Oooh Shiny!

Just because it’s shiny, doesn’t mean it’s clean. Some dealerships will apply a silicone dressing to help the vehicle look shiny and clean, and in better shape than it actually is. If you run your hand along any part of the car, inside or out, and it feels greasy, it may not have been cleaned properly. If that’s the case, take it a step further and examine the texture and grain of the upholstery or leather more closely. Look for scratches or worn spots that may have been easily masked by the silicone. Make sure to check for any puddles or drips under the vehicle as well.

Love at first sight

The biggest piece of advice: never become emotionally attached to the vehicle before you have had a chance to see it. One of Star Class Motors’ salesmen had driven to Chicago once for what we thought was a clean luxury vehicle with a clear title. Although the person on the phone had told us this, it was a completely different story when he arrived, and he came home empty handed. Getting attached to a vehicle hinders your ability to make sound decisions. Make sure that you’re able to walk away the first time your gut kicks in as tell you something might be wrong with the vehicle. Never compromise on quality when it comes to buying a previously-owned European luxury performance vehicle.

If you’d like to avoid all of the warning signs when looking for your next pre-owned vehicle, just come to Star Class Motors. Our sales team has already done the quality inspection for you. Buying a car from Star Class Motors isn’t like buying from any Omaha area dealership. Besides what’s listed above, no pre-owned European luxury performance vehicle is sold until it has been uniquely cared for by our factory trained technicians. You’ll always have greater peace of mind when you purchase a pre-owned luxury vehicle from Star Class Motors.

Star Class Motors holds their pre-owned luxury vehicles to a high standard. When we go to auction or have a private party interested in selling, we are very particular.

Expect More From Your Vehicle's Routine Preventative Maintenance

Routine maintenance is recommended for the average car and driver, but you’re nowhere near average. When driving a luxury vehicle, such as an Audi, Mercedes, BMW or Porsche, you expect to have a higher quality driving experience. You know that your luxury vehicle performs at the top of every category, but in order to keep your car running at its very best, you need to ask one question: "How often do I really need to bring my car into the shop?" Think of your top-performing vehicle as a world-class athlete. Consider this: athletes that are known for being the best in their sport work out and practice more than average athletes. They also consult with their doctors and trainers more often too. These athletes know that, in order to remain at the top, they have to go beyond what is recommended because they have higher than average performance expectations. In order to keep a luxury vehicle performing consistently at its best, owners need to be diligent about bringing it in for a checkup more frequently than the manual suggests. How often that is depends on the type of driver you are and the type of relationship you have with your vehicle.

Feel free to talk with us about your driving expectations so we can help you understand the maintenance needs of your vehicle and develop a plan to make sure you get the very best driving experience.

At Star Class Motors, we have the knowledge, tools, and passion for what it takes to ensure a vehicle’s overall health. We differ from the discount service stores because, when you just go in to get the oil changed, that’s all they are going to do, while we will take the time to do a full inspection at a fair price. We want our customers to know that when they purchase a luxury vehicle, we will provide the service a luxury vehicle deserves.

As a small business, we offer a more personal experience with our customers and, we understand you don’t want to go through a chain of employees to know what is happening to your vehicle. At Star Class Motors you have the ability to walk in and speak directly to the guys that are turning the wrenches themselves.

With a love of luxury vehicles, we will always make sure yours is performing at its best.

Star Class Motors is now a Dinan Performance Center

Star Class Motors is proud to announce that it is now an Authorized Dinan Performance Center. As a well established North American premiere BMW tuner, Dinan develops, manufactures and markets a comprehensive line of high performance products and systems. Products are distributed through a nationwide network of Authorized Dinan Performance Centers that include select BMW Dealerships and Independent BMW Service/High Performance facilities.

With a passion for BMWs, Dinan is dedicated in designing and producing the most innovative and performance driven BMW products on the market. With the same mindset as Star Class Motors, Dinan Performance knows that BMW owners view their cars as more than just an everyday vehicle. When customers want top performance in their BMW, they turn to Dinan first, and when customers want the very best in service in the Omaha area, they turn to Star Class Motors.

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Star Class Motors makes top of the line service to its customers its first priority, and by becoming a Dinan Performance Center, Star Class Motors’ customers now have access to Dinan’s expert engineers to ensure the best quality and who outperform the rest of the BMW aftermarket industry. This allows Star Class Motors to differentiate itself from any other luxury performance service center in the area. Dinan Performance has an industry leading warranty program, top quality products, and solid engineering, which has helped it become a household name among BMW driving enthusiasts, which is now available to all of Star Class Motors’ BMW clients.

Every product from Dinan comes with the best warranty in the BMW aftermarket business, with a BMW factory matching 4 year or 50,000-mile new car warranty. This allows Star Class Motors’ BMW owners to have confidence in Dinan upgrades: they proudly stand behind their work and their warranty guarantees that you’ll be happy. In fact, BMW upgrades are the only type of upgrades that Dinan creates. This helps them remain experts in the field, knowing BMWs – quite literally – from the inside out. Customers can now enter Star Class Motors, knowing they are are getting the very best upgrades for their BMW before anyone else.

If you’d like to learn more about Dinan Performance Center, please visit their site here: http://www.dinancars.com/about/

Star Class Motors to Host Their 2nd Annual European Car Show & Shine Event

We are excited to present the 2nd Annual Star Class Motors European Car Show & Shine Event! It will be held Saturday, June 27th, 2015 at Caddy’s Riverside Grille, 2 Harrah’s Blvd., Council Bluffs, IA 51501. Registration for vehicles is free and begins at 9:00 AM with the show beginning at 11:00 AM. The event is open to the public and everyone is invited to come out and enjoy a day of European luxury cars, great food and drinks, and a great time with fellow automotive culture enthusiasts. The show has a European theme but is open to street rods, muscle cars, classic cars, trucks, and specialty vehicles.

All car show participants are welcome to participate and vote in the People’s Choice Award for their favorite vehicle. The winner will be selected later on towards the end of the show.

As we enter into our second year of this event, we hope to have it grow in attendance each year. We are a small business with a love of foreign cars and we’d love to get more people in the area excited about European luxury cars too. Come join us for a wonderful event, it’s one you won’t want to miss!

Pre-register for the event by clicking here

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Star Class Motors Announces New OEM Diagnostic tools for Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche

Purchasing a luxury vehicle such as an Audi, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, or Volkswagen comes with the expectation that you’ll be driving top of the line quality. These vehicles perform at the top of every category— comfort, speed, control, sound, and leave nothing to sacrifice. When you drive a car that meets these high standards, your standards, it inspires confidence in your purchase because you know you are driving the very best. Since you drive a top performing vehicle, you want to keep it that way. We’re not just talking about new tires and oil changes, here. Every now and then, regardless of your driving experience, every baby needs a fine tuning. In order for service shops to provide the level of quality service your vehicle requires, they need to have vehicle specific diagnostic tools. There’s no way around it.

Almost every vehicle built within the last twenty years has a computer linked to a specific part within the automobile. And, what started as placing one computer in a car to understand why the check engine light came on, has since expanded many computers throughout the entire vehicle. The luxury performance vehicles that we service now have hundreds of computers, all connected to different areas of the car. Without brand specific OEM software and diagnostic tools, a service technician can only fix what he can see, and may not have the specific training required to work on your vehicle. You wouldn’t go to a doctor with those credentials, would you? Please don’t send your car to one.

Star Class Motors is proud to announce that we’ve added new OEM diagnostic software for Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche to our ever growing line of European luxury performance vehicles that we service.

As the performance luxury market continues to grow, so do the demands of service shops that have the ability to properly service brands like Audi, Porsche, Mercedes, and so on. Star Class Motors has the tools, training, ability, and desire to service performance luxury vehicles without needing to outsource to the closest dealership. And if you’ve ever brought your car to the dealership for service, you know how it feels to speak with a chain of people who don’t even let you see your car. At Star Class Motors you can walk in and speak directly to the person operating on your vehicle. Plus, every time you bring your car into the shop you are guaranteed a full inspection because we understand how important the meaning of quality is to our customers.

As a small business with a love of foreign cars, we’re not just great at what we do, we’re passionate about performing at the top of our class, just like your car.

Featured Car: 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL600

2004 Mercedes-Benz CL600

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Make: Mercedes-Benz Model: CL600 Owner: Ed Bueno

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This CL600 is performance and luxury defined.

Equally ready for use on the highway or the race track, it features a twin turbo 5.8L V12 coupled to a 5 speed automatic transmission. Ed’s vehicle is further enhanced with upgrades such as fully custom exhaust, high performance air intake system with custom tailored engine and transmission management. The result is more than 500 horsepower to the rear wheels wrapped up in a truly gorgeous package. Special thanks to Ed Bueno for the opportunity to work with this modern day supercar.

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