How to Buy a Car in Europe for the Military

Buying an American Car while stationed in Europe
1. You can buy a U.S. brand through the Military Advantage Program, which offers Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Harley-Davidson and Buell vehicles. You can customize a car through the Military Advantage Program, and military personnel are given rebates and low pricing options.
2. Decide how you will pay for the car. Dealers at the Military Advantage Program will work directly with your lender of choice to secure low rate financing.
3. Decide when and where you want to pick up your car. The Military Advantage Program will deliver to any overseas base or in the United States. If your duty orders change, you can change the location of delivery.
Buying a European Car through the European Delivery Program
4. Decide what brand of car you want. You can choose from Volvo, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.
5. Go the the manufacturers website to find information about their European Delivery Program. The delivery program is for Americans who want to pick up their car directly from the factory in Europe. Two plane tickets, a hotel, and factory tour are the perks of the program. You also get to buy the car at its wholesale price with no dealer fees. The program will ship your car to the United States for free.
6. Decide what model of car you want. Not all models are available through the European Delivery Program.
7. Contact your nearest dealer to enroll in the program and purchase the car.

Continue lendo

The Location of the Fuel Relay on a Mercedes

1. Ensure that the Mercedes-Benz engine is turned off.
2. Examine the rear compartment area on the passenger's side of the trunk area.
3. Unscrew the bolts of the trim panel with a socket wrench. Lift the panel off and set the component aside. The fuel pump relay will be mounted in the fenderwell, identifiable as a black rectangular block similar in appearance to a wall cell phone charger.

Continue lendo

How to Change the Transmission Fluid on a ML430 Benz

1. Park the ML430 on a flat surface and make sure the engine is cool. If the car has been driven recently, wait at least 30 minutes for the heat to dissipate. Raise the car on jack stands to reach the underside of the engine more easily. Slide under the car and locate the transmission drain pan. It is a large, metal tank held with eight bolts beneath the middle of the engine.
2. Place a collection pan beneath the drain pan. Use the 1/2-inch socket wrench to remove all but one bolt on the drain pan. Wait 10 to 15 minutes for the fluid to drain into the collection pan. When it stops spilling from the side, place one hand on the drain pan and remove the final bolt. Lower the pan and pour the remaining fluid into the collection pan. Wash out the drain pan and bolts.
3. Remove the transmission filter under the drain pan with the 3/8-inch socket wrench. Attach the new transmission filter with the same bolts removed from the old one. Reattach the drain pan and lower the car from the jack stands.
4. Pop the engine hood by pulling the hood-release lever underneath the steering panel. Locate the yellow transmission dipstick above the drain pan. Pull it out and place a funnel into the tube. Pour in three quarts of five-speed transmission fluid. Replace the dipstick and close the engine hood.
5. Pour the used transmission fluid into a leak-proof container and take it to a recycling center. Many auto repair and auto parts shops also accept used car fluids.

Continue lendo

DIY: 2003 BMW 530i Lights

Halogen Headlights, Parking and Standing Lamps
1. Turn off the engine on your 2003 BMW 530i if it is running. Put on the gloves and open the hood.
2. Turn the outer bulb holder to the left to remove the low-beam headlight. Turn the inner bulb holder to the left to remove the high-beam bulb.
3. Pull the bulb out of the socket and install a new H7 bulb in its place.
4. Reinstall the bulb holder to its initial position and close the hood.
Front Turn Signals
5. Turn off the car engine if it is running. Put on the gloves and open the hood.
6. Turn the turn-signal bulb holder to the left to remove it. The turn-signal bulb holder is the smaller of the three bulb holders on the headlight assembly.
7. Apply slight pressure to the bulb while rotating it counterclockwise to remove it.
8. Install a new PY 21W bulb in the holder and place the holder back in the assembly. Rotate clockwise to secure it. Close the hood.
Side-Mounted Turn Signals
9. Turn off the engine if it is running and put on the gloves. Push against the top edge of the assembly with your finger. Pull it to the rear to release it.
10. Rotate the assembly counterclockwise to remove it.
11. Pull the bulb out of the assembly and install a new W 5 W bulb in its place.
12. Place the assembly back into the vehicle and snap it into place.
Tail Lamps
13. Turn off the engine if it is running. Put on the gloves and open the trunk. You will notice four lamps on the tail-lamp assembly: the turn signal lamps, tail lamps, brake lamps and backup lamps.
14. Remove the carpet from the trunk if your vehicle comes equipped with one. This will reveal the tail-lamp assembly.
15. Remove the desired bulb holder. The top lamp is the turn signal lamp, the middle lamp is the tail lamp, the bottom lamp is the brake lamp and the bottom corner lamp is the backup lamp.
16. Remove the bulb from the holder and install a new bulb. The backup lamps use W 16 W bulbs. The other lamps use P 21 W bulbs.
17. Place the holder back into the tail-lamp assembly and reattach the carpet, if one is installed Close the trunk and then close the hood.

Continue lendo

How to Use My Phone With My Mercedes

Blue-Tooth Technology
1. Determine whether or not your cell phone has blue-tooth capabilities. You can find out by asking the sales representative or looking in the owner's manual. Turn your blue-tooth function on, by following the specific directions for your particular cell phone.
2. Verify your particular Mercedes has blue-tooth, by contacting your local Mercedes dealer. Not all Mercedes models have blue-tooth technology. Depending on the year, model and trim level you may or may not have this feature.
3. Turn your Mercedes' blue-tooth technology on, if you have this feature. Both the cell phone and vehicle will connect together at this time. All calls will go through the speakers of your Mercedes. If you are listening to music and the phone begins to ring, the music will subside, and you will hear the ringing through the speakers. Once you answer the phone, you will be able to talk hands-free.
Auxiliary Connection
4. Verify your particular Mercedes has an auxiliary port. Most of the time the auxiliary port is marked as 'AUX' and is located near the stereo controls. Again, not all Mercedes models come with this feature.
5. Purchase an auxiliary cable compatible with your particular phone. For example, if you have an iPhone, ask the sales representative to show you the cable which allows you to link your phone into the AUX port in your Mercedes. These cables are usually around $15 at stores such as Best Buy.
6. Insert one end of the AUX cable into the phone and the other end into the AUX port in your Mercedes. Once the phone is connected, you will be able to make calls as usual but talk hands-free and listen to music from your phone through your car stereo. According to Naked Cell Phone, using an auxiliary cable provides static-free sound because of the direct cord connection to your stereo, providing the best sound quality.

Continue lendo

How to Replace Car Tires

1.
Before you run to the tire store and buy a new set of tires, first determine if you need to replace your tires. A tire is normally deemed unsafe to drive on if the tread depth is 2/32 of an inch or less (a new tire usually has 10/32). A quick way to check this is to invert a penny and place it in the tread of the tire. If you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln's head, the tires need replaced.New research has recommended doing this test with a quarter instead of a penny. Your tires will be replaced sooner, but you will be able to stop quicker on wet pavement.
2.
Once you have determined that you need new tires, you need to find out what size tire you need. The sidewall of your current tires should have the size printed on it; however, I would not recommend using this information, unless you purchased your vehicle brand new. Any previous owners of your vehicle may have purchased the wrong size tire. You can find the correct size on the tire placard. Depending on the car, you may find this information on the vehicle door edge, door post, glove box door, or fuel door. The size will look like P###/##R##. For example, my vehicle's tire size is P205/65R15.
3.
As you begin looking for tires, you will find that there are many types and styles of tires. When you buy tires, try to buy tires that match your needs. M&S or Mud and Snow tires are the most popular and will probably work for most people. There are also winter tires designed for driving in snow, slush, ice, and cold dry highways.If you use your car to tow or haul heavy items, you will want to check the load index of the tire. The larger the number, the more weight the tire can tolerate without performance suffering. Next to the load index will be a letter which represents the Speed Rating. The letters are not in order; however, the lowest rating is a Q which represents a test speed of up to 100 mph. It is NEVER recommended to exceed posted speed limits on the roads you drive.
4.
Other information you may find useful is the tire warranty. Some tires do not have a warranty (like winter tires and some high performance tires). In general, touring tires will have a higher tread life warranty. The reason is because the tires are made of a harder rubber and do not wear away as quickly. Since they are made of a harder rubber, though, some performance is lost for cornering and wet weather traction is also sacrificed.If you have a warranty claim, you will pay a prorated price for your next set of tires based on how long your old tires lasted compared to how long they were expected to last.
5.
Finally, consider the look of the tire. Personally, I like an all black tire. Some people like tires with a white wall. Other people like raised white letters on their tires. When shopping for tires, be sure to select a tire style that fits you and your car's personality. Be aware that some tires can be mounted in more than one way. For example, a tire with raised white letters may be able to be installed so that the lettering is towards the vehicle showing a smooth black tire towards the outside.

Continue lendo

How to AUX Input to a 2003 BMW 325I

1. Use a wrench to loosen and remove the negative battery terminal. This ensures that no electricity is going to the stereo system while you are working.
2. Use the trim removal tool to pry the trim away from the dash, starting with the area above the glovebox. Slowly work your way toward the trim above the stereo. Remove the trim piece. If you do not have a trim removal tool, wrap electrical tape around the tip of a flat-head screwdriver to remove the trim.
3. Pry up and remove the trim piece above the stereo.
4. Remove the screws on each side of the stereo using the screwdriver, then pull the stereo out from the dash.
5. Press the tab to release the large black connector and remove it from the back of the stereo.
6. Press a flat-head screwdriver against the blue tab on the connector and pry it upward to release the smaller connectors.
7. Insert the gray connector from the "AUX" input kit into the empty portion of the black connector, then replace the other connectors and lock the blue tab back into place.
8. Thread the other end of the "AUX" cable into the opening in the dash and down through the back of the dash so that it comes out in the floor area of the passenger side.
9. Insert the stereo back into the dash and replace the two screws, then replace the trim pieces. Reconnect the negative terminal on the battery.
10. Plug one end of the 3.5mm cable into the "AUX" input jack and the other end into your audio device. Turn on the stereo and select “AUX” as the input type. You should now hear the audio from your device coming through the speakers.

Continue lendo

How to Replace the Spark Plug Wires in a Mercedes ML 320

1. Identify the negative battery cable on your Mercedes ML320. Use a wrench to remove the retaining bolt from the battery before you begin switching out the spark plug wires.
2. Choose a spark plug wire and disconnect it from the spark plug by firmly pulling it. Trace the wire back to the coil pack, on its opposite end, and disconnect it by pulling firmly.
3. Connect the new wire by snapping it on to the spark plug and on the coil pack, at the opposite end. Move onto the next wire, and repeat this process until all wires are replaced.
4. Reattach the negative cable to the battery.

Continue lendo

How to Remove Climate Control in a Mercedes 300CE

1. Open the trunk of the 300CE and disconnect the battery with a socket wrench. Remove only the negative terminal.
2. Open the driver's-side door and insert the removal key into the four holes around the climate control unit, making sure the flat side is facing outward when inserting the key. Twist the key to unlock each locking tab.
3. Pull the climate control unit out of the vehicle and disconnect its wiring harness at the rear of the unit. Installation is the reverse of removal.
4. Reconnect the negative battery terminal and close the trunk.

Continue lendo

How to Reset the Oil Change Reminder Light on a 1987 BMW 325is

1. Park the car on level ground and turn off the engine. Turn the key forward one click, starting the electrical systems but not the engine. Open the hood.
2. Locate the 20-pin diagnostic connector on the driver's side of the engine near the intake manifold. The diagnostic connector has a bright red cap. Turn the diagnostic-connector cap counterclockwise until it comes free.
3. Align the recesses in the oil-reset tool with the diagnostic connector pins. Plug it in by pushing straight down.
4. Activate the reset function on the tool by pressing the start button.
5. Check the oil-change reminder light on the dash to confirm the reminder has been reset.

Continue lendo