Vehicles which have been in the industry for years do not simply just stay the way they have been built since their inception. In fact, most of these vehicles get a little changing with various parts. For example, a Ford vehicle could get some Ford accessories changed or perhaps a little changes done to its body parts.

For this year, the BMW brand is going to unveil the fourth generation of its BMW 3 series at the Detroit Auto Show which is more popularly known as the North American International Auto Show, or the NAIAS. This event would be held this coming January and it would also be the time when the entire motoring world would be able to witness the unveiling of the BMW 3 series. This vehicle is actually a convertible which holds four seats. For the first time, BMW would be offering the industry a convertible that has got a hardtop that is retractable.

The hardtop of the BMW 3 series is made up of lightweight type of steel. It has been created from three pieces for a more efficient flow and use. It has been designed so well so much so that it can be opened and folded in a mere twenty two seconds flat. There is no hassle in opening or closing the hardtop for it has been designed to flow smoothly.

Aside from that, the hardtop of the BMW convertible has also been made so as to lessen the amount of noise that one can hear when cruising through high speeds. The roof has got a platform that is ultra-stiff so much so that the vehicle has got more strength and is more rigid that deters sound to come inside the cabin.

Elegance and being unique. These are two of the main adjectives used to describe the BMW 3 series convertible. It comes with a hood that is not just sleek but is also long. The shoulder line of the convertible is also low to give you that elegant and fashionable kind of look. The rear end has got broad shoulders to offer you the aura of power and prestige.

We have often been told not to judge a book by its cover. But, when it comes to uber cars, it is unavoidable that their outward appearance primarily takes up one’s fancy. In doing so, the vehicle’s engine becomes secondary. It is so with cars from German automaker BMW. Putting the sleek to the car industry, BMW models prove that car science can be sexy.

This, however, is far from saying that BMWs are superficial. If you have a BMW, you get to see what its engine is capable of. You don’t need those so-called in the know to tell you that BMW started out as an aircraft manufacturer. The BMW roundel, representing a white propeller zipping through the blue sky, is testament to the company’s aircraft years between the start of the First World War and the end of the Second World War.

This technology, and its stint during the peace time years that saw BMW dabbling in the production of motorcycles and railway brakes, is crystallized into the first “Ultimate Driving Machine” to roll off the BMW plant in 1960, the highly touted BMW 1500. Billed as powerful compact sedans, early BMW models had it easy searching for identity, thanks to the fixation of 60s car manufacturers on wide-bodied, gas-guzzling vehicles.

Sporting a light build with front disc brakes and four-wheel independent suspension, the BMW 1500 was the first to officially feature the automaker’s “Hofmeister kink,” the rear window line that has been the hallmark of all BMWs since then. It fared well in the market and became instrumental in BMW’s rise from the war rubble.

Proving science can be sexy doesn’t mean that BMW has gone soft on its car production, especially in view of its heyday in aircraft manufacturing. Rolling out one deceptively powerful car after another, BMW shows no sign of going soft. In the early 1990s, BMW teamed up with Rolls-Royce, a car maker on a class of its own, to equip the latter with its car machine technology.

The result was an array of sleek cars that do justice to this some sort of marriage between BMW’s ultimate driving machines and Rolls-Royce luxury sedans. This team-up culminated in the record-breaking Rolls-Royce Phantom, priced at around US$330,000, which ticked in 796 in worldwide sales last year.

Around the same time BMW teamed up with Rolls-Royce, the German automaker began to reap its long-delayed recognition from the world of motoring sports. In 1995, the BMW-designed McLaren F1 dominated the racing circuit in the mid 90s. It won the FIA GT in 1995 and 1996 and the 24 Hours Le Mans in 1995.

Backed by these accomplishments and its legendary history, it is no surprise that BMW along with sophisticated BMW parts is a major player in the uber car market. Simply named in plain alphanumeric combinations like the M3, 528i, BMW models and even BMW parts may not sound as imposing. But, for the few who have heard of its engine roar, you know that looks and names can sometimes be deceiving. BMW has showed that under its pricey hood, there’s the white propeller of its powerful aircraft legacy.

The growth in used car marketplace has been accelerating each year as American’s appetite for leasing new cars outstrips historical trends of purchasing cars with four and five year car loans. The move towards leasing creates a predictable cycle of used cars hitting the market. Most leased cars are returned to the dealer within 24 and 36 months from the origination date of the lease.

The leasing phenomena has changed the dynamics of the used car marketplace by injecting quality pre-owned cars that often have low mileage and excellent service records. Many readers may remember the days when a used car lot looked like a collection of “misfit toys” from the popular animated cartoon movie. Today, a used car dealer strives to find quality low mileage cars with no history of accidents, abuse or stress to the car.

The certified pre-owned (CPO) BMW program is an example of taking the used car buyer seriously. BMW created a certification checklist that all used cars must pass in order to be qualified as a CPO car. If a BMW is still covered by the original warranty and passes the CPO checklist, BMW adds a two year /50,000 mile additional warranty to the original warranty. As I learned about this program, I was amazed to see resulting BMW used car warranty you can get from a BMW dealer.

For example, if you purchased a certified used 2006 BMW 525i with 23,000 miles from an Authorized BMW dealer; there would be approximately 3 years left on the original warranty. The three years is based on the balance of the BMW new car warranty; four years or 50,000 miles.

If you purchase the used BMW 525i from an authorized BMW dealer and they sold the car in the CPO program, you would receive following mileage warranty:

Original Mileage Warranty Remaining: (50,000 – 23,000) = 27,000 miles

Additional Mileage Warranty: 50,000

Total BMW Used Car Mileage Warranty: 77,000

You can drive the car 77,000 miles and still be under the BMW warranty program. If you don’t drive many long distances, you would also have a five year warranty on the car (3 years from balance of original new car warranty + 2 years from CPO certification) so you can rest assured that your used BMW vehicle will deliver many years of driving pleasure.

When buying a BMW used car or any used car, research the warranty programs from each manufacturer. With an ample supply of quality pre-owned BMW cars on the marketplace, it pays to buy the car from an authorized BMW used car dealer. Sellers on popular auction sites may have a slightly better purchase price, but what is the cost of downtime, repairs and service that an additional 50,000 miles could bring to your BMW used car?

In the end, buying a quality BMW used car from a dealer that can stand behind the car and enhance the car with an additional warranty makes the most sense. If you would like to learn more about BMW used cars, you can go to http://www.bmwusedcars.net/