Mechanic tries to lift BMW on a jack. Then he hears a loud noise because he missed this little-known spot
Every single auto manufacturer engineers its vehicles with their own little quirks. Some sell cars that don't come with full-size spare tires. Others pack them with "donuts," and then there are those that don't come with any at all.
Also, depending on the type of car you drive, you may have to press an in-dash button to pop open the gas cap. Some vehicles don't require this at all.
These are just some basic examples of these disparities. However, there are some car basics virtually all manufacturers embrace. Like the fact that they're made up of four wheels attached to axles and a frame. This means that if you need to get underneath a car, no matter what the brand, you do it pretty much the same way.
You grab a jack, find a stalwart structural point underneath the vehicle, and get to twisting. However, even when it comes to this practice, each brand sports its own peculiarities.
And if you don't take heed of these finer details, you may end up causing severe damage to your vehicle. This is, unfortunately, what happened to a BMW in this TikToker's clip.
The man, @AvtoRazBoi, recorded himself placing a jack beneath a car. He wasn't more careful as to where he placed it, so things didn't turn out so well.
Looks bad for this BMW
The video begins with him using a drill to quickly turn the jack upwards. As he does so, one side of the BMW lifts up into the air. However, it appears that the jack wasn't placed securely on an integral point of the BMW's frame. Rather, it was wedged, at least partially, into a panel of the car's body.
From the onset, it looks like this part of the car is already flexing under the pressure of its own weight. And it doesn't take long for the car to come crashing to the ground, snapping a portion of its body kit from the frame. The vehicle shakes a bit before it ultimately comes to a rest as the mechanic assesses the damage.
So what went wrong? One commenter highlighted a key piece of information all car owners should be cognizant of.
"This is why you need to know Jack points on your vehicle," they wrote.
Jack points are just that: Specific areas where a jack needs to be placed beneath a vehicle. By using these areas, folks can ensure they aren't harming their vehicles while performing maintenance on them. Such as swapping out tires, brake pads, or performing an oil change.
Don't know jack
Moreover, if you plan on performing some DIY vehicle maintenance, life is much easier if folks opt for a more robust jack. The dinky emergency kits that often come with cars aren't made for a speedy lift experience. Additionally, they often aren't graded for that much weight.
Lifting the car up at an angle with one of these jacks could also cause damage to the jack mechanism itself. So placing a car on a very flat surface and being careful whilst lifting it is of the utmost importance. Conversely, jacking a car up on a slope could force commuters into a very scary situation very quickly. So, exercise caution whilst doing so, or try to get your car level ground if possible.
If you plan on purchasing a hydraulic car jack with an extended handle, there are few key factors to keep an eye on. First, make sure you're purchasing one that can handle the weight of the vehicle you own. Even if it's a sedan, the heft of these vehicles may surprise you. For instance, the 2019 Hyundai Ioniq plug-in hybrid comes in at a whopping 3,263 lbs. Due to the vehicle's large rechargeable electric battery, its weight is greater than most would assume.
In this case, purchasing a hydraulic car jack that can handle a weight greater than this amount can ensure it'll actually work.
@avtorazboi
Viewers chastise the mechanic
One user said @AvtoRazorBoi's post is a clear example of the type of work a budget auto tech would perform. "My friend can do it cheaper pov: the friend," they said.
Another was shocked that the mechanic wasn't aware of the specific jack points on the car. "Imagine, owning an BMW and not knowing they made perfectly easy findable jackpoints. You're off by 15 cm," they wrote.
Whereas this TikToker was a bit more gracious with their criticism: "Tbf, the jack points can be very hard to find. But also, they are clearly not on the plastic side skirts."
Another replied with some helpful information, writing, "Brother on the FRAME. The big metal part."
And another said BMW often makes it easy for folks to jack up their cars by clearly indicating correct jack points.
They commented, "The fact that BMW specifically integrate rubber blocks under the car so that you DON'T do this just makes it funnier."
The Daily Dot has reached out to BMW via email and @AvtoRazorBoi via TikTok comment for further information.
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