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      02-10-2011, 11:48 AM   #45
Finnegan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pokeybritches View Post
I like that. I'm going to save it in my bag of quotes.
Yeah, it's not bad is it?

This is a pet peeve of mine. The car is expensive enough to maintain without adding things it doesn't need. These BS services are a huge revenue stream for the dealer as they don't get the same rates for standard "paid" maintenance from BMW as they do when they charge the customer. For example, Inspection I, BMW Corporate pays the dealer about $840 IIRC (I don't have my invoice with me) to perform the service. How much would that be out of the service plan? Well, since initially my dealer thought we were out of the service period, they quoted me almost $1,300 for Inspection I service (that's close to a 500 dollar difference). As such the dealers always try to make up on the lost revenue by charging for unnecessary services.


That means "flushes". If it's not that, then it's cleaning or other crap items "throttle body cleaning" or "fuel system and injector cleaning" or "nitrogen in tires" or "super polish and wax with a 5 year warranty". If not that, they'll just invent something else that's not on the schedule to ream the customer.
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      02-10-2011, 11:59 AM   #46
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RE: the vert, after driving the coupe (or M roadster) anything else is going to feel sloppy. Just can't get the rigidity needed in most verts to avoid that. Fuel economy sounds about right for that car--in stop and go and with some foot on the pedal now and then turbos eat gas. Open highway and constant speed--it will do a bit better that the ///M due to gearing and a few other tricks (but not that much better--maybe 28 or so, the ///M gets about 21-22 I've found on the highway if you keep it under 75). Basically, stop and go is simply hell on MPG unless you're in a Prius. Best thing to do is, like you said, fix your commute.
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      02-10-2011, 12:11 PM   #47
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The M roadster is surprisingly rigid, but that's been beaten to death in other threads. I've only driven a coupe once, and it was before I owned the roadster so I can't compare.

That's good info on the price difference of Inspection 1. I knew dealerships were paid more for work out of warranty, but I didn't realize it was that much more. I wonder if that's why SoCal dealerships are the worst. Areas with a high cost of living have to pay their mechanics more money, and therefore they charge more per hour of labor. If BMW authorizes a standardized amount for each service independent of the area's cost of living, dealerships in more expensive areas are going to be the most hesitant to do work under warranty, while dealerships in rural areas thrive on the standardized amount. And all this time I thought rural dealerships were more knowledgeable and willing to help out because hicks are good with cars .
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      02-10-2011, 12:41 PM   #48
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I don't know if BMW Corporate's reimbursement has a regional/zone adjustment factor. If it doesn't, then like you say, this would explain a lot (outside of the "rural knowledge factor" ). But given they're German and like procedures and structure, you'd kind of think they might account for the cost of living and salary differences and have some base rate and a zone multiplier that would create regional rates.

Who know? In any case, it does point to a lower reimbursement rate than work done outside of the maintenance plan, and that provides motivation for the dealership to push things.

I wonder if the SAs are measured on the number of "flushes" they collect per customer. "Bob, we have to fire you, your flush rate has been too low the past two months." Adding on extras (warranties) at places like Socket Circus and other electronics stores is a common practice and sales people that fail to sell the required percentage of "extras" are summarily dismissed. I would not be suprised at all if the larger "AutoMaul" type dealerships have these policies in place, nor would I be surprised if other types of dealerships have similar plans in place as well. The amount of fleecing potential that the consumer faces today is quite daunting. Caveat emptor.
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      02-10-2011, 03:27 PM   #49
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Alright so got the car back. Well. They didn't fix the rotors (again) and couldn't find the squeal coming from the right rear. They programmed the three-blink blinkers but apparently forgot to program the door locks at 5mph. Oh well.
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      02-10-2011, 05:10 PM   #50
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Sorry not a great pic but here is one of the rear rotors. It is worn with a visible lip and when you run your finger over the surface, it is uneven. There is a squeal from the right rear and I noticed the right rear rotor seems to be the most worn.

I was told at the last service visit that the sound was coming from the rotor but that it cannot be replaced since it was not at a minimum thickness. This dealer told me they were unable to hear the squeal the entire time the car was at the dealer (which I find unusual since it happens pretty much every time the car comes to a stop). They also told me that it is BMW's policy that they cannot replace the rotor unless the pad is at a minimum thickness.
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      02-10-2011, 06:55 PM   #51
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My fronts have a huge lip. Unless the rotor is at minimum thickness or the pad sensor has been activated, they won't change them.
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      02-11-2011, 09:21 AM   #52
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My rotors have a lip too. My brakes still perform fine though and dont squeal or anything.
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      04-14-2011, 02:48 PM   #53
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My CHECK ENGINE SOON light came on just a few days ago....I only drive 5 miles to the public transit park/ride location, so I watched for any signs of temperature, timing, cylinder mis-fire, etc, etc over the past 48 hours....emailed my SA at Bellevue BMW in the Seattle area....he said ck the gas cap....it wasn't loose....filled w/gas that day....ensured the cap was seated correctly....

Started the Roadster this morning....the light went out.

One of the posts states that after appx 6-8 on/off cycles, the light can clear itself....it did.

I notified my SA and we both agree that if it re-appears, the Roadster will be in for diagnostics.
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      04-15-2011, 08:22 AM   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pokeybritches View Post
My fronts have a huge lip. Unless the rotor is at minimum thickness or the pad sensor has been activated, they won't change them.
It's even worse than that. My service advisor told me that even if the rotor is less than minimum thickness, unless the pad sensor is activated, they will not replace the rotors. I bought a CPO 530i several years ago and this was the situation with the car when I brought it home. The rotors were below minimum thickness and the pads just barely had enough material so as to not set off the sensor. So much for the "CPO inspection".
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