Need some advice, my patience is dwindling

[rsquared]

The saga continues, and I need a little input from the experts on the board. So, I'm nearing the end of the 6th week of my car being in the shop from being rear-ended (and subsequently being pushed into the back of another car). The other guy was at fault, and fortunately had insurance, so his insurance has been hit with the bill. I've been patient, and thought I could see light at the end of the tunnel.
The dealership where I purchased the car a little over 6 months ago doesn't have a body shop on site, so I'm using the shop that they use for their body work. One of the things that I asked them to be sure to check was that the top functioned correctly. According to the shop, the top will close properly, but they get some kind of error code when trying to open it. My first thought was that maybe when they were re-assembling the trunk components that they'd not gotten something back in correctly, because I thought I'd remembered reading about someone having this problem. This afternoon I get a call from the body shop saying that it might be some kind of sensor in the windshield, and that if that was the case, “I'd have to fight it out with the insurance company, because they probably won't cover it.” I told her that the top was functioning perfectly prior to the accident, and that obviously the problem was due to something that happened during the impact.
Then I called the dealership to get the SA's take on it. I also told him that the car was functioning perfectly before the accident, and that I didn't see that it could be a coincidence that the top would stop working and it not be attributed to the accident. He was pretty non-committal about it, and when I mentioned that even if they somehow decide that by some fluke it wasn't due to the accident, the car only has 18,000 miles and is covered under CPO warranty, he said they'd have to see if the part was covered by warranty. WHAT?!?!?!
I really need some advice on how to handle this situation. Any ideas?

[bhoch]

Personally, I would believe that if your in an accident your car should be fixed to YOUR satisfaction, not the dealership, bodyshop or insurance agency. It's why they are called accidents. Stupid stuff happens. If they cannot do that, I would take it up with the insurance compay and BMWNA.

[Shipkiller]

They probably knocked the arm off the micro-switch in the trunk.

With that switch OOC, the top will go up and lock but will not unlock and go down.

It's a $35.00 switch and take 15min to replace.

[-c-]

also one thing i found out is, all convertable tops and components of the convertable tops are not covered under the CPO warranty, it acually states that in the CPO booklet.

so basically if your top goes during your CPO warranty you are left with the bill.


really gives you confidence in the convertable roofs doent it!

[Shipkiller]

Some pictures of the switch:

In the first picture with the top out of my car, you can see the switch in the center of the rear firewall.







This picture is of the switch without the arm attached.

[rsquared]

Thanks so much, Shipkiller. Given the circumstances, this makes a lot of sense. And -c- ...YIKES! I wasn't aware of the exclusion of top issues for CPO.
I'll make this suggestion to the SA tomorrow. I'm sure it'll blow his mind coming from me

[Hawkeye]

Hopefully that is it. Although this forum doing the dealerships job for them is kind of pathetic... oh well, come to expect it actually. Same thing when I had a control arm issue last year... they had no idea and on the 4th visit I told them exactly what it was again (from a member here) and it turned out to be the case.

[pokeybritches]

This forum has done the dealership's job many, many times. I had to argue with them that the center console light is not supposed to be on at all times, even with the door closed... and point them to the tab. "After further inspection, we discovered _____."

Shipkiller - thanks for the pictures.

[rsquared]

So, I called the SA this morning to ask him to check the micro switch. My suggestion was promptly dismissed. He said that it could be anything, but he doubted that this was the problem. I laughed, because the thought of me giving advice on anything automotive really is funny, and thanked him for humoring me.
Fast forward to this afternoon... I got a call from the body shop. They had kept the car there and worked on trying to find out the problem. Guess what? It was the micro switch! So, they've ordered a new one and it's supposed to be ready to pick up Monday afternoon. Thanks again, everyone!

[Finnegan]

Yeah, typical response from another incompetent and arrogant SA.

Once again this forum has come to the rescue!

I cringe to think what it would be like without this valuable resource.

[Shipkiller]

Just remember in all troubleshooting. ALWAYS go to that last place you touched.....

[Nhopkins1394]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Yeah, typical response from another incompetent and arrogant SA.

Once again this forum has come to the rescue!

I cringe to think what it would be like without this valuable resource.

Yes, I am learning that. A lot of folks with a lot of great experience very willing to share it in a supportive non-arrogant manner!

[JCz04Bimmer]

Originally Posted by rsquared

Guess what? It was the micro switch! So, they've ordered a new one and it's supposed to be ready to pick up Monday afternoon. Thanks again, everyone!

You should really give it to the SA, honestly, and write a quick letter to the Service Manager of the dealership. These SA's are constantly getting away with inexcusable arrogance and close-mindedness. For whatever reason, so many SA's forget that they don't have nearly enough technical experience or knowledge to dismiss any ideas you may have... let alone ones that actually make sense. SA's often need to be reminded from time to time that their job is on the customer service, not mechanical, side of the equation. They get too used to functioning as "filters" for the "typical customer" that they forget how to be competent when someone with some knowledge is sitting in front of them.

[rsquared]

JC, I'm pretty sure the fact that I'm a girl played into his attitude. Frankly, if it weren't for this board, I wouldn't have known what a micro switch even was . The information shared by those on here is amazing. I understand thate SAs probably deal with a lot of customers with theories, but you're right-- they should not be dismissive of the customers.

[-c-]

yea my service adviser used to gloat that he made 75 or 80k a year and felt above others,(never understood how that makes you abouve or smarter than others) he used to work at a Lexus dealer and would occasionally bash BMW for quality compared to Lexus and just looked at him and chuckled and said he just doesn’t get it! overpriced re-badged Toyotas, bmw's a bmw is what I say.

He has since been removed due to people complaining of his attitude toward customers so all is right with the world again, at least in my dealer that I go to.

They..... at least some, for some reason think that all BMW owners are unskilled in what makes a car work, or that for some reason they are smarter than us, yet when I tell them that I design these things and build them from the ground up for a living they look at me like a dog looks at you when puzzled with their head cocked to the left or right.....so annoying!

[JCz04Bimmer]

Originally Posted by rsquared

JC, I'm pretty sure the fact that I'm a girl played into his attitude. Frankly, if it weren't for this board, I wouldn't have known what a micro switch even was . The information shared by those on here is amazing. I understand thate SAs probably deal with a lot of customers with theories, but you're right-- they should not be dismissive of the customers.

Unfortunately, given your gender, that'll do it! Sad, but true.

The SAs certainly do deal with a lot of completely clueless customers but they ought to be trained more adequately to identify a customer that isn't clueless. Case in point, the first SA I dealt with at the dealership I go to insisted that ignition coils don't go bad in the S54 but it is well established that exactly the opposite is true. He also insisted that pads and rotors are always changed together and that unless the brake light is on the rotors are not in need of replacement. When I told him the sensor is in the pad, not the rotor, he just looked at me like I had two heads. Made a change to a different SA and all is well now. He takes the research I always do before bringing the car in and leverages that information in a way that assists the technicians in the back. He's told me straight up that the information I provide greatly reduces the troubleshooting they need to do on my car because they know where to start looking and/or how to more quickly replicate the issue. The difference between a good and bad SA is shocking.

Either way, glad it all worked out. And don't let them ever use that female factor! Such BS.