the OFFICAL bmw assist sucks thread.

[ptack]

Just another lame excuse I say. I was within 30 miles from no less than 3 BMW dealerships and they failed to "assist". I would not be at all surprised if BMW doles out assistance based on the which model car you have. Guess who's at the bottom of that pecking order?

Izzo, I was just up in Vermont too, but not with the 1. We went with the Miyamar ski club so we met their bus in Ramsey. On the way back late on Sunday night I kept hoping that I had remembered where I stored the car keys. Didn't want to be stuck in a parking garage at midnight when it's 2 degrees out. I keep thinking I should get one of those magnetic key boxes to stick under the body somewhere.

[Thud]

Originally Posted by InlineSix

Perhaps because you have the confort access.

One of the better benefits of that package. It's saved me from my own stupidity on a couple of occasions.

One time I kept trying to close the truck and it kept popping open, and I couldn't figure out why, until I discovered that my car keys were in a backpack that I had just thrown into the trunk!

[Year1of1]

OOO OOO OOOO PICK ME PICK ME PICK ME!!!!!

I moved to vermont last month, and of course being the NY driver i am, i found myself going to fast around a turn and then into a ditch!!!

BMW assist took 4 hrs to send a tow truck to pull me out... in the middle of know where w/ my car running in -10 degrees and the heat on so i didnt die freezing... i had to push the button 5 times before in those 4 hrs to get updates... i was furious and cursed everyone out in the end...

i will NEVER get bmw assist again

[schleppcar]

This is really dumb. I actually THOUGHT I had locked the keys in the trunk - turns out I hadn't they were in my office but - I called Roadside Assistance and they transferred me over to Assist. I hadn't set it up yet but after I gave them my PW and VIN they unlocked my car via satellite and I do not have Comfort Access. The girl remained on the phone with me until the car unlocked. Overall - the experience was a positive one.

[ad78]

believe it or not, i tried this afternoon. of course my spare key is on my pocket and my usual key fob is inside the trunk. called bmw assist and the guy asked my PW and VIN and instantly my car unlocked. its really fast.
i dont know what's the fuzz and hard time over here...

[1speedbike]

Doesn't Assist also give you theft-recovery a la LoJack? I think it's worth the money just for that, even if they don't unlock the car or give you shitty wait times. Which apparently only happens in Vermont. Otherwise you'd better hope you left your cell phone on and in the car when it was stolen so the police can track it..

[ad78]

Originally Posted by 1speedbike

Doesn't Assist also give you theft-recovery a la LoJack?..

yeah, you have to make a police report first then call them then they will communicate with the police to locate the vehicle. and also this feature will lessen your insurance cost.

[imported_mega]

this thread made me decide to get AAA

[tbird]

This thread is being named the "OfficIal BMW Assist Thread Sucks" thread. However, it seems to be based solely on an "extreme" example.

I lived in New England, and have been in VT many times. Let me tell you, even finding a Burger King in that state takes a GPS unit and a graduate degree. The state is as extreme hippie/UNtechnological as a state can get. They even have an entire town where they have a problem with nude hippies. Yes, I am NOT kidding, you walk into a supermarket and there will be two nude hippies in front of you in line. Maple syrup is their most technological advance. They still have "Rotary Phone Service" available in the state. Even the Amish are more technologically advanced than the state of VT. Cell phones are pocket-ornaments. They still talk about that brand new car that just came out, the Edsel!!

And you are driving a fancy German car (What's Germany to a VT person), with satellite navigation (what's a satellite?), with one-touch-push-button to get voice operator. Do you REALLY expect to get normal service (or normal ANYTHING) in the state of VT? I don't think so.

Tell me that it failed in Boston....or NYC....or Los Angeles, then I can see a problem. When you are traveling in the land of nude hippies and cow methane, expect to have NO technological advances. Walk to the local public phone, ask for the operator to dial K9605 (if you know what that means, yes, you are old), and wait for Wilbur the nude hippie tow truck driver to tow you to Jeb's Gas Station and Barber shop.

Life is not perfect. Don't expect it to be....especially in the state of VT!

[Dave]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

this thread made me decide to get AAA

get it asap.

The best part of AAA is they use the closet local tow guy to where you are
and they have NEVER ever left me stranded

[Dave]

Originally Posted by tbird

This thread is being named the "OfficIal BMW Assist Thread Sucks" thread. However, it seems to be based solely on an "extreme" example.

I lived in New England, and have been in VT many times. Let me tell you, even finding a Burger King in that state takes a GPS unit and a graduate degree. The state is as extreme hippie/UNtechnological as a state can get. They even have an entire town where they have a problem with nude hippies. Yes, I am NOT kidding, you walk into a supermarket and there will be two nude hippies in front of you in line. Maple syrup is their most technological advance. They still have "Rotary Phone Service" available in the state. Even the Amish are more technologically advanced than the state of VT. Cell phones are pocket-ornaments. They still talk about that brand new car that just came out, the Edsel!!

And you are driving a fancy German car (What's Germany to a VT person), with satellite navigation (what's a satellite?), with one-touch-push-button to get voice operator. Do you REALLY expect to get normal service (or normal ANYTHING) in the state of VT? I don't think so.

Tell me that it failed in Boston....or NYC....or Los Angeles, then I can see a problem. When you are traveling in the land of nude hippies and cow methane, expect to have NO technological advances. Walk to the local public phone, ask for the operator to dial K9605 (if you know what that means, yes, you are old), and wait for Wilbur the nude hippie tow truck driver to tow you to Jeb's Gas Station and Barber shop.

Life is not perfect. Don't expect it to be....especially in the state of VT!

you make VT seem like canada!

[AchtungF80]

I'm tempted to call BMW assist today from my garage, with stopwatch in hand and a 2hr max wait time, and if/when they show up...yell at them saying "FOOLED YOU!"

[Dave]

Originally Posted by achtungE30

I'm tempted to call BMW assist today from my garage, with stopwatch in hand and a 2hr max wait time, and if/when they show up...yell at them saying "FOOLED YOU!"

do it i will come over from nyc in rush hour and still beat them there.
that is if they ever show up

[tbird]

Originally Posted by izzodesh

you make VT seem like canada!

You say tomato, I say tomahto.

To me, only difference is the language.

[ptack]

Originally Posted by tbird

This thread is being named the "OfficIal BMW Assist Thread Sucks" thread. However, it seems to be based solely on an "extreme" example.

I lived in New England, and have been in VT many times. Let me tell you, even finding a Burger King in that state takes a GPS unit and a graduate degree. The state is as extreme hippie/UNtechnological as a state can get. They even have an entire town where they have a problem with nude hippies. Yes, I am NOT kidding, you walk into a supermarket and there will be two nude hippies in front of you in line. Maple syrup is their most technological advance. They still have "Rotary Phone Service" available in the state. Even the Amish are more technologically advanced than the state of VT. Cell phones are pocket-ornaments. They still talk about that brand new car that just came out, the Edsel!!

And you are driving a fancy German car (What's Germany to a VT person), with satellite navigation (what's a satellite?), with one-touch-push-button to get voice operator. Do you REALLY expect to get normal service (or normal ANYTHING) in the state of VT? I don't think so.

Tell me that it failed in Boston....or NYC....or Los Angeles, then I can see a problem. When you are traveling in the land of nude hippies and cow methane, expect to have NO technological advances. Walk to the local public phone, ask for the operator to dial K9605 (if you know what that means, yes, you are old), and wait for Wilbur the nude hippie tow truck driver to tow you to Jeb's Gas Station and Barber shop.

Life is not perfect. Don't expect it to be....especially in the state of VT!

No, as Izzo alluded to in his first post, I had the same problem with BMW Assist in the middle of NJ. I ended up calling a tow service myself who was there in 20 minutes. The reason in my case was that they couldn't find anyone willing to help me for what they were willing to pay. If I didn't take matters into my own hands I'd still be there. You should never count on BMW Assist.

[tbird]

Well, AAA is the same. They underpay a lot of tow truck companies, and a lot won't even enter contracts with AAA to tow their customers. There are also different prices for different mileage, type of truck, etc.

So each must be taken with a grain of salt.

[dragon1761]

i actually pressed the sos button the next day to set up my bmw assist. I talked to the lady and she said that when i left the dealership it was already activated and that i did not really have to call in for them to turn the feature on.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by dragon1761

i actually pressed the sos button the next day to set up my bmw assist. I talked to the lady and she said that when i left the dealership it was already activated and that i did not really have to call in for them to turn the feature on.

set up is quick and painless just dont depend on it as your only source of help

have other choices like AAA

[Road Runner]

Yeah, BMW Assist sucks/BMW Roadside Assistance sucks.

I got a flat last night (my winter tires aren't fun flat and I wasn't carrying a spare, serves me right I guess) and was on hold with BMW roadside assistance while my girlfriend called AMA (kind of like AAA for Alberta, Canada). I was still on hold with Roadside Assistance when AMA already had a flatbed on the way which arrived only about half an hour later.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Road Runner

Yeah, BMW Assist sucks/BMW Roadside Assistance sucks.

I got a flat last night (my winter tires aren't fun flat and I wasn't carrying a spare, serves me right I guess) and was on hold with BMW roadside assistance while my girlfriend called AMA (kind of like AAA for Alberta, Canada). I was still on hold with Roadside Assistance when AMA already had a flatbed on the way which arrived only about half an hour later.

glad to hear you got home safe... esp cuz it must be freezing up there!

that is my biggest fear now with winters and i am still looking for a spare!
i am very tempted to carry my summer wheels in the trunk lol

[Road Runner]

Originally Posted by izzodesh

glad to hear you got home safe... esp cuz it must be freezing up there!

that is my biggest fear now with winters and i am still looking for a spare!
i am very tempted to carry my summer wheels in the trunk lol

Thanks, I'm glad it all ended okay myself.

relatively okay anyways. The puncture was in the sidewall, so the tire is trash now. But BMW is towing it to Calgary BMW where it'll sit for the next week while I wait for a new tire to arrive from tire rack. Calgary BMW has been pretty good about it all, so props to them. but it was pretty brutal last night, it was in an industrial park that I got the flat after a late soccer game (our indoor soccer facilities are located in the worst areas).

I probably won't be driving into the mountains for ski trips without a spare anymore...