[Barry626]

I emailed BMW regarding MP3, RDS & on/off DRL's.
I asked if a software/hardware was in future for early buyers?

I got a shit answer from them that truly made me feel they could care less.
BMW replyed that there is nothing in the works & no plans for it.
They told me they have the rights to change things on the cars...
even if only couple months later. I was so pissed I deleted the email.

All I have to say is this is my first & just might be my last BMW?
31 years driving & I've never heard such a thing from a company.
BMW truly deserves to lose big sales for way they threat their customers.
Shit "Chrysler" treated me like gold when I bought my Jeep + 300C.
Chrysler even put "Made for... Barry Last Name" on window stickers.
Guess I know where I will buy my next car!

Only way this will ever get corrected is a petition or 100s of letters?
Maybe if BMW sees there's way to many people complaining? They'll fix it?

[tima]

Sorry you didn't get a good answer, but you could probably make your own decal.

[Meatnog]

Originally Posted by Barry626

I emailed BMW regarding MP3, RDS & on/off DRL's.
I asked if a software/hardware was in future for early buyers?

I got a shit answer from them that truly made me feel they could care less.
BMW replyed that there is nothing in the works & no plans for it.
They told me they have the rights to change things on the cars...
even if only couple months later. I was so pissed I deleted the email.

All I have to say is this is my first & just might be my last BMW?
31 years driving & I've never heard such a thing from a company.
BMW truly deserves to lose big sales for way they threat their customers.
Shit "Chrysler" treated me like gold when I bought my Jeep + 300C.
Chrysler even put "Made for... Barry Last Name" on window stickers.
Guess I know where I will buy my next car!

Only way this will ever get corrected is a petition or 100s of letters?
Maybe if BMW sees there's way to many people complaining? They'll fix it?

This being the same Chrysler that I'm part of a class action lawsuit against for deformed rims that they claim they never knew about despite HUNDREDS of people calling to complain? Yeah. Great company.

Truth is, all big companies listen to customers, but not to A CUSTOMER. One person isn't a very persuasive argument. Has to come in bulk. If you really want some features and other people agree with you, send in lots of letters/inquiries.

[LEDZEP]

I think it's a shame the way some people use the forum to rant and express their anger and frustration. Simply intolerable. And to commit blastphemy against the name of BMW... what a shame.

[dbstang]

Barry, It hink you are off base on this one. BMW or for that fact anyone should be entitled to make improvements or upgrades to the product that they manufacture. To ask them to give you, us any of those improvements should not be expected. Provided that those improvements are not intended to fix something. They should be required to fix things that are wrong. This is what happens when you buy the first of a model. Look at it this way, if you bought a computer today and it came with a 60gb hard drive and in two weeks the same computer you bought now comes with a 80gb hard drive. Would you expect that company to give you the new hard drive?? I don't think so.
Now if they answered you in a tone that was condesendiong then I would be upset to. But don't be upset that your car does not have some of the features that people are getting today. Suck it up and be happy with what you have. And that is a BMW.!!!

[Bimmerista]

On the one hand, I can understand your frustation. However, it is also correct that BMW has the right to make changes to cars as they go along, without the obligation to retrofit. After all, those who got the 323 168 hp engine on the e40 in 2000 did not have the right to have the 184 hp engine retrofitted into their car and rebadged as a 325 in 2001.

You may argue that this is a software issue - even if it is I think you may want to consider that there is a cost to BMW and therefore the issue is the same as for the engine displacement.

BMW as a company is in fact one of the car manufacturers which does listen to suggestions and complaints from cutomers the most. Therefore, if enough people disagree with me and do complain, you are more likely to get somewhere with BMW that any of the other car manufacturers.

Note that BMW's philosophy has been continous improvement (something Toyota is trying to emulate now). They constantly listen for feed back from customers (constructive, not destructive, criticisms), market reaction, engineering progress and improve their products accordingly. This is particularly true for the 3 series. In 2 years from now someone will buy a 325 with features that I do not have and will not be able to retrofit. That's life - it will give me something to look forward to when I get a new BMW. After all 7 series owners are not entitled to the 2006 model year just because BMW has touched-up the looks and put in a revamped I-Drive. (etc. etc.)

Good luck to you. Remember - you still have a great car, the best sports sedan out there to date.

[vladinecko]

Originally Posted by dbstang

Look at it this way, if you bought a computer today and it came with a 60gb hard drive and in two weeks the same computer you bought now comes with a 80gb hard drive. Would you expect that company to give you the new hard drive??

i don't like the way people compare cars to computers. we're comparing hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. he does have the right to ask for an improvement that should have been there to begin with! and even if the analogy was accurate, i completely disagree with it. so in your terminology, he's not asking to get his hard drive upgraded from 60GB to 80GB, he's asking for a Windows update. or in real terms, he is not asking for an engine replacement, but a software update. two very different things.

[Bimmerista]

Originally Posted by vladinecko

i don't like the way people compare cars to computers. we're comparing hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. he does have the right to ask for an improvement that should have been there to begin with! and even if the analogy was accurate, i completely disagree with it. so in your terminology, he's not asking to get his hard drive upgraded from 60GB to 80GB, he's asking for a Windows update. or in real terms, he is not asking for an engine replacement, but a software update. two very different things.

In your opinion. Bluetooth retrofit in my opinion is not an update but a request for a new feature not previously available.

We are not talking about a security patch for Windows here IMHO. Patches to fix problems are free from BMW (witness the engine power issue in another thread for which BMW provided a software fix).

As you can see, it is not obvious that your point of view is "right" so to speak. And the more appropriate analogy IMHO is anti-virus software. As new viruses are found you need to update you sotware, but you pay for it every year.

[schwma]

But as far as his MP3s, isn't that a claimed radio function in the manual and marketing literature? If not, forget my post. But I think we all agree the buyers is entitled to as-advertised.

[Bimmerista]

Agreed

[vladinecko]

Originally Posted by schwma

But as far as his MP3s, isn't that a claimed radio function in the manual and marketing literature? If not, forget my post. But I think we all agree the buyers is entitled to as-advertised.

absolutely, but i also believe that with BMW you're not only buying a car, but also a brand. you don't only sign a contract with them, they also sign a contract with you. so, add-on new features to early cars that you're possibly willing to pay for and that are highly requested should be on their agendas IMO. or in other words, instead of giving an answer "f u, not a chance" they should say something like "we'll see what we can do." of course, they are not required to honor every request from the bimmer-owners, but they should at least try and/or give a reasonable explanation why not.

[Bimmerista]

I completely agree on the reasonable explanation front. The FOAD answer is unacceptable from any manufactuer.

[timzerofive]

Originally Posted by schwma

But as far as his MP3s, isn't that a claimed radio function in the manual and marketing literature? If not, forget my post. But I think we all agree the buyers is entitled to as-advertised.

MP3 function on navigation are specifically excluded in writing when we purchase the car (pre-sept production). The RDS function were never mentioned, and I don't believe I saw anything about DRL's either, besides, I believe dealers can turn that on for you. So actually we bought cars that are exactly as they've described, there are no false advertisement on BMW's part. We agreed to pay a certain price for a car with certain listed functions, so just because BMW decided to include mroe functions on a later car, it doesn't mean they are obligated to provide everyone before that the same function.

The argument is just that, if it is a simple software update, you would think a large company like BMW would offer that to the people who supported the car when it first debuted. If they don't, chances are when the next new car comes out, the same people will be waiting a few months down the line to purchase that car just so they don't get screwed over once more.

I have a suggestion, why dont we start a list here, for everyone in the US who has navigation and are awaiting an update to correct MP3, RDS, DRL. We'll gather this list, start a petition, contact BMW owner's club to inquire about suggested course of action. I'm sure they've experienced similar frustration previously.

[JonnyCrash]

I think the problem is that it is NOT a simple software update: it is very likely that the hardware itself changed in September. If it was a simple software update only, then the 19.whatever recall update will fix it; apparently it has not. This indicates that there is different hardware, and that BMW did, in fact, change their car when they retooled in the fall.

If this is in fact the answer, then BMW's answer to you is perfectly good: they do not keep the cars the same, and it sucks but that is the way it is. As was discussed here several times, pre-September e90s are only labled as '06s in North America: elsewhere they are 2005s. They do change the car a bit in between. You are entitled to everything that was advertised as available at the time you bought, and shouldn't expect that you will automatically get the latest and greatest. To get mad at BMW for telling you that they cannot update your car is ridiculous! I guarantee that if chrysler (to use the example in this thread) changed their cd deck to read MP3s six months after you bought your car, they would not update your cd deck. Same deal here. If you want to sell your car over it and never drive another BMW, please go right ahead... you're only hurting yourself.

My honest advice: take a deep breath, say "dang", move on. You have a great car, enjoy it. Life's too short to stress about not having the latest and greatest gizmos...

[selm]

I too have a pre-September production car, and while I do not have all of those features that the new owners are getting, my sales price was lower by $600 (pre-price increase). We essentially got a better deal on our cars by being guinea pigs. Would you really pay $600 for thumb rests on the steering wheel (w/ ZSP), DRL, etc.?

[vladinecko]

Originally Posted by selm

Would you really pay $600 for thumb rests on the steering wheel (w/ ZSP), DRL, etc.?

you'd be surprised, but a lot of people would! it's about giving you the option!

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by selm

I too have a pre-September production car, and while I do not have all of those features that the new owners are getting, my sales price was lower by $600 (pre-price increase). We essentially got a better deal on our cars by being guinea pigs. Would you really pay $600 for thumb rests on the steering wheel (w/ ZSP), DRL, etc.?

Yep I would pay six hundred bucks for that.... Steering wheel, MP3 playback w/Nav, Ability to turn the DRL on/off if I damn well please oh and the ability to adjust my Heated seats through the iDrive like the 5er does.... sign me up and I have the cash in hand!

[BrunoT]

Not blindly defending BMW, but from what I could figure out from the post he's annoyed either that future models will have the features his car doesn't, or promised features weren't included.

Anyone who thinks silly gadgets like Bluetooth and MP3 players are something to not buy a BMW over should go watch the first episode of "EXTRAS" on HBO to see just how silly you look driving around with those things in the first place. They're starting to spoof your sort on comedy series now.

I believe the fwd Japanese cars out there are much more gadget laden. Perhaps you'd enjoy one of those.

[selm]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

Yep I would pay six hundred bucks for that.... Steering wheel, MP3 playback w/Nav, Ability to turn the DRL on/off if I damn well please oh and the ability to adjust my Heated seats through the iDrive like the 5er does.... sign me up and I have the cash in hand!

Money does talk, maybe BMW will listen if you let them know that.

[schwma]

So much talk about "pre-September." I bought my 330i without i-Drive in late July. I did not pre-order my car; just walked in, told them what I wanted, and had the car the next day. I didn't even think about MP3 functionality at the time, but mine has it. The car hasn't been in for any kind of service; so I know I don't have a software upgrade. I wonder why I can play MP3s and some can't.

[northerncalguy]

Originally Posted by schwma

So much talk about "pre-September." I bought my 330i without i-Drive in late July. I did not pre-order my car; just walked in, told them what I wanted, and had the car the next day. I didn't even think about MP3 functionality at the time, but mine has it. The car hasn't been in for any kind of service; so I know I don't have a software upgrade. I wonder why I can play MP3s and some can't.

MP3 discs can be played in non-Idrive pre-Sept cars.

[Barry626]

Originally Posted by vladinecko

absolutely, but i also believe that with BMW you're not only buying a car, but also a brand. you don't only sign a contract with them, they also sign a contract with you. so, add-on new features to early cars that you're possibly willing to pay for and that are highly requested should be on their agendas IMO. or in other words, instead of giving an answer "f u, not a chance" they should say something like "we'll see what we can do." of course, they are not required to honor every request from the bimmer-owners, but they should at least try and/or give a reasonable explanation why not.

Thanks agree 100%.

Wish I saved the shit email they sent me.

I would be more then willing to pay for software/hardware updates?

I've had 12 new cars during my driving years.
Never one of those companies changed a car in same model year.
BMW is totally wrong within 2 months to change lots of features.
What do they think I would sell my car for new features in 2 months.
If I did sure won't be a BMW, not with their superior attitude!