[MattH]

I am looking for help on the issues I have with my car if anyone is going through this or been there done that...please let me know what to do:

Truth about my car: 2011 135I M pack, DCT. has FBO and Cobb tune.

Two years ago took car into smog shop guy smogs and passes my car with FBO stuff on and Cobb tune installed. This year, same guy; scans dmv printout and says my car is flagged and I need to go to a referee. I say OK not knowing anything. Smog ref: you need an appointment to talk to me. I call 800 number to get an appointment. I also talk to my local indy shop explain the situation. Question is: why did it get flagged?

I go back to the smog tech: he says the car was flagged before he touched it. I say how? Smog guy can't and wouldn't tell me anything. So i only know that he is the guy that flagged my car. A shouting match ensues, I leave. I tell my indy guy: I have no clue why I was flagged, maybe there is magic fairies that flag peoples cars? My indy shop and I agree we must just put the car back to stock...Takes me a week or so to find where I put all this factory parts, I lose my appointment...I find all the factory parts, I bring them to my indy guy he installs, we uninstall the Cobb tune. Car is all stock again...I wait three days for my new referee appointment.

Before my appointment I notice there were some email attachments to the appointment notification and read them and it has some note specific to my car about the DME being flashed and that needs to get fixed. I figure I am good because I uninstalled the Cobb tune. I have an invoice for the smog referee that the car has been fixed to original. Today I fail the inspection because some number (i can't remember what he was saying, it was some computer b.s. didn't match another computer b.s. like a security number) I'm in disbelief, Smog ref tells me go to the BMW dealer and have them flash the original software on there. I asked what software is on there now? Smog ref says he's not sure. I call BMW dealer they want $188 to flash it back to factory specs, but tells me it's no guarantee that it will still pass the smog referee. When I am ready I need to send the referee proof my car was reflashed, and all sensors are in a ready state (perform drive cycle) and call for a new appointment. I am half shocked: one I get the state is spending our tax money faster than it comes in, and this it their way of creating tax dollars and screwing me out my right to modify my car. But seriously if the dealer flash won't fix it for CA standards what am I to do? Has anyone ever been in this sort of bureaucratic treadmill? what do you do buy a whole new computer? That wouldn't match either right?

Sorry for the rant; I do know "smog guys" that do hookups...but since I was flagged by magic, I was flagged by something or someone, so a smog shop wouldn't be able to fix me up anyway.

Update: Called Cobb, told them my story. Cobb employee tells me when I installed the tune it should have saved the factory flash. Asks me if I saved factory flash. I don't remember, but I am sure I wouldn't have deleted it...Cobb employee suggests maybe the factory tune was deleted. I can't verify what is done to it because it is not installed anymore. I did uninstall the tune. Cobb employee is quiet...I am waiting for more info...he has none...I ask if they have a BMW 135I factory tune they can send me. Cobb employee says no. I thanks him for all his non-help. (I will try again tomorrow and ask for someone who has been there a while or a supervisor or something.)

Thanks for all the replies! glad to know I am the only one going through this