Fun times ahead with dealer's service department

[Luca335]

Originally Posted by CP 1///M

Funny tidbits of conversation:
Advisor: you want an oil change this time?
Me: I had fresh oil in there about 500Km ago, so no thanks
Advisor: but this will be the last free oil change before warranty expires...
Me: yes, you guys called me and we had a schedule appt for later in Sep, do it then...
Advisor: ok, most people wanted to save the extra trip that's all...

I don't like the 25K KM oil change, and in the summer I run 5W40 Motul so I almost always do at least 1 if not 2 in between (I have seen how black the oil became just running on 8K KM but long duration like over 6 months). Insurance money for the engine I guess...

And I ran into a fellow 1M owner's car in the service waiting area with a custom plate and duck tail (BSM 1M). I think in my whole year of ownership I actually saw 1 VO and 1 AW around town so that makes it 3 for all the colors there are. Met another fellow AW 1M owner in Ambleside park at North Van awhile back as well. As they say it when I go to a track day for the first time, the 1M is like a unicorn around town

I took my car in two weeks ago (before warranty expires in two weeks) and all they did was "scope" it, no oil change what so ever. My car is at 21000km, is there any service they are supposed to do? They just kept telling me I did not drive enough so not ready for any type of maintenance service, is this true? They told me my rear tires are down to 4mm and they suggested me doing an alignment check (after installing new tires) for $250. Do I really need it? I mean I don't feel the car pulling what so ever.

[CP 1///M]

Originally Posted by Luca335

I took my car in two weeks ago (before warranty expires in two weeks) and all they did was "scope" it, no oil change what so ever. My car is at 21000km, is there any service they are supposed to do? They just kept telling me I did not drive enough so not ready for any type of maintenance service, is this true? They told me my rear tires are down to 4mm and they suggested me doing an alignment check (after installing new tires) for $250. Do I really need it? I mean I don't feel the car pulling what so ever.

Funny - I had to replace my windshield when I first got the car off the train, and I went Auto West because they have their own glass shop at the Mini dealer which they also own. Auto West people called me about getting an "end-of-warranty" check up, very likely out of my own pocket, maybe for extra stuff that I didn't respond to because I have my service done at Brian Jessel. Brian Jessel also called me about scheduling an appointment only because my last year's appointment set the oil change counter to be Sep 2015.

So in conclusion, yes, they probably don't even want to do that oil change for you for free because you never had enough mileage (and I think they set the duration to be a year). You can try to call them up and see if they will do one on short duration. I owned my 1M for just over a year and I got one free service so far and the upcoming one will be my last freebie (except for this radio/tranny issue)

Still no car yet but expecting today - I'm hoping the radio did arrive yesterday and it's just programming that "crashed" causing the delay. And another AW 1M sighting at No5/Cambie last night when I drove my sis' Golf R for dinner

[CP 1///M]

End result - screen was replaced, everything reprogrammed to work (that addressed the one time Red Screen of Death). Analysis from my key fob (amazing how much detail they have) concluded that I don't drive the car enough to keep a charge at proper level, batteries re-charged, and the diagnostic cost me about $170 after 0.9hrs. Didn't say anything about the tranny, I doubt they bother with the tranny fluid or anything related to the clutch (probably because they deemed the shifting acceptable). I will see the full details when I pick up the car later in the afternoon

[champignon]

Originally Posted by CP 1///M

End result - screen was replaced, everything reprogrammed to work (that addressed the one time Red Screen of Death). Analysis from my key fob (amazing how much detail they have) concluded that I don't drive the car enough to keep a charge at proper level, batteries re-charged, and the diagnostic cost me about $170 after 0.9hrs. Didn't say anything about the tranny, I doubt they bother with the tranny fluid or anything related to the clutch (probably because they deemed the shifting acceptable). I will see the full details when I pick up the car later in the afternoon

What good is a warranty when your dealer treats you like that? Not much in my view. Charging diagnostic fees to determine if a customer's complaints show a real problem with the car? Especially after they actually found something and replaced parts? Is that even permitted?

I have heard on other car forums (for Subaru performance cars) that Canadian warranty practices are quite inferior to what Americans expect (and get) from their dealers. Kind of sucks, if you ask me.

[CP 1///M]

That's the world we (Vancouverites) live in, and with BMW, it's unfortunate because they can get away with it as people just keep flogging to their product for other reasons, money no object (tons of new bimmer runnings around all the time). Basically, they ran some diagnostics for almost an hour and determine that I just don't drive enough to keep the batteries charged (so it's my problem) - but how would I know that from the radio losing the last station occasionally (everything else was retained)? Should I plug in a battery tender or even just a charger at the end of week, just so that it will have enough juice the next weekend that I drive? Cost deferral is a first world problem, and at least I know the minute warranty expires I'm on my own and never going back again

[champignon]

Originally Posted by CP 1///M

That's the world we (Vancouverites) live in, and with BMW, it's unfortunate because they can get away with it as people just keep flogging to their product for other reasons, money no object (tons of new bimmer runnings around all the time). Basically, they ran some diagnostics for almost an hour and determine that I just don't drive enough to keep the batteries charged (so it's my problem) - but how would I know that from the radio losing the last station occasionally (everything else was retained)? Should I plug in a battery tender or even just a charger at the end of week, just so that it will have enough juice the next weekend that I drive? Cost deferral is a first world problem, and at least I know the minute warranty expires I'm on my own and never going back again

Some people do use their 1Ms a lot and even as their DDs. Others treat their 1Ms as a garage queen (I do) and hence consider the car as either a collectible or as part of a collection. My impression from limited experience with both my 1M and my 135i, is that these cars deplete the battery a lot just by sitting, unused. Undoubtedly this is due to the incredible amount of electronics in these cars. I would definitely try to avoid leaving a 1-Series sitting for more than 2 weeks without putting it onto a charger.

My other collectible BMWs are Z3/Z3M Coupes, which are E36 vehicles. These cars don't suck that much power out of the battery when idle, but people tend to use them sparingly, so even with that it is very common to plug the cars into battery tenders when not in use; I do it as much as I can. I also top off the batteries on my 1-Series vehicles, because I don't drive any of my collectible cars enough to feel confident of maintaining an adequate charge.

Fortunately, battery tenders are cheap, and they use very little electricity. The proper ones, the float chargers, have circuitry to prevent overcharging and battery damage. I highly recommend their use to anyone who uses their car on an occasional basis, for whatever reason.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Luca335

I took my car in two weeks ago (before warranty expires in two weeks) and all they did was "scope" it, no oil change what so ever. My car is at 21000km, is there any service they are supposed to do? They just kept telling me I did not drive enough so not ready for any type of maintenance service, is this true? They told me my rear tires are down to 4mm and they suggested me doing an alignment check (after installing new tires) for $250. Do I really need it? I mean I don't feel the car pulling what so ever.

I would wait on that alignment until you replace your tires. 4mm thread depth is about the time I would replace them. Maybe at 3mm or 2.5mm(the rubber also gets harder at you get down in thread profile - but all it takes is one deep water puddle to hydroplane right off the road. So new tires is what I would get - with an alignment.

You should get the oil changed once per year. At least.
You should have the brake fluid changed every two years.
Every third oil change(by BMW) or every third year, change your trans and diff fluids.
Check your wiper blades and pollen filter(replace).

Dackel

[Pete_vB]

Originally Posted by Luca335

My car is at 21000km... They told me my rear tires are down to 4mm and they suggested me doing an alignment check (after installing new tires) for $250. Do I really need it?

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I would wait on that alignment until you replace your tires. 4mm thread depth is about the time I would replace them.

Are these original, stock PS2s at 4mm tread depth and 13k miles and 4 years old? I'd dump them yesterday... They'll be hard as rocks and borderline dangerous if you ever take that traction control off. Not a ton better in the wet if you leave it on. Tires are the single biggest contributor to performance, not a place to skimp. You probably want PSS in stock sizes, I'd do all four.

Alignment could go either way depending on the wear pattern.

[Luca335]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

Are these original, stock PS2s at 4mm tread depth and 13k miles and 4 years old? I'd dump them yesterday... They'll be hard as rocks and borderline dangerous if you ever take that traction control off. Not a ton better in the wet if you leave it on. Tires are the single biggest contributor to performance, not a place to skimp. You probably want PSS in stock sizes, I'd do all four.

Alignment could go either way depending on the wear pattern.

Thank you. I am going to change all four to PSS. Would 285 fit in the rear?

[Luca335]

Originally Posted by CP 1///M

That's the world we (Vancouverites) live in, and with BMW, it's unfortunate because they can get away with it as people just keep flogging to their product for other reasons, money no object (tons of new bimmer runnings around all the time). Basically, they ran some diagnostics for almost an hour and determine that I just don't drive enough to keep the batteries charged (so it's my problem) - but how would I know that from the radio losing the last station occasionally (everything else was retained)? Should I plug in a battery tender or even just a charger at the end of week, just so that it will have enough juice the next weekend that I drive? Cost deferral is a first world problem, and at least I know the minute warranty expires I'm on my own and never going back again

Which dealership is this? BJ or AW?

[Pete_vB]

Originally Posted by Luca335

Thank you. I am going to change all four to PSS. Would 285 fit in the rear?

People run it, but I personally don't recommend it on a street car. That's mainly a balance/ precision thing for me. I prefer the stock setup.

The rear tire size is largely limited by the front: if you go bigger in front you risk rubbing the fender liners, if you don't you'll move the balance towards understeer. There are those here that will disagree however- check the wheel and tire forum.

[CP 1///M]

My services were done at Brian Jessel - they certainly didn't bother with the tranny fluid even though it has been almost 4 years since the car roll off the original dealership. I probably just go full synthetic once the warranty expires (because of the odd ball quantity, I need to buy 2L of expensive BMW tranny oil for just 1.25L in the gearbox)

I live in a condo with shared parkade but I figure the battery tender cables are thin enough to have the trunk closed

[Ender_]

Crap - I get the radio going to 87.1 every now and then - I just put up with it. Until this weekend I had this 'red screen' you mention, first I've heard of it or seen it. I have a 6 months left on my warranty but most of it will be sitting for the winter. I'll be addressing this aggressively with the dealer if needed.

[CP 1///M]

Get the "red screen" issue checked out, but for the radio losing the station, it's probably just not getting charged so just get a battery tender, or as my friend says, drive it over 2000rpm like 15-20 minutes at least once every 3 days