£196 for a BMW Software Upgrade ?

Dandle · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:13

denon said:
programming the car can take anytime from half hour to four hours plus depending on the last time it was updated and how many control units it has.

It doesn't have to be done overnight but every time the dealer has programmed mine they have requested it overnight for programming.

Wicksta · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:20

denon said:
they dont need to leave the car overnight

I didn't say they needed to, I said they normally do based on reports from others who have had it done (including dandle).

denon said:
this would be a very bad idea, its very easy to kill a control unit if you dont know what you are doing

It's not rocket science, you really think that a mechanic at a BMW dealer is some kind of electronics god? With the amount of work I've done with iBus based cars I wouldn't be worried at all, and of course I would make sure I knew what I was doing first.

denon · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:21

[TW]Fox;18627570 said:
So if a car with BMW extended warranty came into the workshop with a misfire and required this update, would Mondial foot the bill?

pretty sure the would but dont no much about the extended warranty to tell the truth

Dandle said:
It doesn't have to be done overnight but every time the dealer has programmed mine they have requested it overnight for programming.

i know it doesnt have to be done overnight?

maybe your dealer doesnt have any spare space and doesnt want a car on a ramp for unknown time when the could be using that ramp to earn money so instead they just set it up and start the programming before they close at night

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:21

denon said:
maybe your dealer doesnt have any spare space and doesnt want a car on a ramp for unknown time when the could be using that ramp to earn money so instead they just set it up and start the programming before they close at night

Which would make the whole £200 thing a bit unjustifiable, as there isnt 4 hours of labour involved in going home.

Wicksta · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:23

denon said:
i know it doesnt have to be done overnight?

maybe your dealer doesnt have any spare space and doesnt want a car on a ramp for unknown time when the could be using that ramp to earn money so instead they just set it up and start the programming before they close at night

That's obviously the reason they do it, I know my local dealer (Sytner Taplow) doesn't have empty ramps during the day so it makes complete sense to do it overnight.

denon · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:28

Wicksta said:
I didn't say they needed to, I said they normally do based on reports from others who have had it done (including dandle).

It's not rocket science, you really think that a mechanic at a BMW dealer is some kind of electronics god? With the amount of work I've done with iBus based cars I wouldn't be worried at all, and of course I would make sure I knew what I was doing first.

i know you didnt say they needed to leave it overnight, that was in reply to Panzerbjorn sorry i didnt make it very clear

i know a bmw dealer is not a electronics god but they have the support of bmw behind them when things go **** up who are electronic gods

Dandle · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:29

denon said:
maybe your dealer doesnt have any spare space and doesnt want a car on a ramp for unknown time when the could be using that ramp to earn money so instead they just set it up and start the programming before they close at night

I assume its like the Scanias my brother worked on where the update software is supplied by a main server (Sweden in the case of Scania). They left it over night because the car/lorry is interrogated by the main server to decide what software is needed to bring the vehicle up to date. It is then downloaded from that main server directly into the vehicle. Not only does it take along time if theres lots of updates but its also tying up a machine that could be used for other jobs when staff are there.

Dandle · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:30

[TW]Fox;18627693 said:
Which would make the whole £200 thing a bit unjustifiable, as there isnt 4 hours of labour involved in going home.

Thats not really the case though because in their eyes its still using their equipment and expertise to complete the job.

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:32

Dandle said:
Thats not really the case though because in their eyes its still using their equipment and expertise to complete the job.

Whilst nobody is there and no work units are being used

denon · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:33

[TW]Fox;18627693 said:
Which would make the whole £200 thing a bit unjustifiable, as there isnt 4 hours of labour involved in going home.

true but it still takes time to get it started, plus waiting about to put the key back in after the cas has programmed, then finishing it off, making sure everything has programmed ok (sometimes have to go back in and do the control units that failed to update) and i suppose they have to pay for the equiment somehow

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:35

It just seems wrong that even diagnosis cannot be performed without a software upgrade. It makes most jobs £200 before they've even begun to start to look at the problem surely?

Still, I guess it has the desired affect - my last BMW was a newish yet high mileage minter which I paid for repairs on myself. This time it'll be a low mileage car which I will extend the warranty on, it simply isnt worth doing it any other way any more.

denon · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:47

its not most jobs its just the misfiring/engine light on the current petrol engines (which is very common)

its just these engines are coming out of warranty now and this problem is coming to light that they needed programmed first, personally i think bmw should be paying for atleast the programming if not the whole job

i would be more than happy to run a 4 year old 330/335 without an extened warranty (made less the 335 as any twin turbo car can throw up great expense) as they are in general very reliable apart from the issure this thread is about

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:50

They are not generally very reliable at all - there are LOADS of injector/coil issues on the N53 engined cars.

Including one I've personally experienced.

denon · 8 Mar 2011 at 19:59

denon said:
its not most jobs its just the misfiring/engine light on the current petrol engines (which is very common)

its just these engines are coming out of warranty now and this problem is coming to light that they needed programmed first, personally i think bmw should be paying for atleast the programming if not the whole job

i would be more than happy to run a 4 year old 330/335 without an extened warranty (made less the 335 as any twin turbo car can throw up great expense) as they are in general very reliable apart from the issure this thread is about

i said there in general very reliable apart apart from the issure this thread is about which is a programming/coil plug injector

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2011 at 20:00

There is no point having a car thats reliable in general apart from a hugely common 4 figure bill is there!

And the high pressure fuel pump as well..

denon · 8 Mar 2011 at 20:18

well if you dont see the point in a car which is reliable in general apart from a hugely common problem then fair enough (but i dont see it being a four firgure bill, but im sure we will learn the cost when Sneaky Peaky posts back tomorrow)

the high pressure pump is another problem, i think thats just on 335s and not as common though

im not trying to stand up for them, just letting you know my views, personally if i wanted a reliabe motor i would be going jap

taking this a bit off topic now anyway

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2011 at 20:21

denon said:
well if you dont see the point in a car which is reliable in general apart from a hugely common problem then fair enough (but i dont see it being a four firgure bill, but im sure we will learn the cost when Sneaky Peaky posts back tomorrow)

You don't see it being a 4 figure bill? It's £200 before ANY diagnostics has taken place, let alone the subsequent recode if any injectors are replaced, and the cost of those injectors.

A car thats reliable except for the high chance of a huge bill relating to the fuel system is not reliable, it really is that simple.

It's something that frustrates me, because BMW make such brilliant cars. Sigh

Gaygle · 8 Mar 2011 at 21:12

denon said:
well if you dont see the point in a car which is reliable in general apart from a hugely common problem then fair enough (but i dont see it being a four firgure bill, but im sure we will learn the cost when Sneaky Peaky posts back tomorrow)

Was reading about some poor guy with a 325i that needed the injectors replacing, new DME, new coils and new spark plugs - £2776.01. It was only 2 months out of warranty too. BMW, as a gesture of good will offered to pay £1200, but they still wanted him to pay £1580 for the repair.

These new engines have deep flaws and the only thing that make them worth owning is the fact that you can get a comprehensive warranty. I would never consider running a 335 or N53 without a warranty as the potential costs could be crippling.

Why haven't BMW redesigned the flawed parts?

[ui]ICEMAN · 8 Mar 2011 at 21:35

So the N53 has these issues, my N54 had the HPFP issue, what do I have to look forward to on my e92 M3 breaking?

Gaygle · 8 Mar 2011 at 21:36

Over a 2 year period I bet it'll need less visits to the dealer than your 135i would have.