Dashcam disconnected during service & new windscreen

MrM

MrM

MrM

Associate
Joined
19 Dec 2002
Posts
849
Location
London
It's been one of those days.... my wife's M135i was due a service so off I went and got that done, no issues aside from ridiculously tight parking bays at the service centre.

On way home, a large stone was kicked up by a lorry on the other side of the road and hit my windscreen, at the bottom next to the wiper arm. There was quite a crack and when I got home a minute or so later, I could see quite a sizeable chip. 1 hour later when I came back to the car there were 4 cracks, one from top to bottom, so will need a new windscreen. Out of curiosity I went to look at dashcam footage to see if I could see the offending object hit me, when I see the power cable had been unplugged. Needless to say I wasn't particularly impressed. Queried it with the dealer who claimed it was standard practice, there was a sign on the door (it didn't hit me in the face and nothing was mentioned) and it was to stop people videoing pre release cars (maybe, but a bit far fetched). I watched the footage up to the point when it becomes disconnected. A service guy takes photos of the car, presumably as evidence of condition, gets into the car, sighs, and unplugs the camera.

Now unless I have reason to suspect some foul play, I would never bother watching footage of my car having a service. I simply don't have the time. My cam is there in case of incident, and that's why I'm upset it wasn't at least reconnected and that I wasn't notified it would be turned off. Could have been worse if I had had an acident and having a camera fitted was part of my insurance agreement.... I searched on Google and seems many people have had theirs unplugged, citing privacy at work as the main and most common reason, which I can understand to a degree. Some people arguing it's the owners responsibility to either turn it off before, or notify the garage you have one!

So firstly a warning to anyone who has a dashcam and gets their car serviced, secondly keen to hear people's opinions, thirdly talk to me about a new windscreen. I've read stories about non BMW glass failing to work with auto lights and wipers on occasion. Some claiming main dealers outsource to likes of Autoglass anyway. Autoglass quote is 400 fitted. I will likely pay 85 excess via insurance, in reality if I go this route, will I likely see my premiums increase in the future as a result and as such better off simply going straight to Autoglass?

Thanks for your advice
 
When I took my car for a windscreen last week I made them aware I had a tracking device on the car and they would not be getting the dongle as they would not need it. I also told them I have a data logger that reports various things on the cars use. I did not hide the fact and if I had a camera I would tell them the same. My issue would come if they chose to take issue with any of that as any good establishment will have nothing to hide and will have no issue with it. My advice is tell them up front on the basis of being polite and setting the right level and if they cause a fuss go elsewhere.
 
Your car well got ragged by the mechanic :p did you notice if the mileage had gone up any? Probably taking photos of it to show his mates on Facebook what he's about to take out for a spin.
There's tons of threads on PH people complaining about dashcam being unplugged. Some guy with an Alfa had his unplugged and noticed more miles on it and got the garage to admit they had taken it out for a drive even though it didn't require it
 
Car had additional 0.1 miles on it, so I have no concern about that, or concerns generally, other than they failed to notify me they disconnected it, given they didn't reconnect it.
 
Or if they don't notice and don't disconnect it, you could end up with some surprising footage :p

We recently had a stone flick up and crack our windscreen. Had it done through Autoglass. Went direct to them but did it through our insurance, cost us £75 excess and doesn't affect our no claims. Had to do this twice before on 2 different cars as well. I don't know anyone who's had to replace windscreens as much as us :rolleyes:
 
I had some footage from a Heathrow parking bloke mimicking me saying "look after it please" then sinisterly saying "don't worry mate, I will look after it... laugh.. look after it like it's my own" then I can hear him going through all the pockets of the car and opening everything up.
I almost reported him, but nothing was missing. Kinda feel like I should have now.
Will see if I can find it and upload it.
 
Didn't someone post on here a while back about catching out a service guy screwing his parking sensors up?
That sort of thing is probably why garages disconnect the dashcam now...
 
O
Housey said:
When I took my car for a windscreen last week I made them aware I had a tracking device on the car and they would not be getting the dongle as they would not need it. I also told them I have a data logger that reports various things on the cars use. I did not hide the fact and if I had a camera I would tell them the same. My issue would come if they chose to take issue with any of that as any good establishment will have nothing to hide and will have no issue with it. My advice is tell them up front on the basis of being polite and setting the right level and if they cause a fuss go elsewhere.
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You sound like a bad customer, I'd just invite you to take your business elsewhere if you walked into my establishment waving all that jazz the second you walked in.
 
I understand why they do it.
This is why mine is hardwired.
The ONLY way to turn it off is via a passcode on the camera or but unplugging it from the fuse bay.

If anyone garage or not decided they would unplug my camera at the fuse I would be asking them what they have to hide exactly.. why go to that effort to disable a camera??

Boils my per when people mention it like it's a bad thing.
 
jamoor said:
O

You sound like a bad customer, I'd just invite you to take your business elsewhere if you walked into my establishment waving all that jazz the second you walked in.
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You sound like you don't know what people will do if they get the keys to a performance car then ;)

I've had multiple bad experiences with, what you'd expect to be, respectable establishments mistreating my cars. So making a point of saying "I'll be able to see what you do" is obviously going to make them think twice before unnecessarily using the loud pedal.
 
MrM said:
Car had additional 0.1 miles on it, so I have no concern about that, or concerns generally, other than they failed to notify me they disconnected it, given they didn't reconnect it.
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My dealer did this whilst my car was in recently for an issue. I simply plugged it back in before setting off and all was good. I can understand why the dealer might not want to be filmed carrying out their work.

Regarding the windscreen, I had a similar scenario where my front end was battered by stones from a dumper lorry on the motorway. Dash cam footage wasn't clear enough so didn't pursue it. Sucked up the £75 excess for a windscreen replacement which was done by Autoglass. Wasn't an OE stamped replacement but was Pilkington branded. I have a heated windscreen and lane assist and both work fine since the replacement. Autoglass also carried out the recalibration of the lane assist camera and this was covered as part of the job/excess fee.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
I had some footage from a Heathrow parking bloke mimicking me saying "look after it please" then sinisterly saying "don't worry mate, I will look after it... laugh.. look after it like it's my own" then I can hear him going through all the pockets of the car and opening everything up.
I almost reported him, but nothing was missing. Kinda feel like I should have now.
Will see if I can find it and upload it.
Click to expand...

My experience of Meet and Greet. Never again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u1Uaqx83OY
 
Yup, does not surprise me. Mine was the official meet and greet, they seemed to treat the cars as their own. Mine was not moved at any point for personal use though, but i suspect they twigged there was a camera, and left it alone.
 
Had my car recently serviced by a VW franchise and they didnt disconnect my dashcam at all , they acknowledged it was there for sure as i heard them on the footage to say it had a dashcam on it , but didnt disconnect it or turn it off at all.

I didnt mention that my car had a dashcam when i handed my keys over for the service.

I dont think your insurance will go up if you have claimed on windscreen repair / replacement, not my case anyways.
 
Plenty O'Toole said:
You sound like you don't know what people will do if they get the keys to a performance car then ;)

I've had multiple bad experiences with, what you'd expect to be, respectable establishments mistreating my cars. So making a point of saying "I'll be able to see what you do" is obviously going to make them think twice before unnecessarily using the loud pedal.
Click to expand...

When the language “you seem like a bad customer” is used based on such a simple thing as making them aware out of politeness then it is that business is the problem. I lose nothing, they lose money from the worry I may question their ethics or worse, simply wont blindly trust someone in the motor trade. Naive at is most simple level and evidence to my concern at another. I could say nothing I do it out of politeness so they don’t feel I am being underhanded.

Odd rationale but as said not my worry as I lose nothing not spending money with people who don’t want it because they are worried what I might be, you know, challenging of poor performance which is typical in the motor trade sadly. As I said, good people have no issue with it and do you know what, I have no issue wIth good people.

Funny that
 
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