Some Help Please

[GD]

Taking delivery of my 3.0 M Sport at the end of the month and have tried to follow the discussions on a couple of issues and resolve these with the dealer.
Tow bar - there is a thread says not all the wires are connected, dealer says they are?  If someone could explain in Janet and John terms for me before in part with cash, what it is has to be done.  I'm not pulling a caravan but want all the wiring done.
Mud flaps - the post on wheel arches discolouring, given I too have mineral white, should I have mud flaps fitted and ask for tape?
Thanks

[X5Sport]

If it's anything like mine then the 'fridge' circuit (12v switched and associated earth return) will not be wired.  BMW know about this and have a repair kit for it.  It is common across most, if not all BMW & Mini models - our Countryman was exactly the same - have not been correctly wired. 

Most dealers have no idea about towing so don't understand what to look for or how to fix it!  It needs additional wiring to be installed in the car.

You're looking at Pins 10 & 11.  Mine was done for free under warranty.  I insisted that as I had ordered 13-pin electrics and there was nothing in the brochure to say I would not get the full wiring (only 12-pins are used on the spec as pin 12 is never used), then BMW had to sort it.  They agreed and fixed it.

The piccie below will help....and they MUST NOT connect pins 3 and 11 together as pin 11 needs a much heavier earth return.  Some cheapo installers just put the two together which can really cause overheating issues.  Pin 3 only carries lighting earth whereas Pin 11 carries the fridge earth and that uses a lot more power so needs heavier cables.



Richard

[m13lky]

Gd, if you are getting an m sport the dealer will tell you there are no mudflaps available but the 20" wheel se mudflaps do fit fine as I have them on my white f15 m sport but I am still getting stone chips on the sills & rear wheel arch extension pieces, I would tell the dealer I want the mudflaps fitted and the clear tape on these parts to stop the chipping.

[GD]

Went to the dealer and saw the car waiting for PDI, got so carried away, I completely forgot about the arches accepted a story about a 13 pin adapter (might have been 15 but I was day dreaming and plying with the electric towbar) then agreed when my wife asked for a new Z4!
Going back next week to sort out the Z4 and will defo pay more attention and get these issues shoved before I pick the car up.
Thanks for the advice.

[535dboy]

If you are getting the Z4 you will definitely  need to make sure you have a working tow bar.....

[allforus]

Hi the tow bar doesn't come fully wired and the kit from BMW is a whopping £475 for them to fit but naff when you've just paid £950 for the tow bar  I gave them a bit of ear ache and they did it for nothing

As for the mud flaps didn't like the look of them when I held them to car so left them off

Guess that's just personnel pref

[X5Sport]

Having recently had a discussion with a towbar manufacturer, it appears that BMW just decided that as there are only a couple of countries that use leisure batteries in their caravans, they would just not bother wiring the circuits fully! 

There is nothing in the brochures telling you that so as above, I gave the Dealer the same earache and it was sorted.

Richard