Main Dealers are like Fawlty Towers........

[CondorX5]

You just couldn't make it up.  I am used to generally having to struggle to get main dealers to actually do something satisfactorily the first time round, but I was really angry when they handed my car back yesterday, after having it 3 times in the past 8 weeks to repair the Oil Sensor issues that triggers the overfull message on the iDrive .....they had tapped off some oil twice and then wanted it booked in a third time to replace the oil sensor.  They also replaced the glow plug control unit as they said it was faulty (certainly had not noticed it) and also an intercooler oil pipe was replaced as there was apparently a leak........all under warranty so no issues there, but what was really annoying was that the car only managed 20 miles (main dealer to my driveway) before the amber oil can pinged up on the dash and the idrive now stated oil level LOW and wanted a litre of oil!

Of course, it was 6pm by then so they had all gone home already, but I called this AM and said I was on my way over and they needed to resolve this..........when I arrived the service guy said he had contacted the service manager at home and he had offered me the new demo 740d until next week so they could sort it out.  Much as I love the 740d, it is a big (beautiful) barge and I wasn't keen on exposing it to potential car park bashes as I have some business trips next week, so asked if they could go about checking what was what and I would wait.

Ultimately it seems as if the Master Tech apparently assigned to the vehicle yesterday had "forgotten" to check the ACTUAL oil levels yesterday despite removing and replacing the oil sensor, replacing an intercooler pipe and not thinking that perhaps the oil they removed twice might perhaps be needed too..........its not actually that difficult to get to the dipstick , even though its disguised and a little hidden.........

Embarrassed service staff and service manager, car has had the correct amount of oil added now and seems fine.

But I ended up spending my precious Saturday morning in the dealership - ok, friendly people, lots of free cappucinos and other drinks - but with little free time, weekends are not really intended for hanging about dealerships because they messed up. 

I wish there were competent technicans in these dealerships. That was an extremely basic error, grossly negligent.

[graemeX5]

Hi

I guess it shows mistakes can be made by anyone, maybe it's a ploy to get you to spend time there browsing their new cars ?, but it is a pain having to do it more than once.

On the positive side at least you had the sensor change and you know it works.

[Colin]

As you say  you couldn't make it up  its like a bad dream  lol
And a Saturday WASTED !
Hope your X is sorted now

[max]

Which one of the Fawlty Towers dealers was it?
Well done on getting it sorted though

[CondorX5]

Sytner Tamworth - was Sytner Sutton Coldfield until they moved about a year ago.  To be honest Stratstone Derby have been no better in the past, they all seem to be useless. However, specialist indys in my area are thin on the ground and those I am aware of are no better than main dealers. Both my Xes are under extended warranty and AUC first year warranty so repairs generally main dealers but brakes and tyres and anything not covered by warranty I try to have done at a little family owned garage locally as they don't rip off, but can take a while to get booked in with them.

When Sytner insisted my old X 4.8is needed £1000 + to replace "corroded rear brake pipes" and it wasn't a warranty thing, I had them look for me - they are an MOT station as well with experienced guys who know their stuff - and they were adamant it was a load of bollox. If the pipes needed replacing they were happy to do it for around £200-300. But they don't.    Sytner were adamant they were "dangerously corroded" and refused an MOT on those grounds.  They have now stopped whining about the "dangerous corrosion" even though the car has been back there umpteen times since for other warranty work.  i must just remember not to take it there for an MOT again!

[max]

Sounds about right for the local Sytner dealers

[Nictrix]

I am quite interested in this as my X6 shows too much oil.
It has been to a garage who have assured me that there is the correct amount of oil and checking the dipstick confirms this.
They said a new oil sensor would fix the problem but at around £120 for the sensor it would be good to know if that's all they done to fix this.
I will likely wait until it needs an oil change and get it done at the same time as it seems a waste to drop the oil to change the sensor.

[CondorX5]

Seems to be quite a common problem, the overfull iDrive message.  Probably perfectly safe to drive if the dipstick shows correct amount of oil. Have heard that the sensor is notoriously finicky / flakey and there have been reports of failures on lots of forums.  Mine was a warranty repair, I think the costing was around £380 for parts and labour (I always ask out of interest what it all cost /was charged at) 

[Horizon]

[quote="Nictrix"]
I am quite interested in this as my X6 shows too much oil.
It has been to a garage who have assured me that there is the correct amount of oil and checking the dipstick confirms this.
They said a new oil sensor would fix the problem but at around £120 for the sensor it would be good to know if that's all they done to fix this.
I will likely wait until it needs an oil change and get it done at the same time as it seems a waste to drop the oil to change the sensor.
[/quote]
I e read that anything over the halfway mark on the dipstick can cause the sensor to spot its dummy out.
I remember having a Talbot Horizon as a company car hat had a sensor on the dipstick itself, that was crap too

[NehalX5]

BMW really like to pull your leg. We went in to take the car to see as to why there was a smelly smoke coming from the car on cold mornings/cold starts. They decided to charge us for them doing diagnostics on the car, fair enough to them as they had it up on the stands and had code readers out, etc. But, they also charged for them to look at the iDrive and check that the extremely scratched, 7 year old sat nav disc was the reason for the satellite navigation to not work, and not the DVD drive that takes it!

On top of that, the brakes then seized up front, two weeks later, and it turns out that it hadn't had brake fluid done in 5 years. Yes that is partly our fault but was surprised that the fluid hadn't been done by the two previous owners, with many garages advising it yet it never being replaced (at least according to the service book). Now, the mechanic had said that repetitive car washes, which this car has had, may gunk up the pads and cause the calliper to seize, but only after we went to BMW for the brake issue did they then give us the health check from two weeks ago, which said that the exact same brake calliper was sticking and it was 'advised' for 'further investigation'. This was given after the brakes had seized, as if they thought that it would be ok to not advise us of a sticking brake system. An absolute joke, and some money later the car was running, thanks to the local volvo specialist! (owner has experience with the E70 however).

Williams BMW were a joke in this situation, but I guess they do everything they are told right, so long as you spell it out for them. May just get oil changes done there, solely for the service book, and use an indy for any other work, as the £120/hr labour rate isn't pleasing. I have heard good things of Haliwell Jones however, may see what they can do.

[ianst0028]

no experience of the service depts of either halliwell jones or williams but when looking at parts i'd rather use williams all day long

[lezmtaylor]

One of their favourite tricks is to top up the washer bottle and charge the earth, ALWAYS make sure you have topped it up before it goes in.


Lez

[IanP]

[quote="lezmtaylor"]
One of their favourite tricks is to top up the washer bottle and charge the earth, ALWAYS make sure you have topped it up before it goes in.


Lez
[/quote]

Unless you tell them specifically not to do it, the washer bottle will still get drained as it is part of the service to clean the bottle and pump filter

[Nat]

................ "But I ended up spending my precious Saturday morning in the dealership - ok, friendly people, lots of free cappucinos and other drinks - but with little free time, weekends are not really intended for hanging about dealerships because they messed up." 

That's the modern world.........we pay for all these fripperies. I would rather they spent the money teaching someone how to check a dip stick.

Utterly useless .

A long time ago my Dad used to go to a garage that no longer exists ( and neither does my dad sadly ).
Anyway, there was always the man with the lab coat .

before a car went back out to the customer, his job was to ask ......Whats this car been in here for.?
He would then check it , test it and only then when he was satisfied would the car go out.
Few if any ever went out wrong.
Its called  quality control . Something thats clearly lacking these days.