144 quid for a valet at the dealers

[Lummox]

Well I got the "autolevelsupsinactive" on the dash board, i put the car onto the scanner 1.4.0 and the only code i could find was the one for the trailer oscillation. So i pushed the reset codes button and let the scanner do its thing. I then started the car and took it for a drive, whilst driving i noticed the compressor was running till it sounded like a pressure relief valve was popping and then the compressor would stop for approx +/-1 minute and then kick in again. I pulled over and tried to raise the suspension but nothing so i tried to lower it and still nothing, i got out of the car and noticed the compressor was still doing exactly the same thing. I took the car home and parked it in the garage over night thinking i will just leave it for tonight and come back to it tomorrow. Next morning i went into the garage and started the car and it was still doing the same thing so i thought sod it - off to the dealers. They took the car in at 13:00 hours on Monday and i didn't get it back till 17:00 hours on Tuesday. when i got to the dealers to collect it they said they couldn't find the fault and charged me 144 quid, when i questioned the price for them not finding the fault they said that i still had to pay for the diagnostic and they had valeted my car for me. Not a very happy camper - 28 hours and 144 quid later and i am still no further forward!!!!

Lummox

[Lummox]

Sorry i forgot to add are there any other members here had the same problem or anyone got any idea where i may want to start looking. The dealer reckons the sensors, control unit, compressor and solenoids are working okay, they said they re-coded the main control unit with the latest software. so i am at a loss as to where to go from here.

Lummox

[Reusch]

The robbing s****s.

[X5Sport]

Welcome to incompetent Dealers......the computer says no fault, so there's nothing wrong.  Their 'Technicians' can't work from first principles or the bleeding obvious and BMW GB won't play with no fault code!  I now have an 'arrangement' with my Dealer.  I deal with the 'Technician' directly and talk/walk through the whole thing with him as I know the Service Drone won't have a clue.

They don't like it, but it's found faults before that their computer said nothing wrong - like a faulty starter motor.  There's nothing a Dealer hates more than an 'intelligent customer'.  They've even offered me a job, but I said they didn't pay enough.  I'd work as a Consultant but then they couldn't afford me.  Huge amounts of the BMW Technician Training courses are available in the US as their Freedom of Information Act mandates publication, unlike here in Europe.

It makes me hopping mad that they charge the earth and do sod all for it.

Richard

[Lummox]

It has really p***ed me off, i would of thought that a dealer would be able to get down to the nitty gritty and tell me what was wrong. The only piece of advice he could offer was "trade the old girl in and let someone else have the worry of it" not really helpful at all. I think it is fair to say i shan't be darkening that dealerships doorways again.

Lummox

[syg9m]

hi ask them for a break down as you didnt ask them for a valet they shouldnt have charged you for it ,
I go in now to the dealers and barter with them as they need our business they usually cave in , last year the car went in for an MOT , they rang me & said that it needed a lot put right totalling £2000 so I said put the car back together & I will take it somewhere else , they said they had ordered the parts , I said they could use them for some other mug .
Went to collect the car & they said they had started stripping it down , something they cant do on an MOT until you authorise it to be fixed , £1400 + vat , no £1200 + vat , No £1000 + vat no , £1000 including vat ok
2 days later went to pick it up after using their Managers 525d  for 4 days , the guy said we have had a problem the rear no plate light wont work so we have fitted a new one £140 + vat + £80 spray + labour went to pay £1000 including vat .
  Barter with them , take it back & ask them to fix it or give you your money back , ask for a customer comment card the dealers rated on these !

[AW8]

To be fair to the dealer some problems are hard to diagnose...................you could have had a similar issue at another dealer or even an indy.

I personally prefer to use indy for non stamp collecting jobs as the person doing the work speaks to me rather than a corporate face...........like X5Sport I too ask to speak to technicians for anything less than routine.

Dealer or indy diagnostic work costs money these days.........even if fault not found initially.

Oh and due to a past experience I now ask for car not to be valeted & leave a clearly visible sign on the dash..............."No Valet Wash - Thank you"


Fwiw I think someone on here may have disconnected battery and performed hard reboot to deal with similar issue but I would not do this without second opinion from valued source.



Good Luck

[Lummox]

Thanks for the advice guys. I was thinking about disconnecting the battery but therein is another problem, I have a gas conversion with a donut tank so it is a nightmare to even see the battery. May take the tank out over the next few days and fit a new battery (if im going to the bother of removing the tank I may as well fit a battery as precautionary measure)

[Denis O]

You have a 2004 e53 and you still take it to a main stealer  :nono:

[Lummox]

Dennis I tried 3 indys first and they couldn't find the fault so the dealers was the next logical step in my book but maybe your book says something different

[AW8]

Maybe also causing fitting of a battery isolation switch would be a good idea.

Like I say don't disconnect/hard reboot  unless someone can credibly testify the value of this procedure.

[Lummox]

Evening all, just an update. Had the battery tested and it was totally buggered, a drop tester virtually killed it so i got a bigger Varta battery and fitted that. Had to modify the battery box in the car slightly to get the thing in. It turns out the car had put the suspension into "production line mode" and all it took was for my local indy to use his snap on solus machine to put it back into "normal mode" and then calibrate the suspension. 100 quid for the battery and 30 quid for the recalibration of the suspension.

Lummox

[X5Sport]

Glad it's sorted and any competent BMW Dealer should have found that issue straight away - even though not technically a fault - it should have shown up on their screen.

Richard

[Lummox]

X5sport, the only piece of advice the dealer gave was to try replacing the main control unit for the suspension and the compressor, a grand total of approx 2400 quid plus VAT. a slight bit different to the 150 quid that it did actually cost to sort out. Just need to sort out the fault on the rear nearside window now and i think that will be me free of faults for the next couple of days haha

Lummox