£297 to fix a broken wire...
Discussion
Wife's 2016 F48 X1 threw a fault on parking sensors.
Into Sytner Leicester today. The issue was caked mud in the rear bumper (she doesn't go off-roading!) breaking a sensor wire, photo from Sytner under...
Three spindly little wires, no protection. Is this a way to build a car?
Q. Do I just take it up the tailpipe? Surely their auto electrician could simply splice a new wire into the loom?
Into Sytner Leicester today. The issue was caked mud in the rear bumper (she doesn't go off-roading!) breaking a sensor wire, photo from Sytner under...
Three spindly little wires, no protection. Is this a way to build a car?
Q. Do I just take it up the tailpipe? Surely their auto electrician could simply splice a new wire into the loom?
mmm-five said:
Probably 'special' wire, and will need to reset the iDrive warning, and then reset the iDrive to see the 'new' sensor.
...all takes time sir, at £160/hour.
Good points....all takes time sir, at £160/hour.
And I guess the wiring loom needs to be replaced back to the next connector which probably means 14 other branches of wires after that connector having to be replaced also, along with the relevant connectors. iDrive would need to be reset for ALL those ancillaries affected.
I'm getting a bargain!!!
As an aside... they phoned asking if she'd like a wheel alignment as it was "slightly out". I had it done elsewhere six months ago, tyre wear is perfect. We were... sceptical.
Someone else phoned asking if she'd like all four wheels refurbed for £644. BMW had previously told me diamond cut wheels could only be replaced, not refurbed, for "safety reasons." We are... a cash cow perhaps?
Typical "right lads, let squeeze all customers for as much as we can. We have a target to meet!"
DJMC said:
mmm-five said:
Probably 'special' wire, and will need to reset the iDrive warning, and then reset the iDrive to see the 'new' sensor.
...all takes time sir, at £160/hour.
Good points....all takes time sir, at £160/hour.
And I guess the wiring loom needs to be replaced back to the next connector which probably means 14 other branches of wires after that connector having to be replaced also, along with the relevant connectors. iDrive would need to be reset for ALL those ancillaries affected.
I'm getting a bargain!!!
As an aside... they phoned asking if she'd like a wheel alignment as it was "slightly out". I had it done elsewhere six months ago, tyre wear is perfect. We were... sceptical.
Someone else phoned asking if she'd like all four wheels refurbed for £644. BMW had previously told me diamond cut wheels could only be replaced, not refurbed, for "safety reasons." We are... a cash cow perhaps?
Typical "right lads, let squeeze all customers for as much as we can. We have a target to meet!"
the servicing on electric isnt that much of a margin so they will be going foe this, and ill think that car companies will be introducing little things like this just to ensure that they make money off of the customer....
dealers are in a tiz as they know they are going to get humped.
https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/support/car-maintenanc...
so its not the maintenance that they will hammer us with... but fixing all the abnormalities lol
Usually there is a separate loom for the sensors, the standard BMW repair would be to change the loom, which probably means taking the bumper off. There will also have been diagnostic investigation at the beginning of the repair and again afterwards when the repair is completed. So as a main dealer charge for this it seems about right.
This is just one of the many reasons I don't take my car to a BMW main dealer for repair or servicing.
This is just one of the many reasons I don't take my car to a BMW main dealer for repair or servicing.
e21Keith said:
This is just one of the many reasons I don't take my car to a BMW main dealer for repair or servicing.
You'd have probably been better off taking a six year old BMW to a specialist rather than the main dealer, although no matter what the fault was with the parking sensors, I wouldn't have expected the bill to be much less at a main dealer.DJMC said:
As an aside... they phoned asking if she'd like a wheel alignment as it was "slightly out". I had it done elsewhere six months ago, tyre wear is perfect. We were... sceptical.
Someone else phoned asking if she'd like all four wheels refurbed for £644. BMW had previously told me diamond cut wheels could only be replaced, not refurbed, for "safety reasons." We are... a cash cow perhaps?
Typical "right lads, let squeeze all customers for as much as we can. We have a target to meet!"
You have to bear in mind that the service staffs’ entire job to extract as much money out of customers as possible. They all get targeted and bonused on identifying and selling that work. The service manager, sorry, After Sales Director, will be firing staff who aren’t very good at it or he’ll get fired himself.Someone else phoned asking if she'd like all four wheels refurbed for £644. BMW had previously told me diamond cut wheels could only be replaced, not refurbed, for "safety reasons." We are... a cash cow perhaps?
Typical "right lads, let squeeze all customers for as much as we can. We have a target to meet!"
Tobermory said:
If it’s out of warranty then why not just fix it?
Some wire of the correct guage and shrink wrap would cost less than a tenner, and the access looks ok without having to remove the bumper
The wires are an easy fix for somebody competent with a soldering iron. I think Tobermory means heat shrink tubing rather than shrink wrap. Use adhesive lined heat shrink to add strength to the wire joints and reduce possibility of water ingress. Available at the South American river.Some wire of the correct guage and shrink wrap would cost less than a tenner, and the access looks ok without having to remove the bumper
Looks like the wire's near enough snapped at the pin.
So they'll need the correct pin and a crimp tool for it. Or they'll have to buy a pre wired pin or pre wired connector, and cut/crimp into the loom.
As mentioned above, if they can only buy a bumper harness, and have to drop the bumper, it's a reasonable price to me.
Either way, if you now take it elsewhere for repair, I presume BMW will want paying for the investigation time it's took them to get to that point.
So they'll need the correct pin and a crimp tool for it. Or they'll have to buy a pre wired pin or pre wired connector, and cut/crimp into the loom.
As mentioned above, if they can only buy a bumper harness, and have to drop the bumper, it's a reasonable price to me.
Either way, if you now take it elsewhere for repair, I presume BMW will want paying for the investigation time it's took them to get to that point.
My wife used to take her A3 to an indy but they fouled up over an EGR valve replacement so she's not been keen on indies since.
It has an extended BMW warranty but of course it doesn't cover this particular part, or damage.
So... we're stuck with main dealer prices. We had a fantastic service guy at Sytner Leics, Ashley Dutton, who understood we were "difficult", treated us with respect, and did his best to keep us happy. He's gone to Peugeot now so we have a new guy who seems very switched on but that hasn't stopped his buddies from trying it on... yet.
I recall the first time, maybe 12-15 years ago, I discovered charging for investigation work. Sytner Solihull. Girl with a clip board came to ask me how long I'd like them to spend on finding the issue (headlamp washer didn't pop out), half and hour or an hour?
Having bought three new cars from them and being a service customer for ten years I asked for the DP. He explained about block exemption and folks using them to diagnose for free and then going elsewhere. When he realised I was a long-term customer he waived the charges.
I have emailed to ask why the high charge, but all the answers are above for sure.
It has an extended BMW warranty but of course it doesn't cover this particular part, or damage.
So... we're stuck with main dealer prices. We had a fantastic service guy at Sytner Leics, Ashley Dutton, who understood we were "difficult", treated us with respect, and did his best to keep us happy. He's gone to Peugeot now so we have a new guy who seems very switched on but that hasn't stopped his buddies from trying it on... yet.
I recall the first time, maybe 12-15 years ago, I discovered charging for investigation work. Sytner Solihull. Girl with a clip board came to ask me how long I'd like them to spend on finding the issue (headlamp washer didn't pop out), half and hour or an hour?
Having bought three new cars from them and being a service customer for ten years I asked for the DP. He explained about block exemption and folks using them to diagnose for free and then going elsewhere. When he realised I was a long-term customer he waived the charges.
I have emailed to ask why the high charge, but all the answers are above for sure.
My niece is in a slightly worse position with her Jaguar. She has a particular fault that I asked her to get read at a local garage. The DTC'S indicate a software issue.
The following day, I asked her to take it to Jag for a software update and they're saying they can't talk to the car. I gather she needs to authorise 8 hours of investigation just for them to get comms to the car. That's before we get on to the original infotainment fault.
I'm going to take a look this weekend.
The following day, I asked her to take it to Jag for a software update and they're saying they can't talk to the car. I gather she needs to authorise 8 hours of investigation just for them to get comms to the car. That's before we get on to the original infotainment fault.
I'm going to take a look this weekend.
I'd just find the right connector here https://www.realoem.com/bmw/en/partgrp?id=JG32-EUR...
And get a crimp tool for £30, looks easy enough to get to.
And get a crimp tool for £30, looks easy enough to get to.
Standard main dealer tactics - they have huge overheads and car sales isn't worth a cup of cold piss these days.
A friend of a friend - a very nice low mileage X3 'needed all new brakes m8' etc etc etc.
Oh, the wire is a £50 - 80 fix at any garage. They deserve your money more than this shower.
A friend of a friend - a very nice low mileage X3 'needed all new brakes m8' etc etc etc.
Oh, the wire is a £50 - 80 fix at any garage. They deserve your money more than this shower.
Sheepshanks said:
You have to bear in mind that the service staffs’ entire job to extract as much money out of customers as possible. They all get targeted and bonused on identifying and selling that work. The service manager, sorry, After Sales Director, will be firing staff who aren’t very good at it or he’ll get fired himself.
Absolutely 100% correct... I take it you work in a main dealer 
Took my F31 320d into Barons Cambridge today for the latest EGR cooler recall, expecting the usual thinly-evidenced sales pitch for ‘urgent’ work required to other systems.
Well, I did get one red flag for a tyre bulge but, amazingly enough, on grovelling underneath I can confirm they’re actually right.
Fair do’s, but I’m sticking with my local BMW indie for non warranty work.
Well, I did get one red flag for a tyre bulge but, amazingly enough, on grovelling underneath I can confirm they’re actually right.
Fair do’s, but I’m sticking with my local BMW indie for non warranty work.
vaud said:
ruggedscotty said:
so its not the maintenance that they will hammer us with... but fixing all the abnormalities lol
“I’m sorry sir your car has a virus - we can reinstall the OS for £400… has sir been visiting any “specialist” motoring web sites recently?”Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff