Nightmare dealer experience with iDrive broken

[iwatchlive]

Hi All

Looking for some feedback and advice from you learned friends- as a brand new BMW customer I am now paranoid following the atrocious level of CS I received at my first service encounter with my local Authorised BMW dealer.

Thought I should pass this one on to you all; Last week (My 1st with the Z) my iDrive screen all of a sudden started going up, then down, then up, then down, constantly, all of its own accord. Couldn’t get Music, CD, radio, NAV, zilcho!

It wouldn’t stop doing this and turning off the car and restarting wouldn’t fix it, so I pushed the local dealer for an early appointment and got a cancellation with the service department for two days away. For the two days waiting the screen kept going up and down as before so I stopped using the Z as I did not want to burn out the motor on the screen.

Went to the dealers and told them I had video of the problem showing the screen going up / down / up / down and that they were not to test drive because of the video I had (also didn’t want their service guys driving my new car either) However, after being left in reception of the dealers for over an hour I prompted the service desk for an explanation as to what was taking so long- to be told that the service guy was still out in my car trying to see the problem???WTF???? So after being told they were not to test drive and that I had video of the issue, they bleedin well took it out and drove it for over an hour without permission, used up my fuel, tyres and mileage etc WTF?? AAAAAaaagggghhhhhh

I was so angry I nearly blew a fuse; I was informed the service engineer had gone out in the Z initially and couldn’t replicate the issue??? I replied “Strange as it was clearly doing it on the video I had brought to show you! and clearly mentioned to you and it was doing it constantly for the two days before and when I turned up at the dealers” response was but after being sent out a second time in my car the engineer had at last seen the problem??WTF?? so it was being driven for an hour and a half by some engineer without permission! NOT A HAPPY BUNNY AT ALL!!

SO I would have to book the Z in for at least two days for their “exploratory” testing to identify the problem but they felt it was “probably a loose connection” and that if I wanted a replacement car I would have to wait for a couple to three weeks for the appointment to further investigate----WTF??

I asked why it had taken nearly an hour and a half driving my car to identify an issue I had already told them I had on video?? Plain confused expression was the only reply, then after saying I wanted an answer I got “the engineer needed to see it for himself” THIS was the pitiful explanation I received for the fact they had clearly & utterly ignored my request for no test drive to be performed. The exasperation nearly gave me piles and a blood clot. So they plan to start stripping the car into bits in order to check all the connections because their only idea was a “loose connection” NO CHANCE ARE THEY GETTING THEIR HANDS ON MY Z EVER, EVER AGAIN!

I left clearly very unhappy about the atrocious handling of my issue and their clear decision to ignore me- their customers’ requests.

Resolution??: I went to the office & started to hunt the web for further info and found several posts in reference to corrupt files in the music collection possibly being the problem: so it appears whilst recording a CD to the HDD in car that there had been a corruption for whatever reason; so I completely wiped the music collection library and guess what???

It hasn’t happened since—phew

So YES it took the Authorised BMW dealer nearly an hour and a half driving my new car around after being told not to - to leave me no better off and they expect me to wait nearly three weeks for them to fit me in so they can stick their finger in the wind again and guestimate at fixing a problem I found for myself on the web!!!!! I guess the dealer just DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE and can’t use the interweb thingy for themself huh! Turns out that BMW HQ may be aware of this as a problem and that if the very expensive dealer had bothered to call them on the phone they would have no doubt given them this advice HHHMMMMMMMM

As you can no doubt understand I WILL NOT ever be using this dealer ever again and would advise none of you to either; their name is like a character from Friends

Really interested in your views on this one- all comments gratefully received

[mcbeee]

It doesn't matter what you say or show them, they think we are all idiots and don't listen. If possible, go with the Svc Mgr or tech on the drive and show the problem . I had to do that with a tire vibration and once I did, it was no problem. They couldn't fix it anyway so I went to a real tire shop and had it fixed there.

[Z4 Beemer]

I think their argument will be that they need to test drive the car in normal road conditions to see any faults for themselves. I always make a note of the mileage if I ever need to take it into the dealers.

Strange that corrupt files in the HDD music collection can cause the screen to do this!

[cj10jeeper]

You're probably getting a bit too upset by this. For sure the dealer made a big mistake in not conveying back to you the fact that they needed to test drive it after you had requested them not to. That I presume is poor communication between the check-in staff and the actual technician and that's the piece I'd have challenged.

They won't have driven it for an hour an half, more likely had it sat in the workshop waiting for the next free tech. and did 2 short runs around routes they know (fast , bumpy, corners, off camber, etc.) and as stated by mcbee they have to assume the customer is an idiot and see/replicate any fault. If they don't and replace parts then they don't get reimbursed by BMW. You're video should have been helpful but doesn't confirm the fault to them, just the symptom.

As for time to book you in I'm sure there is a priority for VOR requiremetns rather than gremlins and if it were you and say the engine fell apart you'd expect it to jump to the front of the line.

REfusing to use the dealer again is going to be more your loss than theirs unless you have another close by and if you purchased the car there then they are always the best for warranty work.

[AlanJ]

You're probably getting a bit too upset by this. For sure the dealer made a big mistake in not conveying back to you the fact that they needed to test drive it after you had requested them not to. That I presume is poor communication between the check-in staff and the actual technician and that's the piece I'd have challenged.

They won't have driven it for an hour an half, more likely had it sat in the workshop waiting for the next free tech. and did 2 short runs around routes they know (fast , bumpy, corners, off camber, etc.) and as stated by mcbee they have to assume the customer is an idiot and see/replicate any fault. If they don't and replace parts then they don't get reimbursed by BMW. You're video should have been helpful but doesn't confirm the fault to them, just the symptom.

As for time to book you in I'm sure there is a priority for VOR requiremetns rather than gremlins and if it were you and say the engine fell apart you'd expect it to jump to the front of the line.

REfusing to use the dealer again is going to be more your loss than theirs unless you have another close by and if you purchased the car there then they are always the best for warranty work.

x2

Who was the dealer? Writing a formal letter of concern quoting the people you spoke to (as you will have noted their names somewhere) and clearly identifying you were not satisfied with the service will at least identify the issues to 'the dealer' and hopefully help improve future service. And who knows you may get a bit of goodwill thrown in...

[Breaker]

Must admit that sounds a bit off if you were waiting for the car! At my dealers when I had a problem with my last Z4 the engineer had to take it out to see for himself. The engineer came out to me and he insisted I went with him!

Thanks for highlighting that possible problem with the screen though. I'll know what to look out for if it happens to mine.

[pvr]

In a way, slightly similar to the BT dropping out when you have too many SMS messages on your phone. Weird but true again.

[m999psw]

I can't realy say if my local dealer is any good or not but at least you have got your car. After the approved bodyshop messed my car up for 2 paint defects, BMW took over to do the paint directly, but it has been with them for 4 weeks with no news yet of its return, I am not sure I will recognise it when it does come back!

[iwatchlive]

really BAD news I'm afraid This issue is back with a vengeance. IDrive system is completely defunct, screen constantly up & down, up and down.

Local dealer does not have a clue how to deal with it and feels that I should wait three weeks for them to fit me in whilst going without the use of the car. Yeah right!
Their only view was one of "could be a loose wire" but would have to start stripping the car into pieces to look for it. Not at all happy with that. Have only had it a few weeks. The local dealers attitude and lack of ability to define what is going on has not helped me feel confident in their ability to even fix it anyway

I will not accept a part fix, or hang around waiting whilst part fixes are tested out at the cost of my time & expense; neither am I happy to have the car stripped down into bits whilst engineers play look see with trying to identify what the issue is, as previous experience dictates that once a vehicles entire electrical / computer system is stripped out they are never the same again and increasingly liable to future failure and ongoing faults, which are completely unacceptable to me.

I contacted BMW HQ on the CS number; unfortunately the chap I talked with was unwilling to put me in contact with anyone at the management or supervisory level and this just made me feel more annoyed. I asked him to get a manager to contact me about this issue yet no one has called at all.

Having done considerable research on this issue now it appears the entire CCC (Car Communication Centre) is completely faulty. In short, the computer system of the car is defective which is causing the iDrive system to switch on and off all of its own accord, for example 8 times a minute on average. I have video evidence of this issue happening constantly. (See attached video)

I am offering BMW HQ till the end of week to fix this entirely - or it's going back under the BMW commitment, they do not have any with the same spec so I'll be after a refund as well.

Really sorry about this but I am not going to become one of the iDrive horror stories that the web is full of, hanging around for weeks or months whilst dealer tries to avoid spending money resolving the problem in its entirety and efficiently too.

Handed this over to BMW HQ to sort out, I really hope they do, I love the Z and do not want to lose it, however.......lets wait and see

if you want to see this happening, click the link below
http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... rsion2.mp4

[playalistic]

really BAD news I'm afraid This issue is back with a vengeance. IDrive system is completely defunct, screen constantly up & down, up and down.

Local dealer does not have a clue how to deal with it and feels that I should wait three weeks for them to fit me in whilst going without the use of the car. Yeah right!
Their only view was one of "could be a loose wire" but would have to start stripping the car into pieces to look for it. Not at all happy with that. Have only had it a few weeks. The local dealers attitude and lack of ability to define what is going on has not helped me feel confident in their ability to even fix it anyway

I will not accept a part fix, or hang around waiting whilst part fixes are tested out at the cost of my time & expense; neither am I happy to have the car stripped down into bits whilst engineers play look see with trying to identify what the issue is, as previous experience dictates that once a vehicles entire electrical / computer system is stripped out they are never the same again and increasingly liable to future failure and ongoing faults, which are completely unacceptable to me.

I contacted BMW HQ on the CS number; unfortunately the chap I talked with was unwilling to put me in contact with anyone at the management or supervisory level and this just made me feel more annoyed. I asked him to get a manager to contact me about this issue yet no one has called at all.

Having done considerable research on this issue now it appears the entire CCC (Car Communication Centre) is completely faulty. In short, the computer system of the car is defective which is causing the iDrive system to switch on and off all of its own accord, for example 8 times a minute on average. I have video evidence of this issue happening constantly. (See attached video)

I am offering BMW HQ till the end of week to fix this entirely - or it's going back under the BMW commitment, they do not have any with the same spec so I'll be after a refund as well.

Really sorry about this but I am not going to become one of the iDrive horror stories that the web is full of, hanging around for weeks or months whilst dealer tries to avoid spending money resolving the problem in its entirety and efficiently too.

Handed this over to BMW HQ to sort out, I really hope they do, I love the Z and do not want to lose it, however.......lets wait and see

if you want to see this happening, click the link below
http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... rsion2.mp4

Wow, sucks how they're handling this. Have you tried taking it to another dealer in the area? I know you shouldn't have to but maybe you'll get a better experience from another dealer in the area?

[AlanJ]

iwatchlive,

You have probably done this BUT IF NOT DO IT NOW - create a timeline (diary) of all contact you have had with the dealer and BMW HQ/UK and who you have spoken to. This will greatly assist if it all goes pear-shaped in the event of a 'fight'. Make all future requests for service/rectification in person and confirmed in writing (keeping copies). The legislation below gives you your rights as a consumer in as much as goods sold must 'be fit for purpose'.

Your vehicle is clearly not fit for purpose and as described in the sales brochures. Your right is to have, 1. An alternative of the same specification supplied (and in working order!), 2. A full refund and 3. Compensation. My suggestion is this - a sit down with the dealer principle in the very near future and outline the options you will consider confirming this in writing either at the time or within 24 hours of the meeting. Take someone with you - this assists if the problems are nor resolved and you have to go to County Court to resolve (I do hope not).

I would suggest that you have now lost confidence in the vehicle and indeed the screen constantly going up and down poses a distraction which is dangerous to safe driving. Please use this in your discussion with the dealer principle as any mention of a defect which can potentially cause an accident frightens them to death as there is a degree of vicarious liability if they then tell you it's safe to drive. If they say it’s safe to drive in this condition suggest you will have to notify your insurance company who will definitely decline further cover if you are driving a defective vehicle - all good ploys to speed up the resolution process.

I hope this resolves itself for you and please seek professional legal advice if in any doubt and things are not resolved to your satisfaction. One more thing Playalistics suggestion to try another dealer is I am sure made with the best of intentions but in this case DO NOT...... your grievance is with the supplying dealer and going somewhere else will potentially give them a let out that the third party has caused damage, made the problem worse etc.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/ ... ur-rights/
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... 38311.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/consumer_ ... _emp.shtml

[iwatchlive]

Hey Alan thanks for that

I have in fact now gone back to the original supplier (my real issues and bad experiences were with the local / my nearest dealer - who were NOT the actual supplier of the vehicle thank D'Lord)

Within an hour of sending the email complaint to the original dealer (Park Lane London)I had received a call with a promise of having the issue rectified. I'm having a courtesy car delivered saturday, the Zed is going into service first thing Monday AM and the Service Manager has asked for a copy of the video evidence. So I am happy so far with the response, lets hope it's followed all the way through huh!

I have asked for all comms to be copied in writing, I am keeping a timeline of all events, have video evidence of the problem and will be recording all telephone conversations.

FYI previous experience of a long drawn out court case of negligent damage against an international security company (3 letters) introduced me in full to the Sale of Goods & services act, after a lot of input, lots of costs on barristers and 5 years to-ing & fro-ing they eventually gave in and settled on the day of court case, guess I'm a bit of a dog with a bone when the point has to be made and I have been mistreated.

I would however always advise against court action if at all possible as it's costly and takes a long time and a lot of work, but when your in the right and your supplier has got it wrong sometimes you just gotta stand up for what is right. Thanks

I will keep the post updated with how wonderfully I am being dealt with by BMW UK (who own and run the Park Lane site) Glad I went to them for the car and not my local dealer

[AlanJ]

I would however always advise against court action if at all possible as it's costly and takes a long time and a lot of work, but when your in the right and your supplier has got it wrong sometimes you just gotta stand up for what is right. Thanks

I will keep the post updated with how wonderfully I am being dealt with by BMW UK (who own and run the Park Lane site) Glad I went to them for the car and not my local dealer

Agree with the court as a last resort but as you say keeping a log and getting all matters confirmed in writing stands you in good stead if you end up there. Hope it all works out OK

[iwatchlive]

Repaired

In summary the entire CCC system has been replaced, had to be shipped from BMW Germany as they are not held in stock in UK

not had an issue since the CCC system was replaced in Full

[AlanJ]

Repaired

In summary the entire CCC system has been replaced, had to be shipped from BMW Germany as they are not held in stock in UK

not had an issue since the CCC system was replaced in Full

Thanks for the up date and fingers crossed all now sorted!