Dealer Service: Miles Driven for Inst. cluster Fix/Smog Recall 39 miles?!
Hey there. Couldn't sleep. Took my Beat in for the Factory Recall for the Smog Check and to get the Instrument Cluster/Pixels replaced. BMW agreed to replace the instrument cluster if I would pay for labor. OK
So, I timed this together since factory recalls get you free loaner car or at worst an Enterprise Special. Hated going to a dealer that I had a REALLY BAD BAD experience with 4 1/2 years before. But . . . no problem, great S.A., called when he promised, no surprises, and . . . then they didn't even charge me the $90 I thought I would be charged for the installation of the Instrument Cluster.
Normally, I would have said . . hoooo, woah, dude, I owe you for the labor. But given my previous wicked bad experience, I, in a rare moment did not question the check-out person about whether I owed any money.
Then, all is cool, I'm thinking maybe this dealer is OK . . . is Dinan too expensive (who can't do recalls), and then . . . I see my car was drive 39 miles! And my fuel consumption was 9.0 miles per gallon! That would be close to a new record for me (9.0); but I usually get at least 12.
Sounds like a Joy Ride to Me. OK; this is in Mountain View California . . . which to go 39 miles you could cruise to Santa Cruz and back for lunch?
So . . .how many miles to "synch" a new instrument cluster or ensure "smog" fix is OK?
Any thoughts please? My Beast seems OK . . . but I did not intend to take it back to a very BAD kennel.
W
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If M5s were supposed to have paddles, they'd be canoes!
Yes, 39 miles is uncalled for and at 9 mpg, you know it was beaten and flogged the whole way. I hate taking my car in for service because they always say "Well, we even drove the car around the block to make sure everything is OK" like if they are doing me a favor but I know it's some kid bouncing off the rev limiter.
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03 Titanium Silver/Black Luxury/Burl Walnut
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I wouldn't even wast my time with the SA. I immediately find out who owned this dealer and take it straight to the top. You have every right to snarling mad.
TripleD
We get these stories every once in a while. The best defense is probably to tell the SA when you drop it off that you've recorded the mileage and you expect the car to be driven minimally given the type of repair.
the more i think about this the more upset i get. not that you can prove it not having noticed it before you left the dealer. but going to the owner with a complaint like that and telling him that he will be mentioning your experience to every bmw owner you know may place some impetus on him to get to the bottom of it and give you some satisfaction. part of which i would want to be an apology from the tech that took her out for a spin like that.
damage and wear to the beast wouldn't be *immediately* noticable. drive her to drop your mileage down to 9 for long enough and she'll start showing her age. there's a reason they say "looks like she's been ridden hard..." but if she is your car, you don't track her for a reason, you ride her easily, there is *no* reason you should allow anyone else to drive her like *they* stole it....
__________________ '02 M5 TiSi-SBI [Sexy Black Interior] - "Audrey"
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Actually when they reinstall a new cluster all of the data as far as fuel consumption goes is reset. Since the car was probably mostly idling at the dealer the fuel consumption would be low as expected. As far as 39 extra miles, most of it is due to programing. Do not be worried!
__________________ 2007 BMW M6 2003 M3 Cp SMG For Sale!
+1 to post #8. Had mine done about a month ago (I waited for the car) ... All viewable parameters were reset, and miles were off some ... not 39 miles, but maybe 6 or 7.
And, I wouldn't worry about driving it like it was stolen, I have done that for 62,000 miles with nary a problem.
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