I've recently bought an approved used BMW, and decided to upgrade the DVD for the Sat Nav system to the latest version. (It came with the 2003 disc, I've bought the 2006 version) Got one quite cheaply on Ebay (brand new and sealed). The disc doesn't work properly, and reading the instructions it seems that the cars software has to be upgraded to a later version for the disc to work. I took it into a BMW dealer, who tried one of their own discs in it, which produced the same results.
I asked how much it would cost to upgrade the software, and was quoted "at least £150 - £200"!!! It seems the upgrade process is difficult and "doesn't always work properly" and that sometimes they need the car for several days to get it working!!!
I asked for the work to be done under warranty.... not unreasonable, the car is just less than 3 years old, and surely a DVD based sat nav system is designed specifically so that the customer can upgrade the discs. As far as I'm concerned the car is faulty"and that BMW should pay for the software to be upgraded...
On the basis that new versions of software are constantly being released to "bug fix" potential faults, wouldn't you expect a BMW approved used car to be at the latest software level when you buy it?
Am I being unreasonable?? I realise that buying the DVD on ebay probably didn't go down well, but even so......!
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IF (big if that) your DVD is genuine and not a pirate, I don't think it matters where you bought it from. The fact that heir DVD doesn't work either suggests that the problem is indeed with your car. And I agree, they should update your software. My Merc dealer updated the software on my E class FOC, no question asked.
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It is a genuine disc. It even had the plastic film on the box. The dealer confirmed that the disc was fine. It worked ok in a car in their showroom, and their disc produced an identical problem on my car.
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>>The dealer confirmed that the disc was fine. It worked ok in a car in their showroom, and their disc produced an identical problem on my car.
This statement shows your car is faulty. If your car is still within warranty, then it should be fixed for free. Book it in on the basis that the 2006 disc does not work, but the disc is fine as it has been checked in another vehicle and works perfectly. Have a word with the service manager if charging is mentioned.
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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Sounds to me like the usual incompetant dealer who is scared of technology and computers and has no confidence in thei ability to carry out a simple firmware update. Try a bigger or better dealership.
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personally i think they should be able to charge. Its not faulty, it works with the disc you have, it is an upgrade. Unless the original contract stated upgrades are included then they are entitled to charge. As an example, M$ office upgrades regularly and you dont get them for free.
If you take it back to the dealer you bought it from (you stated it was approved used) you may be able to get it done foc, but purely from goodwill. Going in there telling them its faulty isnt likely to yeild any results.
And i do agree it sounds like a firmware upgrade which should be striaghtforward and not take too long to do.
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But I've already bought the upgrade - The DVD is the upgrade. Surely its unreasonable to expect the owner of a car thats less than 3 years old to pay for the DVD, (which I think retails for about £150), and then to pay another £200 for a firmware upgrade.... I know the line has to be drawn somewhere, I wouldn't expect BMW to do the same for me in 10 years time, but when its still under the manufacturers warranty, I think they should pay for everything! In fact, considering the premium I paid to buy the car directly from a BMW garage, I would expect the car to be supplied with the latest DVD and firmware.
BTW - the dealer I took it to was the dealer I bought the car from
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I have a lot of sympathy for your situation. But.
If you'd bought the DVD from the dealer, then I'm sure the price you'd paid would have included an overhead to allow them to flash the firmware for you. You've not done so, therefore the dealer owes you nothing except goodwill.
If you're of the opinion that the DVD should have been updated by the dealer before you bought the car, then perhaps you should have brought that up with the dealer before purchase - it probably wouldn't have been that hard to negotiate.
Hope you get it sorted though.
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I'd suggest you ask around in one of the BMW forums - I'm sure it will have come up there. It might give you some more ammo'
w ww.bmwland.co.uk
Good Luck P
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Good idea - thanks for that
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I know that locally some dealers charge stupid amounts of money for software upgrades. I imagine if the job is done by a competent technician then it takes literally minutes to do - a charge of £200 is obscene under these circumstances (late 2003 car) and shows contempt for the customer.
Some years back the Vauxhall garage local to me was upgrading ECM software to cure faults on cars ** under warranty ** because of poor running and was charging the customer £50+!!
Similarly last year an old chap who lives near me had his VW Polo (2 years old) in for service at the dealer. The mechanic left the oil filler cap loose and on the way home the EPC light came on. The VW dealer then charged about £100 to put the light out! I went back to the dealer with the old fellow and after some 'discussion' they refunded the charge.
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i hate that sort of treatment, its what gives the trade a bad name and there is no need for it. !
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Apoligies in advance if I am being blunt, but what roads are you going to travel down that is materially different to that of 3 years ago? Most new roads will not even feature in a AA road map book yet alone a SAT NAV system?
The only think I can think of is that you would like an update of where the new speed camera's are, ifso, then i suggest puchasing a Road Angel?
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If the car was still under the original 3 year warranty & it had a software problem then BMW would update the software FOC.
But there's nothing wrong with the cars software, you have gone out & bought ( not from a BMW dealer ) a new satnav disc that isnt compatible with the cars current software.
Why should BMW do something for free when it isnt there fault this satnav disc doesn't work with your car? you are trying to upgrade the car away from the manufactures specification by updating the satnav system with a new disc, BMW have every right to charge for upgrading the cars software in this instance.
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You say "nothing is wrong with the cars software"
Clearly this is not the case, or it wouldn't have to be upgraded to run the 2006 disc.
I'm not upgrading the car away from the manufacturers specification!! I am using a genuine BMW sat nav disc
The whole idea of having a DVD (or CD) based sat nav system is that you can keep the data up to date by replacing the DVD. This is how the device is designed to function. Currently mine is faulty, in that this "upgradability function" is not available to me.
I offered to buy another DVD at the full retail price from the dealer (£150) on the basis that they would upgrade the software free, but they are not prepared to do this. Obtaining the DVD on ebay appears not to be an issue with them.
I still think that BMW should pay for this when the car is under warranty.
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The cars software is working FINE at the moment, its working to the manufactures specifications.
YOU have gone out & purchased a satnav disc ( not from BMW ) that isnt compatible with your cars current software.
So why should BMW upgrade your cars software for free then?
There's no fault with the cars software so it isnt BMWs problem.
If you want to run the new satnav disc pay up so the dealer will upgrade the cars software to the latest spec.
If the car was faulty then yes BMW would under warranty do a software upgrade, But the car ISNT faulty, its works just like when it rolled off the production line, so its now down to you.
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Regarding the software upgrade - there have been a couple of posts on here recently from people who had ECU and auto-bax software upgrades (not on BMW's) and they were not covered by warranty.
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My 206 had lots of BSi & ECU software upgrades while it was under the original Peugeot 3 year warranty, Nows its under a approved used Peugeot warranty Ill have to put my hand in my pocket to upgrade the software in future ( unless its being serviced at the time )
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Actually, you would be surprised about how much the road system changes in three years. Quite a few addresses I have tried to get to are not in the 2003 edition. Does not have the M6 toll road either.
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You would be surprised how out of date some car manufacturers discs are! I have a 54 plate X-trail and it has several local garages on it which have not been there in 13 years, roads that have been in place for seven years are missing. I checked the cost of an upgrade and was quoted upwards of £300 - but having checked with a friend who owns an 06 version it is the same disc. It is a rip-off really as I could buy a whole system for the amount quoted - but who wants an intergral Satnav screen plus one sat on the dash? And, yes, I can use a map but use the Satnav when travelling alone somewhere new or trying to avoid snarlups.
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