Hello all! I have a 2008 535i which I just got a month ago, very very very extremely amazingly happy with it. But, as you should all know, the grass is always greener, and now I want the Progman update (27.02.02) so I can scroll through my iPod artists at a decent speed, as well as see the playlist after turning the car off and on, and not just the Now Playing. After asking my dealer's service department for this, they accused me of being a "forum gazer" and told me that they won't update it just because I want them to and that BMW never told them that this update would take care of such iPod issues and blah blah blah. Talked to my sales advisor, same story. Talked to the GM, same story. It all comes back to the mechanic, who also reads the forums apparently, and said that it's on the forums and not official and they won't do it. In addition, on all my work orders, there is now a note that says, verbatim, "FORUM GAZER! MYSTERIUS PROBLAMS!!". They can't spell very well. All I want is decent iPod functionality through the 6FL feature that I paid for, not having to scroll for an hour to get halfway through my list of artists (which I would guess is of average size). But they say that they can't guarantee 27.02.02 will provide a fix, because BMW NA has not documented that, and there is nothing they can do and will not try installing it unless I have an actual issue that it is documented to fix. Unfortunately, they hate me because I have "MYSTERIUS PROBLAMS!!" and will personally ensure that any and all complaints can be replicated, so making stuff up is out of the question. Any suggestions? I'm located in the South Florida area.

Also, am considering getting a CD changer installed. If I do this, will they update Progman as part of reprogramming for it? Honestly, I'm most motivated to get the CD changer just to force some sort of update; I don't really care for CDs all that much because of my iPod.

 

I feel your pain. I just went around and round with a dealer from whom I bought a CPO 545 about why BMW would not update the progman as part of the CPO process. They said the only way they would do it is for $180, and it was not included in the CPO process. I had already negotiated the deal and put down a deposit before I had even thought about the progman, so I didn't have a lot of leverage to insist that they update it at their expense. Good luck. Sorry you got flagged as a "problam" owner.

 

Humm, I dread to think what secret notes exist when they punch in my registration number! "Run for cover; send him to another dealer!"

Why not ask them how much they would charge if you were prepared to pay?

Regards,

 

Dealers always have a problem with owners studying forum's... There were certain issues that occurred on my previous car that were explained fully (Thanks to the forum I was on)... When I mentioned the "fix" or the ACTUAL service bulletin number, they would react the same way saying the people on the forum are not techs and don't know what they are talking about. Unfortunately Most people on the forums know MORE than the techs when it comes to certain issues/resolutions...

I think the get upset that you know something they don't... And they are supposed to be the experts...

 

Go to a different dealer, and say "I want to pay to have the latest progman version, how much will it be". It might be a couple of hundred dollars, it _might_ fix your problem, but hey, is it really worth all the hassle of trying to get it for free when it's so cheap. Don't ruin your ownership experience by battling for the sake of a few dollars, just go and pay and enjoy the car.

 

As a fellow South Florida member, might you mention the actual dealer by initials?

My SA appreciates that I send him information.

Dealers that refer to someone as a forum gazer obviously do not like that they cannot trick you into believing the stories that they often tell.

The dealer should be very happy that you are a more informed driver.

 

I agree... some battles are better off left alone.

 

Initials? Hell no... you get the whole name: Vista BMW.

Any chance your SA might be able to help me out?

 

"Vista" in Pompano Beach is not known for being so nice (they deal with the "older" crowd and they cater to simplicity in service). They were not so nice to me when I tried to purchase a car from them.

My SA at South BMW (where I purchased) in Miami is possibly a bit more understanding. When I had replica wheels (now I have OEMs), he worked with me to try to eliminate a noise in the braking even though the wheels were not his responsibility. They really put a lot into earning "5s" for service.

The problem that you will have in getting the update is that I understand that it can take hours hooked up to the machine. I would (as suggested above) offer to pay them a small amount for this service. For BMW dealers, they do need to account for their time. If it is a covered issue, they will do it. If it is not, they may not give you their time unless they can bill for it.

Send me an offline message, and I will send you my SA's email address. You can send him an email and see what he can do.

 

When Bmw North America calls to ask how your service was let em have it good!!