Iceman

Are you saying it's not 1994 anymore?




Yep. It's amazing...

ISUK

1994? Try 1984! BMW still fit radio cassette players as standard equipment on lower spec 3 series cars. They have only just got round to fitting in dash cd players as standard on most models just as the rest of the world has moved on to MP3. All this from a manufacturer intent on targeting a younger audience. Do their engineers or marketing guys bother to look at changes in fashion and technology??

gdavis

Clearly, they cannot be serious about charging for a feature that they cannot get to work. Whether it was prep or full install, they still charged for an item which has no ability to be used. There is no question they would loose the $75 battle in any debate with a legal authority. And it is truly a small cost to reimburse to get over the argument with a good customer (whom they could loose for life over $75???).

It is also unfortunate that BMW aren't more apologetic to their core audience who are mostly obsessively dedicated to their brand, and just accept that they are loosing in this Sat/Nav arena and say they are sorry to us.

I also got the wierdest answer from BMWNA when I asked them what the status of this was. I told them that I tried to order both SAT and NAV in March and my dealer and I got a bulliten that stated that neither sat or sta prep could be ordered with Nav and that a software fix was being prepared for a later retrofit. That I should go ahead and order the car with neither SAT or SAT PREP, and that later a fix would take care of that.

Then, when I explained that bulletin to the BMW rep recently, he told me that without prep, it would never be possible to put in SAT, and so the bulletin was erroneous. They seem to be shooting from the hip on each and every response they give out to us and don't really have a master plan for what to do, or when or even how to talk about it. Not really up to the level of a top technology corporation (let alone a German one!)

John W

I wouldn't even know where to but a cassette tape!! That's just silly.

Clearly, if they're admitting defeat on Nav and Sirius, they should be happy to give back the $75 fee anyone paid. That fee was a good faith gesture made by a buyer, in anticipation of a later release. It wasn't "I'm paying just in case you ever figure it out - it was I'm paying to be ready for when you figure it out."

Not unlike the 6UA nav pre-prep, in all reality, BMW should be for free installing Sat prep, since they know the full option can't be supported yet. For Nav, they did that, so that when Nav was ready the early buyers were able to retrofit. This seems fairly similar in my book. The customer says "I really want Sirius" so BMW puts in the prep for the future.

Plus, just on the basis that they were even asked for a $75 refund of the fee they should be ecstatic to pay it back. The customer clearly acted in good faith. BMW should reciprocate. What the !@!@~! good is $75 worth of wiring that can't be used. Did he receive ANY value at all for that $75?

Jimbo

The answer is: What is a class action suit?

John W

And, isn't it appalling to think of tying up the courts over an issue like this? I can't imagine that it would have to go that far. Did BMW break the law in any of our countries? They did tell us that though the feature was expected, it was not available, prior to purchase. I'd say only if, in writing, they guaranteed a subsequent retrofit, would anyone be eligible for an award, beyond the $75, which is clearly due on principle. What would the award be? What's the actual harm done to the consumer by the lack of an entertainment option that was disclosed as unavailable?

I'm not taking sides, but I'd say it's highly unlikely that this would be a successful venture.

Yes, it stinks. I completely agree. I'm just not sure what remedy really exists beyond the $75 and keeping pressure on them to deliver. I wish lawsuits didn't have to be the pressure.

nickferr

See this thread I posted yesterday:

http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=4943

I'll let the group konw what happens. The dealer is Passport in Maryland.

Nick

KansasWiz

I just ordered a 545i with Sirius and Nav that is to be delivered on Jan 14th. I hope that they get the problem worked out before I take delivery. My dealer didn?t mention any problems with possible conflicts. He just took my order and my money.

Bokke

Gents - I think this has more to do with the vendor's. Unfortunatly BMW get's stuck in the middle. Believe me I am not taking BMM's side, these types of issue are also going on at MBenz. See my business partners E55!

I have an 03 X5 4.6is with NAV and can't get Sirius but I can get it on the wife's 02 X5 3.0s without NAV. Why? Because the NAV software for 4.6 does not work with Sirius and from my take (reading between the lines from both BMW and Siruis) is that neither vendor is willing to spend the resources to make it happen.

In a nutshell, it's very frustrating....

Oh, by the way the Bluetooth the dealer installed in in the 4.6 was a waste of money! I am begining to think that if it don't come from the factory then dont waste your money.

Just my 2 cents

pbarch1

What is the one thing about US cars that differs from the rest of the world? It is BMW assist. Now I have had my car for a year and my one year free BMW assist has expired. Will I re-new? Nope, 230 bucks for a program that I have not used a single time. And look at all the conflicts is produces.... It makes you think