dirksqjaw

*WARNING - Introspective/retrospective post about my trials and tribulations with my car - CLEARLY it's longer than a few sentences - Consider yourself warned.*

It's been a bit of a roller coaster. Part of the down swings are the fact that I live in Dubai. The market here is very much a sellers market and little ole me means exactly jack and shit to the dealerships here. They would actually prefer I not own a BMW if I'm only going to own one. Combine that with the fact that the market is so starved for these cars, prices are through the roof.

But let's talk about the car - It's simply amazing in so many ways. Today I even found out that I actually like the cup holders. I never thought I'd come to this conclusion, but after the AC cooled my near boiling bottle of water in 10 minutes sold me. I have a built in drink chiller! I even dislike super hot coffee so it's nice to cool off the boiling brew they usually serve around here - It's perfect!

The ride is graceful but in touch with the road, and the engine pulls like a freight train and always wants more. I bought it because I drive to Abu Dhabi (about 140k'ish away) and wanted something comfortable around the 160kph mark. Plus, I've always wanted one.

The gas pedal is a smile button, and I like smiling... It has the looks, the style, the performance, and the comfort - it's got everything I want.

Now for the down sides. Week one - Vacuum pump goes - no big deal, 600 bucks and all is better. There was a strange stutter in the idrive/radio after driving for awhile, but it was minor and at the time I thought it was due to the idrive software being the original factory version (never once being updated). No worries, I want the Ipod adapter anyways so it's a good excuse for the dealer to update the software. They updated it to a march 06 version, before the ipod adapter fix. Bastards. Plus, the stutter is still there.

I take it back in and they say that was the latest they could update it too. They say my CCC is bad and needs to be replaced. The part alone is 3k US. I blow it off, demand an update in software to a recent version, so I get an appointment for late September (grr).

So after a trip to Sharjah looking a good parts supplier for mods I'm driving home today - I get a restraint failure - seatbelt friction and locks are inoperative and airbags are deactivated - warns to go immediately to a BMW dealership. 5 minutes later - the screen goes white, then turns off. A few minutes later it comes back on, but remains black until I guess it finishes its reboot. Seems okay, still have the failure notification.

I go directly to the dealership - The SA comes out to look at the car and the failure is gone but the Idrive starts wigging out again. He says a few different things need to be replaced, he's seen this before - It's about 6-8k US including labor. There goes my mod budget.

I'm just flabbergasted - Should I fix this and turn around and sell it while it still works? Is this thing going to become a money pit, and not in a good hobby way? I feel like I've been lured in by the beautiful woman, only to be blackjacked and robbed.

I've no real purpose for this post other then to express my grief. I love the car so much, yet despise it right now.



-Dirk

pukka

With a post that long, you should have included a part where somebody's @$$ got kissed and called it a love story.

No offense - but expressing grief is better done somehere else - at least on a different sub-forum.

But it makes you feel any better........Cheers.

seoulman

Looks like they sold you a lemon... I feel for you, but if you fix and sell it, I doubt you'll get back any of the US$8k~9k in repairs that you're thinking of putting into it. Perhaps selling it as is or doing a 'band-aid' fix and selling would be your best option. Let the next owner worry about it!

06530-6M

It's sad that you find reading a few well written paragraphs so taxing to your brain. If you don't want to read a post because you find it long --- don't.

I can't stand it when someone posts BS like this.

I enjoyed your positive and negative points and I'm sorry you're having these expensive problems with the car. Perhaps too early of a model? I never buy a first year model make by any brand. Fix as cheaply as possible and try to upgrade to something newer?

dirksqjaw

Thanks... I couldn't do a bandaid fix, that's just moving my grief to the next poor bastard who buys my car. I'll fix it right (but not at the dealership). But you may be on to something, though... I bet I could get a CPO 550 shipped from the states for cheaper than I got this thing for - only drawback is I'd have to pay cash. Hrmm... something to consider with my year end bonus.

You're of course right about the first year models, but it was the only 545/550 I found for sale in over a month here in Dubai, so I pounced. Such a beautiful car too.

seoulman

Even if you get a CPO'ed 550 shipped from the States, the dealer(s) in Dubai or anywhere else out of North America would not honor that CPO warranty, since the CPO warranty is something that is offered by BMWNA. Yes, most cars of BMW caliber have global warranties, but those are for 2 years or less and if you are looking at a used car, the global warranty would have probably expired.

I really feel for you. When I lived in Singapore, I had an Audi S4 that was a total lemon. Fortunately, I bought it new and the multitude of problems I had came up soon enough that Audi AP swapped it for a new car to avoid a potential PR nightmare.

Good luck with your 545i, I believe that there are some members in this forum that are based in Dubai and other cities in the UAE. Perhaps you could leverage on them to find a shop that will fix your problems for much less?

pukka

Aww...Had a bad day???? Then go visit the LOUNGE on this forum to digress yourself - where anything your girly-man heart wants to pour out goes and where the BS poster called "Pukka" doesn't.

Otherwise, grow a thick skin. We are talking about FREAKING CARS here.

06530-6M

He WAS talking about his freakin car you ass. You're a freakin, simple-minded idiot.

tarek307

Wow, that post really caused you this much grief...maybe your reading challenged or something, because it was only a few lines!! Hey but But it makes you feel any better. (to complain for no reason) .......Cheers

pukka

That's SENIOR MEMBER freakin, simple-minded idiot to you - MEMBER!