So I went to the dealer yesterday to have my ipod software put back into my car. They took it out somehow when my bluetooth was retrofitted the week before.

While I was driving there, (i've been having rought idle issues and my radio kept cutting off once in a while), the car suddenly goes blank (idrive screen), and the ABS light, airbag light, seat belt light, and DSC light come on, along with the speedometer just not working anymore. I was on the highway btw.

I was like, Holy crap?! WTH could be wrong!?

So finally pulled up to the dealer and shut off the car and waited for 10-15 minutes and messages were still there. Also, the Ding noise that is in the car after you shutoff your car and leave the key in ignition was extra loud.

My service advisor told me that I probably need a new alternator. I was like, crap?! Was a little mad that the alternator had to get replaced already (i have about 72k miles on my car now).

So I was there at 7am at the dealer, and a few hours later, they replaced the alternator and reprogrammed my ipod back to use. And my SA told me it was $50 dollar deductable. The alternator and labor was covered under my extended warranty!!! GREAT!! while I was waiting, I was searching for alternators online which were like $300 dollars, not including labor, something I didn't want to deal with.

Thank god for the warranty.

So I got the car back finally at 1:30pm. and everything is fine, no radio cut off, no rough idling, no problem. And to top it off, my 3g iphone now works fine with bluetooth and I made a Iphone 3g dock for the ipod integrator kit for BMW. I put the dock in the astray along with the power converter so the phone would charge while I was listening to it also. (Iphone 3g doesn't work with older Ipod/iphone chargers)



Anyway, just wanted to let ya'll know. The iphone dock is still a work in progress but sits perfectly in the astray upright and I can plug it in and take it out with ease and close my ashtry no problem. Now I have to figure out where to put all my coins.

 

Im glad I have extended warranty as well. Never know what can happen.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but EVERYONE should have an extended warranty!!
Will

 

do u have an aftermarket extended warrenty or a bmw one?

i heard there are extended warrentys that are aftermarket that dealers accept and you only pay the deductible which is usually 50 dollars?

anyone have any experience with those? where can you get one?

 

I was 700 miles from home with same symptoms and same result once I could get it in, covered at $50 deductable. I had no odometer or speedometer as well as every known fault indicator known to man. The cause for all the faults is high voltage spikes out of the bad alternator.

 

It felt great after the dealer fixed it for me the same day i was there and only cost $50 dollars.

Made me feel like I got some great deal somehow.. HAHA

 

must have been a big relief, nice to know how important the extended warranty is. hey post pix of the ipod dock, sounds interesting. thanks

 

Well you got lucky!

What's an average price on a 100k extended warranty? I want to do some shopping around but I want to know what a good/fair price is first.

 

i would also like to know.

 

do you have any pics of the ipod dock you did