Heiss5

My car is at the dealer right now, getting standard warranty stuff done (cupholder sucks, brake fluid change, etc). While it's in, I asked if they could simply enable the AUX input, no cable, no labor to tear apart the dash, just so AUX appears on the Nav screen. They told me that it would cost me $315!!! Just to enable it!!! Please tell me this is a big, big mistake. He said that it's 3 hours to reprogram everything so that the AUX input will display on the Nav screen. I know other people have done this, so can you please tell me how much you paid for it, and if you have the invoice can you copy it and send it to me so I can show my dealer he's lost his mind.

Thanks

my530i

Labor cost should not exceed 1hr. Period!

ManyBMWS

I had this done on Monday. Just programming the car so that "Aux" appeared on the screen. It cost me $130.

The problem is that I had taken the car to them a week earlier and they were not able to do it because, according to the dealer, "the software would not work because there was no Aux input for the software to recognize". They kept getting an error message. So I took the car back, had my own people install the Aux input (in the center console) and then the dealer was able to install the software. $315 is wrong. Go to a different dealer.

Heiss5

Thanks my530i and ManyBMWS, I knew they were trying to screw me.

Just so I'm clear, I definitely need the cable installed before I can have them enable the AUX input?

my530i

Definitely!

Heiss5

My dealer has officially lost his mind. Either that, or I have. I printed out the installation instruction for the AUX input to show my dealer, he read it over and said "It is 1 hour for the installation, however it's an additional 3 hours to reprogram the computer in order to enable the AUX." Therefore, the entire AUX input installation would run me $430 (parts, installation, and enabling) or $315 (enabling). Needless to say, I'm not having them install it, I need to find another dealer. Anyone know any dealers in Washington or Michigan that will do the whole install for $150-$200 like everywhere else in the world? Thanks again.

needforspeed

Your dealers cost build up is rubbish.

'Labour' is an hourly rate for their mechanics which will include actual wage costs, profit and overheads.

Fine so far - but the computer update is done by a mechanic plugging in a laptop then leaving it for a while. That guy will then be off doing some other job, so he would potentially be charged for twice! Either that or you are paying for him to sit on his arse for 3 hours.

I don't think your dealer is playing fair.

EuroCarFan

Agreed. Your dealer is full of SH#T! My dealer was actually going down the same path at first, asking over $300 but then I showed them the instructions and also said that another dealer only charges around $210 so they agreed to do it for $210. (Thanks to Stream for all the info).

I think besides for getting it done elsewhere you should take it a step further and bring your receipt back to that dealer and complain about their highway robbery. Seriously. Someone needs to put these guys in check.

chuckg

my original cost was $345.00. With my dealer dicount it was $320. $120.00 for parts and 2 hours labor at $105 an hour. I printed out the pdf with the 1 hour job time clearly printed at the top, and informed them that the parts were only $75 dollar from their own parts dept. total cost came to be $165.00 with a 20% dicount on the parts. Also I watched them reprogram the car, and it is as simple as plugging in the computer, enabling the aux tab, and waiting for the car to reprogram the new instructions to all the various computers. Not labor intensive takes about 15-30 minutes. $200-210 is fair for this job. if their techs can't do the job if the time specified by BMW, then they should train more or get qualified techs.

Heiss5

Well, I'm going to be getting my car back today from all the maintenance/warranty stuff (no complaints about that stuff by the way, they always do an awesome job with that), and thanks to all of you I'll let them know what I've found out about their little reprogramming scam. I don't think I'm going to get them to budge on the issue, but at least I'll know if they're paying their guys to sit around, or if they're paying them double. Then regardless of what they're doing I'll ask if I can get a job there cause their Techs are getting paid mad bank if they're charging double to do everything. Thanks again for all your help.