interesting ethical problem..

Guys, I have the OEM 6 disk CD changer installed in my 2001 330i. For about one year now, the changer skips. It's interesting because I can hit a large bump and it won't skip but if I hit a little sharp quick one that hits my car just right, it will skip. Sometimes it will skip for a full second or two and sometimes it just blips. This happens everytime I drive the car now. Some days worse than others. What I tend to notice is that when it's warmer outside, it doesn't do it as much as when it is cold. My hypothesis is that the oil in the dampining unit gets thicker in the cold and therefore doesn't dampen as well. If it were silicone, the weather would have no effect. So, I am not really sure what is used or what the actual problem is. When I bought it to the dealer and mentioned it, they said that they would check it out. They told me that they had a tech drive it and it didn't skip. Now, I believe them because sometimes the stupid thing doesn't if you only drive it for 5-10 minutes. But when any longer over different types of road, it will. So, they couldn't replicate the problem and therefore won't do anything. I am thinking that this problem is intermittent and hard to detect. They are going to keep on telling me this. I guarentee it. My ethical problem is that I feel like the only way they will replace it is if I break it totally with my own hands so it doesn't work altogether. Actually go in the unit and break something. I know this isn't really an ethical thing to do but why should I have to live with this b/c they can't find a problem and I am the one who drives my car everyday? What would you do??? Thanks, Cliff

I guess i have no problme w/ the ethics of it-- but i'd be worried that you'd break something and they'd know you broke it. So, if you think you can be slick enough to break the right thing, go ahead.

If you have to be in it for more than 10 minutes, why don't you have the tech come with you for a drive when you bring it to the dealer. You're driving the car there and I'd have to imagine it's more than a 10 min. drive to the dealer, then when you get there you have him jump in the car with you.

Other answer is tell him it takes more than a spin around the block to hear it skip. You're not happy with the unit and you want it replaced.

that could be a solution. I actually do live 10 mins away from the dealer. I will take a drive with them a hope that it acts up while they are in the car. -C

Complain to your salesman. If the service department tells you there is nothing to be done, tell your salesman that this is really making your ownership experience a bad one and as a result you wouldn't want to buy another BMW from this dealership because of it. (Play it up)

Your salesman will not want to lose a future sale...your current 3 Series may become tomorrow 5 or 7 Series. My sales guy was great, and I recommend him to everyone and he actually remembers me. (I recommended him to someone and he actually called to take me)

All I'm saying is try and find an ethical way of doing it.

Good luck

Excellent advice. I should have put alittle more thinking power into it. One last question though...... if they replace it anyway, is it a reconditioned unit or a brand new unit that they would put in? Thanks again!

No clue....I just noticed you're from LI, did you get it at Rallye.

Yes, I got it from Rallye. What a mistake in my opinion. Their service dept. is overwhelmed with too many people and the serivce advisors are satisfactory at best. Except for Ray.

Honestly, they gave me the best deal, Bayside's deal was $1K more and they said they couldn't match Rallye.

I was expecting better service from Rallye than I have gotten. They know it's a fault of theres and are trying to fix it. I haven't had to go back since they moved the body shop to a separate spot, I would Imagine it's service has improved.

Talk to them, they'll work with you.

if you or someone you know has a video camera, use it
you may have to run the camcorder for a long time... but in the end, it'll be worth it if you can capture that moment when the cd changer skips

Originally posted by XKxRome0ox
if you or someone you know has a video camera, use it
you may have to run the camcorder for a long time... but in the end, it'll be worth it if you can capture that moment when the cd changer skips

Now that sounds like the first practical idea I've heard. Saves you from having to wait for a non-deterministic event to take place in the service advisor's presence and you'll still have your proof (assuming your service department isn't so pigheaded that they have to witness everything "in the flesh").

Too bad so many other problems are not amenable to this solution.

-Peter