Drivetrain Malfunction... Again!!!

Originally Posted by southern6er22

I finally got my car back from the dealership yesterday - they had it Saturday through Friday.

Apparently there was something with the program for the fuel system, and an error in the software was causing the problems I was experiencing. A BMW rep and technician were brought in to figure it out, and they say it has been reprogrammed and it was tested for 100 miles without any issues. I wasn't thrilled that they put 100 miles on my car without asking me, but I suppose I would've given them the green light anyway as I'm going to be royally p!ssed if I have to bring it back soon - particularly if it's for the same problem.

I'd be willing to bet that the first time I had the problem was a result of the same etiology, and they just fixed an unrelated issue (slightly low power steering fluid). Seems like poor service to me, and that's on top of them taking my car for a week and not giving me a loaner.

I'm praying this is the end of my troubles. I really do love my car, and I suppose some problems are to be expected with cars this advanced and technical. I just hope this doesn't become a habit.

They have to drive a car at least 100 miles to ensure that no codes are issued.

Do you plan to own your car after the 4/50 period? Did you buy extended warranty insurance if so?

Originally Posted by Ace535i

Do you plan to own your car after the 4/50 period? Did you buy extended warranty insurance if so?

I'm looking into the 6/100k. Seems like a good investment since I'll have the car for a good 6 years.

Originally Posted by Ace535i

No, you are entitled. Bigger dealers have more than a 3-series. Call BMW, NA for an equivalent car.

I just can't believe what you are experiencing with ths car! No wonder the true market depreciates them so heavily. No wonder I can't put pen to paper and hand over 100K. Better make a trade OR a dealer assist and lease your next 6er until you know you have a quality product.

Read into the lemon law requisites for your state.

I feel exactly the same. As much as I like the 6 series, the first year depreciation is a killer.
And the '12 model year seems to have had a large number of problems that don't sync with a $100K top of the line car. Hopefully the '13 ( and soon '14) will be better. But I do have a problem with both issues. Mercedes does not seem to have as many first year issues or as steep depreciation. Add it the trickle of important features ( new Idrive/soft close) I have not been able to bring myself to pull the trigger.

How much would you have to pay if the matter was not covered under warranty?

No idea. The invoice just had $0.00 following the different components. Given that they were working in the car for at least 4 days and had to get BMW NA involved, I'd say over a grand, but that's just speculation.

That's a issue whenever a car dealer has your vehicle for multiple days - they can claim as many hours of labor as they like. I would bet a couple grand.
Don't think I would want to own a 6 series out of warranty............

Sorry, but 100 miles is absolutely unacceptable. That's 2 hours on the highway. At the same time, if it was truly necessary, I'd let it slide... once.

Originally Posted by TopDownInFL

Sorry, but 100 miles is absolutely unacceptable. That's 2 hours on the highway. At the same time, if it was truly necessary, I'd let it slide... once.

Kinda my thinking as well. Not happy that they did it - especially without asking - but I really didn't want to have to bring my car back to them.

If they won't offer a loaner change dealerships... I couldn't imagine taking my car to a dealership and leaving it overnight and not having a loaner until my car is ready. That simply isn't going to work for me.

Hope they fixed the issue. Exact reason why I lease. I can't be bothered with owning a car and always having to worry when the car is out of warranty. I just can't do it..

These comments don't affirm this car is worth the money.

Originally Posted by Ace535i

These comments don't affirm this car is worth the money.

I wouldn't go that far. Like someone mentioned earlier in the thread. The X-Drive system has been problematic for sometime now. Maybe that might be the root cause of the issue?.. Outside of that from all my time posting on this forum. Southern is probably the 2nd person to have a major issue with his car. The other poster I recall actually was able to use the Lemon Law to get a new car. My car has yet to give me one issue and its my daily driver.

I will say that the residuals especially on the 2012's have been less than stellar due to the new engine that was put into the 2013. When the 14's get the new instrument cluster the 13's will suffer the same fate as the 12's. This is a function of BMW emulating Apple by giving customers a little at a time instead of bringing a fully redesigned product with all the bells and whistles to market during the first production year.

Overall I will say this. In my opinion depending on your taste this car is absolutely worth the money. Especially if you lease it. The exhaust note on the M Sport, the acceleration from a stop, the exterior look, and the interior all work to make this car one of the better cars on the road today.

I don't regret buying my car. I regret little things - passing on B&O, not waiting until MY '13, etc. - but I love my car and am overall very happy with it.

I would definitely change dealerships after this stunt of leaving me high and dry for a week without a car. Unfortunately, the next closest dealership is over an hour away in Pensacola, FL. If I didn't have a backup car, then I'd probably do that. Maybe it's just me, but I paid a lot of money to drive a top of the line BMW, so spending a week of the month in my dad's pick-up just isn't right.

Speciality cars such as the 6ers and its sibling M6 should not drop 50% in three years and 36K miles. Would you buy an equity with this return?

Originally Posted by southern6er22

Kinda my thinking as well. Not happy that they did it - especially without asking - but I really didn't want to have to bring my car back to them.

Is your car problem resolved?

Originally Posted by Ace535i

Speciality cars such as the 6ers and its sibling M6 should not drop 50% in three years and 36K miles. Would you buy an equity with this return?

No way- I agree depreciation is outrageous. And if you wait 3 years to buy one, the way BMW handles the upgrades, you have a completely outdated car. Kind of a endless catch 22.
Add in that the USAA car program recently tanked - dropping the incentives on the 6er by $4000, I am losing interest in BMW pretty fast.

Originally Posted by Ace535i

Is your car problem resolved?

Yep. They reprogrammed it (not exactly sure what "it" is - something involving the fuel pump something-or-another), and it's worked fine since. Just praying that was truly the problem and I won't have any further problems. They got BMW NA involved, and they did admit to there being a concrete problem that was fixed.

I've had two drivetrain malfunctions on my 2013 650i xDrive. They replaced a fuel pump switch the first time, and swapped out 2 fuel injectors the second time. I had a drivetrain malfunction with my old X6, and BMW ultimately exchanged my car for me.

Originally Posted by southern6er22

Kinda my thinking as well. Not happy that they did it - especially without asking - but I really didn't want to have to bring my car back to them.

You might want to check the guidance on the test-drive miles utilized when your cars in the dealer. I have never heard any work done in the dealer will require 100 mils test drive. I own more than 10 BMW's from the past and had numerous work done including some major one's and none of them require a 100 mile test drive after the work.

What I usually do when my car need service is let my adviser know no test drive unless necessary, and if necessary, record the miles driven. On top of that I record the in mileage in front of the service adviser. You might want to consider to report this tes drive mileage to BMWNA because it seems very abnormal to have such a long test drive distance for any given service.

Originally Posted by Ace535i

Speciality cars such as the 6ers and its sibling M6 should not drop 50% in three years and 36K miles. Would you buy an equity with this return?

But you do not buy or lease ANY car for its good value..... Does anyone NEED a 100k+ car? Of course not. We all leased / bought it because we liked the car, and plainly because we could... The 650 is a fabulous ride, and a great looking car. If you can afford it, go for it, but don't complain it drops in value - read other luxury car forums, see how much those drop (Aston Martin, Maserati). If you cannot afford a new one, the high drop in price actually works to your advantage. You will pick up a lightly used car for a fraction of the initial cost....

If I were to buy a car in a financially sound way, I should get a two year old Ford, Toyota or Honda and keep it for the next 20 years... But I have my midlife crisis, enjoy driving my 650 every day, and don't pay much attention to the sound of dollar bills coming out the exhaust.

Originally Posted by svp66

But you do not buy or lease ANY car for its good value..... Does anyone NEED a 100k+ car? Of course not. We all leased / bought it because we liked the car, and plainly because we could... The 650 is a fabulous ride, and a great looking car. If you can afford it, go for it, but don't complain it drops in value - read other luxury car forums, see how much those drop (Aston Martin, Maserati). If you cannot afford a new one, the high drop in price actually works to your advantage. You will pick up a lightly used car for a fraction of the initial cost....

If I were to buy a car in a financially sound way, I should get a two year old Ford, Toyota or Honda and keep it for the next 20 years... But I have my midlife crisis, enjoy driving my 650 every day, and don't pay much attention to the sound of dollar bills coming out the exhaust.

Good points, but Mercedes-Benz & Porsche upper end cars do not depreciate at the alarming rate of the BMW. If you don't care that's certainly fine, but let's remember that cars are the 2nd largest investment most people make after a home. Absolutely relevant to discuss it and be concerned about it. I sure am as a prospective buyer.

I brought my car in for service to get my rear right tire replaced and to have the drivetrain malfunction looked at. They said they are replacing the fuel injectors and they're keeping my car over the weekend. I had similar problems on the F02 and it lead to the eventual failure of both turbos. Will report back after the repairs are completed.

Originally Posted by mrjoed2

Good points, but Mercedes-Benz & Porsche upper end cars do not depreciate at the alarming rate of the BMW. If you don't care that's certainly fine, but let's remember that cars are the 2nd largest investment most people make after a home. Absolutely relevant to discuss it and be concerned about it. I sure am as a prospective buyer.

Are cars really an investment?.. The 2nd largest purchase? Sure.. But can we sit here and call an automobile an investment?.. With planned obsolescence and such basically making cars especially high end luxury cars useless after 100k miles I wouldn't call the purchase of an automobile an investment at all..

Originally Posted by mrjoed2

Good points, but Mercedes-Benz & Porsche upper end cars do not depreciate at the alarming rate of the BMW. If you don't care that's certainly fine, but let's remember that cars are the 2nd largest investment most people make after a home. Absolutely relevant to discuss it and be concerned about it. I sure am as a prospective buyer.

I owned an MB SL550 and the depreciation was huge! P-cars tend to have depreciation rates that are lower, but the higher intial purchase cost makes the overall depreciation a higher total cost.

Now when it comes to leasing, BMW is the best. For the lease cost of Cayenne Turbo S, I got the X5M and the 650 and had enough left over per month to pay for gas and insurance. Anyway, I wasn't really in the market for a new car this past December, but given BMW's lease offers, I decided to get two.

As far as a car being the second largest investment, that has always been Mrs Dunderhi's gut check. Whenever I saw something I wanted to buy, she always said "it can't cost more than a car." Unfortunately for her, she now wants an MB-based RV, which means I will need to start buying more expensive cars.

BTW, wouldn't the folks around here consider their retirement plan to be their largest investment, or even perhaps their investment portfolio?

+1. Generally speaking cars are not an investment. As Em said, the saying is "cars are the second largest purchase". That is of course if you purchase. I lease, and also agree that BMW lease deals blow the competition away. According to my lease agreement, my 650i is valued at 62% after 3 years and 36k. That's huge. Not many cars can claim less than 38% depreciation. Of course it is all actuarial nonsense.

The only real truths are (with the exception of collectables) all cars depreciate like mad and they are not investments. If you like it, and can afford it, buy it, lease it, enjoy it. Otherwise, just like svp said: buy a used Honda, drive it for 20 years and invest your money in something that at least stands a chance of appreciating.

Originally Posted by mrjoed2

Good points, but Mercedes-Benz & Porsche upper end cars do not depreciate at the alarming rate of the BMW. If you don't care that's certainly fine, but let's remember that cars are the 2nd largest investment most people make after a home. Absolutely relevant to discuss it and be concerned about it. I sure am as a prospective buyer.

Agree that there are differences between residual values. But as residual values go, I think they are useful when you sell rather than when you buy. The rapid drop in value works in your advantage if you buy a used car. Pick up a 1-2 year old CPO MB, BMW, Porsche (or the more rarefied brands) at a sharp discount, then keep it for 7-8 years. The difference in depreciation between brands at that point (9-10 years) is not worth talking about. Of course if you use the car for only couple years, it is a different story.

I get easily bored by cars, so for me the best option is a lease. As stated before here, BMW leases are hard to beat. That way I can enjoy an awesome car, and not worry about the repair costs. Last time I checked the price for work at BMW /MB /Porsche was certainly not cheap.