[chungeun.kim.90]

Hello,

This is my first time owning a BMW and ran into some nonsense.
I bought my 2017 F31 last year and it's still with CPO warranty.
The car's alarm goes off randomly, so I visited the dealership to fix the issue.

However, they said they will charge me for $230 for the diagnostics fee because the software upgrade, which is the fix, is not covered by CPO warranty.
They originally charged me $360 of software upgrade, but they are doing "good will" to waive that for me.

Is this normal? Am I being scammed?

Thanks,
Chung

 

[Rebound]

I don’t know the details, but it sounds wrong to me. I suggest you try a different dealer, if possible.

 

[MoHo]

Apologies in advance if not helpful but, kinda seems like a gray area here. Refer to your CPO Statement of Cert. & Coverage. We’re not new to BMW; however, just purchased first used bimmer (F30 328d), only recently. As I read the document, no specific mention of Alarm per se…which or may not explain the Goodwill gesture. Yet, the “electrical/electronic components“ for certain items, e.g., door handles, latch mechanisms, sliding roof, mirrors, etc., are. Is alarm software not considered a component? iDunno. Yours seems like done deal. So, for future reference, if other dealers are available in your area, shop around ahead of time. In the interim, rest assured that your Cupholders are covered. 😆

 

[moRider]

I just went to my local dealer to get my CPO X3 software looked at (glitchy iDrive where screen goes blank when in reverse from time to time). The SA mentioned that this would be covered under the original factory warranty for a few more weeks, but under CPO, it wouldn't be. Then, I learned that this may take several days to diagnose and resolve - and no loaner cars available. So I need to re-book an appointment a couple weeks in advance

 

[tturedraider]

I feel pretty confident this particular issue falls under “adjustments”, which are not covered.

https://www.bmwusa.com/content/dam/bmwusa/certified-preowned/BMWCPOWhatIsNotCovered.pdf

 

[tex2670]

Hello,

This is my first time owning a BMW and ran into some nonsense.
I bought my 2017 F31 last year and it's still with CPO warranty.
The car's alarm goes off randomly, so I visited the dealership to fix the issue.

However, they said they will charge me for $230 for the diagnostics fee because the software upgrade, which is the fix, is not covered by CPO warranty.
They originally charged me $360 of software upgrade, but they are doing "good will" to waive that for me.

Is this normal? Am I being scammed?

Thanks,
Chung

did you read the warranty and see what is covered and what is excluded?

 

[HotGrbg]

Programming is not covered under CPO unless it’s needed for a covered item.
Diagnostics are not covered if the failure is not a covered item as well.
You need to carefully read your CPO brochure. Most of the time CPO is exclusionary which means if it’s not directly stated that it’s covered it isn’t.

 

[SteveinArizona]

Hello,

This is my first time owning a BMW and ran into some nonsense.
I bought my 2017 F31 last year and it's still with CPO warranty.
The car's alarm goes off randomly, so I visited the dealership to fix the issue.

However, they said they will charge me for $230 for the diagnostics fee because the software upgrade, which is the fix, is not covered by CPO warranty.
They originally charged me $360 of software upgrade, but they are doing "good will" to waive that for me.

Is this normal? Am I being scammed?

Thanks,
Chung

The test should be if the error is covered, not the fix! I agree that this may be a close call but it should be decided in favor of the OP. Contracts are strictly construed against the author, at least in the USA, not the user. So any ambiguity should be in favor of coverage.

The adjustments list all look like consumable type materials. A working burglar alarm is not that.

But a problem I have with this forum is that after a modification a couple of years ago, it stopped showing us where the poster is coming from. So what is not acceptable in one country may be very acceptable in another.

If you tell us where you are from, we might be able to give you better help.

 

[tturedraider]

Programming is not covered under CPO unless it’s needed for a covered item.
Diagnostics are not covered if the failure is not a covered item as well.
You need to carefully read your CPO brochure. Most of the time CPO is exclusionary which means if it’s not directly stated that it’s covered it isn’t.

Exclusionary means exactly the opposite of what you said. Exclusionary means unless it is specifically excluded it is included. Stated coverage means only items specifically stated are covered.

 

[ard]

Programming is not covered under CPO unless it’s needed for a covered item.
Diagnostics are not covered if the failure is not a covered item as well.
You need to carefully read your CPO brochure. Most of the time CPO is exclusionary which means if it’s not directly stated that it’s covered it isn’t.

If a failure is covered- ie 'the alarm fails', then no matter what the fix is, by law, it should be covered.

Further, if the alarm was a covered failure, the diagnositc is $0 (or whatever it is under CPO)

So, if they say 'software upgrades are not included' the response is a simple "great, then you need to fix the alarm issue without the software upgrade. Becuase that alarm failure IS a covered fault under the CPO.

(Note: Dont know if the alarm issue is or is not covered, but I do know that coverage cannot be determined by the fix- only the fault/failure.)

 

[HotGrbg]

Well I must be confusing the words “inclusionary with exclusionary” but CPO is exclusionary as i mentioned.

 

[drmckenn]

Had the same issue with my 2015 435i Convertible.
Battery needed to be replaced.