[Bram335]

Pimpin' ain't easy! Welcome to the forum

[Noob]

Why not do all that research before buying in US smartass?

Enjoy the car!

[gregarious]

Originally Posted by benyl

Um, they bent you over. You should have an oil temp gauge. That is the WRONG cluster.

Thanks for the input. I knew something wasn't right. What idiots. I am inclined to just leave it as is; kind of like the consumption gauge in place of the temp actually.

[IboughtafreakingBMW!]

Originally Posted by gregarious

Thanks for the input. I knew something wasn't right. What idiots. I am inclined to just leave it as is; kind of like the consumption gauge in place of the temp actually.

Insist they fix it...after all they made you do a totally ridiculous modification in the first place...

[flush01]

AND brake replacement is not included in the maintance warranty

[dugald]

I used a broker to import a new 2008 328 cvt. The BMW Canada admissibility and recall letter nonsense arose after I ordered the car in Oct 2007 and before it entered Canada in Dec 2007.
The first BMW dealer the broker took the car to declared that it needed a new cluster before they could arrange for a Recall Clearance Letter, but a second dealer disagreed and arranged for the RCL w/o changing the cluster. The car is now duly registered in Ontario (although I have yet to take delivery of it).
I don't know whether this was just a lucky mistake on the second dealer's part or if perhaps the fact that the car has Navi made a difference. I'd just as soon let sleeping dogs lie.
Meanwhile, the broker has decided the hassle is just too much. He says he will no longer import new BMWs.

[davig]

[QUOTE=benyl;2031072]The reason you need to change the cluster is because on US cars, you car turn off the DRLs on your own. It is law that DRLs must function. The Canadian cluster has software that disables your ability to turn them on and off.

I can turn mine off. I "programmed" my second set of keys for non metric and no daytime lights which I use when I'm in the US.
I'd have a good look at the Audis-the RS4 is bette than anything BMW makes. I was looking at importing a 90s version M3 modified for track use and which RIV had listed as compliant a month ago. What BS. No more BMWs for me.

[luckyD]

why dont you just keep your car registered in usa if you live close to the border

[ElCapitan]

Originally Posted by luckyD

why dont you just keep your car registered in usa if you live close to the border

Because he would need to have his address and drivers license in the USA.

[Rewted]

Don't forget, as of Nov 2007 they also force you to swap out the speedometer too, tack on another $1500+ labor.

[Rossland]

Originally Posted by gregarious

Question: I just moved to Canada from the US and am going through the painful process of importing an 06 build date e90 335i. I had the metric cluster installed and DRL’s programmed. One difference I didn't expect was that a fuel consumption gauge is now in place of the temp gauge. In the US, all 335i's have the temp gauge. Lesser models get the consumption gauge. Here is the question: did early build e90 335i's in Canada come with a consumption gauge instead of temp? Did the f'ing BMW stealer install the wrong cluster in my car and then lie about it? Coming from the US, I am compelled to say that Canadians are get screwed so incredibly badly by BMW Canada and are getting bent over again at the stealer.

What sucks even more is that I have to reinstall my old cluster in a year or so when I head back to the States…BUT it will cost me peanuts to get it done in the US.

BMW, are you reading this? NEVER AGAIN!

Sounds like you got a cluster from a 330, probably a used part they got from a junker

[davig]

Originally Posted by Noob

Why not do all that research before buying in US smartass?

Enjoy the car!

Because they abruptly changed the rules with no warning a**hat

[benyl]

Originally Posted by gregarious

Thanks for the input. I knew something wasn't right. What idiots. I am inclined to just leave it as is; kind of like the consumption gauge in place of the temp actually.

The consumption gauge is already built into the digital area. Why have the information twice? Not having oil temp is a big no-no if you ever take your car to the track... or heck, even just drive it a little hard when it is hot outside.

Hot? it is freaking -30 in Calgary and I think my feet are frozen.

[gregarious]

Originally Posted by Rossland

Sounds like you got a cluster from a 330, probably a used part they got from a junker

I don't doubt it. I will say that the part looks brand new and unused and that it was installed without any scratches or oil streaks. It looks good. I think the SA unintentionally f’ed up. He said he ordered the part by vin #. I should try and order the same part from another dealer to see what comes up…this should be interesting. Also, the owner’s manual does reflect the fact that the car may be equipped with either cluster depending on build and country specs.

Still pist though. It is a 330i cluster. The RPM terminates at 7k instead of 8k and has the gas consumption rather then engine oil temp. I like the consumption gauge. My engine oil never went over 240-250 in insanely hot weather and under stressed up hill Mt. driving conditions. The oil temp gauge is essentially useless since the highest temp rating is still considered within “normal operation”. It’s not until limp comes on to tell you something got cooked. Of course, as a “properly equipped” US car (joke), it actually came with the external oil cooler. I noticed NONE of the Canadian 335i’s came with oil coolers. Please correct me if I’m wrong on this point.

As for the cluster, I don't give a damn. I'm taking it back to a US dealer after it’s imported and am getting the original cluster put back in. FU BMW --- even though you have my money. This entire ordeal has opened my eyes to how shady BMW franchise operations do business. I understand the importance of bringing vehicles into compliance. Ensuring safety is important and a government should be allowed to enforce its own requirements. But entrusting the dealer to conform your vehicle in good faith on behalf of government? Give me a break.

[ElCapitan]

I have seen Canadian 335i with the iol cooler.

[benyl]

My 335 has an oil cooler. It still gets hot in Canada. And no, we don't all live in Igloos. LOL hahaha

[davig]

I do understand that BMW is giving the Canadian market the finger; after all they have always charged higher prices in Canada even when the $CDN was anemic. What I don't understand is RIV's complicity in this abusive treatment in a world that is bringing down trade barriers. Two months ago, a 2003 M3 was on their list of eligible vehicles. Now they claim to have no knowledge that any BMW ever qualified. Did every US 2003 M3 get remanufactured? Did RIV get amnesia. Finalyy, does having different standards in Canada constitute anything but expensive narcissism designed to perpetuate an expensive MOT bureaucracy?

[ElCapitan]

I agree but I think RIV is trying to keep on its operation low and since US imported BMWs represent a relative low fraction of the cars imported, they pass the bucket on the BMW Canada IOT determine what needs to be done to the imported vehicles to conform to Canadian regulations. It is very unfair but we would have a hard time getting much sympathy since driving a BMW is a luxury.

[Jaws]

It's interesting that everyone is jumping on RIV for allowing BMW to put customers through the ringer in order to import cars. BMW is a private company and as such is allowed to set their own rules and make their own business decisions. If you want to import a vehicle and other manufacturers make it easier to do so, buy Brand X. Such is the nature of competition.

Also, I am not in the market for a new BMW, so I am happy about BMW protecting the value of my "investment".

[ElCapitan]

RIV is the ones supposed to set the rules. It delegated to BMW Canada the determination of what an imported car should have done IOT comply. BMW Canada doesn't like loosing sales so there is an obvious conflict of interrest.

[benyl]

Actually, RIV is appointed by the federal government to handle imports. It relies on the Manufacturers to tell them what cars comply and what don't.

RIV could give two shits about what car complies or not as it is the manufacturer that has to answer to the regulations and the liability.

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by benyl

Actually, RIV is appointed by the federal government to handle imports. It relies on the Manufacturers to tell them what cars comply and what don't.

RIV could give two shits about what car complies or not as it is the manufacturer that has to answer to the regulations and the liability.

Exactly.