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Dealer charging $$ to check if Dinan installed
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07-24-2013, 04:04 PM | #1 |
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Dealer charging $$ to check if Dinan installed
I recently purchased a 2007 335i which had a Dinan badge on the back. Called Dinan and they have records that show it had Stage 2 at some point.
Now most would be content with that but I would expect a different intake or something else if the previous owner had stage 2. How likely is it that the previous owner got the ecu flashed back to stock? And I called the closest BMW near me and they want $60-140 to check if it has the software still installed. |
07-24-2013, 04:21 PM | #2 |
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Not sure why it'd be flashed back to stock...
Warranty is not voided when flashed with Dinan so no real reason to go backwards. Dealerships will reflash back to dinan software if software was upgraded (this is assuming work is done at a dealership with dinan partnership) |
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07-24-2013, 05:14 PM | #3 |
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WTF Dinan is dealer supported. I cannot imagine why they would charge to check. Find a dealer that supports Dinan in your area and tell them to blow.
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07-24-2013, 05:18 PM | #5 | |
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07-24-2013, 05:58 PM | #6 | |
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Just have to think of another way to check or just make myself believe it's still there and not worry about it ha |
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07-24-2013, 06:05 PM | #7 |
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The dealer has to take out a tech's time to drive your car into the bay. Access your port. Plug it into the computer. Then read out the firmware.
It may take 5-10 minutes of his time. What makes you think they would do it for free? Everything cost money in America, even shopping at Goodwill. Especially owning a BMW. $140 is outrageous. But somebody has to pay for those coffee, muffins, hot front-desk secretary, shined floors, and the owner's pregnant trophy wife. |
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07-24-2013, 06:06 PM | #8 | |
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I plan to do this when I take my car in for my next oil change, I want to get them to update ALL the modules with the latest software (it will probably blow away my alpina flash and coding... but those can be put back in easily). What you will probably gain is a lot of bug fixes. Don't even have them waste time checking the version... tell them just to update it all for the $50 or $100. After all, its not like they are turning a wrench for hours and hours on the car. All they do is connect up the battery to power source and fire up the computer to update the car over night (It probably just takes 1 hour tops as an automated scripted based on the VO number). If you have any custom coded features, you may want to get in touch with your local coder and let him know this is what you are planning to do... so he can just make a copy of your config and then put it all back once the car is updated at the dealership. If you haven't had the car coded yet, might be a good starting point for getting your car coded after all the modules have been updated. Might also be a good time if you haven't already replaced the car battery to replace the soon to be failing 6+ year old battery with an AGM battery (since they are already updating the software it's nothing more to code in the new AGM battery to the VO) and register it to the car. |
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07-24-2013, 07:13 PM | #9 | |
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07-24-2013, 07:17 PM | #10 | |
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07-24-2013, 07:22 PM | #11 | |
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how about asking the dealership you bought it from to give you your vehicles service history and look for a software update? |
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07-24-2013, 07:30 PM | #12 |
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they will not just update software. they need to have a reason, like something is wrong with the car. its a long process and can fail sometimes causing more harm than good. hopefully the shop you are going to is okay with the updating for no reason.
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07-24-2013, 07:35 PM | #13 |
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Dinan offers lifetime reflash for free so take to authorized Dinan dealership/shop and just have them reflash Dinan stage 2 software so you know it is installed.
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07-24-2013, 07:38 PM | #14 |
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The car has less than 14k miles even though it's an '07 so I can bet it hasn't seen the dealership too often. Dinan told me it had two registered visits in 2008 and 2011, and all it could say was stage 2.
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07-25-2013, 03:30 AM | #16 |
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It's like Apple charging for iPhone updates, the software is already made and is available... no reason they should hide it from customers. I honestly believe the reason for this method is because of the "Dealership" laws which Tesla is fighting very hard to change. I honestly think that once I can get my garage accessory... my next vehicle will be a Tesla.
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07-25-2013, 03:35 AM | #17 |
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Are you on the original car battery or was that replaced recently by the previous owner? If you still have the original car battery and are making all this effort... it might be cost effective to make the switch from the White shelled (Lead/Acid Flooded) battery to the Black shelled (AGM) battery. Your net cost for the re-programming should be zero since it is already being done. Remember you pay by the hour for labor and since these activities are all related, they all fall under the same 1 hour of labor (since they take like 5 minutes to do).
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07-25-2013, 03:46 AM | #18 | |
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* The first page will be stuff like the original MSRP/Car packages/VIN/warranty period/etc. * Second & third page should be something about your service history * 4th+ pages should be details from your key and counters, like: - Oil change count - Brake fluid flush count - Front pad change count and miles remaining - rear pad change count and miles remaining - Coolant temps - Oil temps - battery voltage and time/mileage of any battery registration - Many many more things |
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07-25-2013, 03:57 AM | #19 | |
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Just by the very nature that a NEW software release exists for your module is reason enough that an issue has been resolved (No reason BMW NA would make software changes if something didn't need to be fixed). It's like saying, you don't need Windows Software Updates until after you have been hacked OR you don't need any Symantec LiveUpdates until after your system has been compromised. The software updates will keep known issues from happening (Pro-active), it is not the case that once you have an issue then only you need a fix (re-active). Why in the world did they PROACTIVELY require people to get the HPFP software fix, why not let each and every 335 fully fail before doing the update? It's because they had fixes and it would have been a PR nightmare not to address the known issue before failures. |
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07-25-2013, 03:58 AM | #20 | |
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Linky --> http://www.dinancars.com/contact.aspx |
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07-25-2013, 04:07 AM | #21 | |
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1) Do they re-flash for free? * If yes, where should you take it to near your work/home? * If No, what should be the cost and where do they recommend you take it to near your home/work? Yes, yes... we know we can take it to any Dinan specialist... but where would YOUUUUU take it to if you were me 2) What is the cost to upgrade to Stage 3? * If the cost is minimal or the same as re-flashing to stage 2, why not just upgrade to stage 3 and be done with it * This also demonstrates that your relationship hasn't ended but is just starting as a new customer. If they think they might up sell you... it might just work to show you some goodwill??? 3) Ask around at various Dinan Certified shops (BMW or Indy) to see if they will address the stage 2 re-flash for you for free? chances are someone will do it, just to get you in the door and sell you more stuff for the car. Customer service is really a roll of the dice. I would pay more in labor if I were to get really good pre-sale customer service coupled with them having a reputation for solid after sale customer service. ** If any shop does help you for free and you think you might go back to them again for future services like oil changes and what not... consider tipping the guy who did the work because they will help you out again next time. |
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07-25-2013, 04:11 AM | #22 |
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