Alarm Activation? - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

vAnt826 · 12-21-2006, 06:51 PM

I called three different dealerships around the Seattle area and found that alarm activation costs are somewhat different.

BMW Northwest $210 - $630

BMW Seattle $105

BMW Bellevue $105

Anyone know if they can go lower? I notice that most people on the forum who get activated costs around $40!

gary328xi · 12-21-2006, 11:02 PM

Speak to the manager and tell him/her is no more than a 20 minute job. They will usually charge you 1/2 hour labor rate which varies between $40 to $65 bucks. My dealer tried to charge me an hour labor which is $105 up here. I told the adviser he was full of bull sh...t. in a nice way. He eventually told me to wait and took care of it without charging me a dime.

vAnt826 · 12-22-2006, 02:39 PM

I tried to do that with Northwest and they mentioned to me it requires alot of coding, nearly six hours worth! Anything I can use against that?

Thanks!

vAnt826 · 12-28-2006, 03:32 AM

Tried BMW of Bellevue, they want 315$ now because they said it takes 3 hours and some very intentional mumbo jumbo to make me sound stupid. They said it's because 2007s are different.

brocken · 12-28-2006, 03:55 PM

Great.....
I wanted to install the factory alarm and was worried the dealers would jack you on the activation. $105 is a lot of money for a few minutes of programing. Better than $315 dollars though. That's just ridiculous.

vAnt826 · 01-07-2007, 06:24 PM

Anyone have luck yet? I've been busy and couldn't get any appts in.

eshtog · 01-26-2007, 05:04 PM

What do you guys mean by activation? I am guessing those are prices to get the alarm installed?

Blue330i2006 · 02-05-2007, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eshtog

What do you guys mean by activation? I am guessing those are prices to get the alarm installed?

No, I installed my alarm in exactly 27 minutes from start to finish. Used DIY found here.

brocken · 03-04-2007, 02:53 PM

Anybody had the activation done on the alarm yet?
I have the factory alarm sitting in a box at home and I'm debating if I want to install it or not.
BMW of Bellevue first said $365 just for activating and the manager came down to $165. He gave the BS about the fact the car is new and requires updating.
It should not need Progman updates and if it does they shouldn't be charging for that.
I really want to get the alarm done but I'm not paying $165 for 20 minutes to activate the stupid thing.

vAnt826 · 03-05-2007, 02:03 AM

The problem is the programming actually takes 3 hours. They are willing to lower the price because it's just plug and wait.

Seriously.

E91AWD · 03-05-2007, 02:32 AM

3 hours for a computer to activate an alarm? Your home PC could calculate the national debt in the year 2525 in less time.

brocken · 03-05-2007, 03:22 PM

It might be 3 hours if they're doing Progrman update codes(which is warranty work). The actual activation of the alarm should only take 20 minutes. From what I understand they plug in a CD and just go through and turn on the features of the alarm, like the beep, horn, etc.
The Progman updates might take a few hours but they should not be billing for that. Updates are a part of warranty work.

vAnt826 · 03-06-2007, 01:09 AM

It's warranty work if it's necessary and broken.

You can go ahead and argue all you want to the main dealers (Bellevue, Seattle, and Fife) but they will all quote you 100+ prices.

brocken · 03-06-2007, 12:22 PM

I'm guessing you had it done and spent more than $100 then?
I won't waste any more time on it arguing, I just won't install the alarm then. Not worth the hassle.

vAnt826 · 03-09-2007, 06:07 AM

$110

Took 3 hours of my time, in which I just spent it looking at cars and eating.

8oh8 · 03-21-2007, 04:25 PM

Just finished my alarm rant when I read this thread....$110!!?? I got quoted 300+ prices and they wont budge on this......how'd you get that price?

vAnt826 · 03-23-2007, 03:52 AM

Probably because I was one of the first. They estimated one hour of time, but it ended up being three.

brocken · 03-23-2007, 09:59 AM

After arguing with Bellevue they said they'd do it for $165.

I don't want to pay that much so I installed it and I'll just live with the features I get without activation. The only thing that doesn't really work is the beep when locking and the hood pin sensor....not paying $165 and goofing around all day for those little things.

8oh8 · 03-23-2007, 10:44 AM

Update - got a reply via email that BMW of fife was willing to do the coding for $105.

To My suprise, I also found out that Strictly BMW has the ability to do alarm coding as well!! I got quoted $100

Probably gonna go with strictly, due to location convenience......

TTG · 04-13-2007, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8oh8

Update - got a reply via email that BMW of fife was willing to do the coding for $105.

To My suprise, I also found out that Strictly BMW has the ability to do alarm coding as well!! I got quoted $100

Probably gonna go with strictly, due to location convenience......

It is good to know that Strictly does that..... I would rather pay them to do it that and of the stealers.

12-21-2006, 06:51 PM	#1
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	Alarm Activation? I called three different dealerships around the Seattle area and found that alarm activation costs are somewhat different. BMW Northwest $210 - $630 BMW Seattle $105 BMW Bellevue $105 Anyone know if they can go lower? I notice that most people on the forum who get activated costs around $40!

12-21-2006, 11:02 PM	#2
gary328xi JetInsp Drives: 07 328 XI & 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, NJ Posts: 289 iTrader: (1)	Speak to the manager and tell him/her is no more than a 20 minute job. They will usually charge you 1/2 hour labor rate which varies between $40 to $65 bucks. My dealer tried to charge me an hour labor which is $105 up here. I told the adviser he was full of bull sh...t. in a nice way. He eventually told me to wait and took care of it without charging me a dime.

12-22-2006, 02:39 PM	#3
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	I tried to do that with Northwest and they mentioned to me it requires alot of coding, nearly six hours worth! Anything I can use against that? Thanks!

12-28-2006, 03:32 AM	#4
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	Tried BMW of Bellevue, they want 315$ now because they said it takes 3 hours and some very intentional mumbo jumbo to make me sound stupid. They said it's because 2007s are different.

12-28-2006, 03:55 PM	#5
brocken Lieutenant Drives: 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 447 iTrader: (4)	Great..... I wanted to install the factory alarm and was worried the dealers would jack you on the activation. $105 is a lot of money for a few minutes of programing. Better than $315 dollars though. That's just ridiculous.

01-07-2007, 06:24 PM	#6
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	Anyone have luck yet? I've been busy and couldn't get any appts in.

01-26-2007, 05:04 PM	#7
eshtog First Lieutenant Drives: E92 M3 On Order Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 385 iTrader: (3)	What do you guys mean by activation? I am guessing those are prices to get the alarm installed?

03-04-2007, 02:53 PM	#9
brocken Lieutenant Drives: 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 447 iTrader: (4)	Anybody had the activation done on the alarm yet? I have the factory alarm sitting in a box at home and I'm debating if I want to install it or not. BMW of Bellevue first said $365 just for activating and the manager came down to $165. He gave the BS about the fact the car is new and requires updating. It should not need Progman updates and if it does they shouldn't be charging for that. I really want to get the alarm done but I'm not paying $165 for 20 minutes to activate the stupid thing.

03-05-2007, 02:03 AM	#10
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	The problem is the programming actually takes 3 hours. They are willing to lower the price because it's just plug and wait. Seriously.

03-05-2007, 02:32 AM	#11
E91AWD Lieutenant Drives: BMW 2007 328xiT Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 442 iTrader: (1)	3 hours for a computer to activate an alarm? Your home PC could calculate the national debt in the year 2525 in less time.

03-05-2007, 03:22 PM	#12
brocken Lieutenant Drives: 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 447 iTrader: (4)	It might be 3 hours if they're doing Progrman update codes(which is warranty work). The actual activation of the alarm should only take 20 minutes. From what I understand they plug in a CD and just go through and turn on the features of the alarm, like the beep, horn, etc. The Progman updates might take a few hours but they should not be billing for that. Updates are a part of warranty work.

03-06-2007, 01:09 AM	#13
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	It's warranty work if it's necessary and broken. You can go ahead and argue all you want to the main dealers (Bellevue, Seattle, and Fife) but they will all quote you 100+ prices.

03-06-2007, 12:22 PM	#14
brocken Lieutenant Drives: 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 447 iTrader: (4)	I'm guessing you had it done and spent more than $100 then? I won't waste any more time on it arguing, I just won't install the alarm then. Not worth the hassle.

03-09-2007, 06:07 AM	#15
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	$110 Took 3 hours of my time, in which I just spent it looking at cars and eating.

03-21-2007, 04:25 PM	#16
8oh8 Enlisted Member Drives: 06' E90 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Unincorporated King County Posts: 46 iTrader: (0)	Just finished my alarm rant when I read this thread....$110!!?? I got quoted 300+ prices and they wont budge on this......how'd you get that price?

03-23-2007, 03:52 AM	#17
vAnt826 Major Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,372 iTrader: (2)	Probably because I was one of the first. They estimated one hour of time, but it ended up being three.

03-23-2007, 09:59 AM	#18
brocken Lieutenant Drives: 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 447 iTrader: (4)	After arguing with Bellevue they said they'd do it for $165. I don't want to pay that much so I installed it and I'll just live with the features I get without activation. The only thing that doesn't really work is the beep when locking and the hood pin sensor....not paying $165 and goofing around all day for those little things.

03-23-2007, 10:44 AM	#19
8oh8 Enlisted Member Drives: 06' E90 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Unincorporated King County Posts: 46 iTrader: (0)	Update - got a reply via email that BMW of fife was willing to do the coding for $105. To My suprise, I also found out that Strictly BMW has the ability to do alarm coding as well!! I got quoted $100 Probably gonna go with strictly, due to location convenience......