[crashoverride]

I have a March 2006 e90 210k miles. Never been updated. So about as virgin of software as you can get.

Everytime I bring up updating the software to a mechanic even the BMW dealership they always tell me unless you are having a problem better not touch it.

Besides the obvious I'm getting my car repaired for something. Is there much to be gained from having the software updated on such an older car..??

[TomaS589]

I did the software update in my E90 325i 2006, and it doesn't change anything.

[ptpending]

it will definitely do some change in gearbox and engine ecu combination
but if your car has old CCC navigation, which wasn't touched, it may die during or after upgrade
otherwise i do not see the reason why you should'not do upgrade

[JB20DGM]

I updated the software/integration level from original (something 2005, 8/05 build date) to I think it was 11/2018 (or maybe 2013, but was the latest I was offered in my tool and I did it a while ago now) and didn't notice anything particularly different in how the car behaved. There are a few modules that you might get warned about updating...I think I recall it being CAS and the FRM.

And yes, most dealers don't want to deal with it...it takes a while to do and there can be risks to reprogramming various modules, i.e. they fail during programming. I believe it's the FRMs that are known to have corruption issues.

[tinkerman]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." - some hillbilly mechanic in New Hampshire, according to an old friend.

Mine only got updated to I think 2012 I-level, cuz the numbskull at the BMW Service Center didn't know my trouble(orange gear with exclamation mark warning light) was due to a micro-switch with a fatigued lever in the gearshift assembly*, probably followed an ISTA-D suggestion to update the I-level, which I got charged for(like $30~40), and it didn't solve the issue with the light! I call that numbskull a numbskull because he even suggested I have to replace the gearshift assembly entirely!(even though it worked flawlessly, even the Steptronic shift etc.)
*(The micro-switch signals if the gear is in park or not and the problematic bowed lever of the switch wasn't pressing the switch button/nipple so the car's system wasn't getting the parked signal though the gear was indeed in park)

I later took apart the gear shift assembly, and fixed the micro-switch* and all was fine.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-Warning-Light

Oh and I didn't notice any difference in driving the car after the unnecessary update by that numbskull.

Another reason I've not updated my car is I read somewhere that I-level updates can sometimes be due to make the car be in compliance with updated emissions related laws, and in such cases, an update could result in reducing or adjusting the car's power output for that purpose - which is not what most folks want so long as it doesn't affect passing emissions tests.

The reason I have been actively keeping up to date with all this diagnostic/coding/programming bit is so when I do encounter a real problem I can take action quickly without getting bogged down with the steep learning curve associated with initially using diagnostic interfaces and coding/programming software.