Dude, where's my car??

[SammyZ4]

This is more of a rant than anything but I took delivery of my car on 7 May of this year. When I test drove it I noticed that the iDrive controller didn't work at all (the screen etc did but the controller seemed to be disconnected) but instead of having them fix it and then me taking delivery of the car once it was fixed I decided to take delivery that day and take it back to the shop the following Saturday 5/14. Apparently they needed to order an entirely new controller so my car won't be ready until later in the week.

So here's my point: how did a car go from the factory all the way through delivery without anyone other than me noticing the iDrive controller didn't work? What happened to the great quality control BMW used to have?

end of rant. sorry

[Frank Costanza]

Ya its understandable to feel that way after buying a new car for $50K+ and not one quality control check by the factory or dealer for something so obvious. The possibility that it was working at the time it left the factory and somehow failed during shipment is there but less likely IMO.

Hopefully the issue gets resolved quickly and you're not inconvenienced.

[HpDellNestle]

You are confusing BMW with Japanese car companies. Common mistake. I have the shift knob that is not attached to the shifting gear. Imagine my reaction when the knob came off the stick on the highway.

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by SammyZ4

What happened to the great quality control BMW used to have?

I saw a great license plate frame at Bimmerfest 2011 @ the Rosebowl this past weekend. Now take it that this was installed on a model 2002 BMW. "God stopped building BMW's in 1976". I think sometime after that is when the quality went to hell.

[Z4Andy]

Mine left the factory and was delivered to the dealer who then obviously presented it to me.

I drove home that day and on the way heard a rubbing noise. The front splash guards in the wheel arches had no nuts holding them on at all.

They were just dangling there bouncing off the tyres

Another guy had the front wheels on the back and back wheels on the front

[SammyZ4]

Originally Posted by HpDellNestle

You are confusing BMW with Japanese car companies. Common mistake. I have the shift knob that is not attached to the shifting gear. Imagine my reaction when the knob came off the stick on the highway.

Wow okay that's pretty insane. Thankfully my shifter is still intact (hopefully for the duration of my life w/ the car) but if this car wasn't so damn fun to drive I'd be really annoyed... reading through all the posts here it's a bit ridiculous what's going on with failing HPFP's, randomly stalling cars in sport mode, techs working on the cars that don't seem to know what they're doing...

I've owned a few BMW's in my day, and my entire family drives them (except dad, he went over to lexus...) and I feel like they are getting progressively worse...

[skier]

Originally Posted by SammyZ4

So here's my point: how did a car go from the factory all the way through delivery without anyone other than me noticing the iDrive controller didn't work? What happened to the great quality control BMW used to have?
end of rant. sorry

How do you know it wasn't broken at the dealer, the day before you were test driving? If anything, you can fault yourself for buying a defective car.

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by skier

How do you know it wasn't broken at the dealer, the day before you were test driving? If anything, you can fault yourself for buying a defective car.

Since you happened to pop in and OK I know this is off topic. Just being lazy as I don't feel like hunting around the M3 forums.

Know anybody/posts over at the E9X/M3 forums who noted/experienced any weird (as in clutch not diengaging/activating when pedal depressed) as in the post we have going here. Looks like the E9X/M3 and E89 Z4 MT equipped cars share the same clutch master & slave cylinders.

http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526672

[skier]

Originally Posted by HerrK

Since you happened to pop in and OK I know this is off topic. Just being lazy as I don't feel like hunting around the M3 forums.

Know anybody/posts over at the E9X/M3 forums who noted/experienced any weird (as in clutch not diengaging/activating when pedal depressed) as in the post we have going here. Looks like the E9X/M3 and E89 Z4 MT equipped cars share the same clutch master & slave cylinders.

http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526672

Nope, I'm not aware of anybody having this problem, and my car doesn't show any of the symptoms described in your post.

I'm planning on getting the Z4 35is later this summer, doing some research here.

[tranquility]

You test drove the car before you signed anything and you still wanted it, even though you knew of the idrive prb???

[Land_Shark]

No offense, but there is something not right here...
You ordered your car with idrive... Received a call to come and pick it up, you test drove it. Saw the idrive knob problem, and you still decided to take the car and return it for a fix the next day or so???
When you say the idrive was working, you mean through the radio buttons?
And the dealer told you, you need a complete new knob/controller??
This is very weird to me....

[HpDellNestle]

Originally Posted by Land_Shark

No offense, but there is something not right here...
You ordered your car with idrive... Received a call to come and pick it up, you test drove it. Saw the idrive knob problem, and you still decided to take the car and return it for a fix the next day or so???
When you say the idrive was working, you mean through the radio buttons?
And the dealer told you, you need a complete new knob/controller??
This is very weird to me....

You can control the screen with the steering wheel buttons to some degree as well.
We all know the quality issue with BMW, I don't think it is that far fetch for this to happen. I will take delivery too if it appears a simple fix initially, as long as it does not affect safety. I think it is funny that some posters started blaming op for BMW's screw up.

[SammyZ4]

Yeah I know it seems weird but honestly since everything else was fine and SOS etc were working and voice controls/steering wheel buttons let me make do without the actual controller, I figured I would bring it in for a quick fix, like a loose connection or something.

Also, not picking it up would've entailed me driving back the Volvo I was trying to get rid of in the deal and they'd offered me $2.5K more than Carmax did so didn't want to risk losing out on that...

But now I miss my car

[Land_Shark]

Originally Posted by HpDellNestle

You can control the screen with the steering wheel buttons to some degree as well.
We all know the quality issue with BMW, I don't think it is that far fetch for this to happen. I will take delivery too if it appears a simple fix initially, as long as it does not affect safety. I think it is funny that some posters started blaming op for BMW's screw up.

HpDell: No one is blaming the Op. BMW is at fault and have quality issues. I am trying to understand what happened here... I own BMW cars for more than 20 years and never had a quality issue... I am not defending BMW, I am trying to better understand what other riders problems are (subjectively)

[Land_Shark]

Originally Posted by SammyZ4

Yeah I know it seems weird but honestly since everything else was fine and SOS etc were working and voice controls/steering wheel buttons let me make do without the actual controller, I figured I would bring it in for a quick fix, like a loose connection or something.

Also, not picking it up would've entailed me driving back the Volvo I was trying to get rid of in the deal and they'd offered me $2.5K more than Carmax did so didn't want to risk losing out on that...

But now I miss my car

I understand what you are going through... Waiting for a car, driving it and now having it return for a fix is a Killer and frustrating indeed...

Good luck, be patient, once you have your Z back, you will appreciate it !

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Land_Shark

HpDell: No one is blaming the Op. BMW is at fault and have quality issues. I am trying to understand what happened here... I own BMW cars for more than 20 years and never had a quality issue... I am not defending BMW, I am trying to better understand what other riders problems are (subjectively)

Exactly. I would like to know the process also. Personally, I would never pickup a car if there is something materially wrong w/ it...it gives the dealer less urgency to fix it, notwithstanding that BMW's quality is not as good as some Japanese (imho, that is not the issue here, rather, it's the dealer's sneaky way of handing over a car w/ obvious prbs w/ 'promise to fix' later and the buyer unfortunately accepting that arrangement).

[SammyZ4]

Well I got my car back last Saturday and it's all great. They swapped out the iDrive controller and all was well... I love my dealer to be honest and I have a great relationship with them so I wasn't worried about being "conned" into taking delivery of a faulty car. In fact, anyone in SoCal looking for a great dealer, I definitely recommend Crevier in Santa Ana. Great sales & finance people, no pressure, and honestly the best service department I've found.

And oh how I missed my car. Was nice to have the 328i loaner for a week to really appreciate the Z!

[Land_Shark]

Good for you SammyZ4 ;-) Enjoy your ride!

[Enilder]

Originally Posted by HpDellNestle

You are confusing BMW with Japanese car companies. Common mistake. I have the shift knob that is not attached to the shifting gear. Imagine my reaction when the knob came off the stick on the highway.

I will be the first to tell you that it does happen to Japanese automakers. Bought 2002 Nissan Maxima (10 years ago) and same thing happened on top of loose side brake that had to be bolted down. It happens regardless of automakers.

[HpDellNestle]

Originally Posted by Enilder

I will be the first to tell you that it does happen to Japanese automakers. Bought 2002 Nissan Maxima (10 years ago) and same thing happened on top of loose side brake that had to be bolted down. It happens regardless of automakers.

Thank you for being the first one to let me know the utterly useful insight that it happens to all the automakers. I mean all these nonsense about quality rating and quality control of auto companies is really a non-sense after all, cause it happens to all of them.