BMW Assist - Convenience pkg

JeF4y · 08-12-2009, 12:38 PM

Rant enclosed...

I'm REALLY beginning to get frustrated with BMW here on this one.

We picked up the car a week ago today, 09 Z4 Sdrive35i fully loaded (nav, etc). With the car, we receive 'complimentary' BMW assist plan. On Wed of last week we made our initial call to BMW assist just to make sure the system was working and that they had all our information.

They spent 20-30 min getting our info and explaining the system and up-selling us the "Convenience" package ($200usd/yr) which provides concierge service, the ability to send routes to the car, the ability to have BMW create routes for us and send them to the car, and BMW SEARCH which is basically a google-keyword search function in the car.

We quickly came to learn that you CANNOT in fact send ROUTES to the car, nor can BMW. Instead, you can send destinations or have BMW send a destination to the car. Seems ridiculously pointless to have BMW send a destination to the car when I can look it up myself in the NAV system much quicker than placing a call. Not to mention the frustration of not being able to map a custom route (there are highways I prefer to avoid though certain cities).

BMW Search has not worked since we started the service. Period. We select it, it comes up and says 'connecting' and then times out saying 'service unavailable, try again later'. We have tried this probably over 100x in several MAJOR metropolitan areas, with no luck. According to the documentation, BMW Search uses AT&T mobility's GSM network (which I am intimately familiar with, beyond that of most normal consumers). We have not been out of GSM coverage areas, but still it will not work.

I truly believe it's a setup issue on the server side at BMW, but for the love of Christ I cannot get ANYONE AT BMW who actually has HEARD of "BMW Search" let alone knows how it's configured or works. I have been bounced around from person to person, call center to call center, and finally told I should talk to my PARTS manager at my local dealer. I questioned why I would want the parts manager and BMW Customer Assistance said that he would know how to fix this. Of course the parts manager basically laughed at me when I told him this (he too, had never heard of BMW Search). So I set up a service appointment as a final attempt.

I dropped off the car yesterday and the service paperwork was written wrong, saying "BMW Assist won't connect". I tried to resolve that and was again greeted with "BMW Search? What is that??". I showed the service writer and he wrote down how I got there, etc, and said that they have a guy who's "real good at that electronic stuff".

I left the car and spent the day with no updates... I called a few times and in the early afternoon I got a hold of the service writer and he said they were looking at it. At 5:00 I called and he said "well, nobody here really knows anything about this so we wrote a "puma ticket" and we're waiting for an email back".

So here it is, a day and a half later and still no update. I can't get anything but voicemail for my service writer, and I have no car and no idea when I will have it back.

I'm just thoroughly pissed off over this. I cannot even comprehend how BMW can offer a product/service that literally NO ONE knows anything about. They had no problem talking it up to sell to me, but now that it doesn't work, nobody knows anything.

I've waited the entire summer for this car, and now during the precious FEW nice days left, it's sitting in the shop waiting for an effing email?!? Give me a break. I guess I should have expected this in buying a $12,000 GM. Oh wait...

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 08:30 AM

Day 3. No car...

Vintage · 08-13-2009, 10:06 AM

can you just cancel the "convenience package" and get your car back?

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VintageBMW

can you just cancel the "convenience package" and get your car back?

Probably... Will have to make a decision soon. Right now it's the point of it. I mean, 3 days?!? Come on. The car took 5 days to build from start to finish, so this is a little crazy IMHO. (of course no crazier than me leaving it there and bitching about it over a ridiculous service that no one really needs).

135iUSN · 08-13-2009, 10:34 AM

tell them to give you a Z4 Demo until you get this resolved.. or give me my car back and I'll cancel service.

well, the BMW website has info
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...atEhx7ykIB5g==

PDF link 2010_BMW_Assist_Brochure
http://resource.bmwusa.com/pdf_8e3fe...3185cdb61.arox

screen shot on page 12

....

at least the web designer knows about it.. (sorry)

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 10:50 AM

Funny thing is, I've talked to probably 30 different BMW employees and only a very few had ever heard of BMW Search and NONE of them have actually seen it function.

They gave me a 328xi coupe to drive. I've surely been in worse loaners, but let's face it, it's not my car...

Vintage · 08-13-2009, 12:33 PM

sorry for your trouble but let's face it, most of the people on this website know way more about these cars than BMW dealers these days - sad, but they just want to sell them and rarely do they learn a lot about them (at least that is my experience in the US); best of luck on resolving this issue

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 12:36 PM

I hear ya... Just surprised that nobody here (and on the main forums) have replied that they actually have/use this service.

Oh yeah, and the last update is - surprise! "we don't know. Maybe next week."

Vintage · 08-13-2009, 01:08 PM

that is code language to you from the dealer - "please cancel the service so we don't have to try to fix it because we have no clue, and come get your Z4"

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 01:14 PM

I went down that road and they were highly discouraged because "when you want to get this fixed we will have to start all over again. We're half way into it now, just be patient." To which I said, you know, when there's 5' of snow on the ground you can keep it in your heated garages for a month for all I care...

Still there... Dunno. I should just stop bitching and deal with it.

Vintage · 08-13-2009, 01:18 PM

look, you have every right to be upset; we are BMW owners and you purchased a $65k+ car (which is not inexpensive, especially in today's economy) - the fact remains that BMW should not sell a product that their dealers are not even aware of, much less that doesn't work as advertised

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 01:24 PM

Thanks.. It seems ridiculously petty that I'd let this keep me from driving my new car. But yeah, the whole situation is rather discouraging since:
(a) I waited the entire summer for this and this week has been GORGEOUS.
(b) WI Winter is from late October through early April. There won't be any top-down days there, and few driving days.
(c) nobody knows what the hell I'm talking about.

I'll give it to BMW, their people know how to kiss ass, that's something I enjoy and appreciate, but it only goes so far when I'm not getting answers or info.

MrsJeF4y · 08-13-2009, 04:36 PM

Update is... there's nothing to update.
Called BMW Assist today (again) and walked through all of the account settings with the rep. So far so good and it looks like it's not some phantom toggle/permission that didn't get switched on during account setup. I am currently waiting on a call back from a supervisor to confirm a few questions regarding a few confusing points in the Owners Manual. Does the BMW Search need a user name and password or not? Page 181. Seems like it does but doesn't. Also seems like there should be a logoff option which ours isn't showing us either. Even asked them if they could delete & reinstall the services (a reboot if you will). No dice.

Also spoke with BWW Customer Relations today and there is a case open regarding the need for someone, somewhere, to actually know what I am talking about and truly listen to the actual problem. Because frankly, when I say that BWM Search isn't connecting, I DO NOT expect my paperwork to not say BMW Assist isn't connecting. As far as I'm concerned stating that incorrectly would result in a complete different set of possibilities and fixes.

I really have a hard time believing this is a hardware issue (as the dealership seems to believe) when everything else about the Assist service is working (Navigation, concierge, phone, traffic, myInfo... blah blah blah) EXCEPT for the BMW Search.

Truly this seems like an outside issue somewhere other than in the car itself. Google? BMW Assist? At&t? I'm no mechanic and could be completely off base on this but I just can't seem to make 2+2=4 with what I see happening and what they're trying to convince me is happening.

So, that's the update. Still waiting.
Can't have the car or they close the case and stop trying to fix the problem.
It's now spent 30% of the time that we have possessed it living at the dealership holding down the cement floor and looking pretty.
Spawn won't talk to me since I refuse to take him school shopping without THAT car.
Top down days are dwindling rapidly. I'm paying $ for a non-functioning service and at this point for a non-functioning automobile.
And to top it all off... I've only gotten to drive it once and my sunglasses are still in the car!

Yes, I clearly understand that this sounds quite a bit like whining over nothing and this really seems silly all because the internet won't work but frankly, it's really becoming more of a principle thing. It claims to be available, I paid for it, I want it. Make it work.

JeF4y · 08-13-2009, 05:17 PM

Latest update (after getting the Mrs' sunglasses)
"BMW thinks it could be a service issue on their end"

My gut feeling is that sometime late next week I'll get my car back and that it'll be fixed by means that never would have required it to leave my driveway...

JeF4y · 08-14-2009, 11:43 AM

Day 4...

I can't wait to have my friends and family over from out of town this weekend. I can show them the empty garage stall that they too could have after spending $70,000 with BMW.

Words cannot describe my frustration and anger right now. Seriously starting to regret talking my wife out of the Cadillac she wanted.

JeF4y · 08-14-2009, 01:51 PM

Interesting.. So there's at least 3 of us in the US that have the service and NONE of us can get it to work. But I'm the only idiot who is trying to make BMW fix it.

http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291521

richard in NC · 08-14-2009, 05:02 PM

I feel for you. BMWNA should compensate you somehow for blazing the trail.
Did they tell you the results of the PUMA ticket? That's when corporate gets involved to diagnose & fix the problem. Are they at least trying something?

teagueAMX · 08-14-2009, 06:17 PM

JeF4y, this sounds so familiar.

I remember back in 1985 I ordered a GM SUV from the factory. You'll say I'm nuts and I was, but I'm also diehard pro-America and decided to buy the product even though in many respects I felt Japan was producing superior products. What can I say, it's an ugly job and somebody had to do it. Well I'm over that silly phase of my life, but there are some lessons that stick regardless.

The part that's interesting and the nexus with your ordeal is the way I was treated by the factory and the dealers. I won't go into all the details, but suffice it to say I was doing quality control for the factory and it seriously pissed me off to have to bird dog the factory and dealers every step of the way.

The irony of the situation and it's certainly a lesson to me, a person that finally decided to make a break from buying US products and look at German made vehicles:

1. This experience sounds so much like what I went though with GM. The difference is that my SUV cost me $16,000 USD in those days, which would be about $25K - $35k today. The BMW "Ultimate Driving Machine" is 3 to 4 times that cost, when loaded with options!!! You can say the look/feel of the Z4 has an edge, but that's all I'll give you, and it makes sense to me now why the major auto review/testers compare BMW's to higher end GM products.

2. Through my research running up to a purchasing a Z4 or X6, it is clear there is nothing intrinsically superior to the BMW's fabrication compared to your middle and high end GM or Ford products. That both saddens and surprises me. Sure, BMW's seats are "fully" wrapped with leather, and my Mercury may have only the seating surface covered with leather. BMW may have a few technologies not common to US companies (yet). On the other hand, BMW's audio systems, navigation, keyless entry, cruise control, parking/backup systems, etc., are major disappointments when compared to the Japanese and US products. That really sucks considering the relative cost comparison between the them.

3. After reading many posts here and on other forums, about common issues folks are having, it's clear that BMW's quality control is no better than Detroit's methods. Please understand, I've been around forums for a good while now and am aware that people talk about their problems and those typically get more press than the good things about a product. However, there are always trends one can glean when the conversations are considered as a whole.

4. It's one thing when I buy a product and am told at the time a subscription is required, and I choose to proceed anyway, no problem. On the other hand, if I buy a product, but if information about a required subscription is not disclosed - that's a problem in my book. This issue with your "BMW Search" function is a major malfunction by BMW. It smacks of crass marketing to include a function in a car that doesn't really work unless buy something else, and find out it may not even be available in the US. And yes, as others have mentioned, you average forum member has a much better handle on what these cars are all about than the dealers. This was evidenced by recent test drive.

I think we have to seriously consider if these cars are worth the extra money and how BMW has arrived at it's worldwide position. Just speaking for myself, I think at one time BMW was seriously committed to performance, but like GM, which is run by a committee, it appears they have turned their focus to how they can exploit the historical icons of their product and our idealistic feelings about buying a bimmer: my reason is ________ (put your reason in the slot).

I supposed I have, as they say, been disabused of one of my last remaining illusions, and that was BMW is a great marque.

FWIW

I'm ordering you to go get your car back now and at least have fun driving it while you have some decent weather. BMW Search can't be that important to spoil your fun driving, and that why you bought the car

JeF4y · 08-14-2009, 08:31 PM

Update. Around 3:00 today BMW customer service called me because of this post. Now mind you, we already had tickets open with customer service, escalations, etc. The woman (Liz) did say that she wasn't familiar with BMW Search, but that there was absolutely no reason I couldn't have my car for the weekend.

She called the dealer with an engineer online and called me back 15 minutes later to tell me they were washing my car for me to come and get.

Another gentleman (Nate) from BMW Customer Service called me a few minutes after that (my Wife was dealing with Nate yesterday) and he said that the problem is not in the car, it's a server in Munich that is having problems and should be fixed next week.

An hour later we picked up the car.

BMW Search still isn't working, but we weren't surprised over that. Hopefully next week it will, and, well, I'm not going to be dropping it off for them to try and make it work.

I'm overwhelmingly happy to have our car back, we drove it around for the last few hours just to enjoy an 80 degree sunset while there still are a few of them. It was absolutely beautiful.

However, in the end, I'm still kind of concerned as to what happened here. There shouldn't be any reason that the car would sit for 4 days, bouncing back and forth as to "is it a hardware problem?" "how does this even work?" "what is this guy talking about?". I always did believe that this could have been resolved VERY quickly if just the right people could be brought together to look at it.

I would like to THANK the BMW staff that reads these forums and helped us out.

Now about that server in Munich...

JeF4y · 08-14-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard in NC

I feel for you. BMWNA should compensate you somehow for blazing the trail.
Did they tell you the results of the PUMA ticket? That's when corporate gets involved to diagnose & fix the problem. Are they at least trying something?

One of my major issues is that nobody could tell me what they were doing other than emailing back and forth with Germany. Now, Germany is +7hrs from us here, so that leaves like 2-3 actual working hours where both parties are available. I don't know that anything happened during these hours.

I think it probably would have been a simple fix if they would have taken one of the few hundred cars on the lot and tried to activate the Convenience package on it to see if Search worked. They would have quickly found it did not and could have given me my car back. 10 minutes tops...

JeF4y · 08-14-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teagueAMX

I supposed I have been, as they say, disabused of one of my last remaining illusions, and that was BMW is a great marque.

I hear you loud and clear. While not only buying a car, I bought a BRAND, and that was VERY important to us so it was a pretty big letdown when this all fell apart. I do hope that I can provide some constructive comments (now that I've settled down a bit) to BMW so they can look at this and try to prevent others from having the same unnecessary frustrations.

Thanks everyone for listening to me

and

Z_Victor1 · 08-15-2009, 06:42 AM

Firstly, after reading this post, I truly believe you are due a 'top' service recovery package from BMW (doubt whether that sort of thing exists).

But another (obvious question is) surely you cannot be the ONLY BMW owner on the planet who has BMW Assist with a disabled 'search' function

Thus, assuming there are just maybe one or even two other humans who have it, how come they have not popped their heads up and complained like you?

Nope, this is VERY fishy. I was beginning to think this might just be a European only option, but that's ridiculous given the technology lead the US has.

Pray keep us updated.....!

Have you set a target-date for the refund of the "non-functioning" option you paid for?
Or will you be asking for a LONG (free) extension of the annual subscription?

08-12-2009, 12:38 PM	#1
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	BMW Assist - Convenience pkg - getting PISSED Rant enclosed... I'm REALLY beginning to get frustrated with BMW here on this one. We picked up the car a week ago today, 09 Z4 Sdrive35i fully loaded (nav, etc). With the car, we receive 'complimentary' BMW assist plan. On Wed of last week we made our initial call to BMW assist just to make sure the system was working and that they had all our information. They spent 20-30 min getting our info and explaining the system and up-selling us the "Convenience" package ($200usd/yr) which provides concierge service, the ability to send routes to the car, the ability to have BMW create routes for us and send them to the car, and BMW SEARCH which is basically a google-keyword search function in the car. We quickly came to learn that you CANNOT in fact send ROUTES to the car, nor can BMW. Instead, you can send destinations or have BMW send a destination to the car. Seems ridiculously pointless to have BMW send a destination to the car when I can look it up myself in the NAV system much quicker than placing a call. Not to mention the frustration of not being able to map a custom route (there are highways I prefer to avoid though certain cities). BMW Search has not worked since we started the service. Period. We select it, it comes up and says 'connecting' and then times out saying 'service unavailable, try again later'. We have tried this probably over 100x in several MAJOR metropolitan areas, with no luck. According to the documentation, BMW Search uses AT&T mobility's GSM network (which I am intimately familiar with, beyond that of most normal consumers). We have not been out of GSM coverage areas, but still it will not work. I truly believe it's a setup issue on the server side at BMW, but for the love of Christ I cannot get ANYONE AT BMW who actually has HEARD of "BMW Search" let alone knows how it's configured or works. I have been bounced around from person to person, call center to call center, and finally told I should talk to my PARTS manager at my local dealer. I questioned why I would want the parts manager and BMW Customer Assistance said that he would know how to fix this. Of course the parts manager basically laughed at me when I told him this (he too, had never heard of BMW Search). So I set up a service appointment as a final attempt. I dropped off the car yesterday and the service paperwork was written wrong, saying "BMW Assist won't connect". I tried to resolve that and was again greeted with "BMW Search? What is that??". I showed the service writer and he wrote down how I got there, etc, and said that they have a guy who's "real good at that electronic stuff". I left the car and spent the day with no updates... I called a few times and in the early afternoon I got a hold of the service writer and he said they were looking at it. At 5:00 I called and he said "well, nobody here really knows anything about this so we wrote a "puma ticket" and we're waiting for an email back". So here it is, a day and a half later and still no update. I can't get anything but voicemail for my service writer, and I have no car and no idea when I will have it back. I'm just thoroughly pissed off over this. I cannot even comprehend how BMW can offer a product/service that literally NO ONE knows anything about. They had no problem talking it up to sell to me, but now that it doesn't work, nobody knows anything. I've waited the entire summer for this car, and now during the precious FEW nice days left, it's sitting in the shop waiting for an effing email?!? Give me a break. I guess I should have expected this in buying a $12,000 GM. Oh wait... __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-13-2009, 08:30 AM	#2
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Day 3. No car... __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-13-2009, 10:06 AM	#3
Vintage Colonel 378 Rep 2,588 Posts Drives: BMW G80 (MT), 718 Spyder Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	can you just cancel the "convenience package" and get your car back?
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08-13-2009, 10:34 AM	#5
135iUSN 19 X5 1998 M Roadster 64 Rep 1,503 Posts Drives: 135i Alpine White / Terra Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SW Florida iTrader: (1) Garage List 1998 BMW M Roadster [0.00] 2009 135i [0.00]	tell them to give you a Z4 Demo until you get this resolved.. or give me my car back and I'll cancel service. well, the BMW website has info http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...atEhx7ykIB5g== PDF link 2010_BMW_Assist_Brochure http://resource.bmwusa.com/pdf_8e3fe...3185cdb61.arox screen shot on page 12 .... at least the web designer knows about it.. (sorry) Attached Images __________________ '09 135i Dinan In BMW heaven 09.28.2022 - Stage 2/Alpine White w/Terracotta /High Gloss Black Trim/ZCW/ZPP/ZSP w/313's /CA/PDC/Steptronic/
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08-13-2009, 10:50 AM	#6
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Funny thing is, I've talked to probably 30 different BMW employees and only a very few had ever heard of BMW Search and NONE of them have actually seen it function. They gave me a 328xi coupe to drive. I've surely been in worse loaners, but let's face it, it's not my car... __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-13-2009, 12:33 PM	#7
Vintage Colonel 378 Rep 2,588 Posts Drives: BMW G80 (MT), 718 Spyder Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	sorry for your trouble but let's face it, most of the people on this website know way more about these cars than BMW dealers these days - sad, but they just want to sell them and rarely do they learn a lot about them (at least that is my experience in the US); best of luck on resolving this issue
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08-13-2009, 12:36 PM	#8
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	I hear ya... Just surprised that nobody here (and on the main forums) have replied that they actually have/use this service. Oh yeah, and the last update is - surprise! "we don't know. Maybe next week." __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-13-2009, 01:08 PM	#9
Vintage Colonel 378 Rep 2,588 Posts Drives: BMW G80 (MT), 718 Spyder Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	that is code language to you from the dealer - "please cancel the service so we don't have to try to fix it because we have no clue, and come get your Z4"
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08-13-2009, 01:14 PM	#10
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	I went down that road and they were highly discouraged because "when you want to get this fixed we will have to start all over again. We're half way into it now, just be patient." To which I said, you know, when there's 5' of snow on the ground you can keep it in your heated garages for a month for all I care... Still there... Dunno. I should just stop bitching and deal with it. __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-13-2009, 01:18 PM	#11
Vintage Colonel 378 Rep 2,588 Posts Drives: BMW G80 (MT), 718 Spyder Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	look, you have every right to be upset; we are BMW owners and you purchased a $65k+ car (which is not inexpensive, especially in today's economy) - the fact remains that BMW should not sell a product that their dealers are not even aware of, much less that doesn't work as advertised Last edited by Vintage; 08-13-2009 at 02:08 PM..
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08-13-2009, 01:24 PM	#12
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Thanks.. It seems ridiculously petty that I'd let this keep me from driving my new car. But yeah, the whole situation is rather discouraging since: (a) I waited the entire summer for this and this week has been GORGEOUS. (b) WI Winter is from late October through early April. There won't be any top-down days there, and few driving days. (c) nobody knows what the hell I'm talking about. I'll give it to BMW, their people know how to kiss ass, that's something I enjoy and appreciate, but it only goes so far when I'm not getting answers or info. __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-13-2009, 04:36 PM	#13
MrsJeF4y Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive35i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Home iTrader: (0)	Update is... there's nothing to update. Called BMW Assist today (again) and walked through all of the account settings with the rep. So far so good and it looks like it's not some phantom toggle/permission that didn't get switched on during account setup. I am currently waiting on a call back from a supervisor to confirm a few questions regarding a few confusing points in the Owners Manual. Does the BMW Search need a user name and password or not? Page 181. Seems like it does but doesn't. Also seems like there should be a logoff option which ours isn't showing us either. Even asked them if they could delete & reinstall the services (a reboot if you will). No dice. Also spoke with BWW Customer Relations today and there is a case open regarding the need for someone, somewhere, to actually know what I am talking about and truly listen to the actual problem. Because frankly, when I say that BWM Search isn't connecting, I DO NOT expect my paperwork to not say BMW Assist isn't connecting. As far as I'm concerned stating that incorrectly would result in a complete different set of possibilities and fixes. I really have a hard time believing this is a hardware issue (as the dealership seems to believe) when everything else about the Assist service is working (Navigation, concierge, phone, traffic, myInfo... blah blah blah) EXCEPT for the BMW Search. Truly this seems like an outside issue somewhere other than in the car itself. Google? BMW Assist? At&t? I'm no mechanic and could be completely off base on this but I just can't seem to make 2+2=4 with what I see happening and what they're trying to convince me is happening. So, that's the update. Still waiting. Can't have the car or they close the case and stop trying to fix the problem. It's now spent 30% of the time that we have possessed it living at the dealership holding down the cement floor and looking pretty. Spawn won't talk to me since I refuse to take him school shopping without THAT car. Top down days are dwindling rapidly. I'm paying $ for a non-functioning service and at this point for a non-functioning automobile. And to top it all off... I've only gotten to drive it once and my sunglasses are still in the car! Yes, I clearly understand that this sounds quite a bit like whining over nothing and this really seems silly all because the internet won't work but frankly, it's really becoming more of a principle thing. It claims to be available, I paid for it, I want it. Make it work. Last edited by MrsJeF4y; 08-13-2009 at 05:15 PM..
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08-13-2009, 05:17 PM	#14
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Latest update (after getting the Mrs' sunglasses) "BMW thinks it could be a service issue on their end" My gut feeling is that sometime late next week I'll get my car back and that it'll be fixed by means that never would have required it to leave my driveway... __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-14-2009, 11:43 AM	#15
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Day 4... I can't wait to have my friends and family over from out of town this weekend. I can show them the empty garage stall that they too could have after spending $70,000 with BMW. Words cannot describe my frustration and anger right now. Seriously starting to regret talking my wife out of the Cadillac she wanted. __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-14-2009, 01:51 PM	#16
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Interesting.. So there's at least 3 of us in the US that have the service and NONE of us can get it to work. But I'm the only idiot who is trying to make BMW fix it. http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291521 __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-14-2009, 05:02 PM	#17
richard in NC Colonel 1229 Rep 2,602 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 35i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC iTrader: (0)	I feel for you. BMWNA should compensate you somehow for blazing the trail. Did they tell you the results of the PUMA ticket? That's when corporate gets involved to diagnose & fix the problem. Are they at least trying something? __________________ 2020 X3M non-comp, Alpine White over black : Exec Pkg, ventilated M Sport seats, 20"s 2020 M2 Comp, Sunset Orange/Blk: Orange stitching, DCT, exec pkg, bicolor rims Gone '18 M550i, '16 X4 M40i, '15 M5, '13 X3 35i, '12 335is, '11 X5 50i, '09 Z4 35i, '08 550i, 06 X3, 06 650i, '02 M5, '99 540i
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08-14-2009, 06:17 PM	#18
teagueAMX Colonel 60 Rep 2,087 Posts Drives: Some are road worthy Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: So Cal, USA iTrader: (0)	JeF4y, this sounds so familiar. I remember back in 1985 I ordered a GM SUV from the factory. You'll say I'm nuts and I was, but I'm also diehard pro-America and decided to buy the product even though in many respects I felt Japan was producing superior products. What can I say, it's an ugly job and somebody had to do it. Well I'm over that silly phase of my life, but there are some lessons that stick regardless. The part that's interesting and the nexus with your ordeal is the way I was treated by the factory and the dealers. I won't go into all the details, but suffice it to say I was doing quality control for the factory and it seriously pissed me off to have to bird dog the factory and dealers every step of the way. The irony of the situation and it's certainly a lesson to me, a person that finally decided to make a break from buying US products and look at German made vehicles: 1. This experience sounds so much like what I went though with GM. The difference is that my SUV cost me $16,000 USD in those days, which would be about $25K - $35k today. The BMW "Ultimate Driving Machine" is 3 to 4 times that cost, when loaded with options!!! You can say the look/feel of the Z4 has an edge, but that's all I'll give you, and it makes sense to me now why the major auto review/testers compare BMW's to higher end GM products. 2. Through my research running up to a purchasing a Z4 or X6, it is clear there is nothing intrinsically superior to the BMW's fabrication compared to your middle and high end GM or Ford products. That both saddens and surprises me. Sure, BMW's seats are "fully" wrapped with leather, and my Mercury may have only the seating surface covered with leather. BMW may have a few technologies not common to US companies (yet). On the other hand, BMW's audio systems, navigation, keyless entry, cruise control, parking/backup systems, etc., are major disappointments when compared to the Japanese and US products. That really sucks considering the relative cost comparison between the them. 3. After reading many posts here and on other forums, about common issues folks are having, it's clear that BMW's quality control is no better than Detroit's methods. Please understand, I've been around forums for a good while now and am aware that people talk about their problems and those typically get more press than the good things about a product. However, there are always trends one can glean when the conversations are considered as a whole. 4. It's one thing when I buy a product and am told at the time a subscription is required, and I choose to proceed anyway, no problem. On the other hand, if I buy a product, but if information about a required subscription is not disclosed - that's a problem in my book. This issue with your "BMW Search" function is a major malfunction by BMW. It smacks of crass marketing to include a function in a car that doesn't really work unless buy something else, and find out it may not even be available in the US. And yes, as others have mentioned, you average forum member has a much better handle on what these cars are all about than the dealers. This was evidenced by recent test drive. I think we have to seriously consider if these cars are worth the extra money and how BMW has arrived at it's worldwide position. Just speaking for myself, I think at one time BMW was seriously committed to performance, but like GM, which is run by a committee, it appears they have turned their focus to how they can exploit the historical icons of their product and our idealistic feelings about buying a bimmer: my reason is ________ (put your reason in the slot). I supposed I have, as they say, been disabused of one of my last remaining illusions, and that was BMW is a great marque. FWIW I'm ordering you to go get your car back now and at least have fun driving it while you have some decent weather. BMW Search can't be that important to spoil your fun driving, and that why you bought the car Last edited by teagueAMX; 08-14-2009 at 09:33 PM..
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08-14-2009, 08:31 PM	#19
JeF4y Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 14 X1 35i M-sport Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	Update. Around 3:00 today BMW customer service called me because of this post. Now mind you, we already had tickets open with customer service, escalations, etc. The woman (Liz) did say that she wasn't familiar with BMW Search, but that there was absolutely no reason I couldn't have my car for the weekend. She called the dealer with an engineer online and called me back 15 minutes later to tell me they were washing my car for me to come and get. Another gentleman (Nate) from BMW Customer Service called me a few minutes after that (my Wife was dealing with Nate yesterday) and he said that the problem is not in the car, it's a server in Munich that is having problems and should be fixed next week. An hour later we picked up the car. BMW Search still isn't working, but we weren't surprised over that. Hopefully next week it will, and, well, I'm not going to be dropping it off for them to try and make it work. I'm overwhelmingly happy to have our car back, we drove it around for the last few hours just to enjoy an 80 degree sunset while there still are a few of them. It was absolutely beautiful. However, in the end, I'm still kind of concerned as to what happened here. There shouldn't be any reason that the car would sit for 4 days, bouncing back and forth as to "is it a hardware problem?" "how does this even work?" "what is this guy talking about?". I always did believe that this could have been resolved VERY quickly if just the right people could be brought together to look at it. I would like to THANK the BMW staff that reads these forums and helped us out. Now about that server in Munich... __________________ Current: 14 X1 35i - M Sport - Ultimate pkg - Mineral Gray ext / Black & brushed aluminum int. Prev: 09 Z4 35i Black w/white napa leather & every option possible =)
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08-15-2009, 06:42 AM	#22
Z_Victor1 First Lieutenant 62 Rep 327 Posts Drives: 2022 G22 M440i 👍 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SouthEast UK iTrader: (0)	Thoughts......... Firstly, after reading this post, I truly believe you are due a 'top' service recovery package from BMW (doubt whether that sort of thing exists). But another (obvious question is) surely you cannot be the *ONLY* BMW owner on the planet who has BMW Assist with a disabled 'search' function Thus, assuming there are just maybe one or even two other humans who have it, how come they have not popped their heads up and complained like you? Nope, this is VERY fishy. I was beginning to think this might just be a European only option, but that's ridiculous given the technology lead the US has. Pray keep us updated.....! Have you set a target-date for the refund of the "non-functioning" option you paid for? Or will you be asking for a LONG (free) extension of the annual subscription?
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