[Mollox]

I'm not exactly happy here...

So the M3 seems to have developed a misfire and/or is running very flat. Either way its not right. It may well be a bad batch of fuel, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. As I was working from home this morning I called my local dealer and asked to bring it over, have then run it up the road, plug it in etc and give me some sort of opinion.

Their answer was that the earliest they could look at it was 4th January - which is obviously not great - and when I asked if they could do anything sooner they advised me to call Roadside Assistance who'd come out and have a look for me, do diagnostics etc.

Have just got off the phone to them (after god knows how many attempts and being on hold) only to be told that, no, they won't come out to me as there's no lights on the dash and the car isn't "immobilised".

When I pointed out that I'm being bounced about and not getting a solution from anyone they told me I should have driven it into the dealers as they have an obligation to look at anything that drives in. Great, I'm obviously not working from home tomorrow....and what if the problem is serious...should I really be driving it etc etc

This just seems rubbish to me. I'm no prima donna but that car wasn't cheap and to be honest I do expect a little bit of "clicky-fingers, we come running" rather than being told to basically sod off as "its not our problem". (Audi used to... )

Am I being unreasonable here? Is there another recourse? I have a customer services number but they're closed...

M

[JLR1969]

If I was in your position their is 2 options.

Ignore it and hope it goes away or drive to your nearest dealer and get them to look at it as advised by the roadside assistance.

You may have a bit of a wait at the dealers so take the laptop along.

Either way piece of mind dictates that you need to get it sorted so the dealer seems the only option.

[M3-FAST]

What are the symptoms Mollox?

[Walesy]

I had the same response from them aswell when mine started idling funny last year. I called them and told them there was a strong smell of fuel and it almost came to a halt while on a round about. they were there in 20 mins, diagnostics the lot.

[NFS]

To be fair, I would say that the problem was with your dealer, not with BMW assistance.

I've had one real reason to use them in 10 years of BMW ownership, when my 318i touring dropped a valve. They towed the car to the nearest BMW franchise and handed me over to them.

If your car is driveable, they are probably being reasonable to suggest taking it to the dealer. Unfortunately, your dealer is clearly not operating up to standard or simply can't be arsed to help.

[Dr Dave]

Yes, sounds like a rather disinterested dealer.

Was this the selling dealer?

[M3-FAST]

Without the OP posting details of the exact fault, I am tentatively guessing that there is no problem. My M3 engine has quite a harsh vibration if you hold it at approx 1500RPM. Under normal driving conditions you never notice this as you skip past those revs quite freely.

I have noticed it to be far worse however in the past few days, especially on cold starts when the engine is idling faster. It also takes a good minute or so of running before the engine revs freely. I am guessing this is the vibration that Mollox is experiencing and it could quite easily be mistaken for a misfire.

I queeried this with the dealer who let me sit in another identical M3 and this has exactly the same vibration when being held at approx 1500 revs. I also read other threads and posted up on the US site, it appears other M3's 'suffer' from this. http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...gine+vibration

Hopefully that is what 'Mollox' is experiencing, but without him popping back and replying to the thread that he started we won't know!

[Mollox]

Hi,

Thanks for all the responses and thoughts.

I agree, ultimately its the dealer (who, correct, is not the supplying dealer) but the way I see it, both are acting on behalf of BMW and both were pretty apathetic. As a customer, I just want someone to take it upon themselves to make me happy, not pass/deflect the buck. Its what I do to my clients...and not too much to ask I don't think.

Genius idea re the petrol smells, if only I'd though of it.

Last night I was fuming and ready to write to/scream at BMW but having slept on it I'm a little calmer. I must be getting old. I went to school with my local service manager and, to be fair, he looks after me. Unfortunately he's on holiday and a letter will probably only come back and bite him for something he didn't do. I'm off for a week tomorrow anyway so will email him and ask him to deal with asap when I get back. I'm too nice.

Symptoms? Interesting one - for a while i've felt its a bit inconsistent in pick up (sometimes it flies, sometimes it doesn't) and have even posted here about it. However this is different. I'll put my foot down (various gears, rpm, and speed) and it'll be flat then suddenly jerk into acceleration (despite constant throttle position) as if someone's taken the handbrake off, alternatively I might have to lift off and then acelerate again to get some thrust, lifting off can be suddenly jerky. Its just not running right - I can't put my finger on it and haven't driven it enough but to me its a misfire.

Some of you might think its traction control (and I did at first) but in 6th at 75 on the motorway? n.b. can just as well be 3rd @30....

[Dr Dave]

Indeed; the M3 engine is a highly tuned motor which due to the mapping/cams etc isn't going to run smoothly at all revs in all conditions.

[Mollox]

I buy that and will forgive it the occasional highly-tuned foible, but its plainly not right at the moment.

Thinking about it, its a bit like the way it runs really lumpy/badly for the first few minutes when cold, only its all the time and much worse.

[M3-FAST]

mmm, sounds strange! The fault is obviously far worse than the cold running thing, but couldn't judge that from your first post. Does sound like a fuel starvation issue possibly though?

To be honest, unless you have got some serious miles to do in ot over the xmas period I would just hang fire until the 4th Jan. All companies suffer from lack of employees over the xmas period, what with holidays being used up etc. and the last thing you want is a rush job being made of it, and the car breaking down. If it does break down or fail to start then 'assist will then sort it. They are prob already snowed under (no pun intended) with this adverse weather as it is.

Be interested to hear the outcome though and what is at fault! Out of interest do you get the vibration when holding at a certain revs as well? Mine does it at about 1500-1700 revs and is a lot more noticeable when the car is running from cold in this harsher weather.