[BanziBarn]

Hi Guys

My car is really rough on cold start some times. The revs go up and down and the car shakes.

It's not every time though (although very often) and its fine when the car is warm.

I'm taking the car in for an oil change soon and I mentioned the issue above and they told me about the charges for investigation. Because the car will be warm when I get there, the car will seem fine so unless the computer flags something up when they connect that, I'd expect them to say "nothing wrong, that'll be £100 please".

So, it seems that unless I leave the car with them over night so they can do a cold start (which is very inconvenient), I can't really get this fixed as I'm not willing to spend £100 for nothing, which knowing what garages are like, will probably be what happens!

It's quite annoying! I feel like that the car has to actually stop working before I'm confident to take it in.

Anyone else have the same issue?

[jwilliams]

They can only charge if they carry out repair work. Diagnoses is free with comprehensive warranty. I have had fuel pump, injectors, boost solenoids and boost pressure sensor all changed under warranty and because some issues were related to each other only got charged 2x £100 excess.

[BanziBarn]

Oh really? That's good news, I didn't know that. I'll call them back then.

I'm surprised they didn't know the car had a warranty though, but having said that, perhaps I'm not, knowing this particular dealer.

I'd take it somewhere else if the logistics allowed.

Cheers :-)

[Dan-danGT]

I had auc warranty, took mine in twice for a battery fault. Every time I did they said it's my driving, doing to short distance. Anyway the came to the conclusion no fault found and gave me the keys back without me paying so you should be ok!

Also had a front spring fail at night got recovery home then back to the dealer next morning. Also received no charge for that either

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by Dan-danGT

I had auc warranty, took mine in twice for a battery fault. Every time I did they said it's my driving, doing to short distance. Anyway the came to the conclusion no fault found and gave me the keys back without me paying so you should be ok!

Also had a front spring fail at night got recovery home then back to the dealer next morning. Also received no charge for that either

You have an excess on your policy and they didn't charge? That's good.

[themanthatcan]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

You have an excess on your policy and they didn't charge? That's good.

Nah that's not what he said. The excess is completely different to the diagnosis charge.

With regards to your original question, it depends on your dealer (and sometimes even the person you speak to at your dealer) but a lot of them nowadays will warn you that there *could* be a labour charge for diagnosis work if no fault is found.

Generally if the fault is obvious (such as the seatbelt assistant on the E92 not passing you your belt) or the fault is throwing a code then you're pretty safe. If it's an issue which isn't so obvious then it's possible they will charge you but I've never been in that situation.

What jordan335 says isn't true either; it doesn't matter what kind of warranty you have..if they perform diagnosis work and then don't make a successful claim against your warranty then they can charge you for their time. If your warranty claim is successful then they claim the diagnosis time back from the warranty company.

[BanziBarn]

OK, thanks.

Now to decide whether to risk it! :-)

One option is to ask them to collect the car so they experience the cold start.

[jimpom23]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

OK, thanks.

Now to decide whether to risk it! :-)

One option is to ask them to collect the car so they experience the cold start.

If you have warranty then you'll have roadside assistance, you could call and say your car doesn't sound good and you're worried it's unsafe to drive maybe?

[BanziBarn]

Not a bad idea! Can the roadside rescue guys do computer diagnostics?

Actually I called them when my rear right indicator stopped working. I could have driven it to the dealer when they had a slot (in 2016!) but instead I called the rescue guys who escorted me to the garage where it was booked in immediately.

In fact, there's a BMW rescue mechanic who lives a few doors down from me, he's the one who came to me last time. :-)

[xxxjecxxx]

Make a video of what the car is doing (cold start) and bring that with you. No time or money wasted.

If possible, bring multiple videos and have them ready on a flash drive or DVD... easy!

[russdx]

I had a similar experience, car from cold start would be very shaky. Turns out it needed a carbon clean at £600 which is not covered under extended warranty!! and i tried a few different dealerships.

Hope yours is not the same!

[BanziBarn]

Video is an excellent idea!

Carbon clean on the other hand is not what I wanted to hear. At £600 I'd be tempted to leave it as the car runs fine after a few seconds! Not sure if that would just be saving up a worse problem for later though?

If they do diagnose the carbon thing and I decide I don't want the work done then I'd be charged the fee investigation fee I suppose? Yet another gamble. I can't win this one ha ha.

[themanthatcan]

If they diagnose it needing a walnut blast then pay the £99 and take it to TWG Automotive in Camberley who will do it for £280 inc VAT.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by themanthatcan

If they diagnose it needing a walnut blast then pay the £99 and take it to TWG Automotive in Camberley who will do it for £280 inc VAT.

Thanks for the tip. Walnut blast?! I presume that's not the actual name of the procedure?! Anyway, what's actually involved in the procedure?

[themanthatcan]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

Thanks for the tip. Walnut blast?! I presume that's not the actual name of the procedure?! Anyway, what's actually involved in the procedure?

I'm working on the assumption that a walnut blast is the same as the "carbon cleanup" that russdx mentions. Essentially they blast ground up walnut shells into the intake to remove caked on carbon deposits from the valves. The deposits can cause lumpy idle, poor throttle response and reduced MPG.

I'm having mine done at TWG in two weeks and can't wait!

[BanziBarn]

Ha ha, interesting use for nuts.

Hmmmm, well my car still runs really well apart from the idle.

Do the breakdown guys have a diagnostic computer? Might give them a shout - this morning when my wife turned the car on the power steering didn't work, although it was fine once she 'rebooted'. Not sure it's that safe if the power assistance stops working while she's driving? Might be OK if she's moving but at lower speeds I expect she'll not be be able to manage it.

[themanthatcan]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

Ha ha, interesting use for nuts.

Hmmmm, well my car still runs really well apart from the idle.

Do the breakdown guys have a diagnostic computer? Might give them a shout - this morning when my wife turned the car on the power steering didn't work, although it was fine once she 'rebooted'. Not sure it's that safe if the power assistance stops working while she's driving? Might be OK if she's moving but at lower speeds I expect she'll not be be able to manage it.

Whats the mileage on your car? Some people claim that you need a walnut blast as frequently as every 20k miles. Mine has done 54k and is well overdue; it suffers with a lumpy idle which is most noticeable when cold, but she still coughs and splutters occasionally when warm. I had a fuel treatment added by BMW when they serviced the car a few weeks ago which is designed to clean the injectors; cost me £15 and has definitely improved the warm idle. It used to cough every few seconds but now it's only every so often.

If you've got the comprehensive warranty then it does include BMW recovery, but I'm not sure if it includes any kind of diags. If I were you I'd phone Mondial and ask.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by themanthatcan

Whats the mileage on your car? Some people claim that you need a walnut blast as frequently as every 20k miles. Mine has done 54k and is well overdue; it suffers with a lumpy idle which is most noticeable when cold, but she still coughs and splutters occasionally when warm. I had a fuel treatment added by BMW when they serviced the car a few weeks ago which is designed to clean the injectors; cost me £15 and has definitely improved the warm idle. It used to cough every few seconds but now it's only every so often.

If you've got the comprehensive warranty then it does include BMW recovery, but I'm not sure if it includes any kind of diags. If I were you I'd phone Mondial and ask.

40k on the car. Is this build-up a diesel specific issue? We do a lot of short journeys which I knew was bad for the DPF but not sure if other things can suffer from this.

Might give Mondial a bell.

Saw this too..... have been thinking about a re-map but worried about issues with the warranty. Maybe it's time to upgrade! ;-)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...Cnew?logcode=p

[themanthatcan]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

40k on the car. Is this build-up a diesel specific issue? We do a lot of short journeys which I knew was bad for the DPF but not sure if other things can suffer from this.

Might give Mondial a bell.

Saw this too..... have been thinking about a re-map but worried about issues with the warranty. Maybe it's time to upgrade! ;-)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...Cnew?logcode=p

No the issue is specific to any direct injection engines, petrol or diesel. In the old days the injectors would spray fuel into the intake manifold and that fuel contains cleaning agents which would help keep the intake and valves clean.

With direct injection systems the fuel is injected directly into the cylinder so the intake no longer has that cleaning provided by the fuel. Carbon build-up in the intake is the side-effect of this.

There are several ways to remove this build-up such as good old hard scrubbing or others which involve spraying chemicals into the intake to help break down and dislodge the carbon, but walnut blasting seems to deliver the best results.

There's a very good reason why most BMW dealer workshops (and many other manufacturers; VAGs TFSI engines suffer badly with carbon build-up) now have the ability to walnut blast engines!

That F31 looks lovely..surprised the brake disks look so scored though considering it's a 13 plate car!

[BanziBarn]

Good info.

You're right about the disks on the F31 - looks like its had a hammering!

[badgerbrock72]

Sorry to hijack but are you sure the comprehensive warranty includes roadside assistance?? I was told when i took mine out that its extra?

Cheers

Garry

[BanziBarn]

Mine certainly does, although perhaps you can choose not to have it. Mine was £490 for the year with £100 excess. Is that what you paid?