2018 X3 20d xDrive

[MR_Y]

Minor rant...

The OBC said that the brake fluid service is due in September.

Seeing that it is already August, I called up BMW and asked if I can book the car. They said yes.

I took the car in, service advisor read the key on the system, did all the checks, I signed my car in and I went away.

The car is still on Motorplan.

I get a call from the service advisor, 1 hour after I left the dealership, saying that BMW SA did not authorise the work because it is not yet September, when the brake fluid service would be due.

I asked him why did he (and the service booking agent) allow my car to be booked - surely they should have known BMW's rules regarding early servicing?

I also asked him why are BMW being finicky about this service, since it is only 1 month early. All my other car brands (while in Plan) allow services 1 month (or 1,500km) before they are due.

Anyway, no satisfactory response given.

Going forward, I will book services in the month of them being due. Unless, sooner on mileage.

So, this has a happy ending.
The brake fluid is due this month and I booked it in today.
The car also has an oil service due in 3,000km and rear brakes due in 2,900km from now.
Was pleasantly surprised when the service advisor said that they can do the above work now, because it is within 3,000km window.
Apparently, brake fluid is only time based, so cannot fast track to be earlier. But the mileage items can be fast tracked.

Anyway, I am happy.

The car still has 1 year of Plan left.

Though, I will ask for oil changes every 10,000km at own cost.

 

[MR_Y]

A year later after buying the car and things are going well.

A bit more power and more luxury features would help. As always, I am looking through Autotrader to see if a good replacement pops up at a good price. For now, there is nothing out there at a decent mileage and price that is worthwhile.

 

[BouncyNinja]

Life lesson,

get headlight protectors, will save a lot of headaches. I had a mysterious grey object bounce on the highway and through my headlight,

I initially was planning on just paying to do it myself, until i saw the price.. its now in the insurance's hands, but in hindsight, i second "layer" could have saved a lot of drama

 

[MR_Y]

Not my car.
Pictures of an LCI X3 20d model at the recent BMW xDrive experience in Midrand.
A capable, mild offroad vehicle.
Not much driving difference between pre LCI and LCI G01. The 20d engine and other mechanical bits are the same.

 

[modocrat]

Your right foot is itching for a 30d......

 

[BouncyNinja]

Not my car.
Pictures of an LCI X3 20d model at the recent BMW xDrive experience in Midrand.
A capable, mild offroad vehicle.
Not much driving difference between pre LCI and LCI G01. The 20d engine and other mechanical bits are the same.
View attachment 19103
View attachment 19104View attachment 19105View attachment 19106View attachment 19107

i really want to take my car on this course,

 

[MR_Y]

The day after the recent hail storm, got this message on my BMW phone app.

Really not a major issue, but impressed how good this app is.





Wife took car into BMW Midrand and they are assessing it.

Given the damage on other cars in the area, I am not complaining.

I am just glad that my baby (Z4) was kept safe in the garage

 

[TBP88]

The day after the recent hail storm, got this message on my BMW phone app.

Really not a major issue, but impressed how good this app is.

View attachment 19323

View attachment 19324

Wife took car into BMW Midrand and they are assessing it.

Given the damage on other cars in the area, I am not complaining.

I am just glad that my baby (Z4) was kept safe in the garage

Yeah, if that's as bad as you've got hit then you're really lucky - some of the pics I've seen are horrendous.

Sad though either way, I'm sure there'll be a lot of write-offs from this hail storm.

 

[BeemerFanatic]

Ouch. Seems like the hailstorm did a lot of damage. Spoke to a friend in the insurance industry yesterday and apparently Midrand and surround areas were hit really bad, homes and car claims

 

[MR_Y]

Ouch. Seems like the hailstorm did a lot of damage. Spoke to a friend in the insurance industry yesterday and apparently Midrand and surround areas were hit really bad, homes and car claims

Ja, some of my neighbours were badly hit.

My X3 damage is R5,000 (after requesting discount) for a tail light cover and 3 bulbs replacement (seems like a whole unit is needed).

Speaking to an architect next week about building a garage extension (no car port allowed), but have to weigh up the costs of that vs occasional hail damage 🤔

 

[BouncyNinja]

Ja, some of my neighbours were badly hit.

My X3 damage is R5,000 (after requesting discount) for a tail light cover and 3 bulbs replacement (seems like a whole unit is needed).

Speaking to an architect next week about building a garage extension (no car port allowed), but have to weigh up the costs of that vs occasional hail damage

Cheap round

Should just for shits and giggles, get a quote on a new headlight


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MR_Y]

So I got the car back from BMW Midrand after they fitted the tail light.

The car was dirty after the hail storm, so I did not really see the extent of the dings on the car.

After the car wash at the dealer, all the little dings on the roof and bonnet are very clear.

Looks like golf ball dimples on the white paint work.

I will see if I can get this fixed with paintless dent removal. Not keen to claim from insurance yet.

 

[BouncyNinja]

So I got the car back from BMW Midrand after they fitted the tail light.

The car was dirty after the hail storm, so I did not really see the extent of the dings on the car.

After the car wash at the dealer, all the little dings on the roof and bonnet are very clear.

Looks like golf ball dimples on the white paint work.

I will see if I can get this fixed with paintless dent removal. Not keen to claim from insurance yet.

Shit, sorry to hear , sometimes it’s better to just do it through insurance , know of someone that got caught in a hail storm last year, their claim ended up around 60k to fix it properly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[///M Individual]

So I got the car back from BMW Midrand after they fitted the tail light.

The car was dirty after the hail storm, so I did not really see the extent of the dings on the car.

After the car wash at the dealer, all the little dings on the roof and bonnet are very clear.

Looks like golf ball dimples on the white paint work.

I will see if I can get this fixed with paintless dent removal. Not keen to claim from insurance yet.

Might be better to go via insurance bud.

For the roof the hoodlining usually has to be removed and you want someone reputable doing this with recourse in the event of them damaging anything or not fitting it back correctly.

You can also add the R5k you paid for the light to the claim.

 

[MR_Y]

Will see if paintless dent removal will work.
Not willing to claim from insurance, unless it is super expensive.

 

[BouncyNinja]

Might be better to go via insurance bud.

For the roof the hoodlining usually has to be removed and you want someone reputable doing this with recourse in the event of them damaging anything or not fitting it back correctly.

You can also add the R5k you paid for the light to the claim.

Wise words


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BouncyNinja]

Will see if paintless dent removal will work.
Not willing to claim from insurance, unless it is super expensive.
View attachment 19334View attachment 19335View attachment 19336

The bonnet , as most of the car, if I recall is aluminium

You don’t want a pdr place making it worse, and insurance refusing a claim


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MR_Y]

The bonnet , as most of the car, if I recall is aluminium

You don’t want a pdr place making it worse, and insurance refusing a claim


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seems that BMW Midrand had hail damage as well on some of their cars.
They are using PDR for some cars and full panel replacement on others.

Thanks @Yulz9081 for the reference. Will assess and revert.

 

[MR_Y]

According to the specialist, the damage is minor enough to be fixable through PDR. The bonnet is aluminium, so there are other options to fix that.

Will deal with this next year.

 

[MR_Y]

Stuttering throttle

I noticed when driving around 120kph and gently accelerating (medium pressure on pedal), there sometimes seems to be a slight stutter in the throttle. Instead of a linear response, it feels like there is dead spot, then the throttle response feels slightly jerky. It feels like someone is going on the accelerator pedal, then off the pedal and then pressing it again.

I don't think it is the gearbox, since it does not feel like a change in gear, just a change in throttle response. It happens regardless of comfort, sport mode or the box being in D or S. This also happens on different brand of diesel and regardless of 10 or 50ppm.

The car goes off Plan next year Sep/Oct so will ask the dealership to check this. Though, given that this does not happen all the time and is more noticeable when cruising over 120 and gently accelerating, I am not sure if they can replicate it.

I am hoping it is not the transfer case which may be causing the flat spot (loss of momentum) when it switches torque between the front and rear axles. I know that the VAG AWD systems have this issue.