My experience at Joburg City Auto

[husaindindar]

Can OP elaborate the highlighted feedback from Tune Tech.

"keep tank above 1/4.... pump overheats"


What is the issue?

I have a bad habit of driving until the fuel range indicator shows 50km remaining, before refuelling

The feedback was that I must avoid driving with the reserve warning light on for an extended period. Apparently the fuel pump has to work extra hard to pump the little fuel that remains, causing it to overheat.

Thanks for that...
Def my habit also

 

[Nella11]

How did the wiring get messed up in the first place?

 

[EdIMean]

How did the wiring get messed up in the first place?

I can't say for sure I know what happened. Prior to the starter failing on me, I didn't have the issues I described. Once Joburg City Auto gave me the car back, I had all those problems. I went back to them with the problem, since logic told me that if the car was okay prior to them working on it, they'd definitely done something to cause the new problem.

Tune Tech told me the wires were messed up, and Joburg City Auto were the only clowns to have worked on the car before that. After Tune Tech had fixed the wiring, the BM serenading exhaust note returned!

 

[kingr]

Dealership don't like messy jobs, like fixing wiring or redoing a turbo. They will rather replace, replace, replace till something works. VW does the same. Recently replaced lots of parts on my brothers Scirocco, only to give the car back with a flat battery and the same issue present. No two dealerships are equal, but this is definitely a new trend to fix cars.

Glad you sorted!

 

[khumalbs]

Hi all,

I'd like to share my recent experience at Joburg City Auto.

My E90 323i A/T failed to start on 29th September. I had the car towed to Joburg City Auto for repairs. They ran the diagnostic test and came back a week later with the following:
* Starter motor failed, needs replacement

I agreed to have it replaced, and they went ahead. Three days later, got a call:
* The engine is misfiring badly, all ignition coils need replacement

I gave them the go-ahead. A week later, I collected the vehicle. The idling is very bad and it appears to be misfiring still. There's a lot of vibration on the steering wheel, the rev counter is "dancing" uncontrollably and the exhaust pipe clanks a lot. The exhaust fumes smell very badly and everything is very wrong!
A km away from their premises, the car stalls (very uncommon for an automatic transmission).

I called Wayne (service advisor) and informed him about the issue. I then decided to drive the car for a week and check if anything changed. The problem persists. The stalling is gone, but the vibrations and erratic idling still continue. The car is smoking, the fumes are unpleasantly strong and bad!

I finally take the car back to them, and they run another diagnostic test. Wayne calls me, informing me that the following items need replacing:
* VVT e-motor
* 2 Lambda regulators
* 2 Oxygen sensors
* Vent Hose
* Coolant Hose
* Profile Gasket
* Oil Filter
* Oil needs replacement
The cost R51 455.96

I asked Wayne not to do the work because of the ridiculous quotation. Thankfully, I couldn't afford to pay for this so the decision was easy to make.

I took the car to Tune Tech in Bez Valley for a second opinion. Their diagnosis:
* Incorrect wiring on the oxygen sensors

They fixed the wiring, and the cost? R2 450. The result? Everything is back to normal. No more vibrations and clanking. The smell coming from the exhaust has returned to normal and the idling is very smooth.

I now wonder if the starter motor really needed replacing in the first place. Imagine what would have happened if I had the money, and I'd asked them to do the R51k work? They would have replaced everything, messed up the wiring and probably asked me to replace the engine!

Incompetence at its finest!!

Hi. If I may ask what happened with the incorrect wiring of the oxygen sensors. What does that mean?

 

[Schabzo08]

Hi all,

I'd like to share my recent experience at Joburg City Auto.

My E90 323i A/T failed to start on 29th September. I had the car towed to Joburg City Auto for repairs. They ran the diagnostic test and came back a week later with the following:
* Starter motor failed, needs replacement

I agreed to have it replaced, and they went ahead. Three days later, got a call:
* The engine is misfiring badly, all ignition coils need replacement

I gave them the go-ahead. A week later, I collected the vehicle. The idling is very bad and it appears to be misfiring still. There's a lot of vibration on the steering wheel, the rev counter is "dancing" uncontrollably and the exhaust pipe clanks a lot. The exhaust fumes smell very badly and everything is very wrong!
A km away from their premises, the car stalls (very uncommon for an automatic transmission).

I called Wayne (service advisor) and informed him about the issue. I then decided to drive the car for a week and check if anything changed. The problem persists. The stalling is gone, but the vibrations and erratic idling still continue. The car is smoking, the fumes are unpleasantly strong and bad!

I finally take the car back to them, and they run another diagnostic test. Wayne calls me, informing me that the following items need replacing:
* VVT e-motor
* 2 Lambda regulators
* 2 Oxygen sensors
* Vent Hose
* Coolant Hose
* Profile Gasket
* Oil Filter
* Oil needs replacement
The cost R51 455.96

I asked Wayne not to do the work because of the ridiculous quotation. Thankfully, I couldn't afford to pay for this so the decision was easy to make.

I took the car to Tune Tech in Bez Valley for a second opinion. Their diagnosis:
* Incorrect wiring on the oxygen sensors

They fixed the wiring, and the cost? R2 450. The result? Everything is back to normal. No more vibrations and clanking. The smell coming from the exhaust has returned to normal and the idling is very smooth.

I now wonder if the starter motor really needed replacing in the first place. Imagine what would have happened if I had the money, and I'd asked them to do the R51k work? They would have replaced everything, messed up the wiring and probably asked me to replace the engine!

Incompetence at its finest!!

Hi. If I may ask what happened with the incorrect wiring of the oxygen sensors. What does that mean?

Probably the connector plugs were swapped around

 

[evnmopwr]

And this is the reason i Started DIY'ing...

 

[1 Eyed Monkey]

Please take the issue up with Steve Nale(owner/DP).

He is the guy that's usually outside in the morning looking like a driver. Perfectionist of note.

 

[Vten]

Hi, i too had an issue a month back with JHB City Auto.

My Car is a 2016 F30 330i still in Motor plan.Car was towed in to JHB City Auto by BMW on Call, as a Drive train error kept coming up.

Once the car got to JHB City, they called me up and said i need to Pay an amount of R4500 up front before they start any work as they "Think" that rats have eaten through my wiring harness.Furthermore the service advisor asked me to come in to the dealership and said i should speak to the workshop manager as it was possible he would be able " to make a plan" (to waiver the R4500) , i fealt like i had been stopped at a roadblock!

Since it was the biggest load of BS iv heard in all my years with driving bmw`s, (the fact that i need to pay monies up front ) i told them to leave my car alone , picked it up and sent it to Clearwater BMW. A day later i got a call , it turned out to be a failed sensor which was covered by motor plan and i was back on the road.

 

[vamudzengi]

Report them to BMW SA.

I have reported dealerships in the past and it has worked out for the better.

Have done this too. They fixed the VVT for "free"

Sent from my FIG-LX1 using Tapatalk

 

[QikNish]

Most dealerships whave circus clowns working in their workshops. Get yourself a diagnostics machine, run tests yourself so you're more informed before sending to a reputable workshop for repairs.

 

[yush1]

Most dealerships whave circus clowns working in their workshops. Get yourself a diagnostics machine, run tests yourself so you're more informed before sending to a reputable workshop for repairs.

Agreed. I heard of BMW dealerships forgetting to tighten the sump nut and ruined the engine. :dunnoanymore:

 

[SlimmJimm]

My Car was there at Joburg City Auto for 2 weeks - problem was the DCT gearbox overheated, they found the temperature sensor near the clutches was faulty - lucky still on Mplan so didnt pay a cent........

Got the car back yesterday and somebody knocked my tow hook......told Wayne who was reluctant at first until the jobcard showed the car had come with it.....then he "found" one in the service area..:dunnoanymore:

Hopefully my gearbox has been assembled correctly and everything is fine lol, guess time will tell.

R2000 sensor and R8000 labour

 

[LYFGP]

I never had any issues with them, although my car was only booked in for a service and for the recall campaign. Car had no issues.