Mileage discrepancy between key fob and odometer after service appointment

[humpday]

I dropped my car off for some cosmetic repairs at my local dealership. Stupid me didn't check the odometer on the car before dropping it off. However, when I picked it up, the mileage on the key fob, which was labeled on my receipt/repair sheet, was about 42 miles less than what was on the odometer on the car at pickup.

Obviously I'm concerned that some DB took my car for a joy ride. The dealership claims that there can be significant differences in the mileage readings between the fob and car odometer, but 40+ miles on a car with 8400 miles seems a lot. They also said that they have video accounting for where my car was, but only for HALF the time it was with the dealership.

I'm very suspicious of this dealership now. Anyone know if it's true that you can have such a large discrepancy in the mileage between the key fob and car odometer?

[Doctor///M]

So where was it for the other half of the time?

[DrtyJrze]

A) Was the car in the same (or better) condition than when you dropped it off?

B) Are you going to miss the supposedly 40 miles?

If you answered yes and no respectively, let it go. Take it as a lesson learned and make sure you take a quick pic of the odometer next time.

The negative impact of stressing about what may/may not have happened to your car while they had it isn't worth it.

[pikkagtr]

I always take a pic of my odometer before handing off the keys along with the request to my service advisor for NO WASH and NO TEST DRIVES without my approval.
Should be no more than 1 mile if its to pull the car into to bay and back out to be parked while awaiting you to pick it up.

[Donger Kim]

I did not know the key fob had a mileage indicator. Interesting...

[rr006rbc]

Hmm that's not right unless your SA typed in the mileage wrong on your repair order. I have never seen it differentiate more than 1-5 miles UNLESS the key had never been updated in a while, which should have been done before the advisor read the key for the printouts if he/she was doing their job right.

[//M]

I can say that if you put it in the slot (don't use comfort access) it updates the key every single time you use it within seconds. Stores it in KM technically so even more precise then just miles.

Key also stores all of your maintainence items like brake pads life, oil change interval, coolant interval etc.

Inspect the car closely sounds like someone went on a joyride.

MOST IMPORTANTLY WRITE DOWN the milage that you picked it up with. That way if there's a code stored from hooning you can blow them up. (Or good forbid a overev if your 6MT)

[Drizz]

Originally Posted by tifosielia

I can say that if you put it in the slot (don't use comfort access) it updates the key every single time you use it within seconds. Stores it in KM technically so even more precise then just miles.

Key also stores all of your maintainence items like brake pads life, oil change interval, coolant interval etc.

Inspect the car closely sounds like someone went on a joyride.

MOST IMPORTANTLY WRITE DOWN the milage that you picked it up with. That way if there's a code stored from hooning you can blow them up. (Or good forbid a overev if your 6MT)

There's no slot on the F80/82

[humpday]

Originally Posted by DrtyJrze

A) Was the car in the same (or better) condition than when you dropped it off?

B) Are you going to miss the supposedly 40 miles?

If you answered yes and no respectively, let it go. Take it as a lesson learned and make sure you take a quick pic of the odometer next time.

The negative impact of stressing about what may/may not have happened to your car while they had it isn't worth it.

For the record yes and yes, and no one is stressing about anything. I'm pissed, which is the normal response in this situation. I don't think anyone here believes that you would play it "cool" if you thought some tech or valet was taking your M for a joy ride. That's actually abnormal. But if that is the case, next time you leave town, leave your house keys with me. Trust me, I'll "watch" it for you.

Anyhow, I called BMWNA, and - for what it's worth - they agree with rr006rbc that there should be very little difference in the readings.

Drizz is right that there is no slot. I'm assuming that the key automatically updates when it enters the car.

Last update: I also had an oil change done when I dropped off the car, and the SA says he has the tech on video taking my car out for 25 minutes, which probably isn't enough to put 40+ miles on the car in the Bay Area. But who knows? He says they take the car out to warm up the engine in order to get an accurate reading of the oil level. Anyone know how true that is? Is that standard procedure for oil changes in the M3/4?

[Vigilant]

OP...sounds like the warm up was a joy ride. One mile is about what you should expect on car for routine maintenance.

[Anchored]

These cars need test drives to figure out problems. and the mileage read from a key is almost never completely accurate.

No one in service gives a darn about your car. if its a big dealership they see 10 a day just like it.

if you had a Z8 or a 1M then you might have a right to complain.

[humpday]

Originally Posted by Anchored

These cars need test drives to figure out problems. and the mileage read from a key is almost never completely accurate.

No one in service gives a darn about your car. if its a big dealership they see 10 a day just like it.

if you had a Z8 or a 1M then you might have a right to complain.

Haha! This is the stupidest thing I've read on this website. Test drive for cosmetic repairs? Genius here is talking about when I'm allowed to have a right to complain?

[Matt_B]

Maybe the SA just rounded or typed the mileage in wrong?

[rymiller73]

Originally Posted by pikkagtr

I always take a pic of my odometer before handing off the keys along with the request to my service advisor for NO WASH and NO TEST DRIVES without my approval.
Should be no more than 1 mile if its to pull the car into to bay and back out to be parked while awaiting you to pick it up.

You're service depart will give test drives in your car? F THAT!

[Matt_B]

Originally Posted by rymiller73

You're service depart will give test drives in your car? F THAT!

Not test drives for customers...

Sometimes the tech will need to experience a problem in person to identify it and later to verify that it is gone.

[RocketBoots]

Hmmm... very suspicious. 42 is the exact number of round trip miles from the dealership to the strip club...

[04RC51]

I WANT My tech to drive my car when he is done, without a doubt! He did the work and he should take it for a drive to ensure it all checks out afterwards. If he went to get lunch or go home to smash his GF during his lunch hour, I don't care. They are all bonded and I hope he had a great drive. It's just an M car, get over ourselves.

[F83]

Originally Posted by humpday

Haha! This is the stupidest thing I've read on this website. Test drive for cosmetic repairs? Genius here is talking about when I'm allowed to have a right to complain?

Dude, lots of hate for other posters that didn't drive your car. Save it for the guys that went all "Ferris Beuller" on you.

[M4start]

I just dropped my car off this morning for the break in service and the key fob showed 2056 kms. The reading on the dash was 2030.4 kms. SA didn't seem to know (or care) why there was a difference.

[M3ANOXGREEN]

V

[04RC51]

We found yet another "that guy". Seems to be one a day around here.

Just enjoy your car folks. The techs don't care about your Bugatti, errrr M3/4. It's just another M car they see throughout the day. They weren't excited to work on it, they aren't excited to drive and after you complain they will probably hope they never see it again.

[Anchored]

Originally Posted by humpday

Haha! This is the stupidest thing I've read on this website. Test drive for cosmetic repairs? Genius here is talking about when I'm allowed to have a right to complain?

That's cute. Someone is Butthurt about their toy