Went to the dealer this week, and am still puzzled by the experience.
Went in with a 2004 X3 to:
1) Have the coolant flushed and replaced.
2) Pick up a new air filter.
3) Have the AC recharged, since it's not cooling the car.
4) Have the power steering checked, since it makes a "whirring" sound when the wheel is turned all the way in a parking lot (I know older cars used to do this, but my last 4 vehicles have not done this, including my 330).
5) Have the wiper blades changed.
Now, the vehicle is under warranty for another month, and has about 35,000 miles.
Here's what went down:
1) No work done. Said I had "lifetime" coolant and there's no need to spend $200 on a coolant flush and fill. I listened, but after some searching just now, my instinct was right, and the coolant should be flushed and replaced every 3-4 years. I'll have that done next week.
2) I bought the air filter and replaced it today. Dealer said the existing air filter should be OK, since the car has low miles (35,000). For $25, I changed it myself today anyway, and the old one certainly wasn't "dirty" but even a 5% improvement would add some HP, right?
3) No work done. Said the AC was blowing at 39 degrees, and was "to spec," and I should use the "recirculate" button. Since I'm not into re-breathing the same air over and over, today I had a look at the cabin filter, where the cabin air is sucked into the vehicle, and it was filled with air-blocking leaves. It seems this could block airflow into the vehicle by at least 25%, thus preventing the car from cooling properly. Surprised they didn't investigate this.
4) No work done. Said the steering was "hitting the rack" when turned too far, so don't turn the wheel too far.
5) They changed the wiper blades!
Any thoughts? Why would they not be eager to flush the radiator? I think it's a $200 service. True the car has "low miles" but it's 4 years old.
Went in with a 2004 X3 to:
1) Have the coolant flushed and replaced.
2) Pick up a new air filter.
3) Have the AC recharged, since it's not cooling the car.
4) Have the power steering checked, since it makes a "whirring" sound when the wheel is turned all the way in a parking lot (I know older cars used to do this, but my last 4 vehicles have not done this, including my 330).
5) Have the wiper blades changed.
Now, the vehicle is under warranty for another month, and has about 35,000 miles.
Here's what went down:
1) No work done. Said I had "lifetime" coolant and there's no need to spend $200 on a coolant flush and fill. I listened, but after some searching just now, my instinct was right, and the coolant should be flushed and replaced every 3-4 years. I'll have that done next week.
2) I bought the air filter and replaced it today. Dealer said the existing air filter should be OK, since the car has low miles (35,000). For $25, I changed it myself today anyway, and the old one certainly wasn't "dirty" but even a 5% improvement would add some HP, right?
3) No work done. Said the AC was blowing at 39 degrees, and was "to spec," and I should use the "recirculate" button. Since I'm not into re-breathing the same air over and over, today I had a look at the cabin filter, where the cabin air is sucked into the vehicle, and it was filled with air-blocking leaves. It seems this could block airflow into the vehicle by at least 25%, thus preventing the car from cooling properly. Surprised they didn't investigate this.
4) No work done. Said the steering was "hitting the rack" when turned too far, so don't turn the wheel too far.
5) They changed the wiper blades!
Any thoughts? Why would they not be eager to flush the radiator? I think it's a $200 service. True the car has "low miles" but it's 4 years old.
