Is paying a "diagnostic fee" typical at the service center?

vbb · 06-06-2008, 04:21 PM

I have a '07 335i (July build) that has had maybe 3 or 4 incidents of taking a couple more cranks than normal at start up over the last 5 weeks or so. It's very sporadic, and will go weeks without a problem... but after it did it again yesterday I decided to call up to make a service appointment.

My appointment is set for 10 days out, and they said I will have to pay a diagonistic fee if they have to hook my car up to the machine. Now, I've been reading on these boards for awhile, and know that long cranks at startup could be a fuel pump issue. My car doesn't have any of the other bad fuel pump symptoms, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've never read on here where anyone is paying a diagnostic fee though. I thought the whole 4 years/50K mile warranty covered things like that.

Is this legit, or BS from my BMW center? Should I ask that the diagonistic fee be waived? Has anyone else paid this?

rwwong · 06-06-2008, 04:31 PM

Sounds weird, it should be covered.

bsamoul · 06-06-2008, 04:34 PM

that is really weird...it should be covered under warranty. i'd dispute it with them

.:bHd:. · 06-06-2008, 04:36 PM

Same thing happened to me when my service engine soon light came on. They told me if nothing is wrong with the car they're gonna charge me with a diagnostic fee. After driving around for a couple of days with my car idling roughly and taking forever to start.. i took it back in. Turned out to be a sensor that stop working right. Just b.s. and tell them that the car is acting weird.

vbb · 06-06-2008, 04:44 PM

Well, I suppose everything is definitely covered if I were to just let the problem go, and one day my car won't start or I get stranded somewhere... but it seems that they're discouraging people to bring their cars in BEFORE a big problem develops. I thought I was doing the proactive thing by not waiting til I got myself stuck somewhere. I thought many others on here have done the same thing.

I hope it isn't the fuel pump at all... but I also don't want to pay a fee for them to check things out either.

Cerezo · 06-06-2008, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .:bHd:.

Same thing happened to me when my service engine soon light came on. They told me if nothing is wrong with the car they're gonna charge me with a diagnostic fee.

That's totally BS. If nothing is wrong then something is wrong with the indication. If any warning light is on they'll have to check it for free like it or not. As for the OP, I wouldn't do it. It's a condition that's hard to duplicate (at this time) and most likely have not thrown a code so nothing will stop them from asking you for money if it didn't. If anything, ask them to check it without hooking it up to the computer and see if it duplicates. If it does, they'll have to log "long crank" and diagnose should be free.

Just my opinion anyway.

wj4 · 06-06-2008, 07:25 PM

It's BS. I've taken my car in for tons of reasons and never once did I pay a fee.

attorneyscott · 06-06-2008, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbb

I have a '07 335i (July build) that has had maybe 3 or 4 incidents of taking a couple more cranks than normal at start up over the last 5 weeks or so. It's very sporadic, and will go weeks without a problem... but after it did it again yesterday I decided to call up to make a service appointment.

My appointment is set for 10 days out, and they said I will have to pay a diagonistic fee if they have to hook my car up to the machine. Now, I've been reading on these boards for awhile, and know that long cranks at startup could be a fuel pump issue. My car doesn't have any of the other bad fuel pump symptoms, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've never read on here where anyone is paying a diagnostic fee though. I thought the whole 4 years/50K mile warranty covered things like that.

Is this legit, or BS from my BMW center? Should I ask that the diagonistic fee be waived? Has anyone else paid this?

That's horseshit. Find another dealership to take it to. I wouldn't do business with them period.

Sounds like a fuel pump

blue-e92 · 06-07-2008, 12:05 AM

Call Bmw North America And Complain. I Bet You $100 They Will Never Do That Again.

MrToad · 06-07-2008, 01:45 AM

Never charged that fee before

vbb · 06-07-2008, 11:54 AM

Update: I called back today and spoke with a SA. The diagnostic fee will be waived. He said the receptionist/appointment clerk that I spoke with was new, and didn't know what she was talking about regarding the fee.

lauer87 · 06-07-2008, 11:59 AM

I would call BMWNA, and tell them one of their dealers is trying to extort money from customers by charging a "diagnostic fee" that is B.S. The new receptionist line is probably something they are told to say when someone calls them out on it. Just my two cents.

magmd · 06-07-2008, 07:47 PM

I was never charged a diagnostic fee.

However, once when I tried to go to Southbay BMW for a mirror issue, they said I would have to pay a diagnostic fee b/c my car is "modified".

I said ok, I will pay the fee if they find the problem to be related to any of these so called modifications. But they said no. They wanted to charge me a fee regardless. If the problem was found to be due to a mod...I would have to pay to get it repaired. If it was found to not be due to a mod, it would be covered under warranty. BUT THEY WOULD KEEP THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE.

I told them to fuck off. I've never been back.

gqmd · 06-08-2008, 09:10 AM

I've never had to pay a diagnostic fee...even if they had to keep my car for 2 days, give me a free loaner car, and still not find anything wrong with it...I've never heard of such a thing since the 50K maintenance program has been in place...

06-06-2008, 04:21 PM	#1
vbb Captain 1864 Rep 935 Posts Drives: 2022 M4 manual Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: present iTrader: (4)	Is paying a "diagnostic fee" typical at the service center? I have a '07 335i (July build) that has had maybe 3 or 4 incidents of taking a couple more cranks than normal at start up over the last 5 weeks or so. It's very sporadic, and will go weeks without a problem... but after it did it again yesterday I decided to call up to make a service appointment. My appointment is set for 10 days out, and they said I will have to pay a diagonistic fee if they have to hook my car up to the machine. Now, I've been reading on these boards for awhile, and know that long cranks at startup could be a fuel pump issue. My car doesn't have any of the other bad fuel pump symptoms, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've never read on here where anyone is paying a diagnostic fee though. I thought the whole 4 years/50K mile warranty covered things like that. Is this legit, or BS from my BMW center? Should I ask that the diagonistic fee be waived? Has anyone else paid this?
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06-06-2008, 04:31 PM	#2
rwwong Captain 115 Rep 626 Posts Drives: 2006 330i, 2008 Jeep Hemi Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Minneapolis iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Sounds weird, it should be covered. __________________ www.richardwestleywong.com
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06-06-2008, 04:34 PM	#3
bsamoul Major General 165 Rep 7,433 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Walnut Creek, California iTrader: (2)	that is really weird...it should be covered under warranty. i'd dispute it with them __________________ -Brian 2X 2006 BMW 325i [Electric Red & Mystic Blue] \| ZPP \| V1 \| Rear Fogs \| M3 Lip Spoiler \| EAS RemoteKey \| BMS Powerbox \| Projector90 Headlights w/ LED AE \| LED plate lights \| OEM Blacklines http://www.tech-shine.com
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06-06-2008, 04:36 PM	#4
.:bHd:. Major 331 Rep 1,149 Posts Drives: E92 335i MT Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: So Cal iTrader: (0)	Same thing happened to me when my service engine soon light came on. They told me if nothing is wrong with the car they're gonna charge me with a diagnostic fee. After driving around for a couple of days with my car idling roughly and taking forever to start.. i took it back in. Turned out to be a sensor that stop working right. Just b.s. and tell them that the car is acting weird. __________________
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06-06-2008, 04:44 PM	#5
vbb Captain 1864 Rep 935 Posts Drives: 2022 M4 manual Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: present iTrader: (4)	Well, I suppose everything is definitely covered if I were to just let the problem go, and one day my car won't start or I get stranded somewhere... but it seems that they're discouraging people to bring their cars in BEFORE a big problem develops. I thought I was doing the proactive thing by not waiting til I got myself stuck somewhere. I thought many others on here have done the same thing. I hope it isn't the fuel pump at all... but I also don't want to pay a fee for them to check things out either.
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06-06-2008, 07:25 PM	#7
wj4 Major General 335 Rep 7,719 Posts Drives: E90 manual 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Burbank, CA iTrader: (8)	It's BS. I've taken my car in for tons of reasons and never once did I pay a fee.
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06-07-2008, 12:05 AM	#9
blue-e92 Private 20 Rep 98 Posts Drives: MB E92 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vietnam iTrader: (0)	Call Bmw North America And Complain. I Bet You $100 They Will Never Do That Again.
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06-07-2008, 01:45 AM	#10
MrToad I rike bee em dub u 62 Rep 747 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: City of Angels/Sunny SoCal iTrader: (4)	Never charged that fee before
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06-07-2008, 11:54 AM	#11
vbb Captain 1864 Rep 935 Posts Drives: 2022 M4 manual Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: present iTrader: (4)	Update: I called back today and spoke with a SA. The diagnostic fee will be waived. He said the receptionist/appointment clerk that I spoke with was new, and didn't know what she was talking about regarding the fee.
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06-07-2008, 11:59 AM	#12
lauer87 Lieutenant 8 Rep 586 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I would call BMWNA, and tell them one of their dealers is trying to extort money from customers by charging a "diagnostic fee" that is B.S. The new receptionist line is probably something they are told to say when someone calls them out on it. Just my two cents.
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06-07-2008, 07:47 PM	#13
magmd Major General 160 Rep 5,271 Posts Drives: '06 330i Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (13) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	I was never charged a diagnostic fee. However, once when I tried to go to Southbay BMW for a mirror issue, they said I would have to pay a diagnostic fee b/c my car is "modified". I said ok, I will pay the fee if they find the problem to be related to any of these so called modifications. But they said no. They wanted to charge me a fee regardless. If the problem was found to be due to a mod...I would have to pay to get it repaired. If it was found to not be due to a mod, it would be covered under warranty. BUT THEY WOULD KEEP THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE. I told them to fuck off. I've never been back. __________________ 2006 330i \| Black Sapphire Metallic \| Step Auto \| Navi with iDr \| Sports Pkg \|OEM Rear Spoiler \| 3M CS35 Tint \| H&R Sport Springs \| Koni Yellows \| Advan RS Racing Hypersilver: 19x9 et22 19x10 et20
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06-08-2008, 09:10 AM	#14
gqmd Chemo Doc 9 Rep 470 Posts Drives: e92 335i 6MT Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Maryland/DC iTrader: (0)	I've never had to pay a diagnostic fee...even if they had to keep my car for 2 days, give me a free loaner car, and still not find anything wrong with it...I've never heard of such a thing since the 50K maintenance program has been in place... __________________ jet black 335i, 6MT manual, black interior with silver aluminum trim, PP, SP.
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