Dealership technicians test driving your car?

[Bullitt]

I was told by my CA the following: When your car finally arrives at the dealership, a PDI is done, and the technicians test drive your car for a few miles to make sure everything is functioning properly. Is this really necessary? I was given a choice to prevent this test drive from being performed. Any thoughts or recommendations?

[hitthemark41]

they told me the same thing...when I asked why my new 135i had 12 miles on it at delivery. Their reasoning: it's a new model, and needs a few extra miles driven to complete the checklist. (Personally, I think that statement could be argued given that the N54 is in a number of other BMWs...but I let it slide) Either way..it leaves one doing this: :iono:

[mikeo]

It is SOP.

[KeithLM]

A car is a complex machine. It's fairly easy for something minor to not be done right at the factory, or for something to break or work loose during shipping. The chance for failure in electronics is relatively high early in life and drops dramatically after that. Let them test drive it and they can take care of any minor issues that might exist before delivery, otherwise you have to risk finding something small wrong with it and having to return it to the dealership shortly after you get it.

These guys do this on every car. And I don't know about you, but if I was going to risk my job by hot-rodding a new car during the test drive, and I had access to Ms as well as 135s, I'd choose the M. Why be so paranoid?

[ScottyGams]

an average PDI adds 2-3 miles... nothing major. 12 is almost high. I would accept anything in single digits honestly

Many of the cars we get in my dealership come in with a couple miles. Many people don't realize this, but your car drives itself on and off the ship. It also moves itself around the port. When a car comes off a ship, it is locked in "transport mode" where it can not rev over a certain speed. It is also limited to low speeds. This is to keep the car from being a target from theft at port, and to keep anybody from playing with your new toy.

At the dealership, when the car is PDIed, the tech must unlock the car's full potential and check for functionality. Driving the car for a couple miles may seem bad, but getting your car only to realize something is wrong with it is worse!

I would love to agree with you guys here, but seeing the other side of the spectrum, I have to agree with the process

[Bullitt]

Yeah...I feared this might be a pointless thread, but I was just interested if they do anything special during the test drive and possibly anything out of the ordinary. Like making sure the engine gets to redline properly or if DSC/DTC are fully functional at a 4K rpm start from 1st gear. How is this different from test driving the car yourself with your CA when you pick up your car? Is there something they can detect that you can't?

[Steve135i]

I think its ok but 12 miles is kind of high?
It is a good idea to re-check things, BMW isn't perfect and might have forgot something. Better than having to take it back the next day when your showing friends and relatives.

[walsh416]

Another thing that you could do is ask them not to test drive it with out you in the car. Assuming that they respect your wishes everything should be good...

[larryn]

12 miles is excessive, IMO. I picked mine up with 1 mile indicated, but turned to 2 as I pulled out of the dealership. That is with them driving to the gas station to fill it up as well.

[ScottyGams]

Originally Posted by Bullitt

I was just interested if they do anything special during the test drive and possibly anything out of the ordinary. Like making sure the engine gets to redline properly or if DSC/DTC are fully functional at a 4K rpm start from 1st gear.

Oh, none of that stuff! They just make sure it can go past 30 mph or so... to make sure it is not in transport mode. We do that while filling it up with a tank of gas and bringing it to our on-site detailer.

That I would complain about:eyebulge:

[RoughneckSeven]

I call "Shananigans". :middlefin That is directed at your dealer.

But whudaya do?

Mine had 1 mile on it when I got handed the bottle of wine.

Now that I added fuel to your fire. You gotta let it go.

[atr_hugo]

Geez Roughneck - just when we had him halfway sedated . . . ; -)

[ARES45]

I had ten, was a little upset at first, but I got over it. I had the first at the dealer, so I am sure they took it on a short joy ride but I doubt it hurt anything. The beauty about this car is you don't have to redline it to make it fun, so they might not have even violated the break in.

[Justin]

I'd be more concerned with less than a couple miles than with 10 or so. Heck, a trip to the gas station and back to the the dealership is probably over a mile. I'd rather know the techs took it for a drive and tested things out, catching any problems before I drive it off the lot. Besides, if you can break this car in 10-15 miles, we're all in big trouble.

[E82tt6]

Honestly, if you're worried about them not following the breakin, you should see what they do at the factory! :-D

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by Bullitt

I was told by my CA the following: When your car finally arrives at the dealership, a PDI is done, and the technicians test drive your car for a few miles to make sure everything is functioning properly. Is this really necessary? I was given a choice to prevent this test drive from being performed. Any thoughts or recommendations?

I wouldn't worry about it. The techs drive it to find any possible problems before you find them and to get gas. My car had 6 miles on it.

[will]

Hmmmm 12 miles sound kind of high. My baby had 0 miles on it, maybe something with your dealership.

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by will

Hmmmm 12 miles sound kind of high. My baby had 0 miles on it, maybe something with your dealership.

That's funny considering you're in Germany. Did you drive it off the production line yourself?

[will]

No, picked it up at the dealer. US specs.

[60Driver]

Mine had 12 miles on it; high IMHO. Did they redline it for kicks? Probably not. Did they do burnouts and other shenanigans? Probably so. It's the not knowing that gets me. The car could've had 6 miles on it and I would've had no issues whatsoever. Of course the number of miles on the car does not equate to how they treated it during that time. But it gives those of us with hyper active imaginations something to stress about.

[Riss Racing]

You need to realize these techs do this day in and day out for a living. They don't get the same "kicks" of a first time driver on the car.

[S54dan]

Originally Posted by anthony@rissracing

You need to realize these techs do this day in and day out for a living. They don't get the same "kicks" of a first time driver on the car.

Exactly. The first 135i that came to the dealership is the one that's gotten the beating (the demo car). The techs drive it to upwards of 8-15 miles depending on the route around the dealership. It's necessary on every PDI or even just for a repair. Even if you have a bulb out, they still drive it a little to see if there is anything else noticeably wrong.

Techs drive these cars daily, and are even sent to BMW trained schools where they beat the piss out of them anyway. So 99% chance that none of your cars were hurt at all