[Danburns91]

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...el?language=en



Hi guys,

My humble 520d is booked in on 14th of July for this. Has anybody had an experience with it?

[robbiep]

1. It was only announced 5 days ago. I doubt anyone has got meaningful feedback, if they've had it done.
2. It is quite clear that this is a VOLUNTARY update.
3. I'd want a hell of a lot more details of EXACTLY they were going to do, and what they would do to warrant the work.

VAG have had major issues with their 'fix' causing injector failures, EGR failures, lot worse fuel economy, more frequent active DPF regens (which will mean the DPF gets full of ash and has to be replaced sooner).

I'd not be willing to be a guinea pig for this without a great deal more detail.

[MrPogle]

I'm with robbiep. The wording suggests to me that they are doing this for political reasons (heading off "driving bans") spinning it as environmentally beneficial (improvements in emissions) without any mention of customer benefits other than the fact it's free. Given that BMW are very keen to charge customers as much as they can for almost everything, the fact that they aren't charging for this suggests that it won't offer the customer anything and makes me suspicious. Someone more cynical than me might suggest that, if they give you this for free, it would be harder to complain afterwards if you didn't like the result.

As my old Dad would say.. "Always look a gift-horse in the mouth. It may need enough dentistry to bankrupt you."

[Johnny Grabble]

Agree with the above 2 learned folks. I would add that no amount of tweaking by a dealer will convert a Euro 5 car to a Euro 6 one on the V5C. So, if as reported, there's a clampdown on lower Euro level diesels, be it taxation, city centre charging, etc then these tweaks will make no difference other than ruining your driving experience.

[IanS100]

I totally agree, if it's optional it'll be entirely at your own risk, if you encounter problems afterwards you'll have to dig deep before BMW will even look at it.

[Danburns91]

I'm now re-thinking my booking. I know a lot of the VAG cars had problems with the lower powered engines but some of the 2 litre plus claimed smoother acceleration and gear changes.

Think I'll hold out a little longer and see if anybody takes the offer up and reports back before I go ahead with it

[The Beast]

If you are happy with your car and it's been trouble free I'd stay well away. I just don't see the benefit of going for this update, as others have said there would have to be clear documented evidence that this doesn't harm your car. For me I'd go further and state that there needs to be clear documented evidence that it provides substantial benefits for me to even consider the update...

[JLR1969]

Originally Posted by The Beast

If you are happy with your car and it's been trouble free I'd stay well away. I just don't see the benefit of going for this update, as others have said there would have to be clear documented evidence that this doesn't harm your car. For me I'd go further and state that there needs to be clear documented evidence that it provides substantial benefits for me to even consider the update...

I agree I would want to know what the changes were and why they had to do them, nothing good comes of being an early adopter of anything.

[JLR1969]

Some cars are Euro 6 and don't have adblue such as mine.

[IanS100]

Originally Posted by JLR1969

Some cars are Euro 6 and don't have adblue such as mine.

My 520d is Euro 6 but, as far as I'm aware, doesn't need adblue.

[changed]

Ad blu is I major pain in tbe butt... mrs has it on her Tiguan. It lasts 5 minutes, is awkward to handle and the filler tank on her car couldn't be more inaccessible if be tried. And to think we held off ordering to get the newest engine!!

[The Beast]

Originally Posted by changed

Ad blu is I major pain in tbe butt... mrs has it on her Tiguan. It lasts 5 minutes, is awkward to handle and the filler tank on her car couldn't be more inaccessible if be tried. And to think we held off ordering to get the newest engine!!

I've heard that engines running ad blu can be problematic if not run regularly at motorway speeds. These are built for emissions regulations and without consideration for the needs of lower mileage drivers. Salesman don't help the situation by selling cars to low mileage drivers based upon the claimed economy.

I met an elderly couple recently who were having lots of problems with their small Euro 6 diesel car, it had gone back into the dealership on multiple occasions due to DPF issues. I asked about their usage and they only pottered about town in their car. So I told them that they should have bought a petrol car and the reasons why. They were shocked that the salesman hadn't told them this and had actually recommended the diesel based upon the economy figures

My brother also has a Ford Transit Custom with a Euro 6 engine which he only uses around town. This went into limp mode recently. When he took it in the said that they would try and force a dpf regeneration, but if it didn't work they would have to change the whole ignition and dpf system. I went to collect the van with him and was told the Euro 6 engine is useless for city driving and that in some scenarios Ford were telling them to replace the engines on vans that had got too clogged up! Go figure!!

I bought my wife a petrol F48 when we last replaced her car, she only does 6k a year...

[xenon]

Originally Posted by IanS100

I totally agree, if it's optional it'll be entirely at your own risk, if you encounter problems afterwards you'll have to dig deep before BMW will even look at it.

Nonsense. This is a BMW recommended upgrade, optional or otherwise.

[MrPogle]

Without wishing to be pedantic, it is not "recommended" it is "optional". At least according to the above link. I suspect you will sign something before the upgrade is done and it is what you sign up for that will matter. As we don't know what that is yet there is no point in speculating but the whole thrust of the press release is about reducing emissions not improving the experience from a driver perspective. BMW may (and governments certainly will) regard something like reducing performance slightly as a price worth paying. You would have zero chance of convincing your dealer that the car "sometimes feels a little sluggish and doesn't pick up quite as smoothly as it used to".

[IanS100]

Originally Posted by MrPogle

Without wishing to be pedantic, it is not "recommended" it is "optional". At least according to the above link. I suspect you will sign something before the upgrade is done and it is what you sign up for that will matter. As we don't know what that is yet there is no point in speculating but the whole thrust of the press release is about reducing emissions not improving the experience from a driver perspective. BMW may (and governments certainly will) regard something like reducing performance slightly as a price worth paying. You would have zero chance of convincing your dealer that the car "sometimes feels a little sluggish and doesn't pick up quite as smoothly as it used to".

Originally Posted by xenon

Nonsense. This is a BMW recommended upgrade, optional or otherwise.

Would BMW be releasing this if it wasn't for all the furore over diesel emissions etc, I very much doubt it, so it's very unlikely to benefit us or the car, just massage emissions figures a little.

[xenon]

I agree but I think it's a bit drastic to say that BMW will sanction this, do it for you and then say you're on your own from now on.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by xenon

I agree but I think it's a bit drastic to say that BMW will sanction this, do it for you and then say you're on your own from now on.

Large numbers of people who've had the VAG emissions 'fix' have reported EGR and injector problems, along with far more frequent active regens on the DPF. Initially, VAG didn't want to know, and, even just a few hundred miles after the 'fix' when the problems occurred, were talking bills in the thousands.
When my car is in for a service in a few weeks they will be getting explicit instructions - in writing - that the emissions update is not to be carried out.

[HighlandPete]

I personally wouldn't want to be a guinea pig for any emissions software upgrade. I would want to see how the feedback comes in, like with VW users.

If it was is so easy, why wasn't NOx cut back in development and early EU5 compliancy testing? It is clear reducing EGR flows outside the NEDC test conditions is desirable for best engine performance.

What are the tools being used, EGR values/flows? Injection phasing? Clearly looks like EGR is the main tool for VW and that is messing engine running. Recirculate more exhaust, for more of the working range will lower NOx levels in real world driving, but at what cost to engine smoothness and crud going through and/or staying in the engine?