Quote:
Originally Posted by ggMalkavian
Hey guys!
Just got back from my BMW dealership for a oil change on my X3 2019.
It's all covered under warranty so I wasn't expecting to pay anything but the service guy told me he saw my car remote battery was weak so he installed a new one and it would be 8 CAD$+ tax.
I changed the battery about 3 weeks ago myself. I had not had any issues or message about the battery being weak. But it's a cheap battery at about 2$/ea. so I guess it's possible he got that "weak battery" warning. However, I got a big batch of these batteries at home so I'm really not interested in his battery especially at that price.
I told him thanks but I already have a few at home and I know how to install them. So I would rather use my own batteries. He said "So you would like me to take it out?? Cause I'm not even sure we kept your old one...". I said yeah if you don't mind.
He went away for like 3-4 minutes and told me he found an old one laying around and he put it in my remote. I thought that was a bit weird. Tell me if I'm wrong but I think if he couldn't find my battery, he should have at least let the new one in there. But I said fine, I'll just change it at home as soon as I get the weak battery message on my screen.
After we're all done I went back to my car. Turns out he put a dead battery in my remote cause it's not working at all. I guess I could have used my actual key and just change the battery when I got home but I had never used the key on this car and was afraid I would trigger the car alarm in the dealership parking lot. Plus, I was a bit annoyed he would take out my working battery and give me a dead one instead without me asking for anything.
So I went back him and told him the battery was dead. Please understand during the whole thing I was extremely polite and apologetic like the whole thing was my fault and I was sorry for being difficult.
He sighed loudly took the remote and went away for a few minutes. Came back and said "There - you've got a brand new battery now". I said thanks and I left.
I'm new to the world of BMW. Is this normal? Was I suppose to pay for the battery and stfu? Please let me know if you think I was in the wrong anywhere in the whole thing.
Thanks!
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Just an FYI... Those flat CR batteries that like $5 for 20 on Amazon are potentially duds. I found there are alot on Amazon that are essentially fake (sold as Sony, Panasonic, etc) and they come brand new already below the necessary voltage. I was replacing the battery in my car keys like every few months and didn't really think much of it cause they were so cheap. Then I got a Duracell one on sale locally and out it in...18 months...still running strong.
All work on our vehicles should be quoted and then billed. Regardless of make or model. If the dealer wants to potentially eat the cost, they can risk doing it without my permission.