Bad design or am i a moron?

[KSY10]

I thought that the passenger side wing mirror on my car was broken as it had stopped tilting automatically when i put the car in reverse. I booked the car into the Liverpool BMW service centre a week ago and i took it there this morning to get it fixed under warranty.
When i handed my key fob thingy to the gentleman at the service desk he asked me if i had tried adjusting the switch on the drivers side door which alternates which mirror you can manually adjust. I said i had but i hadn't. I thought why on earth would that be the cause of the fault.

After sitting in the service centre for an hour (not a problem as the free coffee was very nice, as was the lady who kindly got it for me) the gentleman from the service desk came over to me to say that the mirror was not broken, i simply had the switch in the wrong position which is the reason why it was failing to tilt.
I felt extremely embarrassed at my stupidity and i apologised profusely for wasting peoples time, but when i went out to the car to see for myself i realised that the switch needs to be in the right hand position not the left for the passenger side mirror to tilt automatically when reverse is engaged. Am i the only one who finds this odd and a bit of a bad design, or am i simply a moron?

 

[srhutch]

Seems arse about face to me, the question is did they charge you though for wasting their time.

 

[Stuart Truman]

That is weird. My old Golf and current Ford both need the switch on the side you want the mirror to tilt (although you could program the Golf to tilt both mirrors) and centred for no tilt. Having to put the switch on the right, to tilt the left mirror is counter-intuitive. It feels like a cost saving, like the UK indicator stalk being on the wrong side of the wheel.

 

[Maniac]

It's in the manual... How embarrassing lol never mind it will make you double check next time!

 

[KSY10]

Seems arse about face to me, the question is did they charge you though for wasting their time.

No charge for my time wasting fortunately, and the service gentleman was very kind and sympathetic.

 

[metal licker]

Think this was mentioned in a thread a couple of weeks ago ,could have saved yourself a trip :?

 

[Wondermike]

I have done something similarly embarrassing although thankfully the car was in for something else anyway.

You should have asked on here first, forum power

 

[KSY10]

It's in the manual... How embarrassing lol never mind it will make you double check next time!

I am a typical male who thinks that he does not need to read a stupid manual to learn how things work or to see how flat pack furniture is put together, hence my wonky furniture and a drawer full of left over screws. The manual is going to bed with me tonight for some pre sleep learning.

 

[KSY10]

You should have asked on here first, forum power

I genuinely though it was down to a mechanical fault, i just never thought to think that it was a user / driver error. I will definitely check on the forum next time though.

 

[Anonymous]

If this makes you feel better, I've had my car 18 months now, and I only found this out 2 weeks ago....I thought mine only worked intermittently!!

 

[KSY10]

If this makes you feel better, I've had my car 18 months now, and I only found this out 2 weeks ago....I thought mine only worked intermittently!!

It does make me feel a little better thanks. I too had thought the same thing when it failed to work on the odd occasion in the past. I simply thought that it was an intermittent fault.

 

[wegras]

Makes you realise where the saying RTFM came from though doesn't it ................
Although I do agree if you can't work it out it must be bad design :?

 

[Bing]

It feels like a cost saving, like the UK indicator stalk being on the wrong side of the wheel.

x2... Like the mini-clubman rear suicide door that really is a suicide door in this country because they decided not to spend the money on re-designing the shell for RHD markets. Also made by BMW. I see a lot of BMWs that have windscreen wipers that wipe the 'wrong' way too, guess it is the same thing. However that would wind me RIGHT up and so wouldn't buy the car...

 

[TitanTim]

I don't know, some people will do anything for a free coffee and too chat up the receptionist

Glad it was nothing serious

Tim.

 

[KSY10]

I don't know, some people will do anything for a free coffee and too chat up the receptionist

I know, I'm desparate to find another fault so I can go back

 

[rfx45]

I was almost in the same situation as you. I almost brought my car in because the center armrest wouldn't close completely and kept opening when I hit even the tiniest of bumps. Then I checked and it was actually just the ipod wire getting in the way and that is why it wasn't closing properly. Good thing I decided to check before making the call.

So no worries, it happens to the best of us. :lol:

 

[pvr]

Had it on all my BMWs so know about that one. Use the switch a lot as sometimes I want to see low, and other times I do not.

 

[Bing]

Had it on all my BMWs so know about that one. Use the switch a lot as sometimes I want to see low, and other times I do not.

The e85 doesn't do it I thought... Or can you get it coded ?

 

[pvr]

No, but both my 7 series and both X5s had / have it. Love the feature.

 

[TitanTim]

Well I will make an admission, I nearly called the dealer because of what I thought was a dink on the towing eye hook cover which I now know is normal

Thank god I posted on here first

Tim.