Getting the old girl remapped... I should have learned my lesson by now...

But if you don't follow some clear and careful steps now you may find it more difficult that it need be later on!
 
Wow just read this thread... Thats appaling... Also piss poor blaming you for any of this.

MRC near oxford are able to read the ecu on the vag cars in a bench and apply custom maps.... So a competent tuner can recover it.. Its only corrupt software.

Good luck, shame this ended so badly... I've mapped loads of my turbo cars (inc my TT at stage 2+ now) and they transform the car (for the better!)
 
It's almost impossible to completely brick the ECU, I really think you stand a good chance of getting the ECU restored relatively painlessly. There is some freeware software for tuning the N54 ECU with a laptop called BimmerBoost Flash (BBFlash) which has had it's fair share of failed writes reported across the forums and I'm pretty sure there has only been one that has been a truly bricked ECU which I seem to remember was something monumentally stupid like forced writing MSD80 firmware onto a MSD81 chip.

I know it's already been mentioned several times but the go-to guy for help in that situation is Ken (Wedge). He's a really nice guy who gives solid advice, really worth getting in touch over at e90post. He's one of those people who has been there and done that on this platform, there aren't many problems with the N54 engine and specifically the DME that he hasn't come across and fixed at some point.

One key point that will be raised first is getting the correct battery charger hooked up. There's a lot of people that suffer problems using insufficient battery chargers or tenders where it doesn't hold the voltage stable enough for a write.
 
Sorry to hear of this Gary, the Company sound completely incompetent and lacking in customer care. I thought some BMW ECUs where code protected by BMW to stop them being tampered with. Anyways I think it will cost a pretty penny from BMW to get it put right but agree a letter to the tuning company outlining what you are intending to do and costs involved and that you will be pressing them for to cover the repair costs and seeking legal advice if nothing is offered. They shouldn't be allowed to wash their hands of the problem. Its crazy of them passing the buck back to you and expecting you to be an expert in mapping, I mean come on saying you should have turned the blutooth off :x Sums them up really.

Hope its sorted soon.

Tim.
 
I've received a written statement from him where he states no liability, he will follow my request for his further assistance in any capacity this week until next weekend when I will recover the car to a BMW dealer for them to fix it.

upon the successful completion of which I will seek to reclaim all costs via his insurance and should that fail I will pursue via small claims.

I'm uncertain the best path to proceed (small claims as soon as BMW have fixed the car or whether do approach him and his insurance and then small claims so I'd appreciate thoughts on that?
 
ronk said:
Does he know you aren't going to give in without a fight?
Click to expand...

He knows I will fix the car at whatever the cost is and seek to get it from him.

Not sure whether to deal with insurance or small claims route tho...

Past worry now, just angry and want him to do the right thing, which if he won't, I'll do legally.
 
Thats proffesional, breaks your car & then runs away!
It sounds as though he could do with some "remaping" himself :x
regards
 
I think this grade A AHole is now starting to try and position things in his favour and you need to shut him down quick smart. I suspect his defence is going to be something along the lines of "your ECU being already defective or in state you didn't declare (bluetooth connected) despite being warned by him to do so". Remember small claims courts are not car experts so may fall for a pack of lies easily.

I think as a first step you should write to him telling him you hold him solely and completely responsible for what has happened. A good strong paper trail is what you need now for the small claims court etc.
I would start by writing a mini war and peace outlining all your dealing with him, phones calls, emails, face to face time and dates as well as content. Make sure you get in to it that you were never warned this could happen, let alone that you need to take any precautions and he should have made sure everything was good to go.
Once you have a detailed chronology send it to him and just make sure anything from now on is email etc so there is a written record.
This guy sounds very fly by night and may not actually have liability insurance in place. Is he a one man band?

His attempts to deny accountability are just plain ridiculous. Can you imagine a garage who you have taken your car to do new front brakes then trying to say "its nothing to do with us!" if a front wheel fell off on the way home
 
I've already started in that direction MACK. I'm wondering if I should see if my car insurance would cover the damage first and let them chase him.

While I'd not yet declared the remap (because it hadnt been done) I did check they'd cover me and what the costs would be.

As its fully comp (NCB protected) I wonder if they can help...
 
Maniac said:
I've already started in that direction MACK. I'm wondering if I should see if my car insurance would cover the damage first and let them chase him.

While I'd not yet declared the remap (because it hadnt been done) I did check they'd cover me and what the costs would be.

As its fully comp (NCB protected) I wonder if they can help...
Click to expand...

I doubt it. For example, If you had had mechanical work done at a garage and if went wrong leaving the car off the road they would not have paid to put it right. This is basically the same scenario.
I.m not sure if a wheel fell of etc due to a mechanical failure and the car was damaged if they would even entertain a claim then to be honest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom