[xdot]

Bear with me on this one...

Unfortunately the stitching on my leather gear stick knob is coming undone. Not major I grant you, but annoying all the same, especially on a car that's weeks old.

But I'm a reasonable guy - can't expect everything to be perfect after all - so I thought I'd give my local dealer a call (Linds Maidstone) and get them to replace it under warranty. Piece of cake.

One frustrating telephone call later, it was booked in for a Saturday in 3 weeks time. Unbelievable. 1 minute job if that, but no, I had to book it in. Couldn't they just order me the part and I swap it?? Ooh no, 'fraid not sir - that would invalidate the warranty. What?!!! OK, count to 10 and smile sweetly.

So I take car in 3 weeks later and they've ordered the wrong part.
How difficult can it be?? "Sincere apologies sir, we'll order the correct part on Monday and it'll be here for next Saturday". Fortunately they didn't make me book it in again....
Well that was 3 weeks ago. I've had numerous messages left saying that "it's on it's way from Germany and may take a few more days".

Arghhhhh!!!! Will someone please reassure me that not all BMW service is like this???
This is a timy insignificant interior accessory. What the hell happens when something serious goes wrong??!!

Thank you for your patience, I feel better now.
And if anyone know where I can get a 6 speed alloy/white gear stick knob in less that 2 months, please let me know and I'll let Linds know.

Cheers.

[Paul]

Not all service is like that.

[Paul]

Oh, and have you checked out the Whalen Shift Machine site? www.whalenshiftmachine.com heavy, very nice, even custom gear knobs. But not cheap.

[mikeythemini]

Asked my dealer for a new knob under warranty - they insisted on seeing it before they ordered. So took it along
Went to have it fitted and they produced a huge box?
They had got me a complete gear selector mech minus the knob

[xdot]

Thanks Paul. Good link as well - you were right though some of them aren't cheap

Having read some of the problems on here, I really should count my lucky stars.
Only other thing the car's got is a very slight yo yo but other than that it's brilliant.

Great site by the way.

[xdot]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeythemini

Asked my dealer for a new knob under warranty - they insisted on seeing it before they ordered. So took it along
Went to have it fitted and they produced a huge box?
They had got me a complete gear selector mech minus the knob

ah brilliant. Glad to hear it's not just the the dealers in the south east!

[xdot]

Quote: Originally Posted by Max

Mmm... dreadful service.....>

Did they accuse u of playing with your knob too much (which caused the stitching to wear out)

As Paul says, the Whalen is the way to go if you can get one....>

....and get the knob warmer as well if you can, saves your gear change arm freezing up in our cold weather

regards

Max

Yeah, that's what my girlfriend said....

I'll definitely have a look a Whalen.

Thanks.

[MINIALEX]

I have the same prob with mine but have resisted going in yet

[Dave]

knob warmer? Didn't know that this was that kind of site!

Dave

[NEMINI]

whalen is the way to go

[BruceK]

Quote: Originally Posted by xdot

...So I take car in 3 weeks later and they've ordered the wrong part.
How difficult can it be?? "Sincere apologies sir, we'll order the correct part on Monday and it'll be here for next Saturday". Fortunately they didn't make me book it in again....
Well that was 3 weeks ago. I've had numerous messages left saying that "it's on it's way from Germany and may take a few more days"....
.

Kind of makes you think about popping the shift knob off the Cooper S in the dealer's showroom and replacing it with your deteriorating one, doesn't it? Then let them wait and wait and wait for the new one to arrive.

[cooper_S_2003]

Quote: Originally Posted by xdot

Bear with me on this one...

Unfortunately the stitching on my leather gear stick knob is coming undone. Not major I grant you, but annoying all the same, especially on a car that's weeks old.

But I'm a reasonable guy - can't expect everything to be perfect after all - so I thought I'd give my local dealer a call (Linds Maidstone) and get them to replace it under warranty. Piece of cake.

One frustrating telephone call later, it was booked in for a Saturday in 3 weeks time. Unbelievable. 1 minute job if that, but no, I had to book it in. Couldn't they just order me the part and I swap it?? Ooh no, 'fraid not sir - that would invalidate the warranty. What?!!! OK, count to 10 and smile sweetly.

So I take car in 3 weeks later and they've ordered the wrong part.
How difficult can it be?? "Sincere apologies sir, we'll order the correct part on Monday and it'll be here for next Saturday". Fortunately they didn't make me book it in again....
Well that was 3 weeks ago. I've had numerous messages left saying that "it's on it's way from Germany and may take a few more days".

Arghhhhh!!!! Will someone please reassure me that not all BMW service is like this???
This is a timy insignificant interior accessory. What the hell happens when something serious goes wrong??!!

Thank you for your patience, I feel better now.
And if anyone know where I can get a 6 speed alloy/white gear stick knob in less that 2 months, please let me know and I'll let Linds know.

Cheers.

I would try Halfords for a new gear knob, they have a good selection there.

[bentley/cooper]

Get a Whalen! Contact Doug & you'll have your knob within a week or two. Then the next time you get to your dealer stop in & show them what a real piece of quality workmanship looks like!

[Wobert]

[quote=xdot] "it's on it's way from Germany and may take a few more days".[quote]

That's strange............

I visited a die-casting supplier on Monday on the outskirts of Brum....and as a demonstration of their capability revealed the MCS shift knob in various states of finish.....originally it was meant to be completely chrome.....and some versions had pseudo cap head screws around the top.

Apparently they ended up with the mixture of chrome & leather to address the issues associated with "cold knob syndrome". The ally knob is cast in Wednesbury, so quite why they have to go to Germany for replacements beats me?

BTW many of you will not appreciate the technical complexity of chroming aluminium.....they zinc plate it first to get the chrom to adhere properly!

Robert

[xdot]

mmm, interesting. Thanks for that info Robert - I'll be mentioning that to the dealer when I next see them

In the end I took the advice of most of you and went for the Whalen...

Anyways, thanks for your help guys (and the admirable restraint shown with regard to "knob" jokes )

[paa100]

The Whalen will change you car! errrrr...... and change the gears.... but I mean change the car in that it will add to you interior..... although it will change your car from 1st to 2nd to 3rd ..... it is traditional to tell us all what Whalen you ordered so as to open up the whole my knob is better than your knob debate....

I just have a stock Whalen - there are some great one-off designs