[Tak1986]

Made a call to my 'local' dealership today requiring valve cleaning / walnut blasting, and i get the following response. I know BMW UK may not offer this services, but I have heard my local mini dealership next door offer this service to their 1.6T engine, thought it might worth asking.

Here is the conversation:

Me: Can I get a quote for valve cleaning for my 335i please?
Dealership: What? I don't understand what you're on about.
Me: Valve cleaning, carbon build up due to direct injection engine (ffs, I am started to get annoyed at this point)
Dealership: No, I am not sure what you're on about.
Me: The Mini dealership next door offer this services to their customer, I just wonder if you have the same equipment over here to do the valve cleaning?
Dealership: Ohh, We have to manually strip down the engine and clean, you would be looking at xxxx pounds.
Me: Are you sure? they provide walnut blasting at mini dealership, I am sure its doesnt require that long or strip down manually ()
Dealership: What are you talking about? xxxxx blasting?

I had enough at this point, sounds like they clearly dont know anything about the work. They even put me through to the mini dealership for the enquiry, which I decide to cut off the line.

Moaning over some may know which dealership i am talking about, I am not going to name them, 'yet'.

Update: I have managed to speak to another advisor at dealership and they go the extra mile speak to the tech and find out all the information for me as well as a quotation. So the car is now booked with them for next week, hope the occ arrive in time from the US, currently stuck at the custom on the UK side (already taking 5 days!) . Price wise, its about 50% more than what they charge for the mini 1.6T engine, which is not bad considering it has 2 more cylinder.

[zltm089]

I wouldn't even let them change a bulb in my car!!!...

name and shame!...

well actually....i won't be too harsh on them...most dealerships won't have a clue about the n54!!!...

[Tak1986]

Originally Posted by zltm089

I wouldn't even let them change a bulb in my car!!!...

name and shame!...

well actually....i won't be too harsh on them...most dealerships won't have a clue about the n54!!!...

Yes, the only reason i used them is they are fairly close to my work place. I wish I live closer to darren wood!

[old grey steve]

All being well I should be able through where I work a walnut blasting service, we've ordered the equipment, we're just awaiting delivery of this plus some other odds and ends then we'll experiment with a car(yep mine) then from the experiment we will be able to establish price wise where we stand. We've been studying this for a while now, Birds have to a degree cornered the market on this but what they say re BMW stance on this is true it was a full(unnecessary & costly strip down)that was the only offer on the table, now some dealers are starting to offer the service, though as I discovered inJuly some dealers aren't aware that they can actually offer the walnut blasting valve cleaning option.

To answer the BMW dealer network question the dealers do offer it, the equipment a supplied from Germany, I believe it's made under licence from the Tunap company and distributed through the parts network, it's up to so I can gather switched on parts and service due apartments to buy in to this operation. And here I guess will lie for some the actual issue re getting their cars repaired using this particular service option, direct injection engine will show as we've seen certain issues which will result in misfires and other problems that this service could well solve.

Slight bit if thread hijacking here ......sorry but if anyone has a direct injection engine and is interested in getting their car done, please feel free to PM me and once everything is ready to role and we are happy to go and formally announce the procedure, I'll let everyone who's interested know we're good to go.

[Tak1986]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

All being well I should be able through where I work a walnut blasting service, we've ordered the equipment, we're just awaiting delivery of this plus some other odds and ends then we'll experiment with a car(yep mine) then from the experiment we will be able to establish price wise where we stand. We've been studying this for a while now, Birds have to a degree cornered the market on this but what they say re BMW stance on this is true it was a full(unnecessary & costly strip down)that was the only offer on the table, now some dealers are starting to offer the service, though as I discovered inJuly some dealers aren't aware that they can actually offer the walnut blasting valve cleaning option.

To answer the BMW dealer network question the dealers do offer it, the equipment a supplied from Germany, I believe it's made under licence from the Tunap company and distributed through the parts network, it's up to so I can gather switched on parts and service due apartments to buy in to this operation. And here I guess will lie for some the actual issue re getting their cars repaired using this particular service option, direct injection engine will show as we've seen certain issues which will result in misfires and other problems that this service could well solve.

Slight bit if thread hijacking here ......sorry but if anyone has a direct injection engine and is interested in getting their car done, please feel free to PM me and once everything is ready to role and we are happy to go and formally announce the procedure, I'll let everyone who's interested know we're good to go.

Cheers for the reply! Please do keep us posted on this! If you want a car for 2nd attempt for trailing, I can take mine in!

I might take the parts number in to the dealership and show them, just for fun

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Tak1986

Cheers for the reply! Please do keep us posted on this! If you want a car for 2nd attempt for trailing, I can take mine in!

I might take the parts number in to the dealership and show them, just for fun

Thanks, it's something that we feel we need to get on top off we've had a couple of Mini's come our way with running/misfire issues as such and when inspected with inlet manifold removal it was like tar in their. We've also of course had a few BMW's too.

Slightly digressing but the first basic cure as far as I'm concerned is to try and steer my customers away from using cheap supermarket fuel as I've had enough cars come through our doors now with running issues that after interrogation(asking questions but no thumb screws honest)I always get the same answer, Asda, Morrisons etc, prevention is better than cure hence a bit of simple reasoning, purchase of a Tunap additive and a fill up with Shell Ultimate or BP's finest. This isn't of course the reason why the inlets gum up, but a decent diet will assist the vehicle in giving its best as via diagnostic we can dial in to check fuel quality and surprise surprise, many cars we see when interpreted come back with Nix Oxcide sensor/Lambda sensor faults with the statement of 'insufficient fuel quality' noted which is directly attributed to the fuel used/burnt. Quite scary really but shows when used correctly how powerful diagnostic equipment, like the AutoLogic stuff we use us when fully extended(which we know many Indy's who have it don't explore)

So we feel more and more will come our way, if we get on top of it then its a procedure we can tackle, tackle safely and perhaps with experience will come a shortening maybe in total labour times for instance.

[Josh1a1h]

You have yourself another customer here

[AlanYoro35i]

Me 3!!

[lolololol]

PM sent ;-)

[CustomColours]

I had my walnut blasting done by a guy from active concept. Let me watch yhe whole yhing aswell. Sorted the car right out. All valves where shiney clean and the ports to match. Easy job he recons aswell once your in there and doing it. Anyone wanting his contact details let me know.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by CustomColours

I had my walnut blasting done by a guy from active concept. Let me watch yhe whole yhing aswell. Sorted the car right out. All valves where shiney clean and the ports to match. Easy job he recons aswell once your in there and doing it. Anyone wanting his contact details let me know.

How ,uch did you get charged? obviously price is the biggest concern, if it wasn't bird charging silly money we would all flock there..

[seanblee]

Do Birds do this with walnut blasting now? Last time I looked at it, they were still using carb cleaner and various brushes to do it manually, hence the exorbitant labour charge...

[jyong1981]

Anyone know if valve cleaning is needed on n53s too? Finding it hard to find definitive info about this. The n53 is direct injection too but not sure if it has the same carbon buildup problems as the n54. And my 330i is approaching 90k miles so wondering if it's worth doing...

[Tak1986]

Car is now booked in for next week!I cant wait to see the results.

updated the first post with the latest conversation

[Chris_506]

good luck op!

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

All being well I should be able through where I work a walnut blasting service, we've ordered the equipment, we're just awaiting delivery of this plus some other odds and ends then we'll experiment with a car(yep mine) then from the experiment we will be able to establish price wise where we stand. We've been studying this for a while now, Birds have to a degree cornered the market on this but what they say re BMW stance on this is true it was a full(unnecessary & costly strip down)that was the only offer on the table, now some dealers are starting to offer the service, though as I discovered inJuly some dealers aren't aware that they can actually offer the walnut blasting valve cleaning option.

To answer the BMW dealer network question the dealers do offer it, the equipment a supplied from Germany, I believe it's made under licence from the Tunap company and distributed through the parts network, it's up to so I can gather switched on parts and service due apartments to buy in to this operation. And here I guess will lie for some the actual issue re getting their cars repaired using this particular service option, direct injection engine will show as we've seen certain issues which will result in misfires and other problems that this service could well solve.

Slight bit if thread hijacking here ......sorry but if anyone has a direct injection engine and is interested in getting their car done, please feel free to PM me and once everything is ready to role and we are happy to go and formally announce the procedure, I'll let everyone who's interested know we're good to go.

Any update from your side?

[CustomColours]

Active concept sorted my walnut blasting. He has done mine and even took photos during so I knew all had been done. He uses chemical first then makes it squeeky clean using the walnut blaster. I will post pics whenni get to a computer. Charges 500 all in aswell which is good.

Anyone interested pm me and ill give his contact details over.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by CustomColours

Active concept sorted my walnut blasting. He has done mine and even took photos during so I knew all had been done. He uses chemical first then makes it squeeky clean using the walnut blaster. I will post pics whenni get to a computer. Charges 500 all in aswell which is good.

Anyone interested pm me and ill give his contact details over.

For that price i can go to Birds..they cost £504

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

For that price i can go to Birds..they cost £504

plus one.

[Tak1986]

Just for reference, my local dealer charge me 320 ish, included vat for the walnut blasting.

[seanblee]

Originally Posted by Tak1986

Just for reference, my local dealer charge me 320 ish, included vat for the walnut blasting.

Where is your local dealer?

[Tak1986]

Originally Posted by seanblee

Where is your local dealer?

PM'ed you some details mate