[scooby-tc]

having just bought my e92 the manufacturers warranty has run out (no real biggie) and the BMW Assist has also just expired.Now having a nosey around the web i have read about the features Assist provide but is it really worth the £125 a year premium or is it just a bit of a gimmik.I like the idea of emailing google maps directions to the car but a bit unsure on the other features tbh

thoughts?

[G82Dude]

Gimmick.

[rich1068]

It's a nice toy to have. I've been playing around with the various BMW online options on my new E91 over the last couple of days. That said, I wouldn't pay for it. Obviously I already have but you know what I mean.

I like the idea of emailing google maps directions to the car

I like that too and I've played with it but I bet I don't use it once the novelty has worn off. I fail to see what it offers over regular satnav.

[chris_s1]

£125 is a lot, but I use the send from Google maps function at least once every day and wouldn't be without it. I will definately pay the subscription when the initial included period runs out, just for that feature alone.

[scooby-tc]

apparently it also activates a tracker which is linked to the cars GPS system so that is appealing also and normal trackstar subscriptions can't be far off that price so i am currently weighing up the pros and cons at the moment so all feedback is greatly appreciated

[rich1068]

I have to admit that within half an hour of saying it's a gimmick and failing to see the use I sent the location of two BMW independents to my car from my PC in the house so I'd have them this morning

[ghosty]

its very clever, but i only really use it once every couple of months i'd say, so dont think its worth the money (for me). i dont see why BMW dont just throw it in for the price of their cars and the satnav option you would have thought you had already bought a lifetime membership

[NFS]

The google maps link is superb.

I rarely call them from the car, but if you are completely lost it can be a big help.

Overall, I would definitely pay £50 a year for it, but as usual BMW charge rather a lot for a little.

[xenon]

I wouldn't pay for it but I do like the remote lock / unlock. Whenever I leave my car at the airport I always board the plane convinced I forgot to lock the car in all the faf. It's nice to be able to check.

[Sportplus]

I've had the new car for 5 month's and I've never set it up, How do you set it up?? Do I need to go to the stealers or just phone BMW UK?

Cheer's for the info...

[ghosty]

you can register it online, this should get you there

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/connected...ml?siteID=1312

[dar2008]

My first 3years will be up in July, does anyone have experience of what happens to the subscription? Will it automatically stop working (send to car feature) if I don't extend my warranty/subscription?

[Sportplus]

Originally Posted by ghosty

you can register it online, this should get you there

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/connected...ml?siteID=1312

TY

[rjs]

I'm looking at buying a car that has this.

What details would I need of the seller to be able to email maps etc...?

Thanks

[scooby-tc]

You just need to give BMW Assist a ring with the last 7 or 8 digits of the chassis number and the registration number and they can activate it for £125 or if its still within its free 3 year period set it up for nothing

[BanziBarn]

Agreed, the sending address to car from Google Maps is excellent - its the only thing I use though.

Didn't realise about the tracker thing - can you mention this to the insurance company to get a discount?

Also, the remote unlock feature could be useful if you ever lost your keys, but again, not sure if it's worth the subscription.

[idnan]

I enquired about the tracker feature for insurance purposes but I think I was told that it is not available in the UK. I'm sure that I read on the American part of the forum that they can use it as a tracker.

[rjs]

how does the remote lock/unlock work?

[xenon]

Originally Posted by rjs

how does the remote lock/unlock work?

By phoning BMW Assist and answering security questions or direct from an iPhone app.

[rjs]

Originally Posted by idnan

I enquired about the tracker feature for insurance purposes but I think I was told that it is not available in the UK. I'm sure that I read on the American part of the forum that they can use it as a tracker.

From wikipedia:

Theft recovery is an additional subscription service BMW Assist offers. This service is capable of tracking the location of the car via the car computer and GPS system.
Most BMW owners who are concerned about theft employ third party tracking options. These devices have many advantages, and disadvantages. Most devices are small, and can be placed virtually anywhere in the vehicle. Some higher end devices also contain small power sources. These devices may take longer for the thief to detect, and may be more difficult to disable. The BMW system however is tied into the car's computer system and cannot be removed without rendering the vehicle immobile. Additionally, the BMW system utilizes the car's power reserve to amplify the cellular signal to three watts[citation needed]. Further signal gains are attributed to the use of the vehicles large antenna which is several magnitudes larger than a cellphone antenna.
The BMW Assist system has an excellent track record if the theft was discovered within a short period of time. Several bureaucratic policies of BMW may hinder this advantage, since they require a police report be filled out prior to tracking. In some parts of North America this process can take several hours or even days.

It doesn't mention if it's available in the UK though.

[idnan]

Originally Posted by rjs

From wikipedia:

Theft recovery is an additional subscription service BMW Assist offers. This service is capable of tracking the location of the car via the car computer and GPS system.
Most BMW owners who are concerned about theft employ third party tracking options. These devices have many advantages, and disadvantages. Most devices are small, and can be placed virtually anywhere in the vehicle. Some higher end devices also contain small power sources. These devices may take longer for the thief to detect, and may be more difficult to disable. The BMW system however is tied into the car's computer system and cannot be removed without rendering the vehicle immobile. Additionally, the BMW system utilizes the car's power reserve to amplify the cellular signal to three watts[citation needed]. Further signal gains are attributed to the use of the vehicles large antenna which is several magnitudes larger than a cellphone antenna.
The BMW Assist system has an excellent track record if the theft was discovered within a short period of time. Several bureaucratic policies of BMW may hinder this advantage, since they require a police report be filled out prior to tracking. In some parts of North America this process can take several hours or even days.

It doesn't mention if it's available in the UK though.

If you go on the American part of the BMW Assist website, it is clearly there:

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t.../tracking.html

But going to the UK part, it isn't mentioned at all and I've had a look around the website

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/connected...ml?siteID=1312

[rjs]

Originally Posted by xenon

By phoning BMW Assist and answering security questions or direct from an iPhone app.

I like the sound of the iphone app