[AVB-AMG]

I forgot to mention in my original posting here of an amusing story that occurred during my new vehicle orientation by the BMW Customer Adviser (CA).

When the BMW CA was reviewing the various features of my new 2014 BMW M6 with me in the delivery bay of the PDC, I inquired if it would be possible to have them reprogram the “Auto Start Stop Function” on the vehicle to have it “off” as the default, instead of being “On”. The default of it being “On” is that every time you start up the engine, if you want to disengage that function you have to push the button under the engine start button to turn it off.

The Auto Start Stop Function is somewhat controversial to owners of vehicles where it is included, with some liking it and others, like me who do not. This function turns off the engine each time the vehicle comes to a complete halt - such as at traffic lights - and restarts it automatically when you depress the accelerator pedal. For anyone who regularly drives in an urban city street environment, this feature becomes very annoying, very quickly, with the engine constantly turning itself on and off.

My CA told me that they are not allowed to do this unfortunately and that if I wanted it done it would have to be performed elsewhere, by others. I was thinking: Hmmmm….. This will be a PITA…

Then, when we got to the review of the BMW Assist function for road-side assistance, she pushed the Assist button on the ceiling console to contact a representative. What we heard next was a male voice saying in a very distinctive British accent: “Welcome to Rolls Royce roadside assistance….”

My CA said “well that is not supposed to happen….” I said I certainly did not mind this since maybe RR roadside service would arrive at my vehicle sooner, bringing some Grey Poupon mustard as a little treat… She was not amused and then politely disconnected the call and said that a BMW technician would need to reprogram my car’s system so that it would contact the “correct” roadside service call center. She suggested that while they were doing this over the next 30 mins.+, that I go visit the BMW PDC Gift Shop, which I did.

When the Technician drove the car back from their service dept. the CA and I once again initiated a call from the vehicle to BMW Assist and this time was correctly connected, (and I am now registered).

Then, during my drive home, I realized that the “Auto Start Stop Function” had also been reprogramed to default to now be “Off” when I start up the vehicle…..

Funny how all of this new technology works, or sometimes does not…….