BMW Patents Screws - Heinous Anti- Right to Repair Behavior

[yusephj]

TL;DR: BMW wants to restrict access to repair your own vehicle with a new/ patented screw design - heinous behavior. More details in Louis Rossmann's video linked.

Remember when BMW included a toolkit in the trunk of every vehicle, a toolkit that was applicable to the majority of basic repairs/ maintenance?

Patent info: https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/...Id=DE469242297
Louis Rossmann's video:

[Stradson]

Love rossman so much. His new carrier company is dope also.

[Tambohamilton]

It's a locking wheel nut design. The whole point is that not everybody will have the correct tool!

[JABCAT]

Nothing in the article even remotely suggested that these patented screws would make owners unable to repair their vehicles.

The author took one small piece of information, a new screw patent, then completely made up a false narrative. And he got his desired outcome, people spreading his article.

[christianb5s4]

I'm sure it will take all of two seconds for cheap tools to show up on Amazon and Alibaba.

[Stradson]

Why are modern car companies the way that they are.

[Brandoch]

Originally Posted by Stradson

Why are modern car companies the way that they are.

Because; consumers don't know what they want, governments require strict safety and emissions standards, and car companies are owned by shareholders.

[afadeev]

110% click-bait.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Nothing in the article even remotely suggested that these patented screws would make owners unable to repair their vehicles.

The author took one small piece of information, a new screw patent, then completely made up a false narrative. And he got his desired outcome, people spreading his article.

While I agree here specifically for this, it can be taken out of context to far. Why are you using this to defend BMW and ignore all the past things they have done and see the current system we live in where more and more things are becoming clearly more difficult to work on to prevent us from working on ourselves? What do you say then?

This author's video is not the only one on this problem. He has hundreds of videos on topic like this. Seriously folks can we please stop simping for big companies like these? I don't get it.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Stradson

Why are modern car companies the way that they are.

I feel like it's a thing of extreme capitalism VS good capitliasm before.

Back then, companies wanted to build reputation and be the best of the best and provide quality. Today now it's all about pinching pennies and make the most amount of money possible for shareholders and always chase higher and higher profits.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

While I agree here specifically for this, it can be taken out of context to far. Why are you using this to defend BMW and ignore all the past things they have done and see the current system we live in where more and more things are becoming clearly more difficult to work on to prevent us from working on ourselves? What do you say then?

This author's video is not the only one on this problem. He has hundreds of videos on topic like this. Seriously folks can we please stop simping for big companies like these? I don't get it.

Nowhere did I defend BMW in my post. The video is clickbait with zero evidence to support the video maker's claim. I'm sorry I work in a profession that requires actual evidence to support claims. This guy is clearly posting things for clicks.

[yusephj]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Nowhere did I defend BMW in my post. The video is clickbait with zero evidence to support the video maker's claim. I'm sorry I work in a profession that requires actual evidence to support claims. This guy is clearly posting things for clicks.

Agree with the narrative being off, however feel the original spirit of BMW was "let's include tools to help our owners" that just isn't top of mind anymore - the video highlights the general vibe shift. If BMW includes the special tool detailed in the patent (with the sale of the car) - then the vibe has not shifted.

[allinon72]

I feel like this thing has been blown way out of proportion.

[Rich76]

It’s not the first time a manufacturer has come up with a way to prevent the home or even non dealer guys being able to work on a car
Torx bits, security Torx bits , E bolts etc

It doesn’t take long for everyone be that cheap or Expensive to come up with solutions

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Rich76

It’s not the first time a manufacturer has come up with a way to prevent the home or even non dealer guys being able to work on a car
Torx bits, security Torx bits , E bolts etc

It doesn’t take long for everyone be that cheap or Expensive to come up with solutions

The cylinderhead bolts in my 1973 Ford Pinto 2.0L used E-torx bolt heads.

[Mech Spec]

Its just a cool looking screw head for ornamental areas. Why does anyone care?

Its super cool and tools to use the screw will be available. Also, there's no mention of the driver in the patent claims, so they are not doing anything to prevent people from turning these screws.