Turning off DRL's in MD area

[Newjack]

So I've looked around e46fanatics and this site to see how much it would generally cost to get daytime running lights turned off, and what the process is like. Seems pretty straightforward, takes an expensive tool and about 15-20 minutes. Also about $45 ($100 for the dealer) I recently got angel eyes on my car and the DRL's detract from the cosmetic value, which is why I want them turned off.

I called my indy mechanic who doesn't have the tool to do this but he gave me the number to the BMW shop right next door. I'm thinking awesome these guys can probably help me out. I give them a call and I explain what I wanted done. The woman has no idea how much it costs to have it done so she passes the phone to another guy.

Bad sign #1 - The guy answers the phone "WHAT". I tell him what I wanted done and if they could do it. He says $100. I'm thinking jeez I might as well go to the dealer. I say "That's pretty high". He tells me that if I ever call again that he will charge me $200. He then proceeds to call me a cheap bastard for buying a $15,000 car and not wanting to pay his prices. I politely told him to place his mouth upon my balls.

So I drive by VOB, a local BMW dealership in Rockville while I'm out running errands. I stop by to see what they will charge me for getting them turned off. (I figure you have a better chance of getting a deal if you go in and talk to someone in person, gives you a chance to work the ol' charm and grease the wheels)

I get passed around to three different people before someone can help me. The guy gives me a quote for $130 and says it will take an hour. I tell him that I know what's involved and it really isn't that hard, there is no way it should be that much. He gives me the "I know what I know and you know what you know" and tries to say that the labor is what costs so much.

Whatever this guy is a total tool.

So now I'm trying to find a place to have my daytime running lights turned off somewhere in the Maryland area that wont molest my wallet. So if anyone knows of a place that would be able to help me out it would be greatly appreciated.


DL;DR version

I got angel eyes and want my daytime running lights off. I can't find a place to have it done for anything less than $100. If you know of a place in the Maryland state area or have any advice please let me know.

[danewilson77]

I politely told him to place his mouth upon my balls.

Whatever this guy is a total tool.


:rofl

[M3TA5IN]

What the he'll is wrong with businesses these days

[nike001]

Might be better off finding someone with the tool to do it. I know I got lucky that Terra lives down the street and it'll take him literally 3 minutes to do it.

Or you can wait til east coast bimmerfest in early august.. I'm sure many people will have the tool to do it.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I politely told him to place his mouth upon my balls.

So I drive by VOB, a local BMW dealership in Rockville while I'm out running errands.

Great line (first sentence).

Then I read your second sentence as driving by the SOB -- the local BMW dealer. Hehe.

[danewilson77]

3 minutes tops. I paid $85. I paid $1700/hr.

[M3TA5IN]

3 minutes tops. I paid $85. I paid $1700/hr.

I wish I made $1700/hr

I'd buy a race track

[Audi 0000]

I could try and help you out, if you dont mind driving to north Baltimore. I am a VW Audi technician in Hunt Valley, but my buddy works at Towson BMW. I can see what he can do. As far as the dealership price, if its like my dealer, there is a 1 hour minimum to hook up the scan tool ( I know it only takes a second ). We are at $110 an hour at the moment. I wish that all went in my pocket. As far as the tool working the counter, you gotta understand how many people come in the front door with " I read on the internet that........". Its funny some of the stuff people want done, or read that doesnt even pertain to that particular vehicle ect.

[Newjack]

Where are you in Maryland? I assume Rockville?

Have you tried Tischer in Silver Spring?

Kensington area of Maryland. I haven't tried tischer yet because they are a good 30 min away and I wanted to check the closest options first. After dealing with VOB I'm not to confident that tischer will be any better.


I could try and help you out, if you dont mind driving to north Baltimore. I am a VW Audi technician in Hunt Valley, but my buddy works at Towson BMW. I can see what he can do. As far as the dealership price, if its like my dealer, there is a 1 hour minimum to hook up the scan tool ( I know it only takes a second ). We are at $110 an hour at the moment. I wish that all went in my pocket. As far as the tool working the counter, you gotta understand how many people come in the front door with " I read on the internet that........". Its funny some of the stuff people want done, or read that doesnt even pertain to that particular vehicle ect.

I don't mind a drive if it means I can save some money. I just can't convince myself that turning off my DRL's are worth $100.

I can understand the guys frustration in dealing with customers that think they know about cars when they don't know anything. But the whole time I was talking to him he seemed like he just wanted to get rid of me. Like he was doing me a favor by even talking to me.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

And Terra is an old ZHP owner. Once a Mafia member always a Mafia member.

[Hornung418]

George (VA330Ci) is in Arlington, VA. He knows his way around DIS.

RootedDROIDXstatus. Come at me, bro.

[az3579]

I can do it too... but we'd probably have to meet halfway. I'd lose out on a lot of money by going all the way out there; gas and tolls for sure aren't cheap. :(
As someone already mentioned, you could just go to Bimmerfest (if you're going). I might go, in which case I would bring my laptop with me and I could do it for you...

[PKR]

Check the local/regional boards at fanatics; I seem to remember that there's someone in the DC-area who does this for reasonable money.

[Stu]

Bad sign #1 - The guy answers the phone "WHAT". I tell him what I wanted done and if they could do it. He says $100. I'm thinking jeez I might as well go to the dealer. I say "That's pretty high". He tells me that if I ever call again that he will charge me $200. He then proceeds to call me a cheap bastard for buying a $15,000 car and not wanting to pay his prices. I politely told him to place his mouth upon my balls.

If someone picked up the phone at a shop saying that, I'd just hang up right away. Wow, what a way to do business:

"IF YOU CALL FOR SERVICE AGAIN, I'LL CHARGE YOU MORE THAN BEFORE! AND IF YOU DARE TO CALL A THIRD TIME, I'LL INCREASE IT AGAIN! HA! JOKE'S ON YOU ASSHOLE!"

Oh wait, except there are other shops out there.

[llll1l1ll]

Hey OP,

Was the shop you called Sigy's Repair or was it BMW Excluservice? I heard Sigy's does great work, but the guy can be a jerk. I've heard BMW Excluservice does crap work.

[Newjack]

Haha yeah the name of the shop was Sigy's. I definitely won't be giving him any business.

And yes I will be going to bimmerfest east. Do you guys recommend that I just wait till then to have it done? I hadn't even thought about that idea yet.

[az3579]

Haha yeah the name of the shop was Sigy's. I definitely won't be giving him any business.

And yes I will be going to bimmerfest east. Do you guys recommend that I just wait till then to have it done? I hadn't even thought about that idea yet.

If you're willing to wait that long...

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[danewilson77]

Haha yeah the name of the shop was Sigy's. I definitely won't be giving him any business.

And yes I will be going to bimmerfest east. Do you guys recommend that I just wait till then to have it done? I hadn't even thought about that idea yet.

Just wait bro. Someone will help ya out.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[billschusteriv]

I never get a good vibe when I go to VOB for parts. Sorry you had to deal with them.

Mmmmmmm....

Maybe 330i ZHP (Stewart) will have a good lead on this? (IIRC) He may have had some programming done when he did the 6 speed swap on his touring?

Tischer isn't a bad thought... Never been to that dealer to comment on their service.

I don't know if my indy mechanic programs...but that's in PA - 2 hours away from you.

BlackBerry. Tapatalk.

[nike001]

Yeah, it sucks man. I'd do it for free if you were local. There's gotta be some guys in the DC area with a diagnostic computer.
I know TerraPhantm is in Mountain Top, PA.

Mountain top is kinda far from the DC area. We'll both be travelling down to bimmerfest and I'm about 99% sure he'll be bringing his computer along

[VA//M3]

George (VA330Ci) is in Arlington, VA. He knows his way around DIS.

RootedDROIDXstatus. Come at me, bro.

Justin,

My apologies I keep meaning to give you a call! Are you still in the area?


I never get a good vibe when I go to VOB for parts. Sorry you had to deal with them.

Mmmmmmm....

Maybe 330i ZHP (Stewart) will have a good lead on this? (IIRC) He may have had some programming done when he did the 6 speed swap on his touring?

Tischer isn't a bad thought... Never been to that dealer to comment on their service.

I don't know if my indy mechanic programs...but that's in PA - 2 hours away from you.

BlackBerry. Tapatalk.

I believe Stuart had someone else do his.


OP,

We can meet up sometime and get them turned off for you.

[BCS_ZHP]

OP.
Look up BlackKnight on e46Fan, he does this and all types of other recoding. He's MD/DC/VA area and hits most of the coffee shop meet & greets on a regular basis.

[Hornung418]

Justin,

My apologies I keep meaning to give you a call! Are you still in the area?



I believe Stuart had someone else do his.


OP,

We can meet up sometime and get them turned off for you.

George, I'm away from town til the 24th of July. We can meet up before the 31st, if that works.

RootedDROIDXstatus. Come at me, bro.

[VA//M3]

George, I'm away from town til the 24th of July. We can meet up before the 31st, if that works.

RootedDROIDXstatus. Come at me, bro.

Absolutely!

I'll keep in touch.

[Newjack]

OP.
Look up BlackKnight on e46Fan, he does this and all types of other recoding. He's MD/DC/VA area and hits most of the coffee shop meet & greets on a regular basis.

Alright thanks guys. I might just wait till bimmerfest to have it done.

[RVAzhp]

not to be an asshole, but can't you just take the bulbs out? my car doesn't have DRL...and as far as i could tell when i took my headlights apart, there is no bulb there?

[danewilson77]

not to be an asshole, but can't you just take the bulbs out? my car doesn't have DRL...and as far as i could tell when i took my headlights apart, there is no bulb there?

You will get a BOW if you dhuuuu that.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Newjack]

You will get a BOW if you dhuuuu that.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

Not to mention I wouldn't have the use of high beams either.

[johnrando]

I just looked online at a programmable list and it shows that the default for DRLs is NOT on, so if correct, anyone with DRLs on had to have it programmed.

[PKR]

I recently had BlackKnight do some programming for me ... Quick and reasonable. He'll take care of you

[Newjack]

I recently had BlackKnight do some programming for me ... Quick and reasonable. He'll take care of you

I'm heading up to bimmerfest tomorrow, so if I don't have it done then I'll ask BlackKnight. What did he charge you?


EDIT: DRL's turned off at Bimmerfest. VA330CI hooked me up. Don't ever take your car to a dealer to have this done. It took him 7 minutes, and most of that time was spent explaining what other things he could do to my car. It was also free, but I made sure to tip him for his expertise.

$132 and at least an hour to have my DRL's turned off at the dealer. I will go out of my way to make sure that I never give VOB a penny.