does anyone know of any shops in south texas that will activate the alarm on my car as well as other features? my local dealership thinks its the most complicated thing ever and will charge "at least $195..maybe more since your car is an '02 and may need to sit for hours until the computer recognizes the car"..i didnt even bother responding to this lunacy and walked out. any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks
South Texas is a BIG place. Can you narrow it down a little? The alarm should already be active and working in your car. Are you talking about the original factory alarm that was installed in the car, or an aftermarket alarm that you installed but requires a dealership service computer to turn on certain features? This dealership service computer is known as a GT-1, and cost between $45,000 to $100,000 depending on options. However, many of the better equipped independent BMW service centers are also equipped with these GT-1's, and won't overcharge you nearly as much as the dealer service department would. There are also a couple of other resources you can check for information on your car as well. The Bimmerboard.com website is tremendously knowledgeable about BMW's. When or if you visit this site, you will want to visit the E46 section, since that's what type of 3-series an '02 325ci would be. You can also visit http://www.bimrs.org to find the nearest independent BMW service center in your area. Lastly, it's highly recommended that you purchase a Bentley manual for your car if you intend to do any type of DIY (Do It Yourself) work on your car. These Bentley manuals aren't cheap, but they're worth their weight in gold when it comes to helping you understand and maintain your car. Finally, a parting shot at that dealer: if doing something as basic as activating features is over their heads, perhaps they should consider a less complex line or work -- such as shining shoes. Or even let us know who they were, so that the rest of us would know which service monkeys to keep our distance from. http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/dgh.aspx <== Owner's manuals and other helpful literature for your car. It only goes back as far as 2004, but your 2002 model should be similar. http://www.bimrs.org http://www.bentleypublishing.com http://www.bimmerboard.com
