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      04-27-2021, 06:38 PM   #1
TX3M
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2021 X3 M40i - Dealership replaced piano black center console with carbon fiber trim

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Like a lot of other folks, my 2021 X3 M40i (January build) ordered with the Carbon Fiber option arrived with the center console trim piece in piano black instead of the correct carbon fiber trim. I decided to send an e-mail to my dealership with pictures requesting they replace the piano black with the correct carbon fiber trim. The sales manager took it to his service manager, they escalated it to Regional and within a few days told me they are going to replace the piano black trim with the carbon fiber trim. They ordered it for me and it arrived 2 weeks later. It was installed in my X3 today free of charge. I'm very pleased!

I've attached the e-mail I sent to my dealership and a copy of the work order below. If you are one of the affected customers, you should go back to the dealership you bought your vehicle from and request they replace your piano black center console with the correct carbon fiber trim too. I hope BMW steps up and does this for all of the affected customers that ask.

Hi Max,

I hope this message finds you well. One of the options I ordered on my 2021 X3 M40i is the Carbon Fiber trim. This is supposed to include Carbon Fiber on the center console surrounding the control wheel. See the 1st picture I've attached below of the center console from a 2021 X3 M40i with Carbon Fiber trim currently for sale at BMW of Alexandria. Here is the link to that vehicle:

(*The link I sent in my e-mail is no longer active, but it was to pictures of an X3 M40i for sale showing the CF trim on the center console)

For some reason, my 2021 X3 M40i did not come with the correct Carbon Fiber trim on the center console. The entire center console piece is piano black (see the 2nd picture below of the center console trim on my vehicle).

*I am requesting that the piano black center console trim in my vehicle be replaced with the correct Carbon Fiber center console trim which I ordered and paid for. Please let me know if you need anything else from me to get this resolved. I will be happy to bring my X3 in for you to take a look at to confirm that I did not get the correct Carbon Fiber center console trim.
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File Type: pdf Carbon Fiber center console work order.pdf (464.7 KB, 663 views)

Last edited by TX3M; 12-14-2021 at 12:54 PM..
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      04-27-2021, 07:09 PM   #2
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Good for you! I didn't even bother reaching out to my dealer as their service dept. is not good to be polite about it. I got it elsewhere at at good discount and had it installed. All CF would be nice as there is still plenty piano black to keep clean but it is a definite improvement and how the CF package should have been delivered...
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      04-27-2021, 07:19 PM   #3
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Wait, wait, wait... Are we praising a company that fixed a glaring and obvious oversight during their manufacturing and quality check process? Shouldn't this outcome be expected if they messed up? This is a pretty large discrepancy in my books.
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      04-27-2021, 07:49 PM   #4
kscarrol
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I didn't see anyone praising BMW, simply one member sharing the result of his effort to have it corrected and to the credit of his dealer, they did correct it. Many dealers, like mine, would have simply told folks sorry and say that the way it is supposed to be...
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      04-27-2021, 09:19 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by viper689 View Post
Wait, wait, wait... Are we praising a company that fixed a glaring and obvious oversight during their manufacturing and quality check process? Shouldn't this outcome be expected if they messed up? This is a pretty large discrepancy in my books.
Definitely not praising BMW. Also, it wasn't an oversight during manufacturing. BMW purposely installed the piano black trim on my car and many others. There was lots of discussion and complaints on the forum about this. I believe the explanation was that there was a "carbon fiber shortage" for a while so they had no choice but to use piano black on the center console.

The way I presented it to the dealership in my e-mail suggested that it was a mistake during manufacturing, and I think that's how they got approval to replace the trim. I think kscarrol is right that most dealerships would just tell the customer, "sorry but there was a CF shortage when your car was built so you're stuck with the piano black." In any case, I'm just sharing this so other forum members who also got the piano black trim can get it replaced if they ask and present their case the way I did.

Last edited by TX3M; 04-28-2021 at 12:24 PM..
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      04-27-2021, 09:28 PM   #6
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Nice work TX3M. Carbon fiber rocks! I was fortunate that my build came with it from the factory. Having it in the center console is the icing on the cake.
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      04-27-2021, 10:34 PM   #7
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My 2015 F15 X5 came without the xLine package despite it being spec'd and on the window sticker. Had base model bumpers, grilles, and trim. So I paid for a package that wasn't equipped. I had the 20" wheels, which I'm fairly sure weren't even available on the base model, so at least the fender edge trim was correct for that.

Dealer didn't believe me until I brought the car in to show them. Because it was a lease they offered me a pitiful amount in compensation (I think like $150) or offered the swap all the parts out. I just had them swap all the parts. So strange that they were willing to spend hundreds on exchanging parts but refused to negotiate on their compensation offer.
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      04-28-2021, 04:16 PM   #8
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Is the whole center console supposed to be CF or just the area around the IDrive dial (the right half)? I just realized today after reading this that mine was all Piano Black and not even sure what it is supposed to look like now. Build date was December 6/7, 2020.
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      04-28-2021, 06:03 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KirbyBaker View Post
Is the whole center console supposed to be CF or just the area around the IDrive dial (the right half)? I just realized today after reading this that mine was all Piano Black and not even sure what it is supposed to look like now. Build date was December 6/7, 2020.
Yes, just the right side area around the idrive knob.
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      04-29-2021, 08:58 AM   #10
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Have to ask, if the CF trim is ordered and is installed around the iDrive knob, what is there if the Fineline Cove Matte Finish Wood Trim is ordered? It would be great if it was also used around the iDrive knob.
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      05-19-2022, 02:14 AM   #11
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what's this looking like after the fix? pic?
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      05-19-2022, 05:22 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stlnation View Post
what's this looking like after the fix? pic?
I could not wait so much, so I decided to buy a second hand full center console from a crashed X3M Competition in perfect shape, and my dealer installed it for me with no cost.

Here is how it looks, CF is only in the iDrive knob area:

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      05-19-2022, 01:03 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stlnation View Post
what's this looking like after the fix? pic?
This is a pre-LCI X3M center console with CF trim. The rectangular section around the control wheel is CF, but the rest is piano black. The pre-LCI X3 M40i center console with CF trim looks exactly the same.
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      05-19-2022, 10:43 PM   #14
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Didn't realize this was a thing.. I have a '21 with CF option with a piano black center console. Do you mind PMing me a full-page copy w/ your details edited out so that I can show my dealer?
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      05-20-2022, 12:12 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jinetix View Post
Didn't realize this was a thing.. I have a '21 with CF option with a piano black center console. Do you mind PMing me a full-page copy w/ your details edited out so that I can show my dealer?
Sorry, but I no longer have that document.
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      05-20-2022, 09:10 PM   #16
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Just took delivery of my ‘22 LCIwith carbon fiber, the knob is surrounded by a different material but not piano black
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      05-26-2022, 08:00 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jinetix View Post
Didn't realize this was a thing.. I have a '21 with CF option with a piano black center console. Do you mind PMing me a full-page copy w/ your details edited out so that I can show my dealer?
FWIW - I had this complimentary swap done by my dealer in Indiana (sales department took care of it) because my build/order MY21 X3M40i (ordered basically as soon as the order sheets were available in fall 2020) was supposed to have CF and didn't around the center console. It was a known issue with supply that earliest models came with Piano Black on this trim piece only but everything else was correct.

If you ordered yours with CF Trim upgrade, I think you have a case. If it was purchased off the lot, it might be harder. I talked to my associate, told them it didn't come the way we discussed and he agreed. It was a friendly request and I'm a regular customer.

All in - very pleased they provided the solution and made it right…the way my wife wanted it from day 1 order. I didn't get any paperwork to share.
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