First Service Report

[QLeo]

A report back for info -mods - if this needs merging with other first service threads, that's fine with me.

First off, one reads the horror stories some folk on the forum have regarding dealerships. We must be very fortunate, as Dicksons in Inverness has been the model of professionalism on every occasion we've interacted with them, from pre-sales to sorting little issues, and now the first service. It's difficult to believe we are within a month of a year since we have had Goth Leo, but it reminds me how useful this forum was when we were making our decision.

I asked for the update to the infotainment, and was assured they would do any required updates. So we now have outside temperature displayed, most necessary for us in winter, to the extent that its lack I would regard as a safety issue. The heating and cooling controls are much easier to use too, with nice big pseudo-buttons that are easy to find and press. I wonder why other screens were left with the tiddly buttons. I've not had a chance to go through any other changes yet. I think, though, that one change is that the radio doesn't come on every time now.

The car itself was pronounced to be in good condition and well looked after, which was nice. The vehicle inspection report, got green ticks on both pages (the colour code is blue green amber and red. I wonder what blue means) When I collected the car, Leah spoke to me about the fact that the brake pads were at 70%, and that I should use the brakes more to clean them up. I know that, I just haven't done it, but it was a good reminder.

The maintenance checksheet looked pretty thorough. The one thing I really wanted to see, and indeed was al ittle fearful of seeing, was the battery state of health (SOH). But this was shown as 100%

I was also assured that all the renewals for AA membership had been completed.

Finally, and interesting, I think we have about 4000 miles, perhaps a little more on the all-seasons tyres we bought before winter. The fronts were at 8mm of tread and rears at 7mm. I don't know how much they were when new, but that seemed quite good to me. I think I'll swap front to back before next winter though.

All in all, a good experience. Long may that continue.

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Sounds like you have a keeper there pal.

The car and the dealer!!!?

 

[QLeo]

Sounds like you have a keeper there pal.

The Car and the Dealer!!!?

Yes, we think so.

 

[siteguru]

Check my 1100R33 thread re. the updates ... it has lots of screenshots plus other info re. the updates. ?

(I'm assuming that's what you're now on).

 

[KenD]

A report back for info -mods - if this needs merging with other first service threads, that's fine with me.

First off, one reads the horror stories some folk on the forum have regarding dealerships. We must be very fortunate, as Dicksons in Inverness has been the model of professionalism on every occasion we've interacted with them, from pre-sales to sorting little issues, and now the first service. It's difficult to believe we are within a month of a year since we have had Goth Leo, but it reminds me how useful this forum was when we were making our decision.

I asked for the update to the infotainment, and was assured they would do any required updates. So we now have outside temperature displayed, most necessary for us in winter, to the extent that its lack I would regard as a safety issue. The heating and cooling controls are much easier to use too, with nice big pseudo-buttons that are easy to find and press. I wonder why other screens were left with the tiddly buttons. I've not had a chance to go through any other changes yet. I think, though, that one change is that the radio doesn't come on every time now.

The car itself was pronounced to be in good condition and well looked after, which was nice. The vehicle inspection report, got green ticks on both pages (the colour code is blue green amber and red. I wonder what blue means) When I collected the car, Leah spoke to me about the fact that the brake pads were at 70%, and that I should use the brakes more to clean them up. I know that, I just haven't done it, but it was a good reminder.

The maintenance checksheet looked pretty thorough. The one thing I really wanted to see, and indeed was al ittle fearful of seeing, was the battery state of health (SOH). But this was shown as 100%

I was also assured that all the renewals for AA membership had been completed.

Finally, and interesting, I think we have about 4000 miles, perhaps a little more on the all-seasons tyres we bought before winter. The fronts were at 8mm of tread and rears at 7mm. I don't know how much they were when new, but that seemed quite good to me. I think I'll swap front to back before next winter though.

All in all, a good experience. Long may that continue.

Wilson won't update the software except there is a problem. No outside temperature isn't counted as a problem :-(

 

[siteguru]

It most certainly is - it's a safety issue. Plus the MG4 Owner's Manual says you need to turn off LKA immediately if it is causing a problem (e.g. due to road conditions) - that cannot be done easily without polling through menus; something very difficult to do when driving. (The 1100R33 software adds the LKA option to the pulldown menu - much easier to access). Put these to them in writing?

Edit: this is assuming that you don't currently have 1100R13, as that already has the temperature displayed (in 1°C increments). 1100R16 lost it, 1100R21 kept it away, and 1100R33 returned it (to 0.5°C increments).

 

[QLeo]

Check my 1100R33 thread re. the updates ... it has lots of screenshots plus other info re. the updates. ?

(I'm assuming that's what you're now on).

Thanks. Will do.

EDIT: Thanks - that was very helpful. Took a while to work out how to pull down the quick LKA menu, but got there in the end. Now to decide what to set the two star keys to.

 

[KenD]

I have 1100R16.
Mine was updated due to the ecall issue.
Hope 1100R33 won't introduce new issues.

 

[siteguru]

1100R33 has been faultless for me (so far).

 

[phil99]

It most certainly is - it's a safety issue.

I see this claim repeatedly but never with any justification. What is the safety issue as you see it?

Is there evidence that displaying the temperature internally has any effect on driver safety? I’ve done zero research on this, and know nothing!

Related but tangential: The sodding repeated and seemingly un-turn-off-able “temperature may be low…” warnings with alert bong from the car as the temperature around the relevant sensor fluctuates above and below 4degC is a distraction I could do without.

 

[Rolfe]

I am wildly jealous. I told Macklin's in Edinburgh that I wanted the R33 infotainment update, not once but about three times. I was most insistent about it, even forceful. They didn't do it. I just had a somewhat fraught conversation with them again this morning and they have agreed to do it on 13th May. I am not a happy bunny. I am wondering if Inverness is too far to travel to get a car serviced...

I see this claim repeatedly but never with any justification. What is the safety issue as you see it?

Is there evidence that displaying the temperature internally has any effect on driver safety? I’ve done zero research on this, and know nothing!

Related but tangential: The sodding repeated and seemingly un-turn-off-able “temperature may be low…” warnings with alert bong from the car as the temperature around the relevant sensor fluctuates above and below 4degC is a distraction I could do without.

Knowing that the temperature is very low is very important. Also, I've noticed that my car doesn't bong now when it reports the low temperature, and hasn't for a while. I just get the dashboard notification. No idea why.

 

[QLeo]

I am wildly jealous. I told Macklin's in Edinburgh that I wanted the R33 infotainment update, not once but about three times. I was most insistent about it, even forceful. They didn't do it. I just had a somewhat fraught conversation with them again this morning and they have agreed to do it on 13th May. I am not a happy bunny. I am wondering if Inverness is too far to travel to get a car serviced...

If it's any help, you're probably only a third more distance to Inverness than we are, here out west!
It is possible that the advice re R33 has changed, as Leah was careful to say they would do any required software, and then when I collected Leo she said that yes, it was necessary to update the software. (ie, she didn't just commit to doing anything, but understood where I was coming from) I further got the impression that if there was something that you needed from newer software, that was good enough. But maybe we're just fortunate.

I see this claim repeatedly but never with any justification. What is the safety issue as you see it?

Is there evidence that displaying the temperature internally has any effect on driver safety? I’ve done zero research on this, and know nothing!

Related but tangential: The sodding repeated and seemingly un-turn-off-able “temperature may be low…” warnings with alert bong from the car as the temperature around the relevant sensor fluctuates above and below 4degC is a distraction I could do without.

I can't point to any research or reports stating that knowing the outside temperature provides safety, but observationally and anecdotally I can. From a personal experience point of view that extends back 30 years when you could buy little thermometers with long leads for after-fitting. But it does stand to reason that if the car's roadholding is impaired because of the road, and the driver feels it, immediately they know the cause, and can perhaps react quicker than wondering (a) what's wrong with the car (b) is it the steering? (c) have I got a puncture (d) etc etc etc. I had this this last winter with the MG4. Going around slow-speed corners on a road that we later thought must have been less treated than it might have been, the rear stepped away. The last temperature warning had been some time before, and it didn't occur to me until in the slight slide that it might be too much regen on mildly icy corners.

In addition, for us, we have some hills that need to be negotiated in winter. Knowing the temperature at the bottom of the hill gives an indication of conditions at the top, and one can drive accordingly. Yes, anecdotal, but also yes, of value to safety.

Yes, what we call the "peril alarm" can flip-flop and that can ba annoying. I noticed this on a rural road half on the shadow of trees and half in sunlight. Every time I drive into the gloom the alarm went off again. It got so frequent that when it eventually didn't happen I wondered if it, too, had got annoyed. But it's better than no warning at all.

I know this is mostly anecdotal, but situational awareness must surely be of benefito any driver.

 

[siteguru]

I am wildly jealous. I told Macklin's in Edinburgh that I wanted the R33 infotainment update, not once but about three times. I was most insistent about it, even forceful. They didn't do it. I just had a somewhat fraught conversation with them again this morning and they have agreed to do it on 13th May. I am not a happy bunny. I am wondering if Inverness is too far to travel to get a car serviced...

East Kilbride is a lot closer to you than Inverness .......

 

[Rolfe]

I was thinking about that. It really is. But you haven't managed to get them to replace your undertray, have you? Assuming they give me R33 on 13th May, my only outstanding issues are the undertray, the direction of the windscreen washer jets (which they said weren't adjustable) and that infernal auto-locking which I'd like to jemmy off if possible.

Mainly I'm hacked off by Macklin's attitude. It's all about challenging me when I ask for something to be done, rather than either just doing it, or explaining politely and pleasantly what the problem with doing it is. I'd like a dealer who's on my side, basically. Macklin's are not.

If it's any help, you're probably only a third more distance to Inverness than we are, here out west!
It is possible that the advice re R33 has changed, as Leah was careful to say they would do any required software, and then when I collected Leo she said that yes, it was necessary to update the software. (ie, she didn't just commit to doing anything, but understood where I was coming from) I further got the impression that if there was something that you needed from newer software, that was good enough. But maybe we're just fortunate.

I told Savannah (weird names these girls have) all the reasons I wanted R33, pointing out in particular that I simply couldn't wait to have a USB player that actually worked properly. I then said (and this was all in writing) that I didn't want to come across as if I was just moaning, because I really like the car, but I understood that one had to complain about specific issues in order to have the updated installed, so please consider the complaints entered.

Still didn't get it.

 

[KenD]

I was thinking about that. It really is. But you haven't managed to get them to replace your undertray, have you? Assuming they give me R33 on 13th May, my only outstanding issues are the undertray, the direction of the windscreen washer jets (which they said weren't adjustable) and that infernal auto-locking which I'd like to jemmy off if possible.

Mainly I'm hacked off by Macklin's attitude. It's all about challenging me when I ask for something to be done, rather than either just doing it, or explaining politely and pleasantly what the problem with doing it is. I'd like a dealer who's on my side, basically. Macklin's are not.

The direction of the windscreen washer jets are adjustable. I got mine done.

 

[Rolfe]

I actually think they have adjusted them a bit, though whether it's better or not remains to be seen, if we get another day with wet salt being thrown up from the road when there's no rain. But all I was told was that the jets were fine and couldn't be adjusted anyway.

 

[gwatuk]

Check my 1100R33 thread re. the updates ... it has lots of screenshots plus other info re. the updates. ?

(I'm assuming that's what you're now on).

Any chance of a link to that?

 

[Rolfe]

Here you go.

The MG4 SE 1100R33 Infotainment Thread

Got my car back from 1st service today and it has 1100R33 Infotainment software. This thread is to record some details and observations regarding it. Exact version numbers are MPU SWI69-29958-1100R33, MCU 69.3.8.0: It has the new AC page, and the top bar is always visible: And the AC...

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