Potential Buyer Having trouble with Marketing vs. Reality

[irtmks]

So we are considering moving from a Ford Raptor to a Trialmaster.

Acknowledging that I don't "need" an Ineos vehicle and that my desire would be more of a "want," I strive to understand the Company, the Marketing, and the Vehicle as a total purchase. I simply want to "buy-in" to the whole package.

Where I am struggling is with the BMW portion of that overall package. Please understand, I do have bias based on a many year interaction (4 BMW's I believe) with the company. I also worked as an Engineer for 18 years for a company in Freudenstadt, Germany. Yes, I do hold some historic bias.

The struggle that bothers me is the Marketing notion that this Grenadier is a solid mule of a beast that, like years gone by vehicles can traverse the worst and most remote parts of the globe. When a "Service Center" is not convenient as you explore Chad Africa, or the Australian Western Plateau, you simply do as we old timers did, pull out the wrenches, the wire, the tape and fix whatever is needed. I have watched with great interest this Marketing ideal explained and viewed in so many videos and literature.

If this was really, really the intent, why must we, must we, must we find a BMW Service Center to get an oil change? The same greasy, dusty, dirty fellow that can fix anything on his Grenadier seemingly can't change the oil? Must I return from my remote expedition so I can have a BMW Service Center read or reset a fault code? Apparently the same fellow who is told you have the best "Old School" modern vehicles that can go anywhere on this planet is NOT capable of plugging a dongle into the OBD2 port and pushing a button named "clr." What? The hypocrisy seems either overlooked or insulting, I am not yet judging.

 

[anand]

If this was really, really the intent, why must we, must we, must we find a BMW Service Center to get an oil change? The same greasy, dusty, dirty fellow that can fix anything on his Grenadier seemingly can't change the oil? Must I return from my remote expedition so I can have a BMW Service Center read or reset a fault code? Apparently the same fellow who is told you have the best "Old School" modern vehicles that can go anywhere on this planet is NOT capable of plugging a dongle into the OBD2 port and pushing a button named "clr." What? The hypocrisy seems either overlooked or insulting, I am not yet judging.

Any one can do the oil change, resetting the service indicator, and this time, is only by an Ineos dealer (BMW cannot do this). BMW scan tools cannot natively read anything other than generic OBD2 codes from the vehicle like any one else can.

Generic OBD2 scan tools can read and clear engine DTCs just fine.

Have less tech than this in 2024 is, unfortunately, simply not feasible in a new vehicle

 

[Jeremy996]

The marketing is a little fanciful - rugged is one thing, but it is impossible to get a modern vehicle type approved without a load of electronics covering emissions, brakes, ADAS, eCall and that is before you consider the electronic junk now considered essential like infotainment and central locking.

Ineos Automotive was caught out by the various requirements for the logging of emissions based maintenance by the manufacturer, (one of the reasons for the delay on the manual release), but they did consider that the software had to allow the vehicle some resilience if a sensor went down. Components have been chosen for service life and ruggedness and are often massive compared to the alternatives, that's why the Grenadier is so heavy. The BMW engine is tuned specially for torque and durability, now owners want to tweak them up!

If you want a more 'mechanical' vehicle, you must buy an old one! (And deal with the old-school issues inherent in them - my LR110CSW 200Tdi needed heavy maintenance after 200,000 miles, so was fit to be changed).

 

[globalgregors]

So we are considering moving from a Ford Raptor to a Trialmaster.

Acknowledging that I don't "need" an Ineos vehicle and that my desire would be more of a "want," I strive to understand the Company, the Marketing, and the Vehicle as a total purchase. I simply want to "buy-in" to the whole package.

Where I am struggling is with the BMW portion of that overall package. Please understand, I do have bias based on a many year interaction (4 BMW's I believe) with the company. I also worked as an Engineer for 18 years for a company in Freudenstadt, Germany. Yes, I do hold some historic bias.

The struggle that bothers me is the Marketing notion that this Grenadier is a solid mule of a beast that, like years gone by vehicles can traverse the worst and most remote parts of the globe. When a "Service Center" is not convenient as you explore Chad Africa, or the Australian Western Plateau, you simply do as we old timers did, pull out the wrenches, the wire, the tape and fix whatever is needed. I have watched with great interest this Marketing ideal explained and viewed in so many videos and literature.

If this was really, really the intent, why must we, must we, must we find a BMW Service Center to get an oil change? The same greasy, dusty, dirty fellow that can fix anything on his Grenadier seemingly can't change the oil? Must I return from my remote expedition so I can have a BMW Service Center read or reset a fault code? Apparently the same fellow who is told you have the best "Old School" modern vehicles that can go anywhere on this planet is NOT capable of plugging a dongle into the OBD2 port and pushing a button named "clr." What? The hypocrisy seems either overlooked or insulting, I am not yet judging.

Having now driven ours across both the Australian Western Plateau and also North America we can confirm that the vehicle delivers on the promise.

Respondents above have already corrected the misconceptions in your post, but please feel free to DM with any questions regarding remote use, interacting with the Ineos mothership etc.

We’ve received excellent support from Ineos throughout, and have enjoyed the emerging international community that comes along with owning a marque like this.

 

[landmannnn]

There are many different expectations of the vehicle.

On one hand people are saying that there are too many computers, not enough underbody protection or big enough tyres to drive through dangerous zones in Africa or the Australian desert. You can definitely do this (if you dare) although you will be spending considerable amounts of money to prepare the vehicle for expeditions, as with most vehicles.

On the other hand people are complaining about the sound system, seat comfort or cup holders. Again they are spending thousands on audio upgrades and fancy leather.

The vehicle is in fact a platform to do as much or as little as you want. Upgrades and modifications are not difficult, the platform has been made in such a way that most changes are straightforward.

The Grenadier is not for everybody, not at all. But for the vast majority of owners they are please with their choice.