BMW Warranty ?

BMW Warranty ?

Author
Discussion

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
About 10 months ago my car went to the local BMW Dealers to have the big end bearings done. This was a recall by BMW and was carried out FOC.
10 months and 8000 miles later it seems that the big end bearings are knackered, but the car is now out of warranty. Do I have any comeback i.e. is there a 12 month warranty on any work carried out or am I up sh*t creek without a paddle.

bobt

1,323 posts

218 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
Tommy. Has the little red light with a picture of an oil can be on much recently? It's annoying isn't it? biggrin

Go an tell 'em that it's fvcked again and inside 12 months so thye have to fix it for free.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
No the little red oil light hasnt been on, no lights at all. There car is treated like a baby. Only used at weekends, oil changed every 3000 miles, sometimes less. The car has only covered 18000 miles in its 4 years.
I would ring the dealers, but it Saturday and neither the parts dept or the service department are open.

paoloh

8,617 posts

219 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
They have to repair within 12 months.

M3John

5,974 posts

234 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
I'm not too sure how you stand here - although 10 months down the line i'd guess and say in a fairly good position. With BMW on nearly all parts they supply a 2 year manufactures warrantee so hoping this also applies to the big ends then you should be ok. Your saving grace is that you sent it to BMW to have the work done. Has the car a FSH? If so this will also help to fight your case.

M3J.




Edited by M3John on Friday 14th December 13:54

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
Car has fsh, but my only worry is that the car is out of warranty.

M5Dave

829 posts

224 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
Repairs carried out at a BMW dealer, using genuine BMW parts, are covered by a two years guarantee for parts and labour.

M3John

5,974 posts

234 months

Saturday 10th November 2007
quotequote all
M5Dave said:
Repairs carried out at a BMW dealer, using genuine BMW parts, are covered by a two years guarantee for parts and labour.
Here you go i was right in what i was thinking. ^^^^

Not wanting to count your chickens before they've hatched but looks like you'll be ok. Keep us posted on the progress please.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Monday 12th November 2007
quotequote all
Looks like I will be ok. Spoke to the Dealership this morning and they seem to think it will be covered. I will know for definite later on this afternoon.
I had my own mechanic check the car out and he say there are a lot of metal filings in the oil and that the bearings are knackered.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Tuesday 13th November 2007
quotequote all
Car booked in next Monday to have the repairs carried out.

M3John

5,974 posts

234 months

Tuesday 13th November 2007
quotequote all
TommyTT said:
Car booked in next Monday to have the repairs carried out.
F.O.C i hope ?

[TW]Fox

13,441 posts

261 months

Tuesday 13th November 2007
quotequote all
M5Dave said:
Repairs carried out at a BMW dealer, using genuine BMW parts, are covered by a two years guarantee for parts and labour.
NOT true. This is only the case if you have paid for all or part of the work. Work carried out FOC has warranty until the end of the cars warranty only.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Tuesday 13th November 2007
quotequote all
M3John said:
TommyTT said:
Car booked in next Monday to have the repairs carried out.
F.O.C i hope ?
It better be FOC, they replaced the big end bearings, 5000 miles later they are knackered and I changed the oil twice in that time.

M3John

5,974 posts

234 months

Tuesday 13th November 2007
quotequote all
TommyTT said:
M3John said:
TommyTT said:
Car booked in next Monday to have the repairs carried out.
F.O.C i hope ?
It better be FOC, they replaced the big end bearings, 5000 miles later they are knackered and I changed the oil twice in that time.
You or them ? Could be a clause for them to get out of it.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Wednesday 14th November 2007
quotequote all
Oops, never thought of that.
Surely an oil change, couldnt change things, after all they sold me the oil and the filter.

M3John

5,974 posts

234 months

Wednesday 14th November 2007
quotequote all
TommyTT said:
Oops, never thought of that.
Surely an oil change, couldnt change things, after all they sold me the oil and the filter.
scratchchin

Vee

3,107 posts

249 months

Wednesday 14th November 2007
quotequote all
TommyTT said:
M3John said:
TommyTT said:
Car booked in next Monday to have the repairs carried out.
F.O.C i hope ?
It better be FOC, they replaced the big end bearings, 5000 miles later they are knackered and I changed the oil twice in that time.
Did the dealers change the oil ? If not I certainly wouldn't mention it.

Way back when my Golf was covered by warranty, any work done under original 3 year warranty was only covered to the point that expires. ie Cooling fans replaced about one week from the end of 3 years, they were only covered for a week.
Not sure what BMW do though.

Edited by Vee on Wednesday 14th November 07:57

MitchT

16,760 posts

224 months

Friday 16th November 2007
quotequote all
Re the oil changes... Have a look in the owner's manual for the vehicle and see if there is a section on changing the oil. If there is, and there is no disclaimer stating that you'll invalidate your warranty by doing so, then BMW are clearly happy for people to change their own oil. Still best not to mention it though!

Vee said:
Way back when my Golf was covered by warranty, any work done under original 3 year warranty was only covered to the point that expires. ie Cooling fans replaced about one week from the end of 3 years, they were only covered for a week.
Not sure what BMW do though.
I've heard of numerous cases of the Bi-VANOS being replaced on E36 M3 Evos and the unit subsequently being changed again, under warranty, up to two years later, even if the vehicle itself was out of warranty. In fact, even if the first replacement Bi-VANOS was installed after the warranty expired on the vehicle it would still be covered for two years.

The main concern with the E46 M3 is that the bearings can trash the engine when they fail. If the engine is finished you need to have the BMW extended warranty to claim for a new engine as the warranty on the replacement bearings only covers the bearings, not any consequential loss arising out of their failure.

The bearing issue is the main reason I have never pursued my desire to own an E46 M3. BMW claim that only early cars are affected, and that cars that have had the recall work will be sound, but as the OP clearly illustrates replacement bearings can fail, and as another PHer has demonstrated in the past, E46 M3s that were refused the recall work because they weren't believed to be among those affected, can have the bearings fail. In the case of that PHer he had an extended warranty which paid for a new engine.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Friday 23rd November 2007
quotequote all
Quick Update.
The dealer had a look at the car on Tuesday afternoon and confirmed it was the bearings and that the shaft was bent. They have had someone from BMW Ireland out to look at the car and he thinks they will be fitting a NEW engine. He says the last time it happened to a car that had the bearings replaced under warranty it got a new engine and he cant see it being any different now. Apparently it is quite common. We will know for definite early next week, but one way or another they are fixing the car.

TommyTT

Original Poster:

460 posts

222 months

Friday 14th December 2007
quotequote all
Got the car back today with its new engine and think I have done well out of it. I had to pay €300 to cover them diagnosing the fault with the car, but its a small price to pay for a new engine and a further 2 year warranty.
Just out of curiousity what would a new engine cost from a dealer. They quoted me an unbelievable figure.