Approved Used Warranty - Serviced by specialist
Discussion
I'm hoping someone with some prior experience or more solid facts can put my mind at ease with this as my recent call with BMW UK didn't help much...
As far as I'm aware, under EU law, you are entitled to get your car serviced anywhere you want (providing it is done within the manufacturers service schedule e.g. on time, using correct OEM parts).
The BMW website backs this up too, at least I think it does? https://www.bmw.co.uk/bmw-ownership/servicing-and-...
"Failure to comply with the service schedule recommended by BMW Group UK may invalidate the warranty. An Authorised BMW Centre or BMW Service Authorised Workshop using only genuine BMW Parts must carry out all service and warranty work. The BMW Service Booklet should also be stamped, dated and detailed with the correct mileage at the time of service by the servicing BMW Centre."
My call to BMW UK consisted of me asking them to confirm that my BMW AUC warranty will still be intact if I go to a specialist for my upcoming major service, assuming the specialist is a "BMW Service Authorised Workshop" and uses OEM parts. The agent said yes, that's fine - I then asked what proof will I need to retain to ensure it doesn't cause any problems in the event of any future warranty claims, he then put me on hold, came back and backtracked and said I should use a main dealer?!
So, I plan to go to Darren Wood BMW (highly recommended specialist), not only because it's 40% cheaper than the main dealers, but because they'll do a far better job - As far as I'm aware, they're a "BMW Service Authorised Workshop", what proof of work/parts and "BMW Service Authorised Workshop" will I need to keep in the event of a warranty claim further down the line (I plan on extending the BMW AUC warranty for years to come).
I know to some/many, this thread may be a trivial one. But I'm just being overly cautious as this is the first time I've chosen to service a car away from the main dealer whilst under warranty and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by not being prepared and being stumped with a massive bill further down the line as the warranty is void!
As far as I'm aware, under EU law, you are entitled to get your car serviced anywhere you want (providing it is done within the manufacturers service schedule e.g. on time, using correct OEM parts).
The BMW website backs this up too, at least I think it does? https://www.bmw.co.uk/bmw-ownership/servicing-and-...
"Failure to comply with the service schedule recommended by BMW Group UK may invalidate the warranty. An Authorised BMW Centre or BMW Service Authorised Workshop using only genuine BMW Parts must carry out all service and warranty work. The BMW Service Booklet should also be stamped, dated and detailed with the correct mileage at the time of service by the servicing BMW Centre."
My call to BMW UK consisted of me asking them to confirm that my BMW AUC warranty will still be intact if I go to a specialist for my upcoming major service, assuming the specialist is a "BMW Service Authorised Workshop" and uses OEM parts. The agent said yes, that's fine - I then asked what proof will I need to retain to ensure it doesn't cause any problems in the event of any future warranty claims, he then put me on hold, came back and backtracked and said I should use a main dealer?!
So, I plan to go to Darren Wood BMW (highly recommended specialist), not only because it's 40% cheaper than the main dealers, but because they'll do a far better job - As far as I'm aware, they're a "BMW Service Authorised Workshop", what proof of work/parts and "BMW Service Authorised Workshop" will I need to keep in the event of a warranty claim further down the line (I plan on extending the BMW AUC warranty for years to come).
I know to some/many, this thread may be a trivial one. But I'm just being overly cautious as this is the first time I've chosen to service a car away from the main dealer whilst under warranty and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by not being prepared and being stumped with a massive bill further down the line as the warranty is void!
helix402 said:
I don’t think Darren Wood are a BMW Authorised Workshop. Sorry, can’t offer any more advice.
I was under the impression that if a garage had access to the BMW OSS/AOS (Online Service System now Aftersales Online System) they had to be a "BMW Service Authorised Workshop" - I could be wrong though, hopefully someone more knowledgeable turns up 
xjay1337 said:
It doesn't have to be a BMW authorised workshop
Just a suitably qualified one.
Use genuine parts, keep receipts with part numbers/invoices etc.
Won't be a problem..
Really? What’s all that about “BMW Service Aurhorised Workshop” then?Just a suitably qualified one.
Use genuine parts, keep receipts with part numbers/invoices etc.
Won't be a problem..
I’m with you though, that would make sense to me, just want to be 100% sure about it all.
My M3 AUC was purchased with one oil service having been performed by a BMW specialist , so that’s testament to validity surely ? I have the Insured Warranty now and that has no such wording , paraphrasing : it’s VAT registered with OEM parts and too the schedule. I’ve twice used a BMW specialist without problem claiming.
I usually found BMW warranty team really clear , so if in doubt email them for confirmation.
I can’t say for sure what a BMW Authorized Worksop or repairer is , because reading my insured warranty it seems both definitions mean main dealer as both definitions are stated as the ones who carry out warranty work and I’m sure it’s legitimate that only main dealers do this.
I usually found BMW warranty team really clear , so if in doubt email them for confirmation.
I can’t say for sure what a BMW Authorized Worksop or repairer is , because reading my insured warranty it seems both definitions mean main dealer as both definitions are stated as the ones who carry out warranty work and I’m sure it’s legitimate that only main dealers do this.
as Far as I understand it changes to block exemption rules mean that you can get your vehicle serviced by an independent and won’t ( or shouldn’t ) affect your manufacturer warranty as long as they follow the service schedule and use genuine parts. However the approved used warranty is effectively an insurance policy and as such they can stipulate any terms and condition they see fit, which you either agree to or not. My advice would be to read your policy documents as a first call.
For what it’s worth my bmw is on an extended warranty policy, and I have always maintained it through bmw as I’d like to give them the least amount of reasons to try and refuse a claim if it came down to it. So far no issues.
For what it’s worth my bmw is on an extended warranty policy, and I have always maintained it through bmw as I’d like to give them the least amount of reasons to try and refuse a claim if it came down to it. So far no issues.
95JO said:
I was under the impression that if a garage had access to the BMW OSS/AOS (Online Service System now Aftersales Online System) they had to be a "BMW Service Authorised Workshop" - I could be wrong though, hopefully someone more knowledgeable turns up
Any garage can subscribe to OSS/AOS, (whatever it’s called), it doesn’t make the garage a Service Authorised Workshop. As mentioned block exemption and warranty terms and conditions are two different things.
For example block exemption allows non genuine service parts to be used if the manufacturer states that they meet or exceed the quality of the parts fitted originally.
E.g:
Looks like I was right to ask then due to the mixed views on this.
Didn’t realise there was a specific BMW warranty contact number, I’ll give them a ring tomorrow and hopefully get some clarity and report back.
If it is the case that I have to go to a main dealer then so be it, I value the warranty far more than saving a couple of hundred quid in the short term.
Didn’t realise there was a specific BMW warranty contact number, I’ll give them a ring tomorrow and hopefully get some clarity and report back.
If it is the case that I have to go to a main dealer then so be it, I value the warranty far more than saving a couple of hundred quid in the short term.
The Mad Monk said:
Surely a warranty is a legally binding document. It is not up to one party to decide if the terms are fair and have been complied with.
If all else fails take them to court.
IANAL.
I haven’t got any documentation, only the guidelines listed in on their website (link above). But yeah, I agree with you on that...If all else fails take them to court.
IANAL.
Similarly, I’d rather spend a couple hundred quid more and avoid the hassle if I had a big warranty claim (taking them to court included).
The Mad Monk said:
Surely a warranty is a legally binding document. It is not up to one party to decide if the terms are fair and have been complied with.
If all else fails take them to court.
IANAL.
IIRC, IANAL, IMHO...If all else fails take them to court.
IANAL.
You are correct...if the warranty was bought (as an insurance policy), as you have the opportunity to read through the terms & conditions to see if they suit you before purchasing - so a bi-lateral agreement.
Block exemption only applies to the manufacturer warranties - not an after-sale Insured Warranty (whether you buy this from the dealer as a BMW Insured Warranty, underwritten by Zenith or someone else, or whether you got to WarrantyWise or such).
The manufacturer 'new car' or 'used approved car' warranty is not an insurance policy, the BWM Insured Warranty is (clue is in the name).
A manufacturer/approved-used warranty is included in the sale, then it's not an insurance product and you have no choice about what terms apply...i.e. the terms are forced on you.
In the former, you have agreed to the terms and conditions and are supposed to abide by them.
In the latter, you have a get out in that any unfair terms in that contract were forced on you.
Turns out there isn't a direct contact number for the 'Approved Used Warranty' team - I found this page: https://www.bmw.co.uk/help/used/contact-auc-warran... which says you should get in touch with your local dealer...
I did this and they said so long as the specialist uses OEM parts and services the car according to the service schedule it won't affect my Approved Used Warranty going forward. They did say that if a claim is as a result of the parts the specialist used then it can be rejected - How, if it is OEM?!
Oh well, it's good enough for me... Going to book in with Darren Wood now haha.
I did this and they said so long as the specialist uses OEM parts and services the car according to the service schedule it won't affect my Approved Used Warranty going forward. They did say that if a claim is as a result of the parts the specialist used then it can be rejected - How, if it is OEM?!
Oh well, it's good enough for me... Going to book in with Darren Wood now haha.
95JO said:
Turns out there isn't a direct contact number for the 'Approved Used Warranty' team - I found this page: https://www.bmw.co.uk/help/used/contact-auc-warran... which says you should get in touch with your local dealer...
I did this and they said so long as the specialist uses OEM parts and services the car according to the service schedule it won't affect my Approved Used Warranty going forward. They did say that if a claim is as a result of the parts the specialist used then it can be rejected - How, if it is OEM?!
Oh well, it's good enough for me... Going to book in with Darren Wood now haha.
OEM or Genuine BMW? There's a difference!I did this and they said so long as the specialist uses OEM parts and services the car according to the service schedule it won't affect my Approved Used Warranty going forward. They did say that if a claim is as a result of the parts the specialist used then it can be rejected - How, if it is OEM?!
Oh well, it's good enough for me... Going to book in with Darren Wood now haha.
Example 1:
LUK make clutches for BMW, but they're branded BMW. But you can buy the identical clutch with LUK branding for about 1/3rd of the price.
Example 2:
St Gobain make windscreens for BMW (along with many others), but also make windscreens for aftermarket use that they sell for a cheaper price as they're made to a less strict quality. It's still a part from an OEM for BMW, but the part is NOT identical.
Maybe they mean that if you buy the OEM part from a motor factors (ECP/GSF/etc.) then they may investigate the claim in more detail than if you've got proof that a Genuine BMW part was fitted (despite them being identical).
Me being me, I contacted Darren Wood himself and discussed this with him... He himself reckons it'll void my 'Approved Used Warranty' and the block exemption stuff only covers 'New Car Warranty' - The plot thickens...
I told him about my call with my local dealer and he said that's weird and it's best to contact customer services via e-mail to get it in black and white for peace of mind, so that's what I've done, sent a lengthy and thorough e-mail to customer services in hopes they won't provide me with more vague and mixed views on this.
You can tell I'm "working from home" today, way too much time on my hands
I told him about my call with my local dealer and he said that's weird and it's best to contact customer services via e-mail to get it in black and white for peace of mind, so that's what I've done, sent a lengthy and thorough e-mail to customer services in hopes they won't provide me with more vague and mixed views on this.
You can tell I'm "working from home" today, way too much time on my hands
I use Darren all the time. I have a BMW Insured Warranty. It's made absolutely no difference to being able to claim on that warranty.
Had my rear wheel bearings done at Lookers Stockport under warranty on current car, and had a five figure job done on my wife's 125i that had been serviced by Darren (new cyl head and turbos and many, many man hours of investigation). Lookers also once spotted an issue with the steering rack in the 125i and despite not having a warranty at that time, and having not had it serviced with them, they secured a 100% goodwill contribution from BMW to replace it.
So quit your worrying! By asking questions you're more likely to make trouble for yourself.
Had my rear wheel bearings done at Lookers Stockport under warranty on current car, and had a five figure job done on my wife's 125i that had been serviced by Darren (new cyl head and turbos and many, many man hours of investigation). Lookers also once spotted an issue with the steering rack in the 125i and despite not having a warranty at that time, and having not had it serviced with them, they secured a 100% goodwill contribution from BMW to replace it.
So quit your worrying! By asking questions you're more likely to make trouble for yourself.
Swervin_Mervin said:
I use Darren all the time. I have a BMW Insured Warranty. It's made absolutely no difference to being able to claim on that warranty.
Had my rear wheel bearings done at Lookers Stockport under warranty on current car, and had a five figure job done on my wife's 125i that had been serviced by Darren (new cyl head and turbos and many, many man hours of investigation). Lookers also once spotted an issue with the steering rack in the 125i and despite not having a warranty at that time, and having not had it serviced with them, they secured a 100% goodwill contribution from BMW to replace it.
So quit your worrying! By asking questions you're more likely to make trouble for yourself.
That's reassuring to hear - I think based on the call with the dealership themselves I can be relatively confident it won't cause any problems Had my rear wheel bearings done at Lookers Stockport under warranty on current car, and had a five figure job done on my wife's 125i that had been serviced by Darren (new cyl head and turbos and many, many man hours of investigation). Lookers also once spotted an issue with the steering rack in the 125i and despite not having a warranty at that time, and having not had it serviced with them, they secured a 100% goodwill contribution from BMW to replace it.
So quit your worrying! By asking questions you're more likely to make trouble for yourself.
Thanks for the response
95JO said:
Swervin_Mervin said:
I use Darren all the time. I have a BMW Insured Warranty. It's made absolutely no difference to being able to claim on that warranty.
Had my rear wheel bearings done at Lookers Stockport under warranty on current car, and had a five figure job done on my wife's 125i that had been serviced by Darren (new cyl head and turbos and many, many man hours of investigation). Lookers also once spotted an issue with the steering rack in the 125i and despite not having a warranty at that time, and having not had it serviced with them, they secured a 100% goodwill contribution from BMW to replace it.
So quit your worrying! By asking questions you're more likely to make trouble for yourself.
That's reassuring to hear - I think based on the call with the dealership themselves I can be relatively confident it won't cause any problems Had my rear wheel bearings done at Lookers Stockport under warranty on current car, and had a five figure job done on my wife's 125i that had been serviced by Darren (new cyl head and turbos and many, many man hours of investigation). Lookers also once spotted an issue with the steering rack in the 125i and despite not having a warranty at that time, and having not had it serviced with them, they secured a 100% goodwill contribution from BMW to replace it.
So quit your worrying! By asking questions you're more likely to make trouble for yourself.
Thanks for the response
I got mine back from the bearings and it was clearly massively out of alignment. They claimed it was within tolerance and the wheel was off when I took it in. Infiniti Stockport guys sorted it on their Hunter rig. Had the same after the rack was done on the 125 as well! I'm very familiar with the Infiniti dealership!
Swervin_Mervin said:
The only problems you may have will be related to the dealership working on your car!
I got mine back from the bearings and it was clearly massively out of alignment. They claimed it was within tolerance and the wheel was off when I took it in. Infiniti Stockport guys sorted it on their Hunter rig. Had the same after the rack was done on the 125 as well! I'm very familiar with the Infiniti dealership!
I can imagine! I haven't had any problems with the techs themselves at my local dealer (Halliwell Jones Warrington) but me being unfamiliar with the whole courtesy wash thing, I did get stung with a some nice swirling and scratches in the clear coat on my bonnet/bootlid which was ideal - Lesson learnt now though, massive "DO NOT WASH" signs on the dash I got mine back from the bearings and it was clearly massively out of alignment. They claimed it was within tolerance and the wheel was off when I took it in. Infiniti Stockport guys sorted it on their Hunter rig. Had the same after the rack was done on the 125 as well! I'm very familiar with the Infiniti dealership!
Any reason you took it to an Infiniti garage over another BMW dealer or tyre/alignment place?
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