New M5 problems

[trando]

I picked up my brand new MCB F10 M5 CP mid June and drove a couple of hundred miles in it trying to get to 1200 as quickly as possible!

Since the end of June though, the car is back with the dealer having an oil leak fixed. A seal in the rear diff assembly has failed and drops of oil have appeared on the floor of my garage and on my drive. If that wasn’t enough, the dealer has now said that a special tool is needed to resite the diff seal on M cars and this tool has to come from Germany and will take 7-10 days to be delivered.

So, after a month, I will have driven the car for 2 weeks out of 4...

I am hugely frustrated by this and will be taking it up with BMW UK. Anyone else had any similar experiences?

[Andy M]

I'd seek legal advice.

Put your complaint/concerns in writing to your finance company (cc'ing BMW UK and the dealer principal) ASAP.

Allow a reasonable amount of time for BMW to address the issues, but put them on formal notice a deadline by which time you want all issues rectified, past which you will be formally rejecting the car.

I wouldn't allow it to go past 6 weeks.

[Helicopter123]

Although frustrating, it doesn't seem anything to suggest "lemon" just yet!

Let BMW fix it and hoover up some good will, a free service might be worth looking into?

[Crazy4557]

I had a new rear diff/axle replaced on mine after 10k miles, took about a month all in so yours is looking about right timewise.

Hopefully they've given you a loan car of similar status i.e M car? That's the least they can do although for a car thats so new. I only got a 320d and I had to argue for that too as Enterprise only had an Astra or similar. I wasn't too fussed as I did'nt really use mine much but the attitude all round was hard work. They didn't even clean all the oil off underneath that had coated the rear half until I gave them some verbal!

[Andy M]

I had an issue with a brand new 'executive car' a few years ago which ultimately ended up losing me £25k+ in depreciation in a period during which I seldom had the car.

I was surprised at the short amount of time that a car is no longer perceived as 'new'. I fell foul of this as I gave the manufacturer numerous chances to repair the fault; this patience ended up costing me.

If your car is not right within a couple of weeks I would recommend handing the car back and requesting a brand new like-for-like replacement.

[HoHoHo]

My new M5 (albeit on lease) spent a disproportionate amount of time in the garage when new with various little niggles, it seemed to be every week and for the first three or four months.

I'm still visiting every 6-8 weeks or so having the rear boot lights changed as they seem to crack and fall apart far too easily - they really have no idea why however whilst they are happy to change them under warranty I'll live with it.

I got a pretty big fat cheque in compensation for mileage and time for the initial problems which I was grateful for. I was also always given a new M5 (the demo or one from another dealer) to drive when mine was being looked at so I couldn't complain.

[CoolHands]

I wouldnt worry about a diff too much. I wouldnt want them taking the heads off etc for warranty work and fking it all up, but the diff seal, not a problem. If the leak isn't bad you should keep driving it and take it back when they get the tool in.

[trando]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have taken this up with BMW FS and BMW UK and they are putting a plan in action which will hopefully redress some of the dissatisfaction I am feeling. To be fair, the 2 dealers concerned (one that supplied the car not local, one that is fixing it locally) are not at fault - my real gripe is with BMW the manufacturer.

I have a 320d from Enterprise and have requested something more appropriate which they are looking into.

What's this tool that they are going on about? Sounds like very few dealers have experience of this fault which is why none of them have the tool... And why hasn't BMW ever heard of next day delivery, even from Germany? Questions, questions...

[W8PMC]

Fingers crossed it gets resolved soon.

IIRC, you need to give BMW/The dealer a chance to rectify the problem which it appears you're doing. What you need to be aware of is any scenario where it's clear they don't fully understand what's causing the fault & as such it 'could' happen again. If this is the case then inform BMW UK that if the car fails again as a result of the original fault not being rectified then you'll be rejecting the car.

It doesn't sound like this is the case with yours but be sure they've correctly diagnosed the fault.

[Wills2]

Not good OP, nothing worse than a new car going wrong, but I would let them fix it as it doesn't seem a huge issue, what I would say to the dealer is one chance to fix the diff if that doesn't work you want a new diff fitted.