View Single Post
      09-06-2013, 01:51 PM   #1
g222leav
Private First Class
United_States
9
Rep
156
Posts

Drives: 2013 AW M3
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Chicago

iTrader: (1)

Advice needed: Break-in service issues

Here's the cliff notes first:

- The night before scheduled appointment for 1200mile break-in on 08/26, I discovered a rather large screw in tire tread and got a warning for low oil level (oil spill found on garage floor)
- Was told I needed to replace tire and it needed to be ordered. Minor Oil leak discovered, possibly due to a bad gasket that also needed to be ordered.
- Informed today (9/6) that the gasket didn't stop the leak and that it was now coming from the back, so they now need to drop the tranny to get at it.
- No ETA on completion....should I be concerned about the oil leak? should I contact BMWFS for payment adjustment?


Here's the long version:

The night before my scheduled break-in service (08/26), I noticed a rather large screw in my tire tread. While driving, I received a warning that my oil level was low. Since it was a Sunday, I had no luck finding any 10w60 oil in the local auto stores but felt lucky that I was bringing it in for service in the morning anyways. My initial thought was that it was burning the oil, but that's when I went to check my garage. So I check my garage floor and low and behold I have a fresh oil spill on my garage floor. It wasn't a huge oil spill but it was enough to initiate a warning on the car's computer. I jacked her up and couldn't find any obvious causes of the leak but I did see that there was fresh oil on a metal part of the bottom of the engine (which I didn't get a good look at in the dark but possibly the drip pan?), I checked the engine bay and the oil cap which all seemed pristine. I had scheduled the break-in service weeks ago since I was having the dealer powdercoat my wheels black (arranged at date of purchase). So I knew I was going to have to leave it there for at least a few days and I knew I was going to get a loaner, I brought her in with about ~1500 on the odometer.

So they gave me a 3.28i which isn't to bad, but it sure as hell isn't an M3. Eventually I get an update that:
a) The screw in the tire punctured the tread in the valley and had to be replaced, furthermore it needed to be ordered.
b) They confirmed a small leak which the technician suspected was a bad gasket on a seal, which also needed to be ordered.

I figured with the powdercoating, ordering parts, maintenance it would be a good week so I wasn't really freaking out. I've been getting regular updates, but today (9/6) I call to check (hoping to have my car back for the weekend) and they say they replaced the gasket; drove it around a bit but it was still leaking oil. The technician suspects its coming from the rear now and they need to drop the tranny to get to the leak.

Other than the tires, this is all covered under warranty (so i've been told) and there doesn't seem to be any indications of any shenanigans. I'm not upset or anything, I've chalked it up to one of those things that happens. I am pretty disappointed with not having a 'broken-in' M3 (seeing how I just got to that milestone). I've tried not to go stir crazy over a new car having issues already, I'm crossing my fingers that it's just initial bad luck and I hope to have a relatively problem-free ownership experience.

Anyways, its been suggested that I contact BMWFS for a payment adjustment since I will essentially be out of the car for 1/2 a month (i've seen similar suggestions on this board for other threads).

-Should I be concerned about a small oil leak so early?
-Would/Should asking BMWFS be a viable/reasonable thing to do?
-If not now, at what point?

I don't usually demand things like this, but at the same time I don't want to be ass-raped. I just want to be an educated consumer.

Any feedback is welcome!
-

Last edited by g222leav; 09-06-2013 at 01:57 PM..
Appreciate 0