Query: What is considered "abusive driving" in an M Car?

[Seattle S65B40]

After recently seeing several threads on dealer denials of warranty service for allegedly "abused" cars, I think it's worth exploring some sort of definition or framework for analyzing "abusive driving." I certainly don't abuse my car, and don't think others do either. However, because most of us are familiar this car, we are more qualified to speak on this subject than say the average car owner. So under M3 or M car standards, what is considered abusive?

Certainly, the car has elevated performance capabilities relative to 98% of the cars on the road. It is designed to rev very high and handle extreme cornering and speeds. BMW's advertisements and factual statements about the car's performance or race car heritage arguably create express warranties about these capabilities. Certainly, the brochures, ads and videos would be admissible evidence if a breach of warranty case made it to trial. At any rate, everyone agrees that this car can handle most all of what it is advertised to do, as exhibited by members that track their cars after DDing the car all week, and never having any issues at all.

At some point, regardless of a car's capabilities, one's driving can go beyond the manufacturer's threshold specifications, and things can break down over time with the additional wear. The question is, when does that occur? When you add things like launch control, Sport EDC, ZCP and other features that promote more stress-inducing conditions, can the manufacturer then turn and say that product is being misused or abused? How about an unrelated mod like an exhaust in the case of suspension or subframe issue, or pointing to a suspension mod in the case of an engine problem?

What do you guys consider to be abusive relative to the cars capabilities? Does anyone know some of the indicators that services techs look for? I think this could serve as a useful reference if we can get a good cross-section of opinions on this.

[saeedg48]

not over revving. not mis shifting. not slipping the clutch. great thread btw.

[Seattle S65B40]

Originally Posted by saeedg48

not over revving. not mis shifting. not slipping the clutch. great thread btw.

Thanks. Money shifts and obvious operator error issues go without saying. What's confusing about the threads i referenced is that both owners said they didn't abuse their car. Wether or not that is true, we can't be sure, but i'm pretty sure there can be a case where a dealer will cite abuse as a reason to deny a major repair, when in reality the type of driving that it was operated under is within the car's advertised capabilities (ie launch control).

[1MOREMOD]

Dude your really cranking out the posts!

[trackm4]

Originally Posted by saeedg48

not over revving. not mis shifting. not slipping the clutch. great thread btw.

never a problem with DCT :-D

[Seattle S65B40]

Originally Posted by fatstig

never a problem with DCT :-D

The real issues contemplated by this thread relate more so to DCT than anything. The classic example, again, is launch control. The car is designed to launch using this feature. After all, it's in the manual (with what disclaimers, idk). But some consider launching abuse and a dealership might deny your claim for repair arising out of that. Then what?

[Serious]

Any rpm above 3500rpm, braking hard enough to engage abs, any action that activates traction control, ever turning traction control off, engaging M dynamic mode, and exceeding 75mph.

[arter]

Any action that results in a warranty claim

You should leave your M3 in the garage and wax it nightly
( not sure if you are allowed top sit in it a listen to the radio - that might be excessive wear)

[Seattle S65B40]

Does this count as abuse??

[Erhan]

I consider it "abusive driving" if the driver is not myself...

[InTheNightKitchen]

I minute amount of serious answers...

[Moxie]

Originally Posted by Seattle S65B40

Does this count as abuse??

Only for the tires -

[Mahmood07]

Originally Posted by Serious

Any rpm above 3500rpm, braking hard enough to engage abs, any action that activates traction control, ever turning traction control off, engaging M dynamic mode, and exceeding 75mph.

...nvm, just read your name.

[paradocs98]

Great thread. Subscribed.

[saeedg48]

Originally Posted by Seattle S65B40

Does this count as abuse??

if this person hadn't slipped the clutch at the beginning.. no

[saeedg48]

Originally Posted by Mahmood07

...nvm, just read your name.

AHAHHA

[sA x sKy]

Originally Posted by erhanh

I consider it "abusive driving" if the driver is not myself...

+1

[bigeye]

Anything goes should be ok for a (in Aussie) $200K car.
When I first finished uni, all I could afford was a Hyundai excel.
I drove that shitbox to redline in every gear, everytime I drove. Always.
Sold it 4 years later, having only paid for a few scheduled services.
This bullshit about BMW allegedly saying "hey, pony up for this racing car with number plates", and then later saying, .."ooooohhh, you drove it like a racing car so warranty is deceased", is crap.
Drive the beast howver you like. If it breaks, get a lawyer - it will be warrantied (at least wtih our new Aus laws it will be)

[Seattle S65B40]

So apparently, none of the following should be considered abuse in an ///M:

- Running up to redline as much as you want and in any gear.

- Clutch dumps at 3500 RPMs or less (6MT)

- Using launch control as much as you want

- Track driving

All of the above are things many of us engage in from time to time. The car can handle it and it is designed to do so, right? (of course if you ask me). If a dealer tells you that you've abused your car when you're doing any of the above, do you have a legitimate claim for breach of warranty if they eventually refuse to repair your car? IMO yes.

I would love to see the fine print and exclusions of our warranties to include some analysis of that language as part of this thread. Does anyone have any exclusionary language they can post from the warranty or manual?

[jeff4598]

off roading , floating on water ,evil k. style bus jumps , stuff like that is borderline

[dexx]

Abuse? Putting it in cruise control at 68mph in the left lane.

[Seattle S65B40]

Originally Posted by dexx

Abuse? Putting it in cruise control at 68mph in the left lane.

Ha! Agreed.