Dealer says oil top off not covered?

[Mitch P.]

Is this really true? Oil changes are covered, but top off due to consumption is not? I am very surprised if this is true....

[MStar]

Wha? find a new dealer..

Only the stingest of stealerships would say a top off isnt covered.

[jerseygirl]

Originally Posted by MStar

Wha? find a new dealer..

Only the stingest of stealerships would say a top off isnt covered.

my dealer charged me 14 bucks to top off

[MKE_M3]

Not sure what the official rule is ( I would assume its covered ), but I've had mixed expereinces with differant SAs at the same dealer. One gave me a quart to take with me, no questions asked, the other was a bit of a pain, but eventually caved. I ALWAYS like to keep a spare quart in the trunk of every car.

[Denk]

I've received no hassle free top off's from my dealership after a couple of oil changes. No more than a week after the fills though. They filled to just half both times. I haven't hit them up for normal consumption top offs, I just carry a quart with me for security.

[M3PO]

I don't think it is *technically* covered but you must have a shitty dealer if they won't.

[MStar]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

One gave me a quart to take with me, no questions asked.

Thats what I got..it boils down to individual dealers..technically "no" its not covered, but as I said only the stingest of dealers would say no.

Could be OP's dealer doesnt service alot of M3s so the oil is not readily available..just a guess

[isugoo]

Technically it's not covered. some dealer still give you extra to top off while some made owner to go buy 1 qt. of oil. so it's really up to the dealership policy.

[bubu]

BMW NA's official policy regarding oil top-off/consumption is that it's "not covered" under scheduled maintenance or warranty when I called them about it a few years ago.

Most dealerships will top-off oil for free on cars bought @ their dealership...although its been a mixed bag from personal experience. Irvine BMW for a long time refused to do it, but with recent management change started doing it...

bottom line, its at the dealerships discretion last I heard.

[MStar]

Originally Posted by Team Plutonium

Or.... you just top it off yourself.

Or save $20 and get the dealer to do it..

[JD3]

MAG BMW in Dublin, OH topped me off for free, good guys. I wasn't under warranty, but they had changed the oil about a month before. I didn't know these cars went through oil like they do, so I was a little freaked. Bought 2 Quarts for the future.

[GIdriver]

Originally Posted by Team Plutonium

I just don't get too excited over $15. In any case, having some oil in your garage or car is generally a good idea. I'm dreading the day when you can't even open up the car's hood to do anything yourself.

And it will happen sooner or latter. Just look at the 991 engine bay...

BTW, I always have a quarter at home just in case.

[aus]

It should be covered if the oil light comes on!!
BMW always claims full maintenance in their commercials.
Now if the light isn't on, then I could see them not covering it.

.

[Mitch P.]

OK from the sounds of it, changes are covered and topping off is at our expense. Not a big deal, but it just surprised me.

Worse yet I sent my wife in to get it and when she called me I unleashed on her LOL. Whoops! Either way, my SA gave her a free quart and explained to me that after this, the policy is at my expense to which I was still grateful, but a bit puzzled.

[isugoo]

Many BMW dealers will not even top off windshield washer fluid...
(either they don't do it or top off with water, not washer fluid)

[surlynkid]

i am going to waste my time to go to the dealership for 1/2 of a $15 bottle of oil??

an hour plus of my time for $7.50. i am not sure how many of you work for minimum wage, but my time is worth way more than that.

you guys have too much free time if you are willing to go through that hassle for 1/2 a quart of oil.

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by surlynkid

i am going to waste my time to go to the dealership for 1/2 of a $15 bottle of oil??

an hour plus of my time for $7.50. i am not sure how many of you work for minimum wage, but my time is worth way more than that.

you guys have too much free time if you are willing to go through that hassle for 1/2 a quart of oil.

Curt, but I have to agree with this. I go to the dealership's parts dept, use my BMWCCA card for the discount, and get 4 bottles of Castrol TWS at a time. I keep a few in the garage and one in the trunk at all times. I only need to top it up every couple months or so, but it's just so much more convenient to do it myself. And if I'm 300 miles from home, at Watkins Glen or wherever, I don't have to worry about driving a few hundred miles home to my dealer with a low oil level. You can just take care of it then and there.

I can just see it: take an hour or more out of your day to drive your car to the dealer, pull in the service entrance, talk to your service advisor, have the valet whisk the car to the back for the oil top-up, then have the valet lay some rubber in the back as he comes back around to drop your car off. No thanks.

[doc19]

It's not covered officially, like windshield wiper blades, oil is considered a consumable. High volume M dealerships usually cover it, unfortunately mine is not one and they don't. But I keep 3 quarts in my garage at all time just in case, always good to have. Also my dealership is a good 40 minutes away from me, so like someone mentioned above its easier just to do it myself (not to mention faster). I will say though, it would be nice if they offered it, I am likely going to buy another BMW in the future, and a gesture such as being willing to top off the oil for free would be something that would bring me back to that dealership to buy my next car. Ah well...

Word of advice - if doing it yourself watch the seal on the cap, the o-ring easily sticks when the cap is being taken off then can get bunched when putting it back which will have you spraying oil all over your engine once you start the car, so make sure you examine the o-ring and put a light coat of oil on it prior to putting the cap back on. And also, never put more than 1/2 quart in at a time. In my car once I get 1q low, 1/2q is enough to get me to "max." Man what I would give for a dip stick.

[HeartMD]

Originally Posted by paradocs98

Curt, but I have to agree with this. I go to the dealership's parts dept, use my BMWCCA card for the discount, and get 4 bottles of Castrol TWS at a time. I keep a few in the garage and one in the trunk at all times. I only need to top it up every couple months or so, but it's just so much more convenient to do it myself. And if I'm 300 miles from home, at Watkins Glen or wherever, I don't have to worry about driving a few hundred miles home to my dealer with a low oil level. You can just take care of it then and there.

I can just see it: take an hour or more out of your day to drive your car to the dealer, pull in the service entrance, talk to your service advisor, have the valet whisk the car to the back for the oil top-up, then have the valet lay some rubber in the back as he comes back around to drop your car off. No thanks.

+1 Amen to that

[thai357sig]

I purchased from VOB on Rockville pike in Montg county MD. They refused. Now they're out of bussiness. I now go to Tischer, they took care of me. I will give them my bussiness, which is quite a bit since I'm out of warranty. Brakes/ oil change At 8k/ a new Junction Control Box(?) $1000, When my computer died./ reflash of updated software/ cabin air filter,$250/etc.

When I go in for a top off they usually check everything free of charge and let me know when the next maintenance items are due. It keeps my M on the road so I'm happy. 73K mile and seems to be going strong.

[BPMSport]

Technically not covered under warranty, so they don't *have* to.

I have never had them refuse me. In fact, they have given me free bottles before.

Just do business elsewhere, Only deal with companies that offer proper support for what they sell. For something that costs them a micro fraction of the profit they make on the sale of one car, they should cover it regardless of BMW's warranty.

[Mitch P.]

I did not purchase the car from that dealership, I bought used. With that said, I typically keep spares in the garage but since I've owned it only since Feb I never got around to it.

Since the wifey was nearby I just took advantage and wanted her to pick a quart up for me not knowing what was going to happen.

+1 on my time being more valuable. I'll be buying spares once I get back to the dealership (30mi away).