[poiney]

My warranty expires next month and I want to make sure that anything not working properly is identified now. I can check the light bulbs, but I wonder about things engine related, etc.

I still have an intermittent lag when I accelerate that they can't duplicate when I bring it into the shop. It is fine most of the time so it's hard to get BMW to find it, or anyway they say it is within spec. I just wonder if the sluggishness gets much worse and then I'm responsible for paying to have it fixed.

I'm curious what others do when they get close to warranty expiration date?

Thanks

[slavke]

get your wallet ready.

[cb1111]

Find a local independent shop and pay them an hour or so to check your car over carefully and note any issues. Bring those to the attention of your dealership and ask that they be fixed under warranty.

The "carrot" for the indy shop is that you'll bring your car to them now that you're no longer under warranty.

[poiney]

Originally Posted by cb1111

Find a local independent shop and pay them an hour or so to check your car over carefully and note any issues. Bring those to the attention of your dealership and ask that they be fixed under warranty.

The "carrot" for the indy shop is that you'll bring your car to them now that you're no longer under warranty.

Do you recommend that from personal experience or others you know and did they find anything that BMW wouldn't have caught when they perform their standard inspection (I'm due for that before warranty expires). Thanks.

[Bighorns]

Can you get the 2 year warranty extension from BMW? I'm planning a car savings account for when mine runs out in 2012!

[dreamingat30fps]

Just be glad its not a 335i. Mine will be out of warranty by the end of the year.

[cb1111]

Originally Posted by poiney

Do you recommend that from personal experience or others you know and did they find anything that BMW wouldn't have caught when they perform their standard inspection (I'm due for that before warranty expires). Thanks.

BMW does not really have an interest in finding issues. Any problems they find they will need to fix under warranty - costing them money. Problems they don't find will appear once the warranty has run out and they will be more than glad to fix them on your dime.

The independent shop has no dog in this fight except they want you as a future customer.

[Chriztofor]

^ +100

[poiney]

Originally Posted by cb1111

BMW does not really have an interest in finding issues. Any problems they find they will need to fix under warranty - costing them money. Problems they don't find will appear once the warranty has run out and they will be more than glad to fix them on your dime.

The independent shop has no dog in this fight except they want you as a future customer.

I was under impression that legit warranty items were covered by BMW NA so the local BMW dealers would be motivated to find problems, if/since they get comp-ed.

On the other hand, if there is something wrong with car that BMW NA considers "within spec" then it doesn't really matter since BMW dealer won't want to fix, and at some point one needs to pay out of pocket if they want it repaired, regardless of when the problem was diagnosed.

I was thinking that the advantage of an indy mechanic is they may highlight items that are in the "gray area" or simply items that BMW dealer accidentally missed.

[cb1111]

Befor the warranty expired on my Audi (at about 45k miles, I had the final oil change done at the dealer (Audi included 4/50 maintenance then) and had them check the car over carefully.

A week later I had an indy check the car. They found a leaking valley gasket and a few suspension issues that Audi fixed when I pointed it out to them.

It was about $2k in repairs.

[hipnotic]

gl

[John 070]

Originally Posted by poiney

I was under impression that legit warranty items were covered by BMW NA so the local BMW dealers would be motivated to find problems, if/since they get comp-ed.

On the other hand, if there is something wrong with car that BMW NA considers "within spec" then it doesn't really matter since BMW dealer won't want to fix, and at some point one needs to pay out of pocket if they want it repaired, regardless of when the problem was diagnosed.

I was thinking that the advantage of an indy mechanic is they may highlight items that are in the "gray area" or simply items that BMW dealer accidentally missed.

BMW dealerships have all the appointments they need, they do not want warranty work coming in, esp. N54's which tie up their service bays and prevent "paying" aka cash customers from paying them generously. Well, actually, they put the 335's aside i.e. the two day oil change or 8 day not sure what's wrong. I think though it's hilarious that they can have a loaner out for 2 days for an oil change or 8 days for a we didn't find anything wrong $0 repair.

Long story short is they have no interest in finding things wrong just because an owner's warranty is ending, that's the owner's job, seriously. If something is wrong, speak up while the car's under warranty.

I paid for the 7/100 gold I think back in July--I found out I could have waited until next month as the policy changed, but since the guy discounted it, it was done over the phone, and he was in a tax-free state, I just paid early.