Obscene new warranty terms: BMW complaint response?

[deutscher]

I have just received my M3 warranty renewal notice detailing the obscene new terms. I have run BMWs for over 20 years and am poised to desert the marque because of these horrendous increases and the implication that the cars are not longer fit to do over 100,000 miles.

I am going to write a strong letter of complaint, but presumably many have done this already. So I can head off their excuses in advance, can I have feedback on what the BMW stock reply is.

Many thanks.

[Gimlet]

Look here for info/feedback ...............

www.fastsaloons.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=804

[deutscher]

Thanks gimlet: thread read.

Are there any insurance/FSA experts out there that can verify this is all the government's fault and not BMWs? Even if it is, I can see no reason why BMW couldn't subsidise the premium or underwrite the excess.

[gazzab]

This is a lame excuse from BMW. Expertise in insurance or the ways of the FSA isnt that relevant.
BMW have had to strike comemrcial terms with the warranty companies. BMW have chosen the terms ie they have a lot of muscle. So I see no excuse beyond BMW openly admitting they dont care for these customer segments.

[M333 JDC]

Do a search on Z3MCoupe.com about warranties, there's been lots of discussion about this lately.

[mondeoman]

EVERY BMW forum is carrying this as an issue now.

Its all part of BMW becoming a "mainstream" supplier, rather than executive/niche. Basically they want to charge a premoum for expensive goods, but don't "really" care if you have to come back after 3 years and get a new one cos the old one is shagged.

[gibo993]

I have been a huge M car fan for tha lst 4 years ZM Coupe and now M5
but I think I have had it with BMW, I could go for an after market Warranty but I have just become too fed up with the price hikes.
Could just cut my losses and go for a Cheap Ford Focus ST ( I get big discounts)or Porsche 996 as these are cheaper to keep on the road as there are so many good independents around.

Whatever happens BMW dealers have lost my custom as my M5 will be serviced outside the BMW dealerships if I decide to keep her.

[Egbert Nobacon]

Does anyone know the comparable cost for extending a BMW warranty in mainland europe, and is this just another example of rip off Britain ?

My M3 is just having c£6k worth of warranty work completed having covered just 23k miles - one needs to do some serious head scratching regarding both renewal costs and likely depreciation on M vehicles now.

[rlk500]

I think you need to ask yourself why a car with 23K on the clock needs 6K worth of warranty work. Overpriced and under-engineered, I have two and won't be buying another........

[Egbert Nobacon]

rlk500 said:

I think you need to ask yourself why a car with 23K on the clock needs 6K worth of warranty work. Overpriced and under-engineered, I have two and won't be buying another........

Your right, I had already decided to dispose of it prior to the warranty expiring anyway !

[superlightr]

I had a e39 M5 which also fell apart and broke down. My first and last time I touch a BMW.

[Deutscher]

I've got my reply back from BMW and unsurprisingly it's a re-hash of similar replies that have been posted elsewhere.

OK, I can accept that an M3 warranty is going to be more than a 318 warranty, but has anyone got an explanation from them why it should be so much more than a Porsche 996?

[dazren]

Deutscher said:

OK, I can accept that an M3 warranty is going to be more than a 318 warranty, but has anyone got an explanation from them why it should be so much more than a Porsche 996?

Interesting how BMW warrantys now appear to be done outside BMW(UK) and the price goes stratospheric. Meanwhile I was told that Porsche have recently taken their warrantys inhouse and my renewal next month on a turbo will be £725 for 12 months (£100 a year cheaper than years 3 and 4).

Funny old world.

DAZ

>> Edited by dazren on Friday 3rd March 18:19

[baz1985]

I certainly won't buy another BMW until the warranty is back to 2004 terms. Unlimited miles, minimal exclusions, sensible price.

Baz

[Deutscher]

dazren said:

Meanwhile I was told that Porsche have recently taken their warrantys inhouse and my renewal next month on a turbo will be £725 for 12 months (£100 a year cheaper than years 3 and 4). >> Edited by dazren on Friday 3rd March 18:19

I had a long discussion with the BMW Warranty Services Department today.

My objective was to find out how they can justify the £1050 (plus excess) warranty renewal charge for an M3 in comparison to Porsche's charge of £725 (no excess) for a 996 Turbo.

I could get no justification whatsoever and the person just kept chanting the mantra that their underwriters demanded that the policy break even and that their underwriters must be kept happy. I said that their underwriters might be happy, but their previously loyal customers were not. The person said most people were accepting the terms. I said that if this was the case, it was simply because BMW had them over a barrel in the short-term, but in the long-term BMW would suffer.

The person said they weren't aware of any dissatisfaction being expressed on the Internet!

>> Edited by Deutscher on Tuesday 7th March 14:52

[Pickled Piper]

Perhaps the underwriters have got their sums right and they will gain in the short term. However, they will lose customers like myself who have run BMWs with extended warranties for many years. There is also now no reason to maintain your vehicle within the dealer network and invariably it will hit the residuals of used Beemers.

But hey nobody said BMW ownership has to be for ever. I'm seriously thinking about a Lexus or an Audi as a replacement. I know an excellent independent VAG garage that could maintain an Audi for me and this will be a major influencing factor for me.

pp

[eliot]

Vote with your feet!
Get yourself one of these vacuum oil changers, done the oil the wifes 325, took 20 minutes including 3.2 seconds punching the service lights out. Total cost £38 including filter.

[Pickled Piper]

Eliot,

Where did you buy that, how much and what is the capacity?

Cheers

pp

[Zod]

superlightr said:

I had a e39 M5 which also fell apart and broke down. My first and last time I touch a BMW.

Yes we know. You tell us often. They all do that, of course, which is why they sell so well. I would have been upset if it had happened to me too, but I hope I would have taken note of all the people to whom it didn't happen. I've had four and get my fifth next week; a 330Ci, a manual M3, an SMG M3 and a CSL, with an E60 M5 on the way and I have never had a single problem.

edit: that said, I am appalled by the new warranty terms.

>> Edited by Zod on Tuesday 7th March 20:27

[800]

Pickled Piper said:

Perhaps the underwriters have got their sums right and they will gain in the short term. However, they will lose customers like myself who have run BMWs with extended warranties for many years. There is also now no reason to maintain your vehicle within the dealer network and invariably it will hit the residuals of used Beemers. But hey nobody said BMW ownership has to be for ever. I'm seriously thinking about a Lexus or an Audi as a replacement. I know an excellent independent VAG garage that could maintain an Audi for me and this will be a major influencing factor for me. pp

mmmmm, interesting perspective. I'm tempted to agree. However, BMW started as a small volume niche manufacturer, now, thanks to decades of quality product and increasing model range, they are one of the biggest seller. But, this is a double-edged sword. With it comes the downside, ubiquitous presence, pikey image and plunging residuals. I suspect, as you suggest, the change in warranty terms will add to this. Short term gain for long term pain.

Having said that, where BMW go, owing to their commercial success, others will follow....................