Dealer Scam?

I'd just like to know if this is typical of BMW dealers or am I being too critical.

Bought the car new in April, 2004 (330i) and had a routine oil change done in Oct. of 2004 (not covered by warranty and that's fine). When I brought the car in for my winter/summer tire change-over in April, the service adviser said I was do for my regular (warranty) maintenance and asked if I wanted it done. I told them I didn't have time but I would book an appointment for my Inspection I in a month or so.

Early June roles around, the service indicator on the car says 4050 KMs and I've got a long trip coming up so I call the dealer and say explicitly that I would like to make an appointment for my Inspection I

- no problem is the reply. I bring the car in on the agreed date and before signing the work order notice it doesn't say Inspection I so I ask again to be clear that this means they will be doing Inspection I. I leave the car for the day and don't notice when I pick it up that the service indicator isn't reset.

When I get home, I notice the service indicator isn't reset, the warranty book says only an oil change was done and the service invoice states only an oil change was done. So, I call the dealer the next morning (today) - dealer tells me this is normal for low mileage cars, they did the warranty inspection (without changing whatever other parts they are supposed to change) but can't write that down because I'm still short on the KMs and BMW won't pay for that. I asked why I wasn't told this BEFORE and they say it's not them, it's BMW policy. I ask what I'm supposed to do when the service indicator runs down to 0 on my trip and they say to bring the car in before I leave and they'll reset it. They also say I'm not covered for service until NEXT year and they have to skip the Inspection I parts replacement this time around.

Am I nuts to complain about this or is this typical of the warranty crap BMW puts you through?

Since the dealer wasn't very accommodating, things got to the point where I told them that I will need to find someone else to do the work on my car from this point forward - this didn't seem to bother or surprise them at all. If this is typical of the BMW philosophy, I can say now without hesitation that even though I love my car this will be the last car I buy from them if that's their philosophy.

I'm not even sure if it's worth sending a letter to BMW Canada or the dealership general manager this horrible service (from my point of view anyway).

Thanks for your time.

Reply to
Not Sure
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You had an oil change done at less than 4000 KMs? Why? The service indicator tells you when one is due.

Of course not. It tells you when a service is needed - either oil change or inspection. Buy measuring various parameters. If you decide to take over from it by simply using the odometer and ancient ideas then just ignore it.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Reply to
Buy and Sell

Otto's in Ottawa.

Too picky because I will miss some service that would have been performed if I had more mileage but now will lose out on completely?

Too picky because they did something other than what I expected/was told?

What happens next year if I'm under mileage again? Do I lose out on that too? Won't this missed work cause potential warranty/maintenance issues down the road?

Buy and Sell wrote:

Reply to
Not Sure

Reply to
Not Sure

Not sure about Canada, but in the U.S., you are entitled to an Oil Service at approximately 24,000 KM and Inspection I in lieu of the second oil service. If you have not accumulated this mileage, BMW will do a free oil change (not oil service - there is a difference) at least once a year. They should not reset the service indicator until the 24k service is due. As this is the warranty requirement, you will not be in violation, and, yes, if you don't accumulate enough mileage during the free maintenance period, you won't get all of the specified maintenance because the time coverage will expire.

Since you wouldn't be due for Inspection I until approximately 48,000 KM, it sounds like your dealer is giving you exactly the service that BMW specifies.

On the other hand, if you drove 80,000 KM a year, you would only get one year's free maintenance - but it would include two oil services, one Inspection I, and most likely at least one set of brake pads & rotors for all four wheels.

Many of us feel more secure by not waiting the full 15,000 miles (24k kilometers) for an oil service and have the oil & filter changed at around

7,500 miles - without an indicator reset. If at least a year has gone by, then BMW covers it, otherwise it costs about $75.00 at a U.S. dealer.

Don't forget, you are running synthetic oil & the days of 5,000 KM oil changes are long gone.

Enjoy your BMW.

Tom

Reply to
Tom K.

The service program is based on the service iindicator.

If you are paying you can take them when you want, but I guess that if BMW are paying they wn't do them too early.

snip

They should not reset the service indicator WITHOUT doing the work involved.

Sounds like a dealer mistake.

Regular BMW's can be serviced at any BMW dealer.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

I almost made the same mistake about this post, but then I realized the OP was saying that the SI display was saying the Inspection 1 would be due in 4,000 KMs, not that the car had 4000 KMs on it. That was when the whole story began to make some sense

-Fred W

Reply to
Malt_Hound

Ahh. Suppose it does then.

But it's only really the oil/filter change that should be done on the dot. Other things at an inspection aren't that critical.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

There you go!

It seems that there was simply a wire crossed somewhere, and the dealer is setting things right. Having said that, and not having a new car, I thought the Service Inspection I was merely a check of the fluids and the belts and hoses. These are items that should be checked whenever the oil is changed. The bottom line is, don't stress on this too much. If you keep your service tickets, then you can show that you had the work done if a warranty question ever comes about.

THEY : Did you have the Inspection I done at nnn miles? YOU: Well, yes I did, here's the service ticket. THEY: This isn't an Inspection I. YOU: What do I know of these things? I brought the car in at the interval and had work done. THEY: Well, we can't do warranty work because the i's aren't dotted and the t's aren't crossed. YOU: Excuse me while I call my lawyers. I brought the car to the dealer and they did the work. What they wrote is beyond me. You have a warranty issue to fix, and I appreciate it if you'd get to it -- dialing the phone.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

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