Advice with dealing with the stealers...

[mmh]

Well my car (BMW E46) has to go in tomorow because the rear subframe has torn itself away where the diff mount is...

its a common problem and BMW have agreed to pay 100% of the cost to repair it...

the problem is that they want the car for 2 and a half weeks and they have said they wont give me a courtesy car... atleast not without me paying £15 PER DAY!!! for a job that will take about 8 hours...

does anyone have any advice on how i can persuade them to let me have a courtesy car without paying... surely as this is a manufacturing fault BMW should pay because i am out of a car for so long... not to mention its taking a buttload of time... i mean 2 and a half weeks... i bet they'lkl get the subframe out and let the car sit there for a week or 2 before getting to work... fix it put it back together and jobs a good en, after they have put me out for 2 and a bit weeks!

so if anyone has had any luck with BMW, or another stealers in a similar position, advice would be helpful...

if i fail at getting them to get me a car at the dealers, im going to phone HQ and put in a formal complaint to be honest...

I always thought of BMW as being a luxery car provider, but when they leave customers without wheels and expect them to pay £250~ for a courtesy car its a little excessive...

[Yosh]

I'm guessing its not under warranty as its an E46.

Couldn't you just take it to another reputable garage to get the work done? You might save yourself a few quid, get just as good a job done, get a courtesy car and/or not be without a car for so long.

Main dealer repairs for that sort of job, i would imagine to be very pricy.

[mmh]

I'm guessing its not under warranty as its an E46.

Couldn't you just take it to another reputable garage to get the work done? You might save yourself a few quid, get just as good a job done, get a courtesy car and/or not be without a car for so long.

Main dealer repairs for that sort of job, i would imagine to be very pricy.

As i said above, BMW are paying 100% repair costs as it is a design fault (so its a warranty fix)...

[GoNz0]

do you still have the bmw warranty for it or is it an out of warranty repair they are doing free of charge due to the known fault ?

about to sell my e36 for a e46 that wont have a warranty and would like to know where i stand

[Yosh]

As i said above, BMW are paying 100% repair costs as it is a design fault (so its a warranty fix)...

Sorry seemed to miss that, it was right in my face, after all.

If they are coughing up for repairs then i would definately push for a loan car, but it could be a simple case they have no car's available to give you?

[mmh]

do you still have the bmw warranty for it or is it an out of warranty repair they are doing free of charge due to the known fault ?

about to sell my e36 for a e46 that wont have a warranty and would like to know where i stand

its an out of warranty repair... the car is 10 years old this month...

in this country the fault is a bit hit and miss whether they will repair it... although i imagine due to the class action lawsuit filed against them in the states (of which it has been settled and every E46 is eligable for a free inspection for the fault and if its there they have to repair it) that in this country they will just fix it...

pics of the fault:





you have to get right under the car (other side of the wheel well) to see it... but definately check to see if its there if you get an E46... it is only rearing its heads on the older (99-2000) models prominently at the moment, but that could just be coincidence as far as im aware the subframes are the same pre and post facelift.

I'm just gonna kick up some fuss in the dealership i think, especially if there are suits around looking at cars....

its not worth thier commission lost on a car for the sake of a courtesy car methinks...plus im sure i'll get my car back quicker if they are paying for a courtesy car!

[finlay666]

its an out of warranty repair... the car is 10 years old this month...

in this country the fault is a bit hit and miss whether they will repair it... although i imagine due to the class action lawsuit filed against them in the states (of which it has been settled and every E46 is eligable for a free inspection for the fault and if its there they have to repair it) that in this country they will just fix it...

I'm just gonna kick up some fuss in the dealership i think, especially if there are suits around looking at cars....

its not worth thier commission lost on a car for the sake of a courtesy car methinks...plus im sure i'll get my car back quicker if they are paying for a courtesy car!

Did you buy it from that dealership?

If so SoGA states it must be done in reasonable time and not to inconvenience you (or do so as little as possible), for a known fault it can be proven by the US lawsuits it was faulty at the time of purchase so you are entitled to a free repair

2 weeks for a 1, maybe 2 day job is unreasonable especially if it is your only method of getting to work etc so you can push them for a courtesy car. If they don't offer a courtesy car explain you can take it elsewhere where it CAN be done in a reasonable amount of time and invoice them for the cost of the work.

If you have a problem you can offer to sit outside the dealership on public property and offer your current experiences of service to other customers. As long as you stick to the facts I can't see how it's slander/libel and you're on public property exercising your freedom of speech within the law. They won't like it especially if it's a busy dealership

[Jasp]

Seriously the car is 10 years old and their fixing it free of charge, count your lucky horses they are doing it and stop trying to screw them over for more, your well out of any sort of warranty so they could just turn around and say sod off, which if you go in kicking off they might...

Just my 2 cents..

[GoNz0]

well jasp, you forget they get paid by BMW to do this OOW repair or they would not do it !

good luck getting a loaner!

i will poke my head under the 51 plate i should be getting when i check the brake pipes for its pre MOT check in the next couple of weeks

at least i can inspect it as its the old mans and he has had his fussy with it now

[mmh]

Seriously the car is 10 years old and their fixing it free of charge, count your lucky horses they are doing it and stop trying to screw them over for more, your well out of any sort of warranty so they could just turn around and say sod off, which if you go in kicking off they might...

Just my 2 cents..

they are fixing it free of charge because it is a design fault and shouldnt have occurred in the first place! i dont know why you think im trying to screw them over... i bought one of thier cars now because of a design flaw i am without a car for 2 and a half weeks. I'm merely trying to sort out a car for myself, not screw anybody over!

[eshrules]

they are fixing it free of charge because it is a design fault and shouldnt have occurred in the first place! i dont know why you think im trying to screw them over... i bought one of thier cars now because of a design flaw i am without a car for 2 and a half weeks. I'm merely trying to sort out a car for myself, not screw anybody over!

although they might be obligated to repair your vehicle, a common misconception is that they are obligated to offer a courtesy car. They are not.

Furthermore, if you've walked in with the 'stealership' attitude, you'll get absolutely nothing back from them, probably quite rightly too.

Just out of interest, the £250 you're looking at paying for the courtesy car, how's that compare to the bill you'd pay if the repair itself was charged?

[J4MES]

The car shouldn't be with them for 2 weeks. It's a day-long job, no more. If pushed, they're most likely to reduce the amount of time they have it, rather than stump up for the courtesy car. Good luck!

Edit: maybe it will take a few weeks...

[mmh]

well, i got back a while ago... no courtesy car... they said that they sometimes do it for £10 per day, but couldnt because i refused it in the first place they didnt have one that i could take with me (i might have said yes if they offered me the lower price when it was time to book it in!!)

anyways... looks like i wont be getting a courtesy car at all

The job will take an immense amount of time to be honest as i saw the estimated cost of the bill they are putting in to BMW and its a £2250~ bill pre tax (as its a trade job) of the things i saw listed there were lots of parts including a new boot floor so atleast they are going to do it properley...

still a bit bummed out that they couldnt sort out a courtesy car... atleast i'll know next time not to go to that dealers and not make anything set in stone until i find the best deal possible...

that £2250~ job could of gone to a dealer that would give me a courtesy car

[Yosh]

well, i got back a while ago... no courtesy car... they said that they sometimes do it for £10 per day, but couldnt because i refused it in the first place they didnt have one that i could take with me (i might have said yes if they offered me the lower price when it was time to book it in!!)

anyways... looks like i wont be getting a courtesy car at all

The job will take an immense amount of time to be honest as i saw the estimated cost of the bill they are putting in to BMW and its a £2250~ bill pre tax (as its a trade job) of the things i saw listed there were lots of parts including a new boot floor so atleast they are going to do it properley...

still a bit bummed out that they couldnt sort out a courtesy car... atleast i'll know next time not to go to that dealers and not make anything set in stone until i find the best deal possible...

that £2250~ job could of gone to a dealer that would give me a courtesy car

Look on the bright side, you have now 2 1/2 weeks of getting fit by walking

[mmh]

Look on the bright side, you have now 2 1/2 weeks of getting fit by walking

I dont much fancy the walk to surrey tomorow with a full disco rig though

[Zak33]

long ago, a BMW would just not have done this.

I think the courtesy car money is for the insurance, which, lets face it, is bleedin expensive for a dealership to pay for... all these punters, smoking around in nearly new cars.

I'd pay the £15 per day tbh, and be pleased that my old car was being sorted

and be VERY careful driving the loaner.. take it back immaculate.