extended warranty and dealers

[haboo]

I am sure that I read on here somewhere? That if you have the extended warranty, you no longer have to have servicing done at a main dealer’s.

Is this correct, the reason I ask, is, I have spoken to the warranty people today and they have told me that I must get it serviced at a BMW dealer to keep my extended warranty.

Is this true or are they just trying it on.

 

[Wapping]

I am sure that I read on here somewhere? That if you have the extended warranty, you no longer have to have servicing done at a main dealer’s.

Is this correct, the reason I ask, is, I have spoken to the warranty people today and they have told me that I must get it serviced at a BMW dealer to keep my extended warranty.

Is this true or are they just trying it on.

The answer is: Read the Terms and Conditions of your extended warranty.

That will tell you, for sure.

Of course you are always at liberty to test the Terms and Conditions through the civil courts if you think them unreasonable or if they run counter to UK or EU laws or rules. But that is a lengthy process and anyway, very expensive, should you lose your case.

Also, take care if you have any 'Residual value' insurance (a policy that pays the difference between the purchase price paid for a vehicle at the - depreciated - sum received following a total loss) in place. The terms of that policy may stipulate, not unreasonably perhaps, that the vehicle has a full and continuous original manufacturer service history.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I am sure that I read on here somewhere? That if you have the extended warranty, you no longer have to have servicing done at a main dealer’s.

Is this correct, the reason I ask, is, I have spoken to the warranty people today and they have told me that I must get it serviced at a BMW dealer to keep my extended warranty.

Is this true or are they just trying it on.

I shouldn't believe anything you read on here

If the warranty people say you have to have have the bike serviced at a BMW dealer, I'm guessing they are right

 

[GSmonkey]

Seems daft to spend your cash on a BMW warranty then have it serviced elsewhere. If I was going to use independants (as I will later on) I'd either go for a warranty with a 3rd party or just risk it and hive some cash away for contingency.

 

[John Armstrong]

Who is the extended warranty with?

 

[patboy]

I have an extended warranty and have it serviced with Mark Holden in Bromley. As long as you get the service book stamped, no problem.

 

[haboo]

OK point taken

so how much is the 18000 mile service going to cost then?

 

[brianmaslen]

Got an idea this is a point of law rather than specific to BMW, one thing that is for certain is that whoever services the bike must use BMW OEM parts and ensure that they carry out the work exactly according to the manufacturers specification. BMW could quite easily refuse to honour the warranty unless you can prove the work was carried out to this standard...or so I have been told.

 

[Wapping]

Got an idea this is a point of law rather than specific to BMW...or so I have been told.

I have got an alternative idea.

That this (an extended warranty) is an insurance backed product. The underwriters of which may have stipulated that, in order to insure the risk, they want the service work conducted by the original manufacturer. This might make sense as the extended warranty may have been sold by BuMW, who are keen to do the servicing, even though the risk (the insurance part) is actually insured by someone else. It may also make sense as it may ensure the work is done correctly, not be carried by matey with a lump hammer.

A possible example of the brand holder dictating terms to an insurer can perhaps be seen in NIG's refusal to insure motorbikes under their BuMW Motorrad policy going to Morocco, unless they are on a BuMW organised trip.

It would be little different to an underwriter stipulating that, in order to insure my motorcycle in central London, they require the vehicle to be garaged (at my home) if it is within half a mile of my house. There is no law that says I have to garage my motorcycle but an insurer can request that I do, in order to insure me at all.

Anyway it's all assumption. The extended warranty's policy's Terms and Conditions will hold the answer, for sure. It's quite possible that they make no stipulation at all. The original poster hasn't told us what they say, making his question difficult to answer. Instead his information is limited to the not uncommon: "I think I read on here somewhere ...." - The basted son of, "I think a mate once told me....".

Here, being UKGSer, where I certainly read that it's definitely a good idea to check the oil using any method, other than that stipulated in BuMW's carefully crafted Owner's manual.

 

[haboo]

The reason I asked the question in the first place, was, because I think my dealer, who had been great, up till my last service, has started to charge for things that make no sense.

At my 18000-mile service, I asked before I went what the likely price would be. £220.00 sir, I was told.

Gets the bill and its £345.00? Why is this over a hundred pounds more than I was told?

They had a problem taking the engine guards off, and they are not BMW fitted guards? Well I went out side and looked at the engine guards, (I assume these were the rocker covers) and they both say BMW. So I question the bill, I will get the service manager for you. He comes out to the bike and looks at the covers (guards) and says. Um yes they are BMW, and then disappears into the dealers. After a while he reappears and says, it’s the sump guard that they had the problem with, a couple of the bolts had sized and it took the mechanic more time to remove them and that it was not a standard BMW sump guard (Touratech).

Well, the Touratech sump guard was on it when I bought the bike from you (less that 3000 miles on it) and it had had its 6000 mile service and annual check and you never mentioned or charged me for it then, It had also had another oil and filter change at my request at about 9000 miles again, no charge. As for it being non standard, it uses the very same holes and bolts to hold it in place as the original, and the only people who have removed or replaced the bolts are you, so how can you charge an extra £115.00 for 6 bolts. I received no explanation or a reduction in my bill, and I left, fuming that I will never go there again.

So the reason for the question was, to see if I could have my bike serviced by a reputable mechanic who knows about bikes and who I trust to do the jobs correctly. And after reading the terms and condition on the BMW extended warranty, it states that the bike must be serviced at an authorised BMW dealer or BMW service authorised workshop using only genuine BMW parts.

I get the feeling from other members on here and other BMW bike related forums, that I am not the only owner who is rapidly losing faith in the BMW mark and the service that we pay a lot of money for.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

I don't have the bang up to date T&Cs but, historically, the servicing does not have to be done by a dealer during the manufacturer's warranty (though it may help with goodwill gestures if it is); the extended warranty is an insured product which requires dealer servicing.

 

[Wapping]

......And after reading the terms and condition on the BMW extended warranty, it states that the bike must be serviced at an authorised BMW dealer or BMW service authorised workshop using only genuine BMW parts.

Hooray T&C's read and answer obtained. Informed self-help triumphs over inspired guesswork...and probably not for the first time

The pricing and skills of BuMW's servicing teams is another matter entirely, worthy of a separate thread..... The stage is bare, the limelight is on. Step out of the wings and a potential worldwide audience awaits.,,,,,