What is going on with BMW build quality lately?

[mtech8]

Just got back from dealers.

The leather coming apart from the seat was fixed. But they denied the warranty claim on the light switch peel. They are claiming that it was caused by "outside influence"!

I don't touch that part as I get in and out of the car. I don't even use it on a regular basis because it's always on the "automatic" setting.

Really ticks me off. Furthermore, when I called to find out the status of my car. The advisor said everything was complete. It wasn't when I picked up the car that I found out it wasn't fixed. Since the advisor was out to lunch, I thought I'd just let it slide and get it done next time. When I got home and looked over the sheet more carefully (should have done it at the time I picked up the car), I very surprised and upset to find that it was denied warranty service!

[Weasel]

BMWNA just said in a service roundtable that they are releasing a bulletin soon where the tech will have to send pictures of the damages trim in to see if it is a warranty matterbe fore changing it... just another thing we need approval to change before fixing a damn car. (yes it is aggrevating as hell as a tech).

Just saying this so you know it isn't always the dealer who denies something as warranty, but is usually sent down from the mothership.

[rh71]

Originally Posted by Weasel

BMWNA just said in a service roundtable that they are releasing a bulletin soon where the tech will have to send pictures of the damages trim in to see if it is a warranty matterbe fore changing it... just another thing we need approval to change before fixing a damn car. (yes it is aggrevating as hell as a tech).

Just saying this so you know it isn't always the dealer who denies something as warranty, but is usually sent down from the mothership.

Did this bulletin come down yet? I need to get in there quick before it does to avoid hassle/wait times... but my annual maintenance isn't until end of January (when I took delivery 2 years ago)... do you know how long before I'm actually due do they allow the maintenance to be done free? I have the annual NYS inspection sticker coming up at the same time and it definitely needs to be done before that. Of course my service dept. hasn't returned my call about this.

[michaeljr6]

i regret making my 2007 E70 X5 purchase.

should've went with something else....*LX570 cough cough* too bad it wasn't released yet when i was shopping.

[XXX555]

Some of these dealers and perhaps even the mother ship BMW are cutting and slashing to save their lives/jobs/stock value due to the global economic dip.

[drod]

I can see why they would want to go through an approval process... obviously for financial reasons, but also remember under warrantee repairs are also recorded and tracked on Q&A reports... which ultimately end up as public information making them look like they are building unreliable vehicles..

saw a Consumers Report once which state there were numerous reliability problems with the X5 relating to equipment replacements, glitches, etc..

all fixed under warrantee but they made news...

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by drod

which ultimately end up as public information making them look like they are building unreliable vehicles.

Having worked at an auto company, I can assure you nobody outside of the company gets warranty records... it is one of the more proprietary bits of information a company has.

Consumers Reports, Powers, and other companies get their information via direct contact with customers.

[Weasel]

They are changing the materials used on certain items like the E9x interior door handles and center console etc. that were always being replaced for peeling finish. The picture requests before replacement authorization is meant to help with that process for other parts while weeding out the non-warranty issues like customers scratching the aluminum trim on the dashboard.

The items that already have updated parts like the E90 interior door handles are exempt from the pictures/authorization process. As with many other parts, BMW is holding the individual manufacturer of these parts responsible and needs the resources to do it, in the aim of getting better parts implemented by them.

[Weasel]

Yeah, it's out... and apparently it isn't as bad as I thought. On things we see as a warranty issue we need to send in the pics with the warranty claim. (there is a site to email the pics to straight from any camera phone) And they use that for all the added info needed vs calling for parts. So I'd expect the dealer to be stricter on what is warrantied, peeling finish on painted plastic trim parts will still be covered, and with the pics we can hope for non-painted parts to be implemented soon. But don't expect them to cover items clearly scratched by rings etc. or anything like that.

As for the service, as long as you are within the month and under so many miles from due (is it 600?) they can do it.

[rh71]

^ thx though I'm only at 9800 miles after 2 years - hopefully they'll just go by "within a month". I forgot to mention the main reason I want it in soon is because my intermittent darkened idrive screen issue is now permanent. It's always dark even after reboots - can't see the screen at all unless I shine a flashlight on it. Seen that in any cars? Is this just a program update or a part defect? This is definitely something I can't wait 1.5 months to fix.