BMW and M Power Owners

[[TW]Fox]

Why don't you use a specialist, I doubt a random garage with no real experience of this engine will have any more luck.

 

[godinman]

Why don't you use a specialist, I doubt a random garage with no real experience of this engine will have any more luck.

The work it's going in for doesn't need a specialist, and I can't find a local specialist anyway with a decent reputation, just a couple of places with incredibly bad reviews. The garage we're using are really good, we've used them for years and never had a problem.

It's worth asking them to take a look imo, can't do any harm!

 

[Gaygle]

Just had my lovely new F1A2's fitted - and i was thinking "yay no more car expense until my tax in November."

Yeah, that Sod's Law caught up with me again - i have a cracked rear alloy wheel. I just can't catch a break!

 

[Sparky]

Just had my lovely new F1A2's fitted - and i was thinking "yay no more car expense until my tax in November."

Yeah, that Sod's Law caught up with me again - i have a cracked rear alloy wheel. I just can't catch a break!

Ouch, can it be repaired?

 

[Gaygle]

I've emailed BMW UK and spoken to a local dealer and they'll do a run out test on it to see if it is has been buckled (2mm from point to opposite side of alloy is allowed). If you are over the 2mm threshold, they determine that the alloy has been down a pot hole and it doesn't get replaced under good will.

Kind of annoying really, considering when BMW's corporate communications guy was on Watchdog a couple of years ago, he assured everyone that they would do away with the runout test, and anyone with a cracked alloy would get them replaced free of charge. In classic BMW fashion - nobody in any dealership has ever heard this...

“In easy terms, if cracked wheels do not show excessive damage from for example kerbside contact, they will be refunded without further testing."

 

[Mackass]

Hope you get some good news!

I'm always fearing for the worse too as the road surfaces around my area is shocking! Was it visible with the tyre on, or was the crack only visible with the tyre off?

 

[sigma]

Guys for around 20k+ miles a year, at least 16k of those are motorway miles - she wants a one series (yet to test drive one though but the 3 series would be 'too big') - which model should we be looking at and what is a reasonable budget?

Is 15k too much to spend on one? Rather spend 10k on an older one?

I'm reading that the 118d (N47) engine has troubles with the timing chain failing due to extended oil change periods.

Would a small petrol engine be preferable then? The 118i seems worth a shout.


Just researching it now, thought I'd ask here first.

Edit - noticed there is a similar thread in Motors already.

 

[Hedge]

What's that new BMW that's fast and looking to be good value under 30k. Comparable performance to vxr astras etc.

Just remember seeing something mentioned once.

Is it 130 or something

 

[Gaygle]

BMW M135i - good car, sounds better

 

[Sparky]

Comparable performance to vxr astras etc.



Is it 130 or something

118D

 

[Gaygle]

Has anyone else heard that BMWs good will gestures only are approved on cars 5 years or yonger? Thats what my local dealer has told me. But if BMW think that 5 years is an acceptable lifetime for an alloy wheel, they have another thing coming.

 

[Gaygle]

Now BMW are saying that they cannot replace the wheel because they weren't the original wheels fitted to the vehicle. They need proof of purchase - which i, of course, don't have.

The nice lady on the phone told me that she would talk to the warranty manager at the dealer tomorrow who would call me back and "reiterate what i've told you and go through any details as to why we need the receipt" - in other words she didn't want to talk to me anymore and wanted someone else to take the bitching. I told her i don't want someone to "reiterate" what she's said, i want someone to inspect the wheels. I don't have the proof of purchase of them because the previous owner fitted them.

If this warranty officer does not bring good news with him tomorrow when he calls, i'm afraid i will be starting a campaign of emailing every single day until they get bored. It is ridiculous. I bought a BMW, maintained full BMW service history and paid £500 for a BMW fully comprehensive extended warranty to help protect me from these things. They have a knack for trying to weasel out of everything for the smallest details. I will not have a big company exploiting me because they are bigger. Lest we forget, in the last 3 years this manufacturer has categorically denied that:

A) BMW wheels don't crack but instead owners must be going down pot holes. Following BBC Watchdog they backtracked on this.

B) BMW's are not susceptible to getting stolen via the OBD theft. Following BBC Watchdog they backtracked on this too.

BMW seem to have developed a nasty habit of denying all responsibility for things until forced to admit them and trying to weasel out of everything put in front of them for the smallest of details. This will certainly be thought about next time i buy a new car, i urge other people to think carefully also if they want to keep spending tens and tens of thousands of pounds with a manufacturer who has no care for them whatsoever.

I'm quickly losing my patience with BMW as a whole.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'm not defending BMW on the wheel cracking issue here but you can see the point they have? You have a set of used wheels from a different trim level on your car - which you cannot provide proof you bought from BMW (Because you didn't).

They are therefore seperate to the car and its warranty - its basically a set of used Ebay wheels which you are trying to get replaced. Why would they do this?

Are they not 18's too, I was under the impression the MV3's were not affected by the cracking design flaw the 19's were. Have they perhaps cracked for another reason thats not related to this?

 

[SDK^]

What's that new BMW that's fast and looking to be good value under 30k. Comparable performance to vxr astras etc.

The F20 135i is qicker than any of the other hot hatches. The 3dr models costs £30k+ options

 

[NickXX]

Woah, nice SDK - is that your new car? They are incredible value for money at £29k, unbelievable that you can get so much for so little.

 

[pepsilol]

I'm not defending BMW on the wheel cracking issue here but you can see the point they have? You have a set of used wheels from a different trim level on your car - which you cannot provide proof you bought from BMW (Because you didn't).

They are therefore seperate to the car and its warranty - its basically a set of used Ebay wheels which you are trying to get replaced. Why would they do this?

Are they not 18's too, I was under the impression the MV3's were not affected by the cracking design flaw the 19's were. Have they perhaps cracked for another reason thats not related to this?

18" don't suffer from cracks, its the 19" that do. I looked into this heavily when purchasing my E90.

 

[Gaygle]

I'm not defending BMW on the wheel cracking issue here but you can see the point they have? You have a set of used wheels from a different trim level on your car - which you cannot provide proof you bought from BMW (Because you didn't).

To me, this is irrelevant. Just because the BMW factory didn't screw in the bolts, should not mean that they are of less quality or subject to less goodwill IMO. They are BMW wheels, they should be subject to the same quality assurance as those that came from the factory.

All i want is a run out test - if it fails this, i will happily pay for a new alloy myself, but i have a feeling it will pass this test.

They are therefore seperate to the car and its warranty - its basically a set of used Ebay wheels which you are trying to get replaced. Why would they do this?

I'm not trying to get it covered under a warranty. I'm trying to get it covered as goodwill on BMW's part, pending a run out test. Used ebay wheels - aren't all wheels "used" as soon as they've been driven a few miles? I'm sorry, but if i swapped my MV3's on to my mums car and she took them in they'd replace them in a heartbeat. Why does it matter where they came from? They are OEM BMW manufactured wheels that have failed - and i want them to do the run out test to prove it was due to a manufacturing fault.

Why should they do it? Because i spend thousands of pounds with BMW? Because I am a brand loyal customer? Because I have full BMWSH and a fully comprehensive warranty? Because there is a well known problem with BMW alloys of this era?

IMO, they are being difficult. I've told them to inspect the alloy if they don't believe they are genuine as the replica's aren't that great.

Are they not 18's too, I was under the impression the MV3's were not affected by the cracking design flaw the
19's were.

They are 18s and although the problem didn't afflict the 18s anywhere near as much as the 19s, the MV3 is still a wheel which frequently cracks and many others have had cracked MV3's replaced under goodwill as a result of a successful run out test. BMW switched suppliers of MV3's at some point and the new MV3 alloy wheels BMW provide should not crack.

Have they perhaps cracked for another reason thats not related to this?

Unless they give me a run out test - we'll never know.

 

[[TW]Fox]

To me, this is irrelevant. Just because the BMW factory didn't screw in the bolts, should not mean that they are of less quality or subject to less goodwill IMO. They are BMW wheels, they should be subject to the same quality assurance as those that came from the factory.

They could be anything up to 7 years old and without an invoice you cannot prove the age. It is luducious to expect a factory replacement with a brand new wheel when a 7 year old wheel sourced second hand from an internet auction site cracks.

I'm not trying to get it covered under a warranty. I'm trying to get it covered as goodwill on BMW's part, pending a run out test. Used ebay wheels - aren't all wheels "used" as soon as they've been driven a few miles? I'm sorry, but if i swapped my MV3's on to my mums car and she took them in they'd replace them in a heartbeat. Why does it matter where they came from?

It matters for the reason I've outlined above. I think you are being very unreasonable in being irritated that they won't help you. Surely few people would expect a manufacturer to stand behind and warrant a set of used wheels from Ebay!

It totally matters where it came from, where is your proof that it wasn't purchased from Ebay already cracked at a discount?

Because I have full BMWSH and a fully comprehensive warranty?

On your car - sure. On your Ebay wheels? Not so much.

I'm sorry but whilst its perfectly reasonable to expect the co-operation from the manufacturer on a warranted, manufacturer serviced vehicle it's another thing entirely to expect that to extend to any old second hand bits you decide to bolt onto it (irrespective of whether it was you or the previous owner).

As with pepsilol I am again suprised at the claims that the 18's suffer from the same problem the 19's do. All my research suggested the same as he found - that the 18's were not affected by the design flaw. It is very common on the 225's but very rare on the MV3's. Cracks happen on any wheel from time to time just out of bad luck. I think this is what happened to you, which is different to the comedic farce that was the problems with the 225's.

 

[nichorob]

It absolutely pains me that most people will pick a 4 pot turbo (S3 etc) over the M135i

 

[[TW]Fox]

It absolutely pains me that most people will pick a 4 pot turbo (S3 etc) over the M135i

Or a 4 pot turbo like the 118i M Sport or 125i M Sport which are almost the same price when you consider options etc