Magnusson Moss act is all well and good but if you intend to fight anything with BMW it will be a FIGHT. I am currently going through Lemon Law for the hiccups and yoyos. Yes I have a pulley and an intake. The service manager at Lauderdale Mini drove the car before any mods to the car @ 200 miles on the clock and told me point blank - " we know about these issues it is software related - we hope the next upgrade fixes it". That was 5 months ago and who knows how many software "updates" - they still have not fixed the problem so I have to drag BMW through the Lemon Law process to get my money back. The service manager now will not acknowledge that he even drove the car. BMW do not fight fair so be prepared for a dirty fight.

Bottom line is if they rolled over and did the right thing for one owner they would have to do it for every body - it's a business decission that they decide to fight dirty and not honor warrantee in many cases.

Better go check my oil level.
_________________
'03 S DS

 

Yes, I agree Tokio! The only real way to be clear of a battle is that the aftermarket product has a legal system/team that is prepared to reply back to BMW stating the facts and is able (has connections) with the FTC...

 

Good Luck Good Luck Good Luck...

This sounds liek it's going to cost a lot either way.
Retaining a lawyer to have the work covered will cost as much if not more than the actual cost of the fix... Of course it will be run through the BMW team and there will of course be LONG delays.

If their written warranty states they will only warranty a product that is as pure as they delivered it... it's basically a contract for you to abide by so long as you would want to utilize their warranty. If you decide to add a new pully, you have decided that performance is more important than your warranty... in BMW's eyes.

So, you then become the "villian" in the case.... One who wanted more "POWER" from an adequate system produced by the "Company". You blatently disregarded their written offer to keep good on the warranty. It will be a heavy case verses YOU.

Good Luck and Sometimes Corporations do the right thing.
Now, IF this is related to the oil levels and the dealership pushing you off and delaying service... then it is YOU verses the Dealership... Not BMW
This is the instance in which YOU could come out the VICTOR, So long as you can PROVE the oil levels were the cause and that THEY procrastinated and did not schedule you for service that YOU requested. Service that YOU felt needed to maintain YOUR safety. Now, Your SAFETY has been compromised, you and your passengers could have been at risk and lost life or limb due to this blown motor. If this happened while travelling at a high rate of speed (which the dealership or BMW have no right to regulate) you could have suffered severe consequences.
Mention that to bot 1866ASKMINI and Your Dealership
But ....
BUT....

Make sure you can PROVE it was the Oil Levels, and make sure and research to see if they are LEGALLY responsible for that.


Good Luck!

 

what diffrence would it make if Randy was there to watch the engine tear-down.
Is randy BMW factory trained, well ah no. So if anyone thinks for one second that randys say carrys any weight behind it, needs to have there head checked. And for the people who say that randy is an "expert", you are all stupid. The only thing randy knows how to do is pullys, and he does not do them well!

 

Thanks mini1600, but I'm not sure if this is just flame bait or what...

I think I'm up to over 180 pulley installations, so you are right that I know how to do those, I'm sure more than a few folks can attest to how well I do them. I have had zero problems with the cars I've done - and as of today, even the service manager at Schomp agreed in front of both Tim and me that the work I had done on his car had nothing to do with the rod/oil issue he has.

As for not knowing how to do anything else, take a look at the top of the performance mods page and the how-tos - I wrote all of them. I have taken this motor down to Chinatown and back. I have experimented with just about everything out there and come up with some of my own experiments. I developed a coilover set up for the car. I have discussed with engineers at several manufacturers the design limitations involved with moving forward with this motor. I have done brake kits and have been involved in the design process of that. I have past experience in aircraft engines, and I have worked on race cars ad naseum. I have a Bachelor's degree which I received Magna *** Laude from one of the foremost technical universities in the country. I have literally been wrenching on cars since I was 14. I not only work on these cars, but do developmental testing with the MINI on the track, at the autocross lots, and on the dyno, and do this testing in consultation with several engineers of different disciplines.

I don't know if my watching the teardown would carry any weight, but I'll end this with the fact that when the service manager asked if there was an oil light and I let him know where it was on the car, he said, and I quote, "well it must be there then, because if anyone knows, it would be you."

I hate having to toot my own horn, but I figured that would end this thread of flaming a lot sooner than if I let a slew of customers give their opinions. If you have any questions about my background or qualifications mini1600, please contact me personally and I'd be happy to discuss the MINI or any other car I'm familiar with.

I hope that helps, and please let's stay on topic.

I'll post what came about today with Tim's car on another thread in the performance mods forum that includes some pics from the other (2) non-pullied cars (Tim's was the only car with an issue that had the pulley in the lot BTW).

Randy

_________________

CLICK THE SIG PIC!

This ain't no Disco

 

I don't think that attack on Randy was at all called for.

But... clearly, if you put a pulley on your car you've got to accept that you are voiding the warranty for anything drivetrain related. The language does not leave room for interpretation. You are rolling the dice.

The real question is... dude, how the hell do you get down !!*3*!! quarts of oil and not know it?!? Sorry, but my daddy taught me better than that, and I'd be especially paranoid with a modded engine.

 

Randy,
I appreciate that you are going to help this guy out as much as you can, it really shows me and everyone where your ethics lay. Good Job!

You have quickly become an asset to the community and I think people close their doors to opinions until you've made yours. Which is good and bad. it's a lot of weight to carry.

Good Luck and hopefully you can help this fellow motorist in need!

Sincerely
Doug

 

>>what diffrence would it make if Randy was there to watch the engine tear-down.
>>Is randy BMW factory trained, well ah no. So if anyone thinks for one second that randys say carrys any weight behind it, needs to have there head checked. And for the people who say that randy is an "expert", you are all stupid. The only thing randy knows how to do is pullys, and he does not do them well!

Shut Up! Troll.

Randy should not have even replied to your idiotic post.

X2

 

Here's a link to the info concerning this car and the others currently at Ralph Schomp.

Hope that helps!

Randy

 

>>>>what diffrence would it make if Randy was there to watch the engine tear-down.
>>>>Is randy BMW factory trained, well ah no. So if anyone thinks for one second that randys say carrys any weight behind it, needs to have there head checked. And for the people who say that randy is an "expert", you are all stupid. The only thing randy knows how to do is pullys, and he does not do them well!
>>
>>Shut Up! Troll.
>>
>>Randy should not have even replied to your idiotic post.
>>
>>X2
>>

Look at his account. His interests are fishing and "toutching myself". That is pretty much the definition of a troll.

I think Mark Ferguson needs to look at this person.

 

BigTim, I just read Randy's upate and I'm so sorry about the vandalism. That's got to be the worst case reported yet. I'd much rather get keyed!

I hope you get your Mini back good as new very soon and enjoy many happy miles of motoring!!!

 

>>what diffrence would it make if Randy was there to watch the engine tear-down.
>>Is randy BMW factory trained, well ah no. So if anyone thinks for one second that randys say carrys any weight behind it, needs to have there head checked. And for the people who say that randy is an "expert", you are all stupid. The only thing randy knows how to do is pullys, and he does not do them well!

mini1600, Your post contains zero evidence to back up your accusation of Randy's "incompetence". Your commentary therefore comes across as immature and arbitrary, not to mention devoid of credibility.
What your post DOES contain, however, is lousy grammar and a total of eight spelling/punctuation errors which further weaken your argument.

Randy, thanks for the detailed write-up of the 3 Ralph Schomp MINIs in that last link! I look forward to modding my next MINI with you.

 

Awww a Kissy Emote!

heheheh

Can they pull prints?

It sucks... but it NEVER FAILS... get something nice, someone with less, somewhere, has to ruin it.
Example... petty incidents like, my pal has a new beetle conv. and someone tried to pry the headlamp out of it, failed but broke the seal. It's only worth about $400. And I'm sure even LESS on the street! It's petty and sad.

Time to activate the electroshield, power up the core reactors. ZZZZZAP!

 

Time for me to through my $.02 in.

We currently have 2 minis and one is sitting in the shop right now with a blown engine. The dealer is saying it is out of Warranty due to an over rev situation. Primarily due to a down shift. How they can say this I dont know. The engine brom in 6th gear at 60mph.
The engine has 43k miles and its on 02 S.

Dealer is claiming this is a nonwarranty situation and is going to charge for the tear down to confirm their suspicions.

Any ideas on what we can do?

 

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!

Allegedly, they can read the COMPUTER in there and it will tell them everything, even how fast you were going.

Good Luck Dude

I'm willing to bet this is JUST the beginning of this type of post..... as the weeks and miles pass... the mods are added, etc... the more tragedy that will be publicized

 

BigTim:

I went through a similar ordeal a few years back with my 99 M Roadster. Sucker was consuming quart upon quart of oil with no signs of leakage. Car was at the dealer more often than it was in my driveway.

When the dealer would not accomodate our immediate request for an oil change, I took the car to our mechanic who changed the oil and used BMW's prescribed filter and oil.

3500K miles later, the engine blew - my wife let it slip that our mechanic had performed the oil change and BAM - we were denied the warranty repair. The head service advisor denied that the car ever had an excessive consumption problem - he claimed all M engines burn oil.

Luckily, the company I work for has an evil set of corporate lawyers. One letter to BMW NA and to the owner of the dealership at 5:00 PM the following evening and the dealer manager was calling to arrange for a tow back to the dealership for the new engine under warranty with full apologies. Our lawyer called the dealer first thing in the morning and said that at this stage replacing the engine was not good enough - that the car needed to be replaced in kind. His argument was that the resale value of the car would be hurt by its problematic history. Two weeks later, we had a brand new M roadster - which proved marginally more reliable.

If you know a lawyer - contact him/her. If any other members live in your state and know one - put Big Tim onto them. Sic them on the dealer. Regardless of the strength of your case, the dealer will have to make a choice between making the repair and getting reimbursed from BMW (or not and calling it a business loss) or paying their lawyers to fight you. Odds say they will fold.

 

>>Time for me to through my $.02 in.
>>
>>We currently have 2 minis and one is sitting in the shop right now with a blown engine. The dealer is saying it is out of Warranty due to an over rev situation. Primarily due to a down shift. How they can say this I dont know. The engine brom in 6th gear at 60mph.
>>The engine has 43k miles and its on 02 S.
>>
>>Dealer is claiming this is a nonwarranty situation and is going to charge for the tear down to confirm their suspicions.
>>
>>Any ideas on what we can do?
>>
>>

I have seen this too - the rev limiter can only stop the law of inertia to a point, and on a missed downshift - like 5th to 2nd - it can rev well past the limiter and cause damage. A missed shift while speed shifting can do similar damage.

Unfortunately, the dealer can look at the highest rev, and if it is well past the limiter, they pretty much have you.

That's just my thought though, and if it were my car, and it was stock, I'd still try fighting it. What have you done to the car?

Randy

 

Readers, please before you respond any further in this thread you must read randy's other post on what really happened
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=Ralph
(edit: this link is now current and fixed for the new NAM)

mini1600- I don't think your comments were appropriate.

 

OHHHHH MAN,RANDY, YOU TOLD HIM OFF!!!!!!!!!!! He must be in the fetal position right now.begging for forgiveness......

 

randy rocks!

 

Wow, thanks!

Just to keep all the info on this quickly spreading story accessible from the original thread, here is a link to the owner's recap of what happened too.

Randy

 

Randy -

How much would it take to get you to move to New York?

 

BlueMCS-You can't have him. If you want him you will have to beat me first....and i don't mean in a race........ :smile:

 

>>BlueMCS-You can't have him. If you want him you will have to beat me first....and i don't mean in a race........ :smile:

Yea, I might win the race.....but a fight?

All depends on why they call you BIG TIM?

 

For u guys with modded mcs and fear of big repair bills if your car brakes down.
Geico offers mechanical coverage that includes everything from bumper to bumper for $30.00 a year.
Ur car must have under 11,000 miles to qualify and there is a $250.00 deductible.
I got it, my mcs has a 15% reduction pulley and an alta intake. I plan to get the ecu and exhaust later.
:smile: