I feel the need to let everyone know about my past experiences with my Mini. My car mystreiously ran out of oil and subsequently ruined the engine. After much hassle (3 months) I discovered that there was no tampering with the vehicle and that it somehow managed to burn all of its oil. (bizarre I know but that is not the point.)

We have all been afraid that a pulley might void our warranty, true, but it gets worse. this is from the horses mouth (clude the warranty specialist from BMW)

ALL MODIFICATIONS VOID THE WARRANTY.
PUT AN INTAKE ON...ALL POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS VOID.
PUT A NEW MUFFLER ON...WARRANTY IS VOID.
PUT A SQUIRREL IN YOUR GLOVEBOX...WARRANTY IS VOID.....

They are trying to own the aftermarket with their JCW kits and will take away your warranty without any questions asked. If you have modded your car don't take it near a dealer without semoving ALL performance mods.

This is true BELIEVE ME...I unfortunately know.

 

P.S. On a side note, my 2003 WRX which laid down 307whp to all 4 wheels, shattered its tranny, and they took care of it under warranty....hmmm...wonderr whom I have more faith in now.

 

>>I feel the need to let everyone know about my past experiences with my Mini. My car mystreiously ran out of oil and subsequently ruined the engine. After much hassle (3 months) I discovered that there was no tampering with the vehicle and that it somehow managed to burn all of its oil. (bizarre I know but that is not the point.)

Good. We won't talk about it like Suzuki USA would not honor my bike when a valve on an UN-mod'd bike decided to waste and engine. I bought a used engine. No, not happy. Fighting town hall and all.

>>
>> We have all been afraid that a pulley might void our warranty, true, but it gets worse. this is from the horses mouth (clude the warranty specialist from BMW)
>>

A pulley to change the spec. of the motor operation? Nah. Ya don't say. Gee, add a freaking blower or NOS to it while you're at it. How much modding to am engine to you expect them to cover under warranty? It's all relative.

>> ALL MODIFICATIONS VOID THE WARRANTY.

I'd like to know more abut that. I once was told that if I add an aftermarket radio to a (this is over 5 yrs ago) Loaded Civic that it would VOID the whole warranty. We let them move plates but backed out for reasons that the VOID was the main issue. Who needs a $19k Civic anyhow. We didn't.

>> PUT AN INTAKE ON...ALL POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS VOID.

Well, that is a major engine mod that changes the whole engine mangement system.

>> PUT A NEW MUFFLER ON...WARRANTY IS VOID.

Muffler or CAT-and-back exhaust?

>> PUT A SQUIRREL IN YOUR GLOVEBOX...WARRANTY IS VOID.....

Only if it is living and tries to eat it's way out. Critters. keep them under tires.

>>
>>They are trying to own the aftermarket with their JCW kits and will take away your warranty without any questions asked. If you have modded your car don't take it near a dealer without semoving ALL performance mods.

Well, I don't doubt you are in a bad spot. You ought to lawyer up over a new engine.

>>
>>This is true BELIEVE ME...I unfortunately know.
>>

I believe you are getting the runaround as a kneejerk reaction. You have to push and push hard. Make calls to top level folks. I do feel your pain and am not trying to ***** you off.

A lot of it a combo of dealer realtions with the customer and some of it on another not is customer relations with the mother ship.

On a side note and related to a very slight extent, look what Jepp tried to do to me. It is a long read, but I am a master of documentation now after 32 days of runaround when my Jeep Liberty 2003 with 12K miles on it dropped a timing chain on the interstate. I never want to hear that sound again.

http://peoplewhopissmeoff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=130

 

I have a 15% reduction pulley and an alta intake, that's why before my car turned 6000 miles I took the mechanical coverage GEICO offers for $30 a year. Yes , it does have a $500 deductible but that's a small price to pay for the fun I'm having. My car drives better than when stock and I'm also getting better fuel efficiency. I'll take my chances with my car, after all, it is my car and I'll be dammed if BMW or anybody is going to try and dictate what I can or canot do with my property. Gotta pay to play. I hope everything works out for you BIG TIM.
:evil:

 

Tim,

Hey, it's Dave. We met that day in Evergreen before you and your girlfriend joined mini5280 Sorry to hear about this.

I'm going to send you a PM with some contact information in it.

All the best from SoCal (I moved from Denver).

Dave
former president of mini5280

 

Tim - it's all dealership-dependant; some are ****-retentive like yours, and some are very lax about the whole deal. Best of luck giving the uptight ones the shaft and trotting over to the ones that are actually willing to help (good PR goes a long way from long-term CSI)

 

Denver is in the unfortunate situation of only having 1 dealership in a 500 mile radius. There is no competition in that market and it needs another dealership badly (based on the demand for the car in the area).

Hint to MINI: Gebhardt BMW in Boulder would make a nice choice.

 

thanks for the positive replies, however.

My mini has been out of commission for NNEARLY 4 MONTHS. The original repair quate was close to $8,000. after talking to Tom "Troubleshooter" Martino and getting about an hour of air time the "Quote" came down to $2800...HMMM????

To get my results I had to go to the top of command at Mini USA, and promise a serious lawsiut. My wifes uncle owns the largest consumer lawfirm in the USA (Larry H. Parker) and it took threats of lawsuits to get a response. After months of hassles my greatest achievemnent was getting Mini USA to give me a LOUSY $100 in MINI merchandise. So, I could get a watch for the price of a blown engine. After getting publicity things changed.

Kneejerk my A$$....

Watch out...is all I can say....

 

Subaru, 307WHP, Big A$$ turbo, UTEC, Injectors and full exhaust = Wrranty OK

Mini, Air intake = voided warranty

That is all I am saying....

 

.........Ummmmmm.....problem here guys.........Subie owners are having BIG problems with waranty claims. One of the biggest is the fact that the wrx transmission has to be babied or you strip gears. Almost all wrx forums ive read where someone, even bone stock, has stripped a trans, the dealer claims "abuse" and warranty is denied........not saying some of these were not abused (some people cant drive a AWD) but there are still problems.....one dealer even denied warranty fopr a turbo timer (said it increased HP . Now for the good news......DEALERS AND MANUFATURERS CANNOT DENY WARRANTY DUE TO AFTERMARKET COMPONENTS UNLESS THE COMPONENT WAS PROVE TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. I think its called the Ross-Magnison Act. Check clubwrx.com for the exact act and refrences.
In other words the dealer HAS to prove the part caused the problem. Even if you have replaced the part, dealer will be forced to reimburse you. If the reason your engine fried was due to lack of oil, thered be scorched internals.......a pully wont cause that. Also, if you have you oil changed at a shop, it could have been there fault too, but this can be dificult to prove, ecspecially over time. Hope this helps.

 

When I was researching this particular issue a while back (considering an exhaust) I swear I tripped upon some sort of law or something-or-other that said dealers cannot void the full warranty if you install an aftermarket exhaust. Of course, your exhaust warranty is voided, but I don't think they can void any other part of your warranty.

True?

 

Magnuson Moss

don't count on it to save you

 

I agree Dave. A persuasive approach to "selling" why your car should be still covered under warranty to the dealership service department is always more effective and efficient than a complicated legal mess.
:smile:

 

A couple of questions about warranty work: between MINI and the dealership, who pays what percentage of a claim ? Are dealerships rated by MINI on the amount of warranty claims they make, and does that influence their decisions- how much latitude do they have to keep their customers happy? That's where the fun starts. A good dealership will be fair and not work like a balky insurance company. I guess the morale is: know your dealership's service track record before you buy. Some don't have an option, of course (one dealership in the state, etc.), but that's part of the peace of mind of ownership, or the lack of it. I can't help but wonder about MINI when I read about members w/ severely trouble-prone cars on this forum- it would be in MINI's best interest to do all they can to get crummy cars off the road and keep their clientele happy. One of the latest car buying guides said at the end of their write-up on MINI's that reliability has been poor. Where are they gettting their data? I doubt that it's from well-serviced customers. If I was back in for a 4th windshield, I'd want MINI to call it a wash and buy back my car. Let THEM worry about finding a replacement that works on their time, not on mine. Later that car can be sold as preowned to help recoup any loss on the company's part. PR is everything, both before the sale and afterwards. Ask Firestone about it!!!

_________________

 

I have trouble with all the bitterness here. Isn't MINI's policy widely known, and weren't you aware of it before you changed anything? If you've been expressly told that they have a policy that you go ahead and flout, how can you conclude that they are being unreasonable.....let us know when tha legal fees go over the price of the JCW kit

 

>>I have trouble with all the bitterness here. Isn't MINI's policy widely known, and weren't you aware of it before you changed anything? If you've been expressly told that they have a policy that you go ahead and flout, how can you conclude that they are being unreasonable.....let us know when tha legal fees go over the price of the JCW kit

If the dealer has no clue, or prooof of what caused his engine to fail, then why would the customer have to pay ? They haven't proved this engine failed because of the mod, so they are looking a opurtunity to make some $$$$. They are greedy a-holes unworthy of Tim's, mine or anybody else's buisness. If BMW has the same policy, as a blanket, without investigating why it failed, they are the same.

A policy that's stated, isn't correct, just because they are BMW.

I think I am turning Japanese, I think I am turning Japanese, I realy think so.....

 

>>A policy that's stated, isn't correct, just because they are BMW.
>>

I agree, actually, that the policy is unreasonable and doesn't appear to leave room for flexibility in any determination of why an engine fails. All I'm saying is, anybody who makes modifications knowing of the existence of the policy has no leg to stand on. And whining about it in this forum, and hiring lawyers to fight it after the fact, is indicative of an attitude prevalent in this country, whereby any perceived injustice is shouted to the rooftops and taken into court.....

 

My dealership told me intake - AOK. The teckie said so himself. His logic - how could a better filter have anything to do with any possible future failure if it is properly maintained and installed.

As far as an aftermarket exhaust voiding your exhaust warranty, who cares? Why do you need an exhaust warranty on an exhaust you're not using???

Bottom line is that they have to PROVE your aftermarket part caused whichever system to fail. This is law. May take some threats, or going to another dealer. I've heard that some of 'em can be ******, and others are great. Seems to be the case...