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      08-04-2008, 07:04 AM   #1
amurph182
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track time and warranty

How well does BMW honor their warranty if you track your car? I know that some other car companies have gone so far as to record the license plate #'s of cars that show up at some HPDE's (believe Mitsubishi was doing this with Evo's at some point but I could be wrong) and claiming that it voided the warranty, etc. A friend that has an Elise was telling me that when he goes in for service they can see the speed and RPM of his last X number of shifts, etc (although I'm pretty sure Lotus WANTS you to be taking the car on the track).

How is BMW in this regard? If you roll into the dealership with some engine troubles and you've been out to the track recently, do they turn you away?
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      08-04-2008, 07:15 AM   #2
larryn
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Just don't be stupid about it. A friend had his front diff break on his Xi model last year while up at NHMS for a track day. He had the car towed to his dealer with huge tires/wheels/numbers on the car, and they promptly denied coverage.

He asked me what he should do and I told him to get the car washed, change the tires, lose the numbers, and have it towed to another dealer. They did the ($4000) repair under warranty, no questions asked.
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      08-04-2008, 07:28 AM   #3
amurph182
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Quote:
Originally Posted by larryn View Post
Just don't be stupid about it. A friend had his front diff break on his Xi model last year while up at NHMS for a track day. He had the car towed to his dealer with huge tires/wheels/numbers on the car, and they promptly denied coverage.

He asked me what he should do and I told him to get the car washed, change the tires, lose the numbers, and have it towed to another dealer. They did the ($4000) repair under warranty, no questions asked.
makes sense. I'm surprised that BMW didn't stick a big red "OMGTRACKCARNOWARRANTY" label on the thing at the first place he went. I've heard some horror stories with other car makers.
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      08-04-2008, 09:37 PM   #4
amurph182
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just thought of a follow-up question:

brake pads are covered under the maintenance warranty. If you run a DE or two and need new pads, will they replace them? Or will they freak out on you when you come in for new pads a couple of times a summer?
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      08-05-2008, 06:57 PM   #5
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I asked my dealers service manager just this question....


He said as long as it is NOT a competition type event that anything including brakes would be covered. The minute you win a trophey, certifacate, or one red cent you are done for.....but if it is "just for the sake of doing it" then you are fully covered.
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      08-05-2008, 07:34 PM   #6
evan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FreeBMW View Post
He said as long as it is NOT a competition type event that anything including brakes would be covered.
I wouldn't count on all dealers being so open minded. In Canada, the included scheduled maintenance for the 135i doesn't cover wear items like brakes, so it's not an issue up here. But were I on the other side of the border, I'd expect the worst (to have to pay for brakes myself) and hope for the best (that BMW would pay). You have to be fair, after all, and admit that track days do go beyond the bounds of normal use in terms of brake and tire wear. And the dealers have those mighty fancy showrooms to maintain.

Remember that the computer in the car stores information like top speed, number of trips to redline, etc. that the dealers have access to, so they can choose to fight you if they want to.

By the way, for those who've never done a performance driving school, don't be put off by concerns of excessive brake and tire wear. It won't happen in your first few events. By the time you've done enough events that you are carrying the speed to wear things out really quickly, you'll consider the extra costs well worth it. I promise.
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      08-05-2008, 08:02 PM   #7
chriscecc914
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easy remedy: take off the plates and put tape over your VIN # at all track events. done
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      08-10-2008, 05:38 AM   #8
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fyi....

Driving in a competitive event (even once) is one of the few reasons a dealer can truly void your whole warranty in the USA.
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      08-10-2008, 08:50 AM   #9
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I'm a very lucky guy. My dealer sponsors me in regional SCCA Solo. Of course that isn't road racing which would be totally different in regards to warranty.
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      08-10-2008, 09:28 AM   #10
Call
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While driving my 05 MINI Cooper S last year I had a clutch slave cyclinder fail while on the track at Little Talledega Grand Prix in Alabama. This was on a Saturday afternoon but my dealership flat-bedded the car back to Georgia, replaced the parts first thing Monday morning. It didn't cost me a dime. Oh, and for what it's worth...the Cooper is heavily modded.

Funny thing also is that my dealership was a sponsor of the track weekend picking up the tab for 50% of my club's normal fees and even had a new 07 MINI Cooper Turbo for anyone to driver just to see how the 07's handled on the track. Since I was now without a car to drive I took full advantage of the dealer car and had a blast. Needless to say I was so impressed with the 07 I just had to have one to hold me over until my 08 135i became available.

Win/Win for all involved. So the bottom line is this warranty coverage on modded cars can depend on the relationship you have with your dealership and their people. Get up close and personal with the staff; make the experience fun for everyone; allow them to be a part of the family so to speak...it can make the difference.

Call
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      08-11-2008, 04:09 PM   #11
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^^^ +1 agreed. find a dealership you like and trust and stick with them is the best plan.

Everone should remember that what the dealers did for you and mikeo is a courtesy not a responsibility. If BMW NA starts telling them to void warranties for racing, the dealer will have to do it and BMW has that right.

This is from pages 33 of the Service and warranty Information Manual

In addition, the warranty coverage may be null and void in the following situations:

If the vehicle identification number has been altered or cannot be read, if the odometer has been replaced or altered and the true mileage cannot be determined, the vehicle has been declared a total loss or sold for salvage, or if the vehicle has been used in any competitive event.
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      08-11-2008, 07:41 PM   #12
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My Canadian 135i has the brakes and pads covered under the included scheduled maintenance.
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      08-11-2008, 10:35 PM   #13
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Do you think autoX against the clock counts as a "competitive event," or are they more referring to track days?

Just wondering what sorts of things are worth mentioning or not if I'm over at the dealership for anything..
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      08-12-2008, 09:47 AM   #14
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autoX , solo II, and bracket drag racing are competitive events. track days , test and tunes and schools are not competitive events.

I have not done a competitive event in a car under warranty before. (I have dealt with lots of issues with mods and new cars though).

It is my understanding that Mikeo and Call's experiences ,that the dealers don't mind and will sometimes help, is more of the norm. It should be noted that several manufactures are starting to crack down on racing (Mitsubishi in particular).
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