canyonwalker: Uh-oh, physics (Wile E. Coyote)
[personal profile] canyonwalker
After Hawk took our BMW to the dealer for service on Thursday for some engine trouble we got bad news. The engine problem we thought would be covered under warranty was not. We'd need to spend $1,200 out of pocket.

"Wait," you may say, "Haven't you had this car for a long time? Isn't it way beyond the warranty period?"

Our BMW convertible, "Hawkgirl" [Pic from 2016]

Yes, "Hawkgirl" has been around a while. She's a 2008 model we've owned since 2012 and has nearly 150,000 miles. That's all waaay beyond the normal warranty. But in the auto industry, manufacturers occasionally put out things called Technical Service Bulletins or Service Information Bulletins. They're like mini recalls. They're not filed with the government, and the company doesn't contact you proactively or fix it proactively, but if your develops the problem that matches the TSB/SIB, the manufacturer pays for it. Our independent mechanic found an SIB that matched the engine trouble codes Hawkgirl was displaying and recommended we go to the dealer. We were right under the line on eligibility, too— this specific, unadvertised warranty is good for up to 15 years or 150k miles.

The dealer, unfortunately, disagreed with the independent shop's reading of the SIB. They said it didn't apply to our car. We had a copy of the bulletin so we argued back and forth a few times with the dealer's service department. No dice. I even called BMW USA's national customer support number to ask if the SIB covered our car. Also no dice.

Well, we're not not going to fix it. Yeah, spending another $1,200 to keep this car running is a pisser, but we can afford it. And it's cheaper than buying a new car. We're thinking we can get another 2 years out of this car. Heck, maybe we can drive it to 200k miles!


Date: 2021-05-09 05:36 pm (UTC)
trent_goulding: (Default)
From: [personal profile] trent_goulding

That is a pisser; I'm not sure there's anyone who welcomes $1,200 of unanticipated car repairs with cries of joy…

The question that's starting to dominate in my mind is when will the tipping point arrive at which electric cars become truly, reasonably viable for the average person (i.e. me)? I'd like my next car to be electric, but the price and selection and (very importantly) infrastructure aren't there yet. So for me, the question becomes, how many more years can I nurse my 2015 Prius?

Edited Date: 2021-05-09 05:37 pm (UTC)

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canyonwalker

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