[johnlondonw3]

How about listing all the things you can do to get more out of the car without busting the warranty,what | was thinking of was along the lines of fitting K & N air filter for example ?

Please add to the list

[pebz]

As this is in the performance and tuning section then i guess this restricts responses to only engine and suspension and braking mods?

[stryder]

Its not that simple. as per the FAQ on aftermarket parts and warranty, it depends on many factors.

If your dealer is a giant pain in the neck, you may not be able to change anything without them screaming. If they're not, people have taken cars in with pulleys, full exhaust and headers, suspension and the interior ripped out to get things fixed. Some dealers have even installed aftermarket parts.

You absolutely need to talk to your dealer and see what's ok with them, because they're the ones that need to decide whether a certain part caused the problem, and if that part was aftermarket, its not a warranty item.

We all wish it was simple, but its not.

Btw, a K&N filter isn't automatically safe on your warranty, because as you read the FAQ on K&N's site: http://knfilters.com/faq.htm#15 their rationale for it being warranty safe, is that the dealer doesn't give free filters. In the US and in the UK (with TLC) you do get free filters as part of maintence, so they can void the warranty if they determine the filter is at fault.

Pebz - Its probably limited to performance modifications, so anything that makes the car perform better. Short shifter, lighter battery, etc all count as performance. For organizational purposes, something like new seats would usually be in interior. In general if its just a single part, its not as much of a warranty issue. If you change your seat, you've only voided the warranty on your seat, it doesn't have the cascade problem, like changing the filter affects (in theory) the entire engine and exhaust.

But check with your dealer, in the UK some dealers have revoked TLC due to modifications.

[Bonnie Scotland]

Quote: Originally Posted by johnlondonw3

How about listing all the things you can do to get more out of the car without busting the warranty,what | was thinking of was along the lines of fitting K & N air filter for example ?
Please add to the list

Shell's optimax petrol

Bonnie Scotland

[johnlondonw3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bonnie Scotland

Shell's optimax petrol

Bonnie Scotland

Increase/decrease tyre pressures ?!

[Julz]

my ickle car is going in for warranty work on tuesday!! so i agree that it depends on if your dealer has a brain or not!! I've got the same dealer as Bonnie Scotland, and we don't have any probs at all, and if you consider what both cars are like!!

[Keith]

Has anyone actually had a reasonable warranty request turned down by a dealer because of a mod? I think everyone is worrying about theoretical rather than real problems.

I wouldn't ask a dealer whether they will repair the engine under warranty if, say, the intake was changed. They pretty much have to say "no" for their own protection as they don't know what you will do when installing the intake or what problem they are being asked to repair. However, if you go in with a real problem then I'd bet they would repair it unless it is obviously related to the mod.

[Goonery]

Its down to the dealer IMO. There are dealers out there who are shall we say sympathetic to non OE mods, and others that are not. If you do something to the car, but are a good customer they will most likely be ok.
If however you do major tuning with things that are way off spec, then expect a problem. Suggest you check before you do anything major, and keep the OE parts handy, so you can put it back as it was for a short while if possible.

[Julz]

[quote=Keith]Has anyone actually had a reasonable warranty request turned down by a dealer because of a mod? I think everyone is worrying about theoretical rather than real problems.
QUOTE]

Me!! My cylinder head went whilst down south, car got taken to a dealer who saw my piper-x and refused to repair the work under warranty. SO, the car was taken to BBR where it was going for a tune-up, they repaired the cylinder head and my wonderful dealers reimbursed me the cost of the work which they reckon should have been covered by warranty!! <humph>

[supercoopers]

Julz,

How did you create such a good relationship with your local dealer? I would like some advice because i really want to go with the BBR upgrade (especially after EVO's review this month!) but i also want to maintain my warranty on non-related items. What do you recommend in my instance? Shop around until i find a dealer which is willing to put down in writing that my warranty will be honoured despite the mods or is there something

Thanks in advance,

Henry

[Bonnie Scotland]

Quote: Originally Posted by supercoopers

Julz,
How did you create such a good relationship with your local dealer? I would like some advice because i really want to go with the BBR upgrade (especially after EVO's review this month!) but i also want to maintain my warranty on non-related items. What do you recommend in my instance? Shop around until i find a dealer which is willing to put down in writing that my warranty will be honoured despite the mods or is there something
Thanks in advance,Henry

Henry, there is no dealer on the planet who will put in writing that you will maintain your warranty after installing aftermarket items, even ours. Our dealer uses common sense when it comes to warrnaty stuff, if one of our mods does not cause a problem then your warranty is still intact. I honestly can't believe that BMW would be able to knock back any warranty work not directly related to a mod.
If you install a new pulley and your interior trim falls apart, they can hardly blame the mod.
I initially took the route of not caring if my warranty was affected, i did check though and was assured that all is ok.
I have had a few things sorted, ie door seal, stearing column and something else i can't remember and also have had my first TLC service.

Bottom line is, if you don't ask you won't know and if you don't tell them they probably won't know.
Good luck with your decision.

Bonnie Scotland

[Julz]

All I can do is agree with what Bonnie Scotland has just said. I too decided not to get too concerned with the warranty as I wanted the BBR, but I checked with my dealer first, all they said was 'we still cover Alans car', which was enough for me!!
As for the BBR, go for it, you will not be disappointed!!

[Michael Caine]

I too am thinking of going down the BBR route, do BBR give you some sort of warranty on the work they have done?

Also does anyone know how much a coversion would be minus the exhaust i.e. if i keep the standard one?

[Bonnie Scotland]

Quote: Originally Posted by Michael Caine

I too am thinking of going down the BBR route, do BBR give you some sort of warranty on the work they have done?
Also does anyone know how much a coversion would be minus the exhaust i.e. if i keep the standard one?

I believe they give you a 12 month warranty on their bits, depending on which conversion you want their prices are on their website, the 275 is only 15k

Bonnie Scotland

[dav]

You need to put yourself in BMW's shoes for a minute. You design and engineer a car and then offer a 4year/50 K mile warranty for it. If you the customer modify/alter the drivetrain in any way, the factory will NOT honor the warranty. It's plain and simple. No, I am not defending the manufacturer, it's simply business. If a customer put a NOS system on his Mini and brought it back for warranty work and BMW discovered the main bearings were shot, YOU will pay the labor and parts bill. The MCS for example was engineered for 163 hp. You bump it up to 220hp, and now your straining the transmission, clutch, CV joints, etc. in the drivetrain because it was not engineered to handle that much power. I understand the temptation to modify. Escpecially the Mini. But my mods will be things other than the drivetrain untill the warranty expires. Just had to share my feelings on this subject.

[Bonnie Scotland]

Quote: Originally Posted by dav

You need to put yourself in BMW's shoes for a minute. You design and engineer a car and then offer a 4year/50 K mile warranty for it. If you the customer modify/alter the drivetrain in any way, the factory will NOT honor the warranty. It's plain and simple. No, I am not defending the manufacturer, it's simply business. If a customer put a NOS system on his Mini and brought it back for warranty work and BMW discovered the main bearings were shot, YOU will pay the labor and parts bill. The MCS for example was engineered for 163 hp. You bump it up to 220hp, and now your straining the transmission, clutch, CV joints, etc. in the drivetrain because it was not engineered to handle that much power. I understand the temptation to modify. Escpecially the Mini. But my mods will be things other than the drivetrain untill the warranty expires. Just had to share my feelings on this subject.

There is no dispute on whether an engine mod will be covered by BMW if an engine part fails, it would be very easy to suggest that the mod caused the failure, but, if your windows stopped working then i doubt if anyone sensibly could blame the engine mod.
The MCS was not engineered for a max of 163 BHP, why, if it was do you think JCW would have stuck with it with their own 200+ works conversion.
My temptation to modify so far has seen me do 14k miles with no hassle and total support from my dealer.
By doing any mod you will lose your warranty, you did not specify any particular mod, just non engine ones, consider this, if you change the stereo and a day later your car goes on fire do you think BMW will honour your warranty??

Bonnie Scotland