Dealer says NO to aftermarket air filter!

[Jones]

I spoke to BMW again today as I had no luck the first time. I asked if an aftermarket air filter would invalidate the warranty on my MCS Works and they said YES! The warranty would be void from the time I fitted the part. Even if I remove the part later, the warranty would still be void.

So I spoke to my dealer, and posed the same question and he said yes also and would not budge! He said they may do warranty work on the car if it was electrical or something not engine but they would not work on the engine if there were non BMW parts in there! Annoying!!

So...my question is, as my dealer is such a tight a*se, could I take my car to another dealer who is more lenient to this sort of thing for warranty work to be carried out??

I had so many problems with my last MCS to do with all sorts of parts of the car that I dont think I really want to risk losing my warranty!

Any advice? Could I put in a performance panel filter into the standard filter box and romove it if it goes in for warranty work? This is not so obvious as changing the whole unit for a Mini Madness air filter etc!

Sorry for the long thread!

Thanks,

Jones!

[bigbaddaboom]

I know of one member that has quite a few modifications done to their MINI and still gets serviced and warranty work carried out at his dealer. I'll give you a PM with his name and I'm sure they'll be able to give you some advice.

Some dealers are just better and more customer focused than others. It's funny that they all aren't better at dealing with MINI customers (re: the mods thing) considering how MINI plug the ability to configure your car so it is unique.

[mini huni]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jones

...Any advice? Could I put in a performance panel filter into the standard filter box and romove it if it goes in for warranty work? This is not so obvious as changing the whole unit for a Mini Madness air filter etc!

Sorry for the long thread!

Thanks,

Jones!

According to the K&N web site their filters will NOT void the US warranty. What is different between US and UK warranties?
Yes, but you have to be careful not to break open the special hose clamp as it requires a special tool to close. Also keep the engine compartment washed and clean so there is no evidence the car has been tampered with.

This was something that was discussedon a VW forum I used to frequent. There was alot of us running 1.8T's that had been tuned and someone was told by thier dealer that thier warranty had been voided due to an aftermarket airfilter.

In the end someone got hold of a letter that K&N had published (in the states I think) took it too the dealer to prove that the aftermarket airfilter wouldn't do any damage and that they had to honour thier warrenty.

The other way to approach this is ask your dealer if you fitted a new airfilter that came from a third party source, a standard paper one (from the likes of german and swedish for example) not a long life one, would that void the warrenty as well? If they say no then ask why would a higher quilty aftermarket filter void it. You never know it may help.

Just a thought.

J.

[SugarBelly]

Dealer's and/or their warranty guidelines must be different betwixt the UK & USA.

Stateside, in order to void a warranty a MINI dealer must directly prove an aftermarket mod, such as a 3rd party air intake, is the direct antagonist to other engine problems. This must be proved in court, beyond a reasonable doubt. Further, MINI would have to go to court in each & every case in order to attempt to prove their BS argument.

1. There's no way an after market air filter (K&N) would effect the overall engine enough that it would suffice a voiding of the warranty.

2. Lawyers cost a bit more than mechanics per hour,- period.

Thus, - there's no g.damn way the MINI dealer you spoke with has to abide by these same rules, or he is just trying to keep everyone in line, like a catholic school teacher.

Jones, - find out your warranty rights as well as the process necessary to void it in the UK. Then, utilize your performance filter, & yes, remove it when going in for service, - if nothing else, you avoid an innane argument with your communist dealer. ...unbelievable!

"Free your @rse & your head will follow."

Good luck all around.

-.s.b

[LuckyRVA]

Seems like dealerships vary greatly. I was worried about the same thing until I talked to a tech at my dealership, apparently the dealership I go to installs intakes, exhausts, springs/suspension mods, and s/c pulleys . They obviously have no problem with my intake, springs, and exhaust.

My old car was a 99 Corolla and got serviced at a Toyota dealership not 3 miles down the road from my MINI dealership. They(Toyota dealership) would not do ANY work on my car because of the mods on it. Never had to worry about warranty work though .


-Jason

[Mugami]

im with Lucky on this since were both from the same area. The local tech said it depends on the claims writer at the time. This is US though. Another thing for some of us to think about that dont live in the UK. If i remember correctly its also a real pain in the **** in some areas to get the car insured if its modded and yes that includes modding the intake system and not just the filter. Dont know if this is the case in Mr. Jones area since im not from there, But this could be a factor in the Mini dealerships decisions.

[mini huni]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mugami
... If i remember correctly its also a real pain in the **** in some areas to get the car insured if its modded and yes that includes modding the intake system and not just the filter. ...

Thank God we live in the land of the free.
Some of the US posters here would NEVER have gotten insured.<>

I think I am living in a parallel universe. There is a thread from the stateside perspective.

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=37713

[LMB]

What gets me is at the end of the day your replacing the standard air filter with a better quality part. The Rogue cold air filter, for example will set you back £300. I bet you could pick up a standard air filter for a few quid. I can see no reason for them invaliding your warranty.

I’m going to have words with my dealership, I’ll let you know what they say.

[bodinski]

the intake clip is easily re-used. a small flat screwdriver will unclip it, and i use a small pair of adjustable pliers and a little oil to (gently) re-close it. just be careful and it'll be fine.

[jre7star]

This really annoys me dealers - if they see a modified car they will try to get out of the warranty and they claim that even if the parts are removed the warranty will still be void - i wonder how many Mini Cherished cars have been modified at somepoint and then converted back??? i've never heard of one "without" a warranty