octopaganini

I recently had a low oil level warning. I called my local dealership and the service advisor said just bring it down and we'll top it off. I went down there and the guy who checks you in said I needed to go to the parts counter. I went there thinking they would just give me a quart of oil. I come to find out I had to pay for the oil. I told the parts counter employee that my car was still under warranty. He said topping off the oil was not covered. He did say oil changes were. I told him I wanted an oil change. He said your car will let you know when you need an oil change and they wouldn't cover it under warranty otherwise.

I went home and emailed BMW North America. They responded a few days later and told me oil changes were covered after 15000 miles. If I had the car for over a year, but did not drive enough to get 15000, they would cover a oil change that way too. But, they said if I wanted an oil change before 15000 or before one year, they would not cover that. They also said they did not cover topping off the oil. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but BMW advertises their maintenace program like it was a gift from God. Worry free they say. I'm mean they'll replace your wiper blades, but a quart of oil, No Sir. What if I knew nothing about a car. Would I then have to pay for the oil, but also pay someone to add it for me. How ridiculous is that.

Perhaps I didn't read the fine print, but it seems to me that they could afford to cover a customer for one quart of oil. I guess BMW Maintenance Program isn't so worry free after all. I'm curious if anyone else has had a similiar problem. If so, perhaps BMW should be sued for false advertising.

pinguhk

now you know why I never join there Maintenance Program.
It just a rip off and sucks.
But if you dont know any thing about car and just what to drive it then yes join the Maintenance Program.
they change your wiper blades and not add oil, now that is a joke the wiper blades cost more than the oil haha.
In HK I know they top it up for free so maybe it just that dealer.

Bimmer32

How much does a quart of synthetic oil cost? If I were, I'd tell the dealer to shove it up their ***. Why would any car need a quart of oil? The last one I had was a rebuilt engine that required 1 quart of oil for every 2 gas fill up. That was an old beat up American V8.

wasupdu

Sounds like you just have a bad dealer. Both dealers in my area will damn near bend over backwards to satisfy their customers. Granted, I'm still under warranty, but so far so good.

I'd recommend you find another dealer if you have one in your area. They should definitely cover your oil top off regardless of what BMW NA says. It's a simple courtesy that costs them next to nothing.

Roleez

Agreed ... find a new dealer. I've had a couple courtesy oil top-offs at no charge and one top off of coolant as well. A good dealer will do whatever is necessary to keep a loyal client.

MiamiPhill

Yep, me too, they topped-off my CPO E39 at my local dealer & I didn't even have to get out of the car...took 2 min.

Rudy

I get top-offs whenever I need them from my dealer. I don't need them often but when I do, they don't even do any paperwork, etc. They just grab a funnel, a rag, and a quart of oil and walk outside to my car and take care of me.

It's simply ridiculous that some dealers don't recognize how far something like this helps build/maintain customer loyalty as well as help generate referral business, etc.

Bentleyt

You guys are starting to worry me, I have only had my car four weeks so far no top up, just sold my GS300 never topped the oil up between changes and oil never got dark between changes even after 140,000km, wish I had a dip stick, not the idrive version

pinguhk

dont worry about a thing, you have a very good car in you hand, itis normal for the new engine to brun oil.
BTW I was looking at the new GS300 2 weekends ago and the from is a bit tiet but the back has alot of rooms.
My dad was thinking of changing the BMW but I said no way these is now car right now that can replace the E60.
so How good or bad was the GS300?

redwhiteblue

You just have to drive it harder to take full advantage of them. "your car will tell you" stuff is great. I have managed to get 2 oil changes in 8 months-every 8k miles my indicator came on saying recomdends a change within like 3k miles or something. But as long as the light comes on they are required to change it. I drive my car hard 99 percent of the time and most dont want or care to do that but itsone solutions if your in a lease!

Also had my front and rears changed out-more due to squeeling but both were coming up on 6k before needing changed and to replace front and rear pads I believe is 1500 so getting free pads with the maintence plan is worth it which you may or may not have to do in the 3 years you have it depending on how you drive.

Personally I like the program. I leased a car, dont care to do it any more often then they pay for it and figure a huge company like that has done their research and in the end does not prevent enough damage to justify doing it more often on average. So if it was my own car I kept I would do it more often because its a no brainer it decreased the chance something down the line will happen to YOURS.

I think the b.s part is the not offering tire rotations. That seems like regular maintence to me which they dont cover.

And oh ya. My dealer hands me a couple quarts at the parts counter for free any time I ask so its hit or miss per the dealer