Lifetime Warranty on Select BMW Parts

["Steve D'Gerolamo" <steved3@xxxxxxx>]

BMW has come out with a new promotion which is potentially valuable to the
customer but cuts out Parts Houses such as myself and raises questions for
many of the DYI'ers on this list.

Retroactive to Dec 1st, 1998, all BMW alternators, starters, mufflers (not
cats), strut inserts/shock absorbers, and water pumps PURCHASED THROUGH A
BMW DEALER (not through your favorite parts house) and INSTALLED AT A BMW
DEALERSHIP (not by you or your favorite mechanic/tuner) are warrantied for
life.  This includes both Part & Labor!

This does not apply to replacements under current warranty coverages....the
parts and labor must be paid for.

If I were in your shoes (and with my E34 535i I am), I would strongly
consider buying my next starter or alternator (and maybe the water pump)
through the dealer.  The muffler (assuming one purchases a factory
equivalent Boysen or Eberspracher) and shocks (many folks opt for stiffer
aftermarket replacements anyway) would not be as much of a risk.....these
last a long time.  If you plan on keeping the car for a short period, the
issue of free part/labor on a future replacement is probably not important.  

Who does this impact?  It affects parts houses like myself although to be
honest, I hate selling alternators anyway because it seems that at least
20% will fail (even the factory ones) in the first year and have to be
warrantied.  It mainly affects the non-dealer repair shops that get top
dollar for the parts they install (even the aftermarket ones) and charge
nearly the same labor as the local BMW dealerships.  It's the
Do-it-Yourselfers (DYI's) that will have to weigh the difference between
their parts/labor savings and the cost of the repair through the
dealership.  The extra cost now might be a worthy insurance policy against
having to tackle a future repair on a cold winter day.  SD

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Steve D'Gerolamo - The Ultimate Garage
201-262-0412 / steved3@domain.elided / http://www.ultimategarage.com

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