[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by M3-S65

Just the accountants finding a way to keep the corporate heads paychecks increasing at the expense of the consumer...
Couple things...

1. The way it is now BMW is stuck if you have problems with your car and you followed their maintenance program. It is logged into their computer and they have to honor their warranty unless you obviously modded it. BMW cannot possibly argue that the engine or transmission crapped out due to you not maintaining it. The new program gives them a gray area which they want, it forces the used car buyer to keep all records and creates a gray area for BMW to argue that it was done incorrectly or not even done.

2. It's a downgrade, BMW has been known for the free maintenance forever. Downgrades make consumers consider other options....glad I am not part of the New M downgrades. I am also glad I still have the upgraded high revving V8, and a manly exhaust note...I love it...all this is going to make our Ms hold their value...

I think this was from dealers complaining they weren't making enough on maintenance. I'm expecting those intervals to change as well.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by bimmerbuff

Doesn't he have to retire in two years at age 60 or did they change that rule? He's 58 now, been running the place for eight years since taking over from Panke in 2006.

That's a good question, I wasn't aware of any mandatory retirement age stipulations. Whoever inherits the reigns is going to have a lot of work to do. I just don't see Norbert's changes resulting in many positives over the long term. If he has to retire in 2 years, then maybe it explains a lot of things; he really doesn't give a flying fuck about the long-term.

Go ask Honda how cost cutting affected the performance aspects of its cars. The Civic used to have double wishbone front suspension....

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by Kyle B

That's a good question, I wasn't aware of any mandatory retirement age stipulations. Whoever inherits the reigns is going to have a lot of work to do. I just don't see Norbert's changes resulting in many positives over the long term. If he has to retire in 2 years, then maybe it explains a lot of things; he really doesn't give a flying fuck about the long-term.

Go ask Honda how cost cutting affected the performance aspects of its cars. The Civic used to have double wishbone front suspension....

I mentioned the same exact thing a few post back. The Civic USED to be the class leader too.

[IS350]

A sales associate told me it could be transferred for a small fee. I'm curious how much, and I asked by email. Perhaps she was confusing this with the CPO warranty and its $200 warranty transfer fee?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Petros

Not to mention they also get to increase their profits off the back of 2nd hand owners when they go to the stealerships and pay for maintenance. Don't forget the original owner had already paid for this maintenance before hand since the cost is incoporated in the new car's price. So instead of BMW paying the stealerships this money, the 2nd hand owner does and BMW keeps the money as pure profit

This is exactly correct.

I'd like to point out that most E90 Members do not follow BMW's maintenance schedule anyway and usually double-up on oil changes, and complain that driveline fluids and coolant is not "lifetime" (and replace them at 50,000 or sooner), so I'm not sure what everyone is complaining about. Like previously said, the free maintenance comes down to 2 oil changes, a cabin air filter, and a few wiper blades. On rare occasion someone may get their brakes redone.

The "free" maintenance program was borne of the highly-profitable leasing program. BMW needed a way to ensure used car purchasers buying cars coming off a lease were properly maintained. Everyone believes that once the free maintenance program came into place, BMW suddenly and drastically "reduced" the maintenance requirements, but no one has ever considered that BMW's "old school" maintenance requirements were actually overkill and a profit-making endeavor from the beginning. All they've done is just rearranged the profiteering scheme (while making it all the more lucrative now).