Engine Mount replacement

[CondorX5]

When my X was at the main dealers today having yet another parking sensor replaced (under warranty thankfully), they told me there was an oil leak from the gearbox / transmission and that one of the front engine mounts was "blown". Gearbox = no problem, booked in under warranty , also booked in for the engine mount although this is apparently "wear and tear" - not warranty issue - quote just over £200 at main dealers, work booked in for 26 August (need a loaner)

The car has done just over 37K miles, I've had it for 12 months and 5 days and we've done about 8-10K miles in the year. Its been well looked after (pampered really) and has been in and out of the dealers a few times for parking sensors, oil cooler, BT module, MOT (last week). At the time the oil cooIer was done in December/January 2011, no-one mentioned engine mounts or gearbox leaks, and likewise they didn't mention it last week when it had an MOT. I know £200ish is not a fortune to have to spend, although money is much tighter these days what with all the hikes in everything - should an engine mount on a car like the X not last for more than 37K miles? Is it worth writing to BMW UK about the engine mount failure given it passed a 120 point AUC check a year ago and has been to the main dealers at least 4 times in the year since then? Just wondering what you all think.

[Sanj]

Engine mounts going that early imho is too early, but what do I know....

Thought about getting an Indy to do it? Or would the warranty be invalidated? Otherwise worth a thought?

Can't see mounts being that dear and the labour, no more than an hour - can ask Jason whilst at the meet if you like? Give you a gauge?

[X5Sport]

Item 6 here probably.......

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=22&fg=05.

Probably £80 plus an hour's labour and VAT - sounds like about £200.

Given it's rubber, it's probably failed due to age rather than wear and tear, but that's what comes under wear nd tear, early or not. Given that BMW walked away from my gearbox failure despite a full BMW fsh and only 41,800 miles on a component that was warranted to 60,000 mies (I don't think age should count on major components), don't expect miracles. But then again BMW have just announced record profits, so may be they'll be nice

[AW8]

Sorry to hear of this.......My BMW's costing me significantly at present too.

1. I would check the small print of the t&c's of the warranty.

2. I would check to see if your AUC warranty differs slightly in term of cover from your renewed warranty. If the former warranty would have covered it then you really should take issue with this not being picked up earlier & within the 12 mths &/or argue the fault would have been tehre within the 12 months.

3. I would not expect an engine mount to fail. I would ask dealer to escalate it to BMW Uk & ask for a goodwill payment. In past folk have rejected 1st offer and agreed on a second one. Typically 1st offer might have been cost of part and you pay labour. I would push for cost of both but resign to paying 50 % labour with them paying the rest.......this on basis you accept there is some betterment involved to your advantage.

........I've had mine 5 yrs now and with over 100k I wouldn't expect any goodwill. I last claimed when car was approx 65k miles, 4 years old and me 3rd keeper but with fbmwsh kept up by me. I had to specifficaly request the dealership to submit a goodwill application which was reffered before the work was agreed to be done. I didnt even by mine from BMW but from an indy all makes trader. It did not have any BMW warranty when I bought it either. Since then they have apparently been less generous with goodwill...... I guess the fact I mentioned I was potentially interested in a new BMW in future may have had some bearing on events

I only deal with service managers and upwards in event of me getting 1st indication of reluctance to please

Good Luck

[Turks]

Condor, I'm with X5Sport on this one. I think it is more down to the fact that rubber is perrishable and now that 6 years have past, a couple of hard winters etc, items like this can go earlier than you would expect looking at the milage.

I believe that the AUC Warranty is slightly more comprehensive than the Renewed BMW Warranty that we have and plus the fact that you have had the MOT Guarantee, I would maybe question why if it has 'Blown' it wasn't picked up when it went in last week or whenever it was. Part of the MOT is an inspection underneath the car, albeit not for engine mounts, but the trained eye wouldn't miss this when inspecting... they didn't miss it when changing a parking sensor!!

However, if you don't get very far down that road I would have the work done but ask to see the worn parts when the work is finished to see how bad the wear is... this way you will have proof that the parts were ready for replacement or not.

p.s My engine mounts haven't been touched, 69k and a year older than yours.


Turks.

[Raj]

I'd definitely go for a goodwill gesture on BMW's part as it probably would have been covered under the AUC warranty you had buying it from a dealer. No real harm at the end of the day. As above, if not the whole thing see about a part payment.

[pvr]

To be honest, engine mounts seem to be a bad luck factor as well. On the E85 / E86 M models, there are loads of cases where the engine mounts have failed with cars that are less then a year old - but that was on the metal bit, not rubber, and this was also due to the wrong nut being used so I read.

Are you sure it was the rubber bit that had gone?

[CondorX5]

Apparently. I tried to speak to the service manager at Stratstone Derby yesterday and was promised a call back for tomorrow as he was "VERY BUSY" yesterday. Instead, I ended up with the same service agent I'd dealt with on Friday - he was patronising and argumentative this time- and very dismissive that their "perfect" mechanics could have missed the engine mount issue only a week prior to that. The car only covered about 20 miles in that week - to the dealer and back - as we hadn't used it. Apparently there is a split in the rubber bit and a leak from there - if it isn't split, it doesn't leak. Very odd that it suddenly developed this leak in a trip to the dealers and back, mind you. And apparently it would not have been covered on the AUC original warranty either, like brake pads etc, as its deemed a wear and tear item. I said I wanted to see all old parts when removed - apparently this has to be done via a "special" request so I said make sure that it happens then! Won't hold my breath that the service manager bothers to phone back, but will certainly do so myself if he doesn't bother......... Stratstone Derby are ok generally - did the oil cooler repair over Xmas super-quick and were efficient with the MOT while I waited last week, but this sort of bad behaviour from the "service agent" is a bit of a spoiler - I don't need to be argued with by some patronising bod whose sole purpose is to fob me off..........