[E902717]

Its a bloody outrage! Its not your fault! I had a meeting with our insurance broker yesterday at work dont know how it came into the conversation but he said the dealers are not legally allowed to charge you for 'insurance' as they in effect become an 'insurance broker' and to do that need to be licensed by the FSA.

No way should customers be charged for a loan car when your's is in for warranty work.

What i love doing at my local stealers is when i drop the loan car back which is always FOC i joke that i haven't got a drivers licence! You should see their face i can't remember the last time they asked to see mine.

[toxicnerve]

I'm unsurprised at the response to be honest and it's much as I expected.

I've had a word with the dealer in question and they have stated their case for charging as follows:

1. BMW UK/AG do not cover the cost of loan cars even for warranty work.

2. The loan cars depreciate with mileage (obviously)

3. When being sold they have to be prepped to AUC standards

4. When a loan car is sold another car has to be bought to replace it

5. Drivers of loan cars have to be insured

6. Margins are so tight that if loan cars were not charged they would not make any money service/warranty work.

[Anneka @ Sytner]

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

1. BMW UK/AG do not cover the cost of loan cars even for warranty work.

Incorrect, BMW cover the cost of a loan car if parts are on back order and the car is not driveable, or if the car is relayed in by BMW assist and a replacement car is provided. They don't offer to pay the cost of a replacement car as part of their warranty policy, and as far as I am aware there aren't many vehicle manufacturers that do promise to pay for a loan car upon every warranty visit in their policies?

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

2. The loan cars depreciate with mileage (obviously)

Service fleet cars are an additional expense to a business, provided by the dealer (not the manufacturer) for loan to the customer. It is the decision of a dealership if they wish to provide such a fleet for customer use.

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

3. When being sold they have to be prepped to AUC standards

The ongoing cost of prepping these cars after every use (not just the final one) tally up. I suppose this is why dealers decided to start charging a small fee to contribute towards the costs of running a loan car fleet in the first place.

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

4. When a loan car is sold another car has to be bought to replace it

Don't see what that has to do with anything ? Surely the costs of running the next car wouldn't have anything to do with the customer hiring the one presently on offer?

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

5. Drivers of loan cars have to be insured

The charge is not necessarily for insurance alone, but could be considered to contribute towards it in a small amount depending on how the accountant allocates the funds at that dealership. The loan car chage is a general contribution towards the cost of offering and running the loan car fleet.

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

6. Margins are so tight that if loan cars were not charged they would not make any money service/warranty work.

All dealerships charge BMW UK an internal rate for warranty work, which only covers the cost of doing business; this includes paying for the technician, tools, warranty administrators, supporting admin, service personnel etc.
As an insider I can see where the decision to charge for loan cars has come from, and can see where offering them free of charge to all customers could be more hassle than it's worth.


To clarify, is the question whether BMW do offer a replacement car free of charge under their warranty policy, or whether they should?

If the later, then it would be nice!

[toxicnerve]

The question is more as stated in the poll:

Should customers be charged when their cars are in for warranty work?

I'm not fussed who picks up the tab, be it the dealer or BMW, makes no odds to me. What does matter is that when my car is in having a defect rectified is it "right" that I should have to pay for a loaner.

The other issue is there's a complete lack of consistency, sometimes you get a freebie other times not. Depending on when/how you talk to and which dealer you visit.

[creepy coupe]

If the dealer doing the work, is the dealer who supplied me the car, I wouldn't pay, otherwise I'd pay the £15 they ask for insurance. There's no logic in my stance, just principle.

[toxicnerve]

Well the loan car was free, they didn't even attempt to charge me for it. Big

However, they fucked up the warranty work anyway:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=516856

They are trying to rectify but I am not impressed.