BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 14:32
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - goggz

Hi

I have just had a claim rejected for my intercooler having a crack in it. Apaarantly it is wear and tear because of some oil and carbon inside the intercooler.

Is this wear and tear? Surely some oil is expected in a 7 year old car and also could this cause a crack in an intercooler. I feel seriously ripped off!!

I have written a letter of complaint but am sure this wont help.

Does anybody have any advise.

Thanks

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 14:37
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - unthrottled

It's a common ruse. Of course an intercooler isn't a wearable component but all the warranty companies use the wear and tear clause to make their policies profitable. The only advice is to put the monthly premium into a car fund.

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 15:37
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - bonzo dog

Hi Goggz, sorry to hear of your problem. Can you tell me exactly what the warranty co have said to you?

I ask because you used the phrase "apparantly" wear & tear which, with all due respect, means absolutely nothing

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 17:09
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - gordonbennet

Would be interesting to peruse the real statistics of all claims, both honoured and rejected of all warranty companies.

Won't hold me breath.

As an above poster, regard this as an expensive lesson and put your hard earned in a rainy day account.

The best insurance plan for running such vehicles is to find a good competent independent specialist to maintain it properly for you.

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 17:49
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - bonzo dog

Would be interesting to peruse the real statistics of all claims

Would you believe them if they were available? I doubt it.

If they weighed heavily in favour of accepted claims you would no doubt call them false; if they weighed in favour of rejected claims you would say "see, told you so"

The other point to this question is what is a "rejetced claim" - if you claim for a blown bulb, is this a rejection? If you claim for a nail in the tyre is this a rejection?

The best insurance plan for running such vehicles is to find a good competent independent specialist to maintain it properly for you

Agreed, from a point of view of maintenence, but the OP was talikng about breakdown; how would a good independent specialist help in this case?

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 18:54
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - gordonbennet

Agreed, from a point of view of maintenence, but the OP was talikng about breakdown; how would a good independent specialist help in this case?

Thanks for providing my summary of figures i'm never likely to see, saved me a job.

A cracked intercooler isn't a breakdown, it's an intercooler that leaks and the car will drive OK if a little down on power and with a strange whooshing sound more than likely. Which a competent indy will either repair or replace, either way he'll do it for a fraction of the cost of the main dealer.

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 19:12
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - goggz

Agreed, from a point of view of maintenence, but the OP was talikng about breakdown; how would a good independent specialist help in this case?

Thanks for providing my summary of figures i'm never likely to see, saved me a job.

A cracked intercooler isn't a breakdown, it's an intercooler that leaks and the car will drive OK if a little down on power and with a strange whooshing sound more than likely. Which a competent indy will either repair or replace, either way he'll do it for a fraction of the cost of the main dealer.

The car was massively down on power, i couldn't get past 20 - 25 MPH. There was a strange sound but definitely didn't drive anywhere near OK. I took it to the dealer because I had the warranty?
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Sat 13 Aug 2011 17:35
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - goggz

T hey said it was wear and tear because there was oil in the intercooler. Thanks everyone for the advise, i wish i had put the money in a fund and certainly will now.

I have just composed a letter of compaint. I will post it below, do you think they will change their mind or just ignore it?

To whom it may concern:

Last year I was forced to buy an automatic car after being seriously injured in Afghanistan serving with the British Army. Upon the purchase the garage gave me warranty but unfortunately in June of this year the company ceased to exist, hence me needing new warranty.

After speaking to Lewis Williams (A member of your sales team) I decided to open a policy with your company after having previous problems with different warranty companies. Lewis helped ease my mind and convinced me that warranty direct was different and they cover everything nearly. He mentioned turbo’s, intercoolers and how they were covered.

On Monday the 8 th August my car suddenly lost power, immediately I took it to Halfords autocare in Aldershot as the sudden mechanical failure happened less than 300 metres from the garage. I would have preferred to take it to a BMW franchised dealer like I pay for, however Halfords was close and I did not want to aggravate the problem.

Being a recently disabled war veteran, I have numerous medical appointments, which I have missed. I have the car hire on my policy but nobody has given me direction on when the car would be ready as Halfords were only waiting for Alex, the claims consultant to make a decision, so it looked like the car would be imminently ready. On Friday (as you will see on your records) I spent most of the day dealing with Alex through other representatives. Alex (Claims consultant) requested an engineers report from Halfords; I can confirm they sent this on at least 5 occasions to the correct fax number and for the attention of Alex. I went to the garage on three occasions to witness them sending it. Once sent I contacted warranty direct again to confirm but again they had not received and asked me to get the garage to resend.

On Saturday 13 th August, I again contacted warranty direct to be told that the claim has been rejected, due to wear and tear on the Intercooler. I have contacted numerous garages, mechanics and they all confirm that it is a sudden mechanical failure hence the car suddenly braking down. The advisor on the phone mentioned that there was oil and residue in the intercooler. There was a crack in the intercooler and the car is 7 years old, is some oil and residue not expected?

Being an injured soldier currently at Headley court, I am very lucky in the aspect that many organisation’s are willing to offer there services, I will be contacting some very respectable solicitors to look over my case, I will also be spending any available time to advise people not to take a policy out with your company whilst. Further to this and most importantly I will also be contacting every newspaper agency I can to tell my story, all press are interested in injured British soldiers being unfairly treated.

I look forward to any further correspondence.

Kind Regards,

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 17:58
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - bonzo dog

They said it was wear and tear because there was oil in the intercooler

Sorry but I do not believe thay have told you that the claim was rejected due to wear & tear as there is oil in the intercooler. This statement does not make sence. What has oil in the part got to do with wear & tear?

Your threat of media action is probably the best way to get financial satisfaction for yourself but I would still dearly love to know:

  1. In what way has the intercooler exactly failed?
  2. What has WD determined to be the cause?
  3. What reason are they saying this cause is not covered

Either way, good luck

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 18:38
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - goggz

They said it was wear and tear because there was oil in the intercooler

Sorry but I do not believe thay have told you that the claim was rejected due to wear & tear as there is oil in the intercooler. This statement does not make sence. What has oil in the part got to do with wear & tear?

Your threat of media action is probably the best way to get financial satisfaction for yourself but I would still dearly love to know:

  1. In what way has the intercooler exactly failed?
  2. What has WD determined to be the cause?
  3. What reason are they saying this cause is not covered

Either way, good luck

Thanks for all the advise everyone, this is not about the money, i have got substantial compensation for my injury. Its just the point that i had the cover and had it rejected. It is not a fraudulant claim its a genuinely honest mechanical fault.

They said there is a crack in the intercooler, they havent determined a cause. they are rejecting it because they believe it is wear and tear because there was oil in the intercooler. I have only had the cover for about 80 days which is under there 90 day clause.

I am willing to go as far as i possibly can with this. They are not idle threats that i make in the letter. I am disgusted with the company and feel ripped off!

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 18:04
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - unthrottled

Well, according to the list of testomonials on their website:

" Cannot suggest any improvement, very happy with the courteous staff and how quickley the repairs were dealt with. Thank You. "

mr jack lewis | Location: Hampshire | Part Repaired: Intercooler | Date: 17th January 2011

However, I don't think the intercooler is covered on the 'bronze' level.

An air-to-air intercooler doesn't have any moving parts so it's difficult to see how it could be considered a serviceable item. Moreover, it is entirely normal for an intercooler to contain oil which inevitably leaks past the turbo il seal.

Check your policy Ts and Cs. If you think it should be covered-complain. Good luck!

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 18:18
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - bonzo dog

Moreover, it is entirely normal for an intercooler to contain oil which inevitably leaks past the turbo il seal

But all WD polices (if I'm reading their web-site correctly) do not exclude wear & tear; plus they cover failure to insured parts (in the case the intercooler) due to failure of non-insured parts (the seal; if you are correct in your suggested diagnosis).

This is why I am saying the OPs statement on the rejection does not make sence.

They would not say "we do not cover the part" if the part was covered; so why would they cite wear & tear when their policy covers wear & tear?

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 18:34
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - unthrottled

**********************PLEASE IGNORE ABOVE POST**********************************

I've just realised that this applies to warranty wise, not warranty direct.

Apologies.

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Mon 15 Aug 2011 10:14
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - Roly93

Firstly thank you for your contribution to our forces in the fight in Afganistan...

Secondly, you should get somewhere with this as an intercooler leaking is about the same

scenario as a radiator leaking, and I would assume they would covere a failed radiator. If they would not then iot looks as though any aftermarket warranty is a waste of time.

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Sat 13 Aug 2011 20:40
BMW X5 - Warranty direct wear and tear - Mike H

To be fair, Warranty Direct seemed to have a good reputation for being flexible and fair on the web site for my marque (Saab), so it's worth plugging away at them. It might be worth taking the policy, and their response, to someone with some legal knowledge - there's a section on this website that may be of use. Good luck.

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