Front brake pad warning. Dealer or Indi?

[Finglonga]

The 2011 X6 has just thrown up the front pads need replacing. The car is under warranty until 2014 and it has the oil service package until then as well.

My local good independent garage is a fraction of the price due to a member of family used to work there and will get the Pagid pads and sensors for me at trade prices and fit them BUT what will it do to my warranty or service pack?

I am slightly cautious at going to an indi if BMW are going to throw the dummy out of the pram should anything happen in the future. :'(

[Sanj]

Don't think it matters but I would pay BMW dealer a visit and ask in person - over the phone and they find it easier to BS you!

[Raj]

It will be fine. Pads are not covered by warranty anyway so won't affect anything.

[weirdfish]

What about if you use non OE parts, will that give them an excuse in the future for rejecting a warranty claim.

[X5Sport]

I would have thought that might indeed allow them an excuse.  No doubt the warranty makes reference to something like using only 'approved' parts, even if they can't insist a BMW Dealer does the work.

The Indy I use gives me the option of OE or non-OE whenever work is being done.  They don't charge OE prices when using OE parts though.

[Finglonga]

Cheers folks, the wife is having her car serviced this week and I will ask when there but looking more like the indi is the way forward.

[AW8]

Just a thought with Condition Based aservicing is there seperate stamp for brakes being done on the E70 ?

If so then you may want main dealer visit if you like eto keep all stamps as main dealer if really motivated.

Apologies but unsure re the layout of an E70 service book..........Ignore if not relevant

[Raj]

[quote="weirdfish"]
What about if you use non OE parts, will that give them an excuse in the future for rejecting a warranty claim.
[/quote]

I was running full BBKs on the M5 with Eibach springs, custom exhaust, etc but dealer still spent 2 weeks trying to work out the issue with it and replaced the brake servo when they worked oh it had a small hole in it all under warranty.

On the X5 with all the mods I have done including Afe induction kit, again the dealer still replaced alternator, battery, air suspension component, etc no problems at all.

Only time they will have an issue is if the non standard part has caused the direct failure of the component under warranty to be replaced.

But likelihood is near impossible with just pads and discs.

[Finglonga]

Thanks for the advice, just an update, pads and sensor(genuine BMW) fitted yesterday for £136. The dealer wanted to charge £122 just for the pads alone!

New(ish) EU ruling means manufacturers can not penalise you if you don't use a dealer as long as the garage uses approved parts.