[rjabend]

Originally Posted by MSpeedX7

Took mine in for the transfer case issue. Who would have thought the transfer case oil would be on back order. No timeline has been given on when it will be back in stock.

I have to believe there are alternative oils that would do the trick. Am I missing something?

[E3_550]

Originally Posted by ivinioX7

Is the match for $7k or 12k?

When we purchased, it was for $4100. BMW platinum 100k miles. Originally quoted $5900.

[ivinioX7]

Originally Posted by E3_550

When we purchased, it was for $4100. BMW platinum 100k miles. Originally quoted $5900.

Thank you.
Yeah, I missed out on purchasing it when it was offered to me for $7k, and now it's $14k. To me, spending $14k upfront is not justifiable and doesn't make financial sense since I could spend the same amount towards buying a brand new X7 and not worry about whether the warranty will cover wear and tear parts.

BMW must have thought this through, betting that this is exactly what people would do to drive their new car sales revenue.

[Madsen203]

Originally Posted by ivinioX7

Thank you.
Yeah, I missed out on purchasing it when it was offered to me for $7k, and now it's $14k. To me, spending $14k upfront is not justifiable and doesn't make financial sense since I could spend the same amount towards buying a brand new X7 and not worry about whether the warranty will cover wear and tear parts.

BMW must have thought this through, betting that this is exactly what people would do to drive their new car sales revenue.

I would soon rather invest in a rainy day fund or try one of the other insurers such as Endurance. I plan to drive this until 75k or so which means I’m only out of warranty for a short bit. I’ll pay up front to have differential and transfer case fluids replaced early as those seem to be the big ticket items that fail most consistently before the 100k window.

Until then, we will see what happens! 🫣

[tkelley86]

So is swapping this fluid definitely a good idea? Or does cracking it open run the risk of hurting it further? I don't have any issues today but man this stuff sounds scary...

[MSpeedX7]

Originally Posted by rjabend

I have to believe there are alternative oils that would do the trick. Am I missing something?

Because its a warranty issue, they will only allow genuine BMW DTF1. They said to continue to drive it and they would keep the repair order open.

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by MSpeedX7

Because its a warranty issue, they will only allow genuine BMW DTF1. They said to continue to drive it and they would keep the repair order open.

I understand you may be restricted, but note:

https://www.amazon.com/TRIAX-Profess...09F4K23SS?th=1

Which is available almost immediately!

[ivinioX7]

Originally Posted by Madsen203

I would soon rather invest in a rainy day fund or try one of the other insurers such as Endurance. I plan to drive this until 75k or so which means I’m only out of warranty for a short bit. I’ll pay up front to have differential and transfer case fluids replaced early as those seem to be the big ticket items that fail most consistently before the 100k window.

Until then, we will see what happens! ��

I've been considering purchasing a third-party warranty, including Endurance. However, I've found that many of these companies have a poor reputation on the BBB, with numerous negative claims filed against them for declining legitimate repair claims. Their list of uncovered parts can be vague and misleading to us peasants, but carefully crafted to remain legal. Ultimately, they are in business to make money, so they often resist paying out claims.

My X7 has been in the shop three times just last month. While the service has been great, it's not sustainable in the long run. Dealing with a third-party warranty would be quite a hassle—having to take the vehicle in for repairs, paying for a rental while the car is in the shop, and then waiting for an adjuster to evaluate whether their company will cover the repair costs. I don't want to deal with that hassle. I think I'll get rid of it.

[Madsen203]

Originally Posted by ivinioX7

I've been considering purchasing a third-party warranty, including Endurance. However, I've found that many of these companies have a poor reputation on the BBB, with numerous negative claims filed against them for declining legitimate repair claims. Their list of uncovered parts can be vague and misleading to us peasants, but carefully crafted to remain legal. Ultimately, they are in business to make money, so they often resist paying out claims.

My X7 has been in the shop three times just last month. While the service has been great, it's not sustainable in the long run. Dealing with a third-party warranty would be quite a hassle—having to take the vehicle in for repairs, paying for a rental while the car is in the shop, and then waiting for an adjuster to evaluate whether their company will cover the repair costs. I don't want to deal with that hassle. I think I'll get rid of it.

I mean, $40k in repairs in the next 5 years is a far cry from the cost of buying a new car. So as long as the one gives you similar comfort, you’ll be ahead to throw money at it for 5 years and then finally sell/trade it at the 10y mark after it has fully depreciated.

[Tinbad]

Originally Posted by ivinioX7

I've been considering purchasing a third-party warranty, including Endurance. However, I've found that many of these companies have a poor reputation on the BBB, with numerous negative claims filed against them for declining legitimate repair claims. Their list of uncovered parts can be vague and misleading to us peasants, but carefully crafted to remain legal. Ultimately, they are in business to make money, so they often resist paying out claims.

My X7 has been in the shop three times just last month. While the service has been great, it's not sustainable in the long run. Dealing with a third-party warranty would be quite a hassle—having to take the vehicle in for repairs, paying for a rental while the car is in the shop, and then waiting for an adjuster to evaluate whether their company will cover the repair costs. I don't want to deal with that hassle. I think I'll get rid of it.

Just curious, what was it that it was in the shop 3 times?

[ivinioX7]

Originally Posted by Madsen203

I mean, $40k in repairs in the next 5 years is a far cry from the cost of buying a new car. So as long as the one gives you similar comfort, you’ll be ahead to throw money at it for 5 years and then finally sell/trade it at the 10y mark after it has fully depreciated.

I have two boys, ages 6 and 4. Instead of wasting my time on car repairs and dealing with third-party shenanigans, I want to spend my time riding bikes with my young men, teaching them which bugs are okay to touch and which should be left alone, how deep they can dig in the dirt, and which insects are okay to bring home to impress their mom. Doing some simple math, over the next 36 months, I could drive a brand new X7 that is covered 100% for any breakdowns, ultimately for the same price. Sure, I'll need to shell out $6k for a down payment in 3 years to enter another lease, but that's an inconvenience I'm willing to accept.

P.S.: I've been chatting with the BMW finance manager about extending the warranty on my X7. During our conversation, she mentioned that BMW increased the extended warranty due to new data on repairs for the X7 model and projected future repair costs. She added that it wouldn't surprise her if the rates go up next year. Her exact words were, "get rid of it, the BMW used the same part components they use on lighter cars and the X7 is just too heavy." They have an X7 at the dealership in for repairs with 45k miles needing transmission and front differential replacements. Not good.

I love the car and love the 1st gen X7 model, but the hassle and unexpected higher cost of ownership don't make sense to me. And for that reason, I'm out.

[ivinioX7]

Originally Posted by Tinbad

Just curious, what was it that it was in the shop 3 times?

With 37k miles of gentle driving, BMW replaced the rear differential, front ball joint, steering wheel module, and sensor (though the issue remains unresolved). There's a strange vibration during acceleration, and they're still unsure of its cause, so the car is scheduled to be dropped off next week. Again...

P.S.: Last year, I experienced one of the screens going dark while driving.

[Madsen203]

Originally Posted by ivinioX7

I have two boys, ages 6 and 4. Instead of wasting my time on car repairs and dealing with third-party shenanigans, I want to spend my time riding bikes with my young men, teaching them which bugs are okay to touch and which should be left alone, how deep they can dig in the dirt, and which insects are okay to bring home to impress their mom. Doing some simple math, over the next 36 months, I could drive a brand new X7 that is covered 100% for any breakdowns, ultimately for the same price. Sure, I'll need to shell out $6k for a down payment in 3 years to enter another lease, but that's an inconvenience I'm willing to accept.

P.S.: I've been chatting with the BMW finance manager about extending the warranty on my X7. During our conversation, she mentioned that BMW increased the extended warranty due to new data on repairs for the X7 model and projected future repair costs. She added that it wouldn't surprise her if the rates go up next year. Her exact words were, "get rid of it, the BMW used the same part components they use on lighter cars and the X7 is just too heavy." They have an X7 at the dealership in for repairs with 45k miles needing transmission and front differential replacements. Not good.

I love the car and love the 1st gen X7 model, but the hassle and unexpected higher cost of ownership don't make sense to me. And for that reason, I'm out.

If you can afford it, go ahead. But your “lease” will be $40-50k over that 3 years. Do you really think you’ll have 30-40k in repairs over year 4-7? Doubtful. You could put in new diffs, rack and pinion, motor, and transfer case at dealership costs and still be ahead on the used car and at the end of the day, have equity, a car that works, and no future lease payment for X time. Finance manager is right, there is risk for the x7 to break down. But they are dead wrong that an extended warranty or buying/leasing a new car is “cheaper” and worthwhile. It’s also known that BmW are generally over engineered and can handle more than they are set up for (B58 as an example). While there are some issues popping up (differentials, transfer case), they could be potentially mitigated by earlier maintenance intervals. Swapping these fluids is almost as easy as an oil change.

Alas, if you can afford a stream of cash going to BMW at $1500/month for a new car, it’s a convenience and no brainer. Just isn’t fiscally smart when a lightly used out of warranty car is still as comfortable as the day you bought it but needs repairs each year.

Now if this was a Land/Range Rover, I’d agree 100%.