[oregontrojan]

I recently picked up my G87 from Sterling BMW in Newport Beach after initial break-in service. Shortly after leaving the dealership the shift knob started to feel loose and then eventually came off entirely. I took it back in and they simply pounded it back until place. Shortly thereafter I was driving on side streets and I started to smell a burning odor and a passing motorist mentioned it too. As I was attempting to pull over the smell got worse and then it stopped going into gear altogether. With the help of passing motorists I had it pushed to the side of the road and eventually towed home. Several days later I had it towed to the dealership and they contacted me the next day with a video and analysis. In short, the clutch looked like it had been torpedoed and the flywheel had also been damaged. Now they are claiming that it my misuse that caused this problem and I strongly disagree. I like to push my cars as much as the next guy but I always try to be easy on the clutch.

[///M TOWN]

I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if it was done by a lot attendant

Have them prove to you that you did that

Escalate it, if need be

Sucks ❕

[ThreeStripes]

Ain’t that a bitch…

[JustinHEMI]

Wow that's incredible! I hope you get resolution.

[cmgbk75]

Originally Posted by oregontrojan

I recently picked up my G87 from Sterling BMW in Newport Beach after initial break-in service. Shortly after leaving the dealership the shift knob started to feel loose and then eventually came off entirely. I took it back in and they simply pounded it back until place. Shortly thereafter I was driving on side streets and I started to smell a burning odor and a passing motorist mentioned it too. As I was attempting to pull over the smell got worse and then it stopped going into gear altogether. With the help of passing motorists I had it pushed to the side of the road and eventually towed home. Several days later I had it towed to the dealership and they contacted me the next day with a video and analysis. In short, the clutch looked like it had been torpedoed and the flywheel had also been damaged. Now they are claiming that it my misuse that caused this problem and I strongly disagree. I like to push my cars as much as the next guy but I always try to be easy on the clutch.

Add them to the Good, Bad and Ugly list here,
https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1994403
or maybe start one for Service experience.

This is awful, sorry to hear that. Strange about the Shift knob happening in conjunction. Obviously you know how to drive a stick, right? Almost feels as if someone was joy riding while it was in for Service. How long was the car there?

[JustinHEMI]

Another case for a dash cam.

[T_U_D]

Request that a PUMA case be opened.

[Ravenseal]

How does that even happen?

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by Ravenseal

How does that even happen?

Slamming gears is what does this

And ripping the shifter off

Clearly abused

😢

[RockCrusher]

Torpedoed? Not quite sure I know what that means when it comes to a clutch.

But if the clutch has suffered a mechanical failure and especially at low miles that can be abuse. If not you then as others have offered by someone at the dealer taking the car out for a joy ride.

(I have had some experience with techs taking another car of mine out on a joyride when I had the car in for service. They were caught -- after the fact -- by the telemetry a trip/data logger I had connected to the car's OBD2 port recorded.)

It can also be just simply premature failure of the clutch/clutch hardware. A water pump or fuel pump or radiator fan, even in my experience a 6-speed transmission (in my Porsche Turbo), can fail early. A clutch is not immune to this premature failure syndrome.

For abuse it is possible a download of the car's "black box" might shed some light on the type of usage the car has received.

Absent signs of abuse then one could argue the clutch failed because it was defective.

[boostspoon]

Sounds like an unfortunate matter from the way OP presents it. However, techs do this as their livelihood from a reputable brand that will compensate as a warranty claim.

They’ve likely deemed the type of damage/wear doesn’t constitute anything that could happen should there be premature failure or improper installation from factory.

[Axylus]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

Slamming gears is what does this

And ripping the shifter off

Clearly abused

😢

How can we make sure techs don’t joy ride our cars during servicing? This is extremely unprofessional. Are we able to watch the techs service the vehicle from start to finish? What are the preventatives?

[zero21]

Anyone else curious how this happens when you have videos like Daily Downshift ripping off dozens of clutch dumps for 0-60 runs back to back? I mean honestly, how much abuse could OP's car have undergone, if this wasn't pure mechanical failure?

[KC87ZB]

Originally Posted by zero21

Anyone else curious how this happens when you have videos like Daily Downshift ripping off dozens of clutch dumps for 0-60 runs back to back? I mean honestly, how much abuse could OP's car have undergone, if this wasn't pure mechanical failure?

Unless OP had zero experience with a manual and just slipped the clutch like hell for 1200 miles (I don't believe any of that here), there is absolutely no reason for the clutch to disintegrate like this. It was in for its 1200 mile service..

Did they do a walkaround video of the underbody at the 1200 mile service, did the tech indicate any concerns about the clutch?

I doubt the tech did this, they move these cars all the time and dont hardly drive them. Mine came back to me with not even 1 extra mile on the odo. Now, if you had them wash it - them folks are a different group.

Any update from the dealer?

[cmgbk75]

Originally Posted by KC87ZB

I doubt the tech did this, they move these cars all the time and dont hardly drive them. Mine came back to me with not even 1 extra mile on the odo. Now, if you had them wash it - them folks are a different group.

Another reason not to let them wash your car.

[cmgbk75]

Originally Posted by Axylus

How can we make sure techs don’t joy ride our cars during servicing? This is extremely unprofessional. Are we able to watch the techs service the vehicle from start to finish? What are the preventatives?

Another reason why I have a Dash Cam.

[Game]

Sort of eerie to hear this. I got into my car after a week on vacation and noticed the shift knob was loose and then just completely popped out when trying to put it into first (car was off). I was confused and baffled as no one had touched the car. I pushed it back in and haven’t had any issues since…

[Info@mad-us.com]

WOW never seen that type of damage from a fairly new vehicle. Looks like a part failure to me.

[kimchee411]

There's got to be some kind of malfunction here. I can't imagine someone's driving habits could do this in 1,000 miles even if really trying.

I will never return to Sterling BMW. I just took my G20 in for a pre-lease end oil change and inspection, waited 4 hours, and it came back to me with an inspection overdue light (-10 miles or whatever distance from the dealership). Didn't see it until the next time I started the car. SA texts me for survey, I text him back about the issue, and no response.

[pupulik]

Everyone is calling for a dash cam but it's kind of a moot when most techs disconnect them as soon as they get into the car

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by pupulik

Everyone is calling for a dash cam but it's kind of a moot when most techs disconnect them as soon as they get into the car

I've never had my cams disconnected or turned off.