[flybigjet]

Well, grr. I just found out about this as I was placing an order for a new set of DS2500's.

As of 1 Nov (of course), FCP Euro will NOT give cash back when honoring their lifetime replacement policy. Instead, you'll get store credit.

That doesn't work for me-- I just can't see where I'll use that kind of coin (a set of DS2500's is ~$1100) with any regularity.

Here's their blog post about it:

https://blog.fcpeuro.com/fcp-euro-li...arantee-update

They'll still honor warranty if purchased before 1 Nov. That'll teach me to procrastinate!

Ugh.

R.

[dangerus_car]

It was reviewed few days ago here

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1966435

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by dangerus_car

It was reviewed few days ago here

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1966435

Figured it was, but I was flying and/or out running around so I missed it.

It was an unpleasant surprise this morning-- I found out JUST after I placed the order.

Cancelled, and will go elsewhere for the brake pads-- the premium you pay (~$300) for the brakes isn't worth it with this change.

It would have been nice if I'd made it under the 1 Nov wire, but them's the brakes. (Heh).

R.

[dangerus_car]

yeah, my take as outlined by others as well is that if you are buying a regular maintenance items like oil, then it's worth it, but if you are buying something that lasts a while like rotors or brake pad, then it's not worth it.

[Rich.Wolfson]

I am a bit confused about "store credit".

I am a dedicated FCP Euro customer. I buy my oil kits from them each year. I never return the oil or filter as I find that petty although acceptable under their prior terms.

But i also purchase wiper blades and a cabin air filter each spring and return the old ones. I admit I don't pay much attention but I think in the past the return was credited to my CC. But now it will be a credit to be used next year on the wipers and filter?

Frankly I still will be good at that. For some larger items like a valve cover or ZF Kit, when I need to do it again, I can get a credit but not a refund. It's not like I am not going to use it eventually but it does change the reality of the replacement policy.

Also I never thought how their old policy didn't really hurt their bottom line. Now maybe some of the prices can be reduced.

///Rich

[flybigjet]

The brake pads I was looking at are marked up almost 30% from what I can get them for elsewhere-- that makes the "store credit" deal not as attractive, imho.

[Gossypiboma]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

The brake pads I was looking at are marked up almost 30% from what I can get them for elsewhere-- that makes the "store credit" deal not as attractive, imho.

Really? After the 2nd pad purchase you would already be saving money.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Gossypiboma

Really? After the 2nd pad purchase you would already be saving money.

I admittedly am not of the good with math-- (and I say that with absolute honesty)

Let's say that the first set of pads costs $1100. You use them up.

But, to get the warranty, you have to purchase a new set at an additional $1100. Then after installing them, you have to send the used up pads back and are given $1100 as store credit.

Since the pads are marked up approximately 30%, you've spent an extra $300 already. And purchasing the second pads? Now your "extra" expenditure is up to $600.

I guess you're sort of ahead by $500 at this point, but as all of their items are marked up ~30%, I sort of figured it more or less comes out a wash if you just buy the same pads elsewhere cheaper.

Please to be correcting me if I'm wrong-- math and I are NOT friends.

R.

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

I admittedly am not of the good with math-- (and I say that with absolute honesty)

Let's say that the first set of pads costs $1100. You use them up.

But, to get the warranty, you have to purchase a new set at an additional $1100. Then after installing them, you have to send the used up pads back and are given $1100 as store credit.

Since the pads are marked up approximately 30%, you've spent an extra $300 already. And purchasing the second pads? Now your "extra" expenditure is up to $600.

I guess you're sort of ahead by $500 at this point, but as all of their items are marked up ~30%, I sort of figured it more or less comes out a wash if you just buy the same pads elsewhere cheaper.

Please to be correcting me if I'm wrong-- math and I are NOT friends.

R.

From what I understand after reading their update is:

1. Purchase brake pads for $1000.
2. Use the pads and then Return for a store credit after purchasing new pads.
3. Purchase new brake pads that may have a markup, lets say $1,100.
4. Receive a store credit in the amount of the previous pads, $1,000.
5. Rinse and repeat. Next time you will receive a store credit of $1,100.

Whatever you last purchase price was, that is the credit you will receive.
Regardless if the price of new item goes up or down.

In short this is terrible and will drive people away.

What they should have done was completely stop lifetime warranty for stupid items like oils and filters.

This may still be somewhat ok for the US customers since you guys get free shipping.
For us Canadian folk this is a problem since we pay for shipping, taxes, duties, and conversion rate.

[BMWCCA1]

I use FCP for the choices in most products, the free shipping, and the quick delivery. I can buy OE BMW parts from the dealership where I work (at cost) but often FCP will beat that by quite a lot on an equivalent OEM part. I never buy from them with the thought that I'd ever send anything consumable (filters, wipers) back for "warranty" coverage because that's simply unreasonable. Regardless, I'd be content with "store" credit on any warranty return. The only return I've ever made was for an aluminum thermostat housing which came with a stripped plastic plug. They sent me an entire new housing the next day when just the plug would have sufficed. Nothing in this new policy will change how I deal with them going forward.

[Tommysalami]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

I use FCP for the choices in most products, the free shipping, and the quick delivery. I can buy OE BMW parts from the dealership where I work (at cost) but often FCP will beat that by quite a lot on an equivalent OEM part. I never buy from them with the thought that I'd ever send anything consumable (filters, wipers) back for "warranty" coverage because that's simply unreasonable. Regardless, I'd be content with "store" credit on any warranty return. The only return I've ever made was for an aluminum thermostat housing which came with a stripped plastic plug. The sent me an entire new housing the next day when just the plug would have sufficed. Nothing in this new policy will change how I deal with them going forward.

Sending that stuff back isn't unreasonable. It's priced into what you pay. Check out their instagram, they advertise sending back consumables like oil.

I've sent oil back twice, air filter once, felt undertray pieces twice, diff fluid once. Sucks that they're changing their policy but I get it, and kind of always expected it to change at some point.

[XutvJet]

I'm curious, who exactly is out there that beats FCP's prices on parts by a significant amount assuming you don't have connections that most of us don't have like working at a dealership or the like? I've found FCP's prices to be within +/- 5% of other places and they often can get the parts faster and ship it out faster. Plus, if you put something in your cart, they'll almost always email you a 5% discount code within 24 hours.

And, I've never sent back consumables. My time is worth more than that hassle of packaging it. Also, as an environmental consultant and having shipped all sorts of environmental sample media in the mail, shipping spent oils and other liquids is borderline illegal and you're on the hook if that package splits open during shipment assuming the carrier didn't cause the puncture release. I vividly remember getting a 1am call from FedEx about a cooler of samples I shipped that was leaking "liquid" on a airplane loading cart. They were threatening me with having to pay all costs for cleanup using a HAZMAT team and would report me and my company to DOT for criminal investigation. I had to show them all my paper work and declarations showing that nothing in the cooler was hazardous and what was leaking was just water from a double-bagged Ziplock of packing ice. Once it was all settled, they put an absorbent around the cooler with plastic wrap and set it on to the laboratory. It that cooler had used oil in it (which could be potentially classified as a hazardous waste for flammability) and I didn't declare it, have the required training/certification, and labeling on the package, it could have been REAL bad for me that night. FCP certainly doesn't do a good job at conveying this and I'm certain most people sending back used oils are ignorant to the various laws and regulations. As I've told my staff, ignorance is not a defense in the court of law.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

I'm curious, who exactly is out there that beats FCP's prices on parts by a significant amount

Just some quick math:

KNS Brakes:
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $525.64
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $325.13
Shipping: $20.00
Total: $870.77

Essex:
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $584.05
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $361.26
Shipping: $20.00
Total: $965.31

FCP Euro:
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $773.05
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $341.39
Shipping: Free
Total: $1114.44

FCP Euro (assuming 5% discount)
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $734.40
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $324.32
Shipping: Free
Total: $1058.72

FCP to KNS: $243.67 more, 21.86% higher price
FCP to Essex: $149.13 more, 13.38% higher price
FCP (if using 5% coupon) to KNS: $187.95 more, 17.76% higher price
FCP (if using 5% coupon to Essex: $93.41 more, 8.83% higher price.

Of course, for apples to apples, you have to assume that KNS or Essex occasionally have sales as well.

At least in this example, FCP is significantly higher than +/-5%.

Additionally, the "Put it in the cart, go away and we'll entice you with a 5% coupon later on" sort of irks me.

R.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

Just some quick math:

KNS Brakes:
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $525.64
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $325.13
Shipping: $20.00
Total: $870.77

Essex:
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $584.05
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $361.26
Shipping: $20.00
Total: $965.31

FCP Euro:
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $773.05
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $341.39
Shipping: Free
Total: $1114.44

FCP Euro (assuming 5% discount)
Ferodo DS2500 Front: $734.40
Ferodo DS2500 Rear: $324.32
Shipping: Free
Total: $1058.72

FCP to KNS: $243.67 more, 21.86% higher price
FCP to Essex: $149.13 more, 13.38% higher price
FCP (if using 5% coupon) to KNS: $187.95 more, 17.76% higher price
FCP (if using 5% coupon to Essex: $93.41 more, 8.83% higher price.

Of course, for apples to apples, you have to assume that KNS or Essex occasionally have sales as well.

At least in this example, FCP is significantly higher than +/-5%.

Additionally, the "Put it in the cart, go away and we'll entice you with a 5% coupon later on" sort of irks me.

R.

OK, that's aftermarket high performance stuff. What about OEM parts though? That's why I buy from FCP Euro for my M235 and Cayman. I don't find their prices significantly worse/better than online dealers and other retailers. Plus, they can often get stuff quicker and they often have a lot of OEM parts alternatives which most places don't have.

[Almuliman]

FWIW, I went looking for lower control arms and tie rod bits and pieces for our Volvo recently and FCP was the same price—or slightly better with taxes and S&H factored in—as anywhere else for OE / OEM.

[flybigjet]

I have no idea on OEM. I was looking at brake pads, so that's where I figured out things.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

OK, that's aftermarket high performance stuff. What about OEM parts though? That's why I buy from FCP Euro for my M235 and Cayman. I don't find their prices significantly worse/better than online dealers and other retailers. Plus, they can often get stuff quicker and they often have a lot of OEM parts alternatives which most places don't have.

I use www.bmwpartsworldwide.com (Zeigler BMW) and www.getbmwparts.com (BMW of Silver Spring) for OE BMW dealer parts. You can check prices on their internet sales sites using part numbers. One quick example I just checked, a front rotor for the M2C, part number 34118072017 with BMWNA MSRP of $571.67. The best price is a bit over 30% cheaper than at FCP Euro (who already gives a discount off BMWNA MSRP).

FCP Euro: $489.99

BMWpartsworldwide: $339.57

GetBMWparts: $376.11