I bought a Z4 back in April. The dealer agreed to fix a hood scratch and install a satellite radio. They didn't do either. BMW NA did everything short of cutting them off to help out, really, but I'm still having to take the dealer to court. My next nearest dealer is four hours away. First foul weather, I turn on the fog lights - presto one of them is hanging by one screw and bouncing around. Not an easy thing to check on a test drive or even a likely check on an overnight. I was trying to find a hard top - talked to someone at the dealer four hours away and they said sure, come pick one up. I schedule the pick up and they change their story, telling me they have to install the bits for the hardtop which I ordered off Pelican Parts and have already installed myself. They try to tell me they will have to 'check it' to make sure I did it right. Sure... Which as far as I was concerned they could haul it to the curb and I could put it on myself. The car is also developing the n52 lifter tick. I have the service bulletin, but if I take it in, I'm at this point a hundred percent sure they aren't going to fix it, or aren't going to be competent to fix it. Which makes a warranty pretty useless. So six months in I'm very sorry I bought the car, and not because the car is a problem, or I can't fix it, even the lifters; but because I cannot find parts or reasonable service anywhere. I actually bought the car because I have an old Infiniti sedan I have to order all parts for and install myself - and I really wanted to stop having to do car work. But I've basically doubled my problems. Somebody offer up something, some perspective, anything...?
I can tell you I've had my 06 Z4 for over a year, taken several road trips and previously owned a 330xi. Changed my run-flats to regular tires, bought snow tires so I can drive it in the winter. Crunched my fender backing out of my driveway in a hurry one morning (spent $600 to have it painted and smoothed out. Had the N52 tick and had the service performed per the bulletin. Eventually, BMW NA replaced the head under warranty. Persistence pays. Owning the Z has not been a carefree experience even though its under warranty, but every time I climb in it for a roadtrip on the weekend or summer drive or get a shout of "nice car" from someone I pass, there is little chance I will go back to my sedan if I can help it. But that's just me. Keep on pressing your local dealer with the help of BMW NA.
+1 It would be a shame to let them ruin it (the Z4 experience) for you. I have had to overcome similar frustrations related to cost of ownership with an e39, but after the dust settles the cars are still incomparable. "The squeaky wheel (usually) gets the oil" Hang in there!
Don't let an incompetant dealer screw with you. Go elsewhere. Is there another dealer that's not much farther than 4 hours?
So entertainingly it looks like my local dealer is about to go out of business - only a few cars on the lot, all used, only about half of those BMW. Maybe NA knew something was up - I was going to take them to small claims for the unperformed work... I was just waiting on a reply from DMV dealer criminal complaints. However, I'm suspecting by the time the court date would arrive early next year they will be gone. If they aren't stopping sales at year end I would be surprised. So it would appear my switch to the dealer four hours down away down in the bay area would have happened regardless. Interesting tactic on this dealer's part: stall because they aren't going to be there eventually anyway.
So: How's it going? I am embarrassed to say how few problems I have had with my Z4. . . and the dealer has been more than gracious. I suppose I should start an After-Warranty Fund, because at this point I intend to keep this car forever. The question now is which car they'll bury me in, because I have always said they could toss me under in my 325iX when it comes time to dig the Big Hole, but this here roadster---well, it must be love. I even WAXED the damn thing! So I hope you can get your issues squared away---and find a reliable dealer or independent tech!
You know if they had fixed what was wrong when found, or done anything on the work order I had typed up when I bought the car... or not tried to make a broken part work in a dangerous, incompetent and fraudulent way, it would be a different story. I was recently down in San Francisco (I live about four hours north) and had the BST pop out. It turned out the Humboldt Bay dealer had mushed it back together with a pair of pliers. I couldn't understand why the car would start, but not stay on/charged. I knew it had been run over a curb or something when I bought it - one of the control arms had been replaced. I had kept it for the weekend before I bought it and went over it pretty thoroughly, but the part is so specific and so buried down behind the battery, I just didn't know what it was or what to look for. And of course the car went into limp mode... I had to take it in in SF. I also have the n52 lifter tick and the SF dealer to their credit said they weren't comfortable doing the lifter replacement. They also did the inspection a thousand miles early so I didn't have to come right back. This kind of actual communication would make me go back to them if I was in a jam again. I'll do the lifter at Dinan. But you know, when it comes down to it, I really have a case under lemon law, whether I like the car better than my old Infiniti or not. Which I do, by quite a bit. I've had positive but not useful experiences with BMW NA over the issues at the Humboldt Bay dealer, but I guess I'm actually going to have to hire a lawyer and try and extract money for broken bits and work not done under the lemon laws. But more importantly it's the danger aspect of getting stuck in the middle of the highway with people whizzing around me at 80 miles an hour, two hours from the nearest work center or mechanic. I bought the car to make life easier and more fun, not more difficult and annoying.
