Avoid like the plague. I have a car under warranty with a known issue (a 2006 Z4 with n52 lifter tick), for which BWW North America pays the dealers to perform the change out of parts. I live in Humboldt and came down specifically to have my car worked on at Stevens Creek (a seven hour drive this time), after having them recommended by Edge Motorworks. It took three days of my time. I had the BMW service advisement and all necessary numbers, pictures, as well as copies of BMW North America's service advisement. I had a service agent at BMW NA call and make arrangement to do the work, and had email and phone records to prove it. After noting all of this, and saying that I was going to write this review here, at bimmerforums and at BMW CCA and showing them my BMW club card so they knew I was actually a member, did they do the work? No. Did they waste three days of my time and hundred of dollars? Yes. It ended with their 'service advisor' Ken Evan shouting at me 'WE AREN'T GOING TO FIX YOUR CAR!' while other people in to have their cars repaired watched. Never again, BMW. Sorry, guys. This is it for me with BeeEm.
Don't get mad. Get even. (Updated 4-22-2010) Sorry to see you leave the brand. What's even more unfortunate is to see one bad apple give a black eye to the majority of honest dealers that really do care about their customers and their brand's reputation. I realize the horse has probably left the barn as far as you're concerned, but rather than give those morons the psychological "victory" of raising your blood pressure, I'd have CALMLY request a CS (Customer Satisfaction Survey) directly from BMW North America. Don't bother asking for one from the offending dealer, as they're not likely to shoot themselves in the foot by handing you the rope you intend to hang them with. Write to BMW NA and tell BMW NA that you intend to give this dealership an unsatisfactory rating for that reason. The pushback from BMW NA on these bad apples is significant: BMW NA has the authority to withhold the supply of several, popular high profit models that could be crucial to a dealership's long term survival. But if BMW NA isn't aware of these issues, they can't be held responsible to fix a problem they aren't aware of. These surveys are probably the best weapon a customer has in order to let them know. Unfortunately, this dealer will probably live on to victimize someone else. Like I said, a shame to see you abandon ship. In naval parlance, I not only would have not surrendered the ship so quickly, I'd have rolled out my biggest gun on deck and aimed it squarely at their broadsides: the dealership pocketbook. I should also point out that BMWCCA keeps Ombudsmen on staff that are here expressly to do their best to resolve disputes between BMW service staff and BMWCCA members. They don't have the authority to enforce settlements, but they can mediate with some success a mutually amicable solution in most cases. IMHO, the war isn't over until I have exhausted all weapons and all available ammo. Best wishes.
Don't condemn BMW for the behavior of a dealership. Dealers and BMW/BMW NA are separate businesses. Dealers basically buy cars from BMW and sell them. Dealers are licensed to use the BMW name and marks but they are not the same company. If you inform BMW NA a dealer is being a royal pain in the *ss and can back up your claim, they can and will lean on the dealership to protect the brand name. A franchise that promised you certain services and failed to honor those promises--causing you significant, provable expense and inconvenience--deserves to be called on the carpet. Judging by your account, you already have this information, but for the benefit of all: Call that number, tell your story and offer to fax them all your records proving your case. Request a satisfaction survey direct from BMW NA, not the dealer--I think you could bet your house the dealer won't send you a survey at this point, knowing the likely outcome. Since BMW NA covers this repair under warranty, were I in your place I would only consider the matter resolved to my satisfaction if BMW NA (1) referred me to a nearby dealership where my car would be personally serviced by the shop foreman and/or a BMW Class A master technician only; and (2) assure me that after my previous deplorable experience my case would be personally handled by the general manager of the dealership. You have an opportunity here to, in a single stroke, justly punish bad behavior and give another dealership a chance to step up and shine. Might want to consider that rather than let the idiots score the final point. One other thought: If you really do have a solid paper trail proving that they promised to do the work and refused when you arrived...give serious thought to taking them to small claims court. You may be entitled to sue for damages (lost time &/or travel expenses). Get legal advice in your state. This behavior is beyond BS, it is quite possibly illegal.
Sorry about your issues with this dealership but your story begs the question...WHY wouldn't they fix your car? Sounds to me like everything was in place and then something happened between points A and B to sour the whole deal......were they belligerent from the get-go? I just don't get it...if it's a known defect/recall and they're being paid for their time and materials, what's their beef?? If their so-called "service" advisor is willing to yell at you in front of other customers, I'd question their overall quality anyway! What a maroon!! I agree with an earlier post...don't throw the baby out with the bath-water, just because of one collection of a-holes. Don't give the dealership the satisfaction. They may not be worth it but your car is.
while I'm sure all the yelling did turn him a dark shade of red, I don't believe you've used the word correctly
If you believe "maroon" was misapplied here, I don't believe you watched enough Bugs Bunny cartoons as a child.
True. He's too young. All he's ever seen was the dumb sanitized (or worse yet, post-1962) ones. You know: where the coyote never hits the bottom of the canyon; where the bomb in Yosemite Sam's hands never goes off (jumping directly to the smoking carcass afterward); where the falling rock never lands on the sheep-stealin' coyote, and where you can actually see the Roadrunner's legs moving. With crap like that, he probably quit watching long before he ever heard Bugs' classic line, "Whatta maroon!"
Yeah...c'mon, tiFreak...get with the program, willya?? Whatta MAROON!! It's all about Bugs Bunny, The 3 Stooges, Road Runner and The Coyote, Tom and Jerry, Foghorn Leghorn, and all of that other ole' slapstick shtuff that our kids will NEVER be exposed to (and therefore are missing out on big-time) because of this wimpy, stupid PC world we're living in.
Thank you railroader. I have since updated that post based on new information. Thank you. Please refer to my updated post above. Thanks to NotTheStig for the updated strategy on CS surveys.
lol, you got me, although to be honest I never really was into Looney Toons when I was a kid, but I loved The Three Stooges, I still have a bunch of VHS tapes of them in my room this thread has gotten somewhat off-topic
