Terrible service at BMW.

Terrible service at BMW.

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gtidriver

Original Poster:

3,334 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
Evening all, what level of condition should a 6yr old forecourt car be at a main dealer ? I put a holding deposit down on a 320d on Sunday and arranged a time to view on Monday, i turned up at just after 10am which was our arranged time to find the car not there, "whilst,waiting for the car to be brought round lets sort the paper work" is what the boy at his desk asked,this got started and i kept asking to see the car,but it was "being prepared" so i waited, eventually it arrived by the front door, i walked out to look at it and its a shed, it has 3 different tyres, the leather was filty the front wing/bumper/headlight are out of alignment,the rear bumper had about 12 scrapes down the side,the rear passenger door had a crease and a very badly painted parking dent, all four wheels are wrecked and need complete refurb, the bonnet has 3 nasty rock chips that are painted with the wrong colour paint and both mirrors had been badly hand painted and looked terrible. The sales tt said most of it would "polish out", now I'm good with a machine polisher but even i can't get dents out with one or replace paint frown and the i think finance manager would only refurb the wheel and "see" what he could do about the rest of the car i.e. fk all. When i said as i was buying from a main dealer i expected perfection or near to it the smug git answer was the only way to get that was to buy new, if i did it would not be from that dealership.
Is this worth taking up with the dealer principle or BMW UK?
I was bloody annoyed as id driven 2hours to see this car. Why put a car out for sale when its obviously been abused. There was a white car on the forecourt with a lot of the paint missing on there front bumper, this was clean and marked up for sale.

Fox-

13,228 posts

245 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
Doubtless people will argue that it's 6 years old and therefore this sort of condition is fair game but frankly if it's being sold as a manufacturer approved used, doubtless at more money than any similar car, it should be in exceptional condition. As you've discovered it often isn't. Frankly even some of the much much newer cars end up on the forecourt with dents and scrapes. It's a real shame.

Fortunately I've always been lucky, my 4 year old example was described as having 'a few stonechips' to me. When I got there, the car quite literally had 3 tiny stonechips and was otherwise absolutely immaculate cosmetically. Not bad for a 4 year old car. So the nice ones do exist, you just need to make sure you are aware they could easily not be very nice at all.

toasty

7,441 posts

219 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
I had a similar thing with an E46 M3.

Saw the advert and put a deposit down over the phone.

When I arrived a week later, the car had 2000 more miles on it and was absolutely filthy inside and out.

Took a couple of months and a threat to take it to the press to get my deposit back. frown

silverous

1,008 posts

133 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
Sorry if I've missed it but did you actually take the car? I assume not but it isn't 100% clear. You would hope that a BMW dealership wouldn't put a shed up for sale as it isn't what you expect, but I think there's a middle ground....I accepted a tiny mark on a 6 month old X5 as I didn't think I'd have any luck getting them to respray a whole panel (although they said they'd sort it they sort of patched it up). I think it is par for the course that they try and get away with the minimum, perhaps more so on remote sales.

turbobloke

103,742 posts

259 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
It seems that eventually most BMW main dealers revert to type. There are doubtless some that offer really good service and the parts depts seem different to sales and service in my experience but that experience has been painful while waiting for some quality service. It took too long to stop expecting anything much and shop elsewhere.

My first dealer purchase of a nearly new car some years ago had all points OK for the age, and a high end radio cassette player was icing on the cake (we're talking E36 modern history here). On collection there was an empty space on the dash. At no point was it indicated that the car on show with this unit would be sold without it and that the car would not be released 'as seen' on test. Eventually after standing ground a cheaper alternative was offered and reluctantly accepted as better than nothing. This lack of full disclosure was presumably an oversight on their part.

Then a few months later, buying some new BMW alloys for it, there was an attempted charge for locking wheel nuts before I pointed out that they were included in the price as per BMW literature. Another oversight. They still managed to retain my own after-market lockers out back and I had to ask for them. These oversights were mounting up.

After getting a main dealer aircon retrofit to another 6-pot a few years later the poly-vee-belt failed after six months and I had to point out the existence of a 12-month warranty to get the bill for the fix cancelled. Since that particular 'oversight' I've been a parts customer only at BMW dealers and have had good service. Hopefully there are stories of dealers going over and above expectation to balance this out but the OP's experience doesn't surprise me one bit.

Vixpy1

42,620 posts

263 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
No, its not too much to expect, AUC cars have a particular standard they must be prepped too, and its fairly high

gtidriver

Original Poster:

3,334 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
silverous said:
Sorry if I've missed it but did you actually take the car? I assume not but it isn't 100% clear. You would hope that a BMW dealership wouldn't put a shed up for sale as it isn't what you expect, but I think there's a middle ground....I accepted a tiny mark on a 6 month old X5 as I didn't think I'd have any luck getting them to respray a whole panel (although they said they'd sort it they sort of patched it up). I think it is par for the course that they try and get away with the minimum, perhaps more so on remote sales.
No I did not buy the car, it was in worse condition than the one I was going to trade infrown I think a phone call to BMW UK later is the way to go.
What grates me is that they took that car in as a Px so the previous owner would have been hammered down on the price over the condition of it.Someone will buy it though it's a very well stocked car, pro nav xenons auto low mileage SADDLE BROWN leather metallic grey paint.

Riggie

178 posts

124 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
For the benefit of forum members, can you tell us which dealership it was? If everything is factual then no problems .

I have had good and bad with AUC cars. Wood of Bournemouth were good, as were Westerly Exeter. Snows of Portsmouth had to be threatened with the Small Claims Court before they carried out the work they had said they would do. I bought an F10 from Dick Lovett Hungerford, although when I first turned up to look at it, there were an unacceptable number of stonechips on it and after discussion, they resprayed the whole front end, so good in the end. My current car came from Williams Manchester and they were good as well.

Regarding BMW UK, when I was having problems with Snows I spoke to someone at the UK HQ customer services and they pretty much sidestepped the issues.

I have learned my lesson with AUC cars, treat them as any other used car and go in with your eyes open, as some dealerships, it would seem, are happy to punt sheds to unsuspecting customers.

nitrodave

1,262 posts

137 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
That is odd. I picked up a 2008 e92 330i a couple of months back from a trader who only deals in second hand BMW. He gets all his cars from sytner group as he told me they have a a policy where they wont sell a car over a certain age or mileage.

Despite being 8 yeaars old with 100k on the clock, it is nearly mint.

turbobloke

103,742 posts

259 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
nitrodave said:
That is odd. I picked up a 2008 e92 330i a couple of months back from a trader who only deals in second hand BMW. He gets all his cars from sytner group as he told me they have a a policy where they wont sell a car over a certain age or mileage.

Despite being 8 yeaars old with 100k on the clock, it is nearly mint.
There's a similar policy around here - I know one of the sales execs at an independent trader. He's also an ex-BMW main dealer staffer and I can only suspect he left for all the right reasons. His business takes cars from the Cotswold BMW group, apparently the policy is that such indies must buy blocks of cars like fruit in a bowl on a market stall, and while there are some peaches there are also over-ripe plums. One car I enquired about over the 'phone was an immediate blind alley as the guy refused to discuss it with me because he knew my expectations and the car was a total lemon (plum). He couldn't consider even the most basic sales patter around it. The thought that other lemons get retained at main dealers because the criteria don't cut it is credible in my view. There's more to a car than low mileage and age, even service history.

Sheepshanks

32,522 posts

118 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
gtidriver said:
No I did not buy the car, it was in worse condition than the one I was going to trade infrown I think a phone call to BMW UK later is the way to go.
Probably pointless. Can you imagine how many complaints they must get.

Was the car being sold as Approved Used?

gtidriver

Original Poster:

3,334 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
Not sure on name and shame but it's £13995 it's a grey E91 320d se. With saddle brown leather. It's on autotrader and BMW website. It looks ok in the picsfrown

Depthhoar

673 posts

127 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
nitrodave said:
That is odd. I picked up a 2008 e92 330i a couple of months back from a trader who only deals in second hand BMW. He gets all his cars from sytner group as he told me they have a a policy where they wont sell a car over a certain age or mileage.
/\ In general that seems to be the case but not a golden rule.

Sytner BMW Leicester actively look for certain 'modern classic' models to sell on as AUC. They've got two 2001 cars for sale at the moment, although both are very low mileage.

http://www.sytner.co.uk/bmw/leicester/used-cars.as...


silverous

1,008 posts

133 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
turbobloke said:
There's a similar policy around here - I know one of the sales execs at an independent trader. He's also an ex-BMW main dealer staffer and I can only suspect he left for all the right reasons. His business takes cars from the Cotswold BMW group, apparently the policy is that such indies must buy blocks of cars like fruit in a bowl on a market stall, and while there are some peaches there are also over-ripe plums. One car I enquired about over the 'phone was an immediate blind alley as the guy refused to discuss it with me because he knew my expectations and the car was a total lemon (plum). He couldn't consider even the most basic sales patter around it. The thought that other lemons get retained at main dealers because the criteria don't cut it is credible in my view. There's more to a car than low mileage and age, even service history.
I must admit, this seemed a bit old and shed like for a BMW dealer. Maybe it was a favour or something... clearly not done their reputation any good. I'd just move on - not intending to wind the OP up but what is he hoping to gain from BMW ? Did he ask about the condition on the phone? I've only bought one car "remotely" and I asked for a video (which I believe most/all dealers will have the capability to do) and even asked if the car had a "new/leather smell" which the dealer promptly went out, sat in it, and emailed me back. I suspect a video would have highlighted a fair bit of what you saw e.g. hand painted mirrors - I could still see a minor scratch on the video they sent me.

silverous

1,008 posts

133 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
gtidriver said:
Not sure on name and shame but it's £13995 it's a grey E91 320d se. With saddle brown leather. It's on autotrader and BMW website. It looks ok in the picsfrown
Is it a "business edition" on a 59 plate? If so I'd be wondering why they've taken so few photos of it (in hindsight I know that is easy) but also the one wheel photo the edges of the wheel look pretty scuffed to me but I'd agree generally the pics look good. Some dealers seem to take more pics than others but from a quick look even those dealers seem to take fewer photos of "sheds" ... wonder why ! smile

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
Depthhoar said:
/\ In general that seems to be the case but not a golden rule.

Sytner BMW Leicester actively look for certain 'modern classic' models to sell on as AUC. They've got two 2001 cars for sale at the moment, although both are very low mileage.

http://www.sytner.co.uk/bmw/leicester/used-cars.as...
I wouldn't buy a car from them if they were the only dealers in the world. I'd rather walk than have anything else to do with them.

Jobbo

12,958 posts

263 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
Depthhoar said:
Sytner BMW Leicester actively look for certain 'modern classic' models to sell on as AUC. They've got two 2001 cars for sale at the moment, although both are very low mileage.

http://www.sytner.co.uk/bmw/leicester/used-cars.as...
Erm - a 2001 Z3 2.2 for £17,850? I imagine there are five figures of haggling room on that one laugh

gtidriver

Original Poster:

3,334 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
silverous said:
gtidriver said:
Not sure on name and shame but it's £13995 it's a grey E91 320d se. With saddle brown leather. It's on autotrader and BMW website. It looks ok in the picsfrown
Is it a "business edition" on a 59 plate? If so I'd be wondering why they've taken so few photos of it (in hindsight I know that is easy) but also the one wheel photo the edges of the wheel look pretty scuffed to me but I'd agree generally the pics look good. Some dealers seem to take more pics than others but from a quick look even those dealers seem to take fewer photos of "sheds" ... wonder why ! smile

Yes that's the one. If i wanted a battered unloved model I would have searched eBay, I wanted the best I could possibly buy. They just didn't care.

Wills2

22,666 posts

174 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
gtidriver said:
Evening all, what level of condition should a 6yr old forecourt car be at a main dealer ? I put a holding deposit down on a 320d on Sunday and arranged a time to view on Monday, i turned up at just after 10am which was our arranged time to find the car not there, "whilst,waiting for the car to be brought round lets sort the paper work" is what the boy at his desk asked,this got started and i kept asking to see the car,but it was "being prepared" so i waited, eventually it arrived by the front door, i walked out to look at it and its a shed, it has 3 different tyres, the leather was filty the front wing/bumper/headlight are out of alignment,the rear bumper had about 12 scrapes down the side,the rear passenger door had a crease and a very badly painted parking dent, all four wheels are wrecked and need complete refurb, the bonnet has 3 nasty rock chips that are painted with the wrong colour paint and both mirrors had been badly hand painted and looked terrible. The sales tt said most of it would "polish out", now I'm good with a machine polisher but even i can't get dents out with one or replace paint frown and the i think finance manager would only refurb the wheel and "see" what he could do about the rest of the car i.e. fk all. When i said as i was buying from a main dealer i expected perfection or near to it the smug git answer was the only way to get that was to buy new, if i did it would not be from that dealership.
Is this worth taking up with the dealer principle or BMW UK?
I was bloody annoyed as id driven 2hours to see this car. Why put a car out for sale when its obviously been abused. There was a white car on the forecourt with a lot of the paint missing on there front bumper, this was clean and marked up for sale.
That's ridiculous sounds like the car should have just gone straight to auction, what were they thinking trying to sell it in that condition?

Sure you expect a bit of wear and tear but tyres/paint/wheels/panel alignment should be spot on and the car fully cleaned inside.

If they can't prep the car economically then they should just put it on the block.

gtidriver

Original Poster:

3,334 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
quotequote all
silverous said:
turbobloke said:
There's a similar policy around here - I know one of the sales execs at an independent trader. He's also an ex-BMW main dealer staffer and I can only suspect he left for all the right reasons. His business takes cars from the Cotswold BMW group, apparently the policy is that such indies must buy blocks of cars like fruit in a bowl on a market stall, and while there are some peaches there are also over-ripe plums. One car I enquired about over the 'phone was an immediate blind alley as the guy refused to discuss it with me because he knew my expectations and the car was a total lemon (plum). He couldn't consider even the most basic sales patter around it. The thought that other lemons get retained at main dealers because the criteria don't cut it is credible in my view. There's more to a car than low mileage and age, even service history.
I must admit, this seemed a bit old and shed like for a BMW dealer. Maybe it was a favour or something... clearly not done their reputation any good. I'd just move on - not intending to wind the OP up but what is he hoping to gain from BMW ? Did he ask about the condition on the phone? I've only bought one car "remotely" and I asked for a video (which I believe most/all dealers will have the capability to do) and even asked if the car had a "new/leather smell" which the dealer promptly went out, sat in it, and emailed me back. I suspect a video would have highlighted a fair bit of what you saw e.g. hand painted mirrors - I could still see a minor scratch on the video they sent me.
No video offered and he said it was in great condition. He also knew I was driving 2hrs to see the car, he's probably on another forum slating me for wasting his time. What I would have liked was a small gesture for eating my time, maybe paying for my fuel..