BMW MD and my bad experience.

[UnhappyBMW Driv]

In july 2008 i took delivery of what was supposed to be a new BMW 320D company car from a BMW MD.

Shortly after i received the car i noticed some things which were not quite right with it, particually imperfections in the front wing paintwork.
When i contacted them i asked if they had used an electric polisher on the car before delivery to me, which may have marked the paint work.

Their reply was a one liner which said "we do not posess an electric polisher".
Eventually after several months of avoiding my questions, and a second opinion at another BMW dealership, they were forced to admit..

"bird lime got on the front wing prior to delivery to you and we had to respray the front wing" (hence the paint imperfections due to poor quality repairs....from a BMW dealership).
I have not accepted this explanation as it does not explain why "the drivers door has been repaired badly"(the words of BMW Oxford).

Eventually after months of emails, and frustration, they agreed to spend £1600 to repair the front wing and replace the drivers door at Oxford BMW (who by the way did a great job).
This in itself is an admission of guilt by the dealer that they did indeed damage the drivers door.

The car was clearly crashed in their care before delivery to me.They made no effort to inform the legal owner of the vehicle (Arval U.K) or me as the person who was signing for it that this damage had taken place.
I am still waiting for an explanation as to what really happened to the car prior to delivery to me.

They are not willing to explain to me.
Apparently they think that because they paid £1600 the "matter is closed".

Would you want to spend your hard earned money with these type of people?.
I would not recommend to anybody that you deal with that MD just look at how i was treated.

I challenge anybody from a MD that reads this to respond with a plausable answer as to what happened to the car before delivery to me and why you are still finding it so hard to be forthcoming with the truth.
You know who i am.

Mods note: References to supplying dealer removed - as per the name and shame rules, which you ironically just agreed to

[gizlaroc]

Surely buying a used car it is your responsability to ask if it has had any repairs if you are bothered by that sort of thing??

What are you saying exactly?? You pulled them up on the quality of some repair work, they spent £1600 getting it to a point where you approved, and now you want what??

I would guess a lot of new cars arrive with a ding here or a scratch there, and they will all be sorted as the car is being prepped, so with a used car you have to expect this, if you are that bothered you need to ask and look at it properly.
You have to remember that many people aren't that bothered and dealers sell hundreds of cars each month so they will not be as picky as you.

I don't see what the problem is really, it has been sorted, yeah obviously a bit of hassle, but it is sorted.

[Mattt]

gizlaroc said:

Surely buying a used car it is your responsability to ask if it has had any repairs if you are bothered by that sort of thing??

New car.

[gizlaroc]

Oh yeah.

But it is still the same, you need to inspect it and ask if anything major was done at preperation, I know you don't expect anything to have been done but they can get damaged before collection, if you're not happy you have to refuse the vehicle.

[Mattt]

gizlaroc said:

Oh yeah.

But it is still the same, you need to inspect it and ask if anything major was done at preperation, I know you don't expect anything to have been done but they can get damaged before collection, if you're not happy you have to refuse the vehicle.

It's easy to say that, but I wouldn't expect to pick up a brand new 'premium' car and have to ask if they'd crashed it.

If this is a full unbiased account of events, then I'm shocked at how you were treated by the supplying dealer, and think they have a case to answer to Bracknell. Although it seems these days that main dealers aren't as scared about customer services as they used to be.

[DSM2]

gizlaroc said:

Oh yeah.

But it is still the same, you need to inspect it and ask if anything major was done at preperation, I know you don't expect anything to have been done but they can get damaged before collection, if you're not happy you have to refuse the vehicle.

bks. It's new. It should be new and unmarked. Why should you ask if it has been damaged? Would you apply that philosophy to everything you buy?

[Gallen]

DSM2 said:

gizlaroc said:

Oh yeah.

But it is still the same, you need to inspect it and ask if anything major was done at preperation, I know you don't expect anything to have been done but they can get damaged before collection, if you're not happy you have to refuse the vehicle.

bks. It's new. It should be new and unmarked. Why should you ask if it has been damaged? Would you apply that philosophy to everything you buy?

+1

[gizlaroc]

You shouldn't, however these cars are loaded onto trucks, into containers and then onto more trucks, then off into delivery centres and then loaded up again and delivered to dealers where they are unloaded and all the faults are sorted during prep.

Some cars escape unmarked but some don't.

The fact is if you are not happy when you first see the damage/repair then reject it, you can't get them to do the work, agree it is fine and then start demanding more.
It is one or the other.
Fair enough if the work is done and your not happy, but to agree it is fine and then demand more is taking the piss.

[dave_s13]

I recently contacted the parts dept at a Leeds dealership and they basically told me I was lieing when I stated the chap who took my order said they would deliver it to my house.

They are rude, arrogant and basically need a good kicking.

[bazking69]

dave_s13 said:

I recently contacted the parts dept at a Leeds dealership and they basically told me I was lieing when I stated the chap who took my order said they would deliver it to my house.

They are rude, arrogant and basically need a good kicking.

I don't know of any main dealer parts department who would deliver a part to a private address except in very exceptional circumstances maybe.
I'm not calling you a liar at all, but I have dealt with all sorts of people over the years, most of whom make things up as they go along, and heard every excuse in the book as to why as a retail punter they think we should deliver their parts...

[Banus333]

I totally agree with the OP if what he said is the truth. But I don't have too much sympathy if, as he says, it is a company car. I am curious as to why he is so bothered if it was NOT his personal outlay to buy the car?...

Personally I would be more than grateful for my company to give me such a car, presumably fully expensed - even covered in dings/scratches. What planet does he live on? Must be an estate agent or insurance salesman!

[Mattt]

Banus333 said:

I totally agree with the OP if what he said is the truth. But I don't have too much sympathy if, as he says, it is a company car. I am curious as to why he is so bothered if it was NOT his personal outlay to buy the car?...

Personally I would be more than grateful for my company to give me such a car, presumably fully expensed - even covered in dings/scratches. What planet does he live on? Must be an estate agent or insurance salesman!

Company owned or not, I get a new car, I expect it to be mint.

You pay for it in CC tax anyway!

[dave_s13]

bazking69 said:

dave_s13 said:

I recently contacted the parts dept at a Leeds dealership and they basically told me I was lieing when I stated the chap who took my order said they would deliver it to my house.

They are rude, arrogant and basically need a good kicking.

I don't know of any main dealer parts department who would deliver a part to a private address except in very exceptional circumstances maybe.
I'm not calling you a liar at all, but I have dealt with all sorts of people over the years, most of whom make things up as they go along, and heard every excuse in the book as to why as a retail punter they think we should deliver their parts...

The guy I ordered from at the desk told me they don't necessarily post stuff out but since it was easy enough to fit in a jiffy bag then they would sort it, for a small fee. I was asked to ring up in a few days and to expect to pay over the phone for postage.

So I ring up and speak to a different fella who tells me I'm lieing about the afore mentioned conversation and that "I wasn't told that". What an utter fvcking tool. Just the way he communicated the message that pi$$ed me off, more than having to drive over and collect the bracket.

[miniman]

bazking69 said:

I don't know of any main dealer parts department who would deliver a part to a private address except in very exceptional circumstances maybe.

I've had loads of parts delivered to my home address by main dealers.

Anyway, there's a difference between some minor damage caused during the shipping process, like a scuffed bumper, and something that requires a door to be replaced. That alone is enough to make the average punter fear that the car has been handbrake turned around the dealership car park by a YTS monkey and pranged which sours the whole experience, even if it isn't true. Personally if the car was supplied by Arval, I would have rejected it and left it to them to deal with.

[chr15b]

Mattt said:

Banus333 said:

I totally agree with the OP if what he said is the truth. But I don't have too much sympathy if, as he says, it is a company car. I am curious as to why he is so bothered if it was NOT his personal outlay to buy the car?...

Personally I would be more than grateful for my company to give me such a car, presumably fully expensed - even covered in dings/scratches. What planet does he live on? Must be an estate agent or insurance salesman!

Company owned or not, I get a new car, I expect it to be mint.

You pay for it in CC tax anyway!

fully agree, just because it's company funded it doesnt mean it cant be your p+j

as a lower band tax payer cc tax is a large percentage of your salary, as a higher band tax payer it's a huge amount of cash.

add to that, if you dont notice this sort of damage [that requires a door replacing!] you can be damn sure the leasing company will in three years - then try telling them it was done prior to delivery!

as for customer services - it's me that chooses the brand, me that takes delivery, me that takes it back in for servicing etc, it's me that they should be ensuring is happy, not the lease co. and in the future should i be buying a car privately or recomending a dealer they should be hoping that i recommend them based on the service they gave me.

Edited by chr15b on Monday 27th April 19:45

[MarkwG]

AFAIK most importers have rectification teams on hand at the docks, so any transit damage can be rectified prior to delivery to the dealer. I imagine this is so the car is as new when it leaves the manufacturer, so there's no comeback on them. Those guys do that work all the time & are very proficient - if they weren't we'd know all about it. So the issue with the OPs car sounds more like it was inflicted at the dealership, & badly repaired. Of course, accidents do happen - but, if what's said is true, they should be mature enough to sort it out correctly; this sounds more like a quick blow over to fix a car that was expected to go to someone who wouldn't know or care. Sadly, they were sussed: depending on who owns the car determines what he does next, but I suggest doing something asap.
If it's a lease deal I would expect the leasing company to take a dim view of obvious accident repair when he comes to hand it back, & they'll charge him/his company accordingly. So talk to them & get them onside.
If it's his car, talk to BMW: they'll have a process for getting satisfaction, & they'll take a dim view of the dealer not sorting it: just make sure the conversation gets to supervisor+ level. Good luck.