BMW Customer Service
Discussion
For those that do not know, I picked up a brand new Z4 Coupe in March. I have had it for 9 weeks and those have largely been trouble free until recently.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a rattle coming from the engine when idle. The rattle would disappear when the clutch was depressed. I made some enquiries and the general consensus was that it was a "thrust release bearing" and was a non-issue apart from the noise.
Over the past week, the noise has progressively become louder. I called the BMW dealership I bought it from and spoke to someone in the service department. I was told that the soonest they could book the car in to get fixed would be June. I expressed my displeasure at having to drive a faulty car for another month, especially as I anticipate doing more miles than normal.
The lady I was speaking to told me to call BMW Emergency assist and tell them that the car would not drive properly. Her words were,
"Just tell them that the car won't drive properly. Even if it's fine to drive, tell them that the problem is more serious than it is and don't tell them that I told you to say this."
She asked me to call Emergency Assist and lie about the problem to get them to pick it up so I could jump the queue. I said my goodbyes and thought about it on Thursday evening. I refrained from calling Emergency Assist and called the dealership on Friday morning. I was put through to a different lady in the service department. I explained to her what her colleague had instructed me to do.
Her reply was,
"Oh god no, you can't do that. If they find out you can comprimise your warranty."
Great. They wanted me to tell lies and compromise my warranty.
The lady asked me to bring the car in at 1400 on Friday for a diagnosis. I turned up on time and went to the service desk to check in. They knew absolutely nothing about me. I had to explain the problem again and after a 15 minute wait, the "Workshop Manager" turned up in his cheap suit and introduced himself by saying,
"Here you, are you the fella with the Z4?"
I thought he was another customer at first but quickly realised he was the inept fool that had been instructed to diagnose the problem.
He came out to the car with me and never said one word. I explained the symptoms to him and he didn't even reply. He was downright ignorant. I started the engine and let him hear the rattle - depressed the clutch a few times to let him hear it stop.
He told me that he reckoned it was a shaft in the gearbox. He said,
"I've heard gearboxes rattle before but not like that. Sure book it in as soon as possible and we'll get a look at it and don't drive her much in the meantime."
I explained to him that the soonest they could get me booked in was in June and that I was returning to England next week and needed to do approximately 1500 miles in the next week. His reply was,
"Ach sure it'll be all right. Just get them to fix it in England."
He had just told me that the gearbox had a fault and not to drive it much and then he contradicts himself by saying it'll be fine.
I told him to forget about it and left. I was fuming mad at this stage. On my way back home I called another BMW dealership, Bavarian in Belfast. They said they could get thecar booked in sooner but as I didn't buy the car from them, they couldn't give me a courtesy car. I thought it was a requirement for them to provide a courtesy car - especially as the car is only a matter of weeks old and has developed what appears to be a serious fault in the gearbox.
I'm at my wits end. I will be lodging a formal complaint with BMW Customer Services on Monday.
What exactly are my rights and what am I entitled to? Am I still entitled to reject the car? I have no intentions of rejecting it unless it is plagued with problems but I could threaten them with the prospect if I thought it would get me anywhere.
Where do I stand?
Thanks. :/
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a rattle coming from the engine when idle. The rattle would disappear when the clutch was depressed. I made some enquiries and the general consensus was that it was a "thrust release bearing" and was a non-issue apart from the noise.
Over the past week, the noise has progressively become louder. I called the BMW dealership I bought it from and spoke to someone in the service department. I was told that the soonest they could book the car in to get fixed would be June. I expressed my displeasure at having to drive a faulty car for another month, especially as I anticipate doing more miles than normal.
The lady I was speaking to told me to call BMW Emergency assist and tell them that the car would not drive properly. Her words were,
"Just tell them that the car won't drive properly. Even if it's fine to drive, tell them that the problem is more serious than it is and don't tell them that I told you to say this."
She asked me to call Emergency Assist and lie about the problem to get them to pick it up so I could jump the queue. I said my goodbyes and thought about it on Thursday evening. I refrained from calling Emergency Assist and called the dealership on Friday morning. I was put through to a different lady in the service department. I explained to her what her colleague had instructed me to do.
Her reply was,
"Oh god no, you can't do that. If they find out you can comprimise your warranty."
Great. They wanted me to tell lies and compromise my warranty.
The lady asked me to bring the car in at 1400 on Friday for a diagnosis. I turned up on time and went to the service desk to check in. They knew absolutely nothing about me. I had to explain the problem again and after a 15 minute wait, the "Workshop Manager" turned up in his cheap suit and introduced himself by saying,
"Here you, are you the fella with the Z4?"
I thought he was another customer at first but quickly realised he was the inept fool that had been instructed to diagnose the problem.
He came out to the car with me and never said one word. I explained the symptoms to him and he didn't even reply. He was downright ignorant. I started the engine and let him hear the rattle - depressed the clutch a few times to let him hear it stop.
He told me that he reckoned it was a shaft in the gearbox. He said,
"I've heard gearboxes rattle before but not like that. Sure book it in as soon as possible and we'll get a look at it and don't drive her much in the meantime."
I explained to him that the soonest they could get me booked in was in June and that I was returning to England next week and needed to do approximately 1500 miles in the next week. His reply was,
"Ach sure it'll be all right. Just get them to fix it in England."
He had just told me that the gearbox had a fault and not to drive it much and then he contradicts himself by saying it'll be fine.
I told him to forget about it and left. I was fuming mad at this stage. On my way back home I called another BMW dealership, Bavarian in Belfast. They said they could get thecar booked in sooner but as I didn't buy the car from them, they couldn't give me a courtesy car. I thought it was a requirement for them to provide a courtesy car - especially as the car is only a matter of weeks old and has developed what appears to be a serious fault in the gearbox.
I'm at my wits end. I will be lodging a formal complaint with BMW Customer Services on Monday.
What exactly are my rights and what am I entitled to? Am I still entitled to reject the car? I have no intentions of rejecting it unless it is plagued with problems but I could threaten them with the prospect if I thought it would get me anywhere.
Where do I stand?
Thanks. :/
Edited by Scuzi on Saturday 10th May 18:47
Edited by Scuzi on Saturday 10th May 18:48
I don't think you are in a position to reject the car yet, I think BMW have to be given the chance to rectify the fault.
If you're getting nowhere with the dealers, then I would call the emergency service. You don't have to tell any lies, just tell them there is a loud rattle coming from the clutch, and you're concerned about driving it in case it fails.
I've used the emergency service a couple of times now, and found them to be pretty good. They will turn up, usually within an hour, and if they decide the car has to go to the dealer, they will make the arrangements with the dealer on your behalf, arrange a recovery truck to uplift the car, and arrange a decent courtesy car through Enterprise Car Hire. If the dealer isn't local to you, they will also arrange for the car to be returned to your home address when it's repaired.
It's always worth remembering, that if you take the car into the dealer yourself, then it's at the dealer's discretion whether you get a courtesy car or not. If you use the Emergency Service then you always get a courtesy car.
If you're getting nowhere with the dealers, then I would call the emergency service. You don't have to tell any lies, just tell them there is a loud rattle coming from the clutch, and you're concerned about driving it in case it fails.
I've used the emergency service a couple of times now, and found them to be pretty good. They will turn up, usually within an hour, and if they decide the car has to go to the dealer, they will make the arrangements with the dealer on your behalf, arrange a recovery truck to uplift the car, and arrange a decent courtesy car through Enterprise Car Hire. If the dealer isn't local to you, they will also arrange for the car to be returned to your home address when it's repaired.
It's always worth remembering, that if you take the car into the dealer yourself, then it's at the dealer's discretion whether you get a courtesy car or not. If you use the Emergency Service then you always get a courtesy car.
I have looked but cannot find the rules. Am I allowed to mention names?
Yes, it is in Northern Ireland. I'll say no more unless I'm allowed to.
A bit of an update. I called the emergency assist line and told them all. The guy could not believe that the dealer turned me away. He has arranged for the car to be collected on Monday morning to be brought to the dealer in question and for a car to be provided by Europcar. The problem is that I'm 22 and Europcar are probably only going to give me a 1.4 Astra or some other piece of rubbish. I cannot accept that for potentially 1 week+. I have a few important engagements this week and cannot turn up in the automobile equivalent of a fridge freezer.
Do I have an entitlement to be provided with a similar car? A 3 series or 5 series would be fine but a 116i or a Vauxhall are not going to cut it.
Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated
Yes, it is in Northern Ireland. I'll say no more unless I'm allowed to.
A bit of an update. I called the emergency assist line and told them all. The guy could not believe that the dealer turned me away. He has arranged for the car to be collected on Monday morning to be brought to the dealer in question and for a car to be provided by Europcar. The problem is that I'm 22 and Europcar are probably only going to give me a 1.4 Astra or some other piece of rubbish. I cannot accept that for potentially 1 week+. I have a few important engagements this week and cannot turn up in the automobile equivalent of a fridge freezer.
Do I have an entitlement to be provided with a similar car? A 3 series or 5 series would be fine but a 116i or a Vauxhall are not going to cut it.
Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated
Edited by Scuzi on Sunday 11th May 03:15
Edited by Scuzi on Sunday 11th May 12:23
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