Service Pack Inclusive - Scam
Discussion
Hi all. A colleague and I both have 66 plate M140i BMWs. He does more miles than I do, so his car was first to get serviced and took out the 'Service Inclusive' package for £299 at the time. This covers the majority of service requirements up to 36,000 miles / 3 years. I also took the service inclusive (which he recommended to me) on my first service.
A couple of weeks ago, he tried to book his car in for its second service, which would have been covered by the service plan. When he called the dealership (in the South West), he was told that he didn't have the 'service inclusive' and that the next service would be £600+. Upon inspection of his receipt from the first service, it would appear that the garage had charged him £307 for a regular service, and not the 'service inclusive' that he thought he had bought (note that he assumed the £8 difference was just a charge for cleaning the car, or some other typical dealership fee!).
When he questioned why he would have ever bought a service, instead of the service inclusive, the response from the dealership was that 'some people don't own cars long enough to use the service packs' and that 'the service pack for the M140i is £399' and that 'the burden of proof was on him to prove that he asked for the 'service inclusive''.
I can confirm that the service inclusive for the M140i is £299, because that is what the same garage charged me for my M140i. And, obviously, he was unable to prove that he asked for the 'service inclusive' and, obviously, he would have to be a complete idiot to pay £307 for a service that is covered by the £299 service pack!
Both BMW and the dealership refused to retrospectively change the 'service' to the 'service inclusive', or to allow him to pay £299 on top of the original £307 to buy the service inclusive a second time!
So in summary, he has been screwed by the dealership, and BMW have done absolutely nothing to help. Has anyone had an experience like this before, or does anyone have any genuinely useful advice?
(Note that the service has now been completed and paid for, as BMW said that the warranty on the car would be void if he waited while the dispute was resolved. The bill was £660. Any course of action now would be attempting to recover the £660.
A couple of weeks ago, he tried to book his car in for its second service, which would have been covered by the service plan. When he called the dealership (in the South West), he was told that he didn't have the 'service inclusive' and that the next service would be £600+. Upon inspection of his receipt from the first service, it would appear that the garage had charged him £307 for a regular service, and not the 'service inclusive' that he thought he had bought (note that he assumed the £8 difference was just a charge for cleaning the car, or some other typical dealership fee!).
When he questioned why he would have ever bought a service, instead of the service inclusive, the response from the dealership was that 'some people don't own cars long enough to use the service packs' and that 'the service pack for the M140i is £399' and that 'the burden of proof was on him to prove that he asked for the 'service inclusive''.
I can confirm that the service inclusive for the M140i is £299, because that is what the same garage charged me for my M140i. And, obviously, he was unable to prove that he asked for the 'service inclusive' and, obviously, he would have to be a complete idiot to pay £307 for a service that is covered by the £299 service pack!
Both BMW and the dealership refused to retrospectively change the 'service' to the 'service inclusive', or to allow him to pay £299 on top of the original £307 to buy the service inclusive a second time!
So in summary, he has been screwed by the dealership, and BMW have done absolutely nothing to help. Has anyone had an experience like this before, or does anyone have any genuinely useful advice?
(Note that the service has now been completed and paid for, as BMW said that the warranty on the car would be void if he waited while the dispute was resolved. The bill was £660. Any course of action now would be attempting to recover the £660.
Can’t help much, other than to say a colleague bought an M140 last year and got the service pack chucked in with the deal. They were very very slack in confirming that he did indeed have the pack chucked in once the car was collected.
The cost does change. It is £299 if bought within so many days of registration and increases to £399 after that period.
The cost does change. It is £299 if bought within so many days of registration and increases to £399 after that period.
The original payment would have been by Credit Card or Debit Card. I'm sure I could find out.
The paperwork from the original service does clearly state that it was for a service.... but that's not in dispute, since that what they officially sold him. It's not what he asked for, but it was the same price, so he didn't question it at the time.
The paperwork from the original service does clearly state that it was for a service.... but that's not in dispute, since that what they officially sold him. It's not what he asked for, but it was the same price, so he didn't question it at the time.
FWIW said:
Because if there's a dispute the finance provider is jointly liable.
I would get a final decision from the dealer then go to the finance company with a section 75 claim.
If still no joy I would then go the the Financial Ombudsman.
Nice use of ???? by the way.
The car was just bought outright, so no finance unfortunately. Do you think there would be any merit going to the Financial Ombudsman?I would get a final decision from the dealer then go to the finance company with a section 75 claim.
If still no joy I would then go the the Financial Ombudsman.
Nice use of ???? by the way.
To make matters worse, when his wife picked up the car (and they charged her £80 more than they'd agreed), she drove away from the dealership and two miles later there was a loud banging coming from front wheel. On inspection, there was a large piece of metal hanging from the chassis which, presumably, was either part of the car that had not been re-attached, or something that had fallen in during the service (the car had ended up being in the garage for a week because they broke the oil filter casing and needed to replace it, so had more done to it that a regular service). She called the garage, explained where she was, that she had her 3 year old with her, and that she had to pick up her 6 year old in 90 minutes.
Instead of just sending somebody out to take a look (she wasn't even 5 minutes from the garage), they insisted that it would not be possible to tell if the metal was anything to do with the service, so she needed to use BMW recovery. They were objectionably rude to her, she ended up waiting for 90 minutes and had to send friends to pick up her kids. I think it has been a pretty diabolical experience.
Ramsay111 said:
The original payment would have been by Credit Card or Debit Card. I'm sure I could find out.
The paperwork from the original service does clearly state that it was for a service.... but that's not in dispute, since that what they officially sold him. It's not what he asked for, but it was the same price, so he didn't question it at the time.
I don’t think he’s got a leg to stand on then; it’s his word against the service advisor’s. The paperwork from the original service does clearly state that it was for a service.... but that's not in dispute, since that what they officially sold him. It's not what he asked for, but it was the same price, so he didn't question it at the time.
If he’d bought the service pack, that’s what the invoice would have been for. Without that, there’s no proof that’s what he actually asked for. The time to query it was upon collection, sorry.
Court_S said:
I don’t think he’s got a leg to stand on then; it’s his word against the service advisor’s.
If he’d bought the service pack, that’s what the invoice would have been for. Without that, there’s no proof that’s what he actually asked for. The time to query it was upon collection, sorry.
That's kind of the point. He asked for the service pack and got charged the same amount as the thing he asked for, so there was nothing to really query on collection. Assuming that he's not an absolute moron, why would he ever have asked for the single service, if he could have the service pack for the same price (well, less, actually)? If he’d bought the service pack, that’s what the invoice would have been for. Without that, there’s no proof that’s what he actually asked for. The time to query it was upon collection, sorry.
Essentially, the dealership is saying that he asked for (and bought) something that you would have to be an absolute idiot to buy, and that's why I'm wondering if there is any recourse.
I just can't imagine a scenario where, for example, a gym charges £300 for a year's membership. You ask for a year's membership, pay £300, use the gym and go home. Then, the next time you go to the gym, they say to you "oh, no, you only bought a day pass...... check your receipt".
Ramsay111 said:
That's kind of the point. He asked for the service pack and got charged the same amount as the thing he asked for, so there was nothing to really query on collection. Assuming that he's not an absolute moron, why would he ever have asked for the single service, if he could have the service pack for the same price (well, less, actually)?
Essentially, the dealership is saying that he asked for (and bought) something that you would have to be an absolute idiot to buy, and that's why I'm wondering if there is any recourse.
I just can't imagine a scenario where, for example, a gym charges £300 for a year's membership. You ask for a year's membership, pay £300, use the gym and go home. Then, the next time you go to the gym, they say to you "oh, no, you only bought a day pass...... check your receipt".
You've already said that he was charged slightly more than he was expecting - that should have been a red flag to check the invoice etc. Assuming that the garage only had the car a day or so for the first service, by saying that I wanted the service pack not just a service the service adviser who has made the mistake may have been able to remember the conversation etc and rectify the mistake. Essentially, the dealership is saying that he asked for (and bought) something that you would have to be an absolute idiot to buy, and that's why I'm wondering if there is any recourse.
I just can't imagine a scenario where, for example, a gym charges £300 for a year's membership. You ask for a year's membership, pay £300, use the gym and go home. Then, the next time you go to the gym, they say to you "oh, no, you only bought a day pass...... check your receipt".
He's been charged more than expected, albeit only by a small amount, why an earth would you not question that at the time? The dealership have screwed up but so has your friend by not dealing with it at the time and ensuring he had something proving what he asked for. Leaving it until the second service is too long. As a result, the dealership is going to say tough.
Court_S said:
Can’t help much, other than to say a colleague bought an M140 last year and got the service pack chucked in with the deal. They were very very slack in confirming that he did indeed have the pack chucked in once the car was collected.
The cost does change. It is £299 if bought within so many days of registration and increases to £399 after that period.
It’s £299 if paid before the first service so not within so many days of registration The cost does change. It is £299 if bought within so many days of registration and increases to £399 after that period.
TBF you'd struggle to get 2 services in over 36,000 miles and 3 years on a non M BMW, mine is just about to have its 2nd service at 38,000 miles at just under 3 years old, thankfully I have the pre 2017 50,000 mile service pack however I'll only get 2 services out if it as the next one will be due over 50k.
Prices given on this web page - states £299 if paid before the first service:
https://www.bmw.co.uk/bmw-ownership/servicing-and-...
https://www.bmw.co.uk/bmw-ownership/servicing-and-...
Wills2 said:
TBF you'd struggle to get 2 services in over 36,000 miles and 3 years on a non M BMW, mine is just about to have its 2nd service at 38,000 miles at just under 3 years old, thankfully I have the pre 2017 50,000 mile service pack however I'll only get 2 services out if it as the next one will be due over 50k.
They keep reducing it My last BMW was on 5yr/60k .. the current one on 5yr/50k and it’s 3rd service is due now at 4 years and 52k miles
The Mini we bought last years is on 3/36 .. it’s about to have its first service at 18k so it will be touch and go if we get a 2nd service out if it
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