Peter Pan BMW -- bad service, No 1200 mile oil change on 03 - Page 3 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Z8Bob · 13th May 2003, 01:56

I think it is foolish for a dealer, where (I assume) you purchased your car, to give you a hard time over an item of less than $100. Poor public relations. That said, here is the quote from the Owner's Circle on the:

"1200 Mile Service

Read out diagnostic system.

Replace transmission fluid.

Replace differential oil.

Check all warning/indicator lights, check control.

Road test with check of brakes, suspension, steering, clutch/manual transmission."

No oil change. That was also the case for the same motor in the Z8. AFAIK no Z8 manual ever indicated an oil change at 1,200 miles for the S62 motor. I paid for one in 2000 when I took the car in, as I knew at the time that the dealer was not going to do it. I expect to be paying for my 2003 1,200 oil change as well.

Don't let this little CS item ruin the experience.

jclyman · 20th May 2004, 20:44

Allow me my two cents.

I bought a new M5 from South Bay in Hermosa Beach, a year ago (I had known the salesman for 20 years and they were the only one of three dealers who would allow me anything, however small, on the deal). I own 3 other BMWs. (I gave my original BMW, a 1980 320i to the Salvation Army.)

I took the car in for the 1,200 mile check about a week later ... I love to drive and have 20,000 miles on the car at 363 days of ownership. IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS CAR! Broken in right, and very fast ... 140 MPH twice, 130 many times.

When I got it back ... without any known problems ... I carefully went over the "Invoice." I always check every item on an Invoice! No engine oil change. I did my research. It is shown in the Owner's Manual! It was NOT shown on the official "BMW Checksheet" I received (M3, yes, M5, no). So I called BMW NA. They said I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN the engine oil change.

Oil is cheap. I dread a trip to the dealer (I used to work for one!). So I bought an oil filter ... I already had the oil, as I had read about the oil consumption problem in M5s. (No longer seems to be a problem at 20,000 miles. Oil use nil, now.)

I am an experienced mechanic. Changing the oil was no problem. Parked in the driveway, with the drive sloping downward and I was able to get to the drain plug without a problem. The oil filter was another issue. The parts guy gave me the wrong filter. I went back, got it replaced with the proper one, without fanfaire, and the rest was a brease.

One other item. Regarding a couple of messages re: oil residue (read "sludge") in the bottom of the pan. For those of you who remember NON DETERGENT OILs. They deposited "sludge" on the horizontal surfaces in an engine, big time! If you have ever seen one apart, you will remember it. Detergent oils do NOT! They keep the dirt (that dirt not trapped by the filter) in suspension and drain it out during an oil change. Much, much better approach. That is also why, when you see your oil is DIRTY BROWN, it is NOT a sign of needing an oil change. "If your oil is dirty brown, it is WORKING!"

Remember the 1980 320i I mentioned. 320,000 miles and NEVER an engine rebuild. Very low oil consumption. I used the BEST oil I could buy, and changed it about every 10,000 miles. You read right. And, I drive my cars hard (or should I say "swiftly"). Never thrashed when cold. And, they all have very low oil consumption, including my 1966 Porsche 911 in which the Owner's Manual says to expect oil consumption of a quart every 400 to 600 miles to be O.K (air cooled, aided by oil consumption past the rings). Oil change interval is a personal issue. I have found it not to be a big concern as long as you take very good care of your car and use the BEST oil you can buy.

John (Quick M5).

P.S. I have been frustrated by the lack of a comprehensive manual on late M5s. I want to know everything about my cars ...

P.S.S. I almost forgot. $ 95.00 is what a dealer charges for an oil change (with filter). The actual COST is MUCH lower. The oil drains while they are doing other things, and they (normally, although I am not sure about the M5 oil) fill from a 55 gal. drum. It takes, maybe 5 minutes to do the whole job. Customer service (I was a BMW dealer Customer Service rep. in the 90s) is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than making an issue over whether or not to do an oil change. My opinion ...

ernie · 20th May 2004, 21:06

sad.

ernie

V-10 4 Me · 20th May 2004, 21:58

The manager (Daren Ferguson) <----Isn't that that BIG GUY. Yep If it is! He is a Ball Buster allright. There is no trying to talk with him as he has a smartalec answer for anything. Regardless if it is correct or not.

i had a couple of dealings with him, and I simply choose to deal with other dealerships.

Philip · 20th May 2004, 22:55

I would NEVER do business with PETER PAN BMW. Read this (http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums...5049037-1.html) and other comments from unhappy Peter Pan customers.

Also, I think your call from Dana Caldwell, Service and Parts Manager for Peter Pan BMW, was a sham. When I bought my 2000 M5 the 1200 mile oil change was included in other countries, just not in the U.S. and maybe Canada. I'll bet it's still included in Germany. I believe this is a BMWNA cost cutting issue, just like switching to cheaper oil (10w-60 is recommended in Germany for all M5s).

Lupo///M5 · 20th May 2004, 23:18

Total BS! M engines are required to have ALL fluids not just oil changed at 1200M.

Digi · 20th May 2004, 23:50

I never had any doubts when I purchased my 2002 M5 that 1200 mile oil change is not included on the M5, and it is on the web site, and the tech service sheets, etc. The dealer, if he changes the oil, will not get reimbursed by BMWNA for it. Now whether they should routinely EAT the cost because you paid a bunch of money for your car is subject to debate. I certainly wouldn't expect my dealer to do this routinely. My dealer does regularly offer coupons for $59 oil change and has never quarrelled about putting 8 quarts of 10W60 oil (retail $80 for oil) in my car, along with fluid top off, and other oil service requirements -- which I have done every 6K miles. I would never be mad at my dealer for BMWNA specifications. I might be mad at BMWNA.

DarkStar · 21st May 2004, 07:51

I've bought cars and had service from all three of the bay area dealers (P.Pan, S. Creek, and Allison) on and off for about 12 years. The net net is that they are all the same when it comes to service. The common denominator is that the dealer is only as good as the service writer/service manager-of-the-month. Unfortunately, these dealers are a revolving door for service employees and we the customer become the guinea pig for their service (or lack thereof).

FWIW, I've also had my car serviced at Dinan with the same type of bad luck. The service manager at the time used it as his personal vehicle for 2 weeks; was driving my car home every night!!

//DS

03E39M5 · 21st May 2004, 17:42

My 1,200 mi service was last December and did include the oil change (Steve Thomas in Camarillo). Not only that, but they also did some other minor stuff that they may not have gotten reimbursed for...total charge when presented with the invoice - $0.00!

Sorry to hear about what happened at Peter Pan. The dealerships are independent businesses. It's an all too common mistake in business to want to make a quick buck at the expense of a long-term customer relationship. While he does not realize it, that SA really is doing a dis-service to the company.

StanAE86 · 21st May 2004, 17:49

That's too bad, on the cost of a new M5, and the profit made, you'd think that even if they're eating the cost of a $95 oil change, they'd AT LEAST go 50% or discount it somehow with the customer. Good customer service is rare these days.