Follow up letter to my dealer after crazy bad service - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

ALEV8 · 5th September 2005, 01:05

I wrote this today and sent it to every service advisor and the Manager, ***'t Manager, and Director of Service at the dealership I go to with my M5.

Messrs. Kobell and Berry,

Be advised that I brought my 2000 M5 in for service on Monday the 29th, and picked it up
at approximately 6:30 pm on Friday the 2d of September, ticket # BMCS479385. I was shocked
by how poorly the vehicle was treated and flabbergasted at the response I received from Classic.

Everyone on your staff KNOWS how to win and keep customers. The chain of events I am going to relate
is a textbook example of how to LOSE and alienate a customer.

1) Fri. evening I noticed a large dent in the middle of my hood, created from the inside
of the engine compartment by something left inside and the hood was shut upon it.

I came back to the service bay around 10 AM on the 30th and had to "convince" the SA that I needed the
situation rectified and a loaner car, regardless of dealership policy. This gentlemen was not the
least bit conciliatory about the damage done to my car or the events that followed. I felt like I had
inconvenienced him in some way. He rated an A+ for bad customer service skills, or in other measures about equal with
any Chevrolet dealership I have had the poor luck of visiting.

2) Next I noticed my fan shroud was smashed and shop rag material stuck to the damaged areas,
presumably from whatever was left in the engine compartment.

3) The car was wheezing on Friday at pickup when the A/C was on and it smelled odd inside because
the ducts from the cabin micro-filter housings to the cabin were now MISSING.

4) I noticed the belly pan under the car was also missing.

At this point I said I'd probably feel better if the car was left at Classic, and re-checked thoroughly for any more
missing engine parts.

The SA replied that this was nothing to be alarmed about, and that I could come back on Tuesday with the car and start over again,
and that dent would pop right out! No loaner either because of the long weekend.

At this point I was so bewildered by the car's condition and the SA's behavior I was speechless. We did get a loaner after much hand wringing
and "checking with the manager" (who I could see thru the glass never got off his butt to say simply, "wow I am so sorry, we'll take care of you I promise!" )
and left.

That's all it would have taken.

This lack of excellence in service was so beyond bad that I feel I must let you and your staff know just what occurred with my M5.

Please discuss this with your GM, and with the technician that worked on my car. Who can look out for my vehicle if Classic cannot?

I would like for Classic to WIN my business back.

I can be reached at 214.263.0948

Respectfully,

Alex Einspruch

bmwusa · 5th September 2005, 01:09

Thats a horroififc story, I hope you recieve some sort of compensation, best of luck, Josh

tsaros · 5th September 2005, 01:43

I have also had to write letters to dealers and thisfar i have gotten a good responds from it.
What i try to do is emailing and faxing the station manager and maybe the servicemanager and let them sort the mess out.

I hope it gets solved in a good way.

mottati · 5th September 2005, 05:10

this was on some letterhead, right Alex???

Beamer_usa · 5th September 2005, 07:07

I would also CC copies of that letter to your local BBB(Better Business Bureau), Local Chamber of Commerce, your Local DMV, and BMWNA.

That should put a bit of fire under their *****.

Good Luck

davem3smg · 5th September 2005, 09:26

Beamer_usa makes a good point. I would say at least send it to BMWNA. I recently had a bad experience with a service advisor, but I felt much better when BMWNA called to ask about my satisfaction with the visit and I had a chance to explain it all to them.

DavidS · 5th September 2005, 11:23

The cars are so good that there will always be enough people wanting the cars no matter how bad the service is.

The sad thing is that the dealers know they can get away with anything.

The really insane thing is that BMW NA let them get away with it.

I can only conclude BMW must like bad dealers. If they did not they would revoke the francises for many dealers.

It would be great if the culture changed for the better, but when BMW posts record sales each month, what is their incentive to drive and demand that change?

David

Beamer_usa · 5th September 2005, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beamer_usa

I would also CC copies of that letter to your local BBB(Better Business Bureau), Local Chamber of Commerce, your Local DMV, and BMWNA.

That should put a bit of fire under their *****.

Good Luck

Apologies for the double post

Sean@D/A · 5th September 2005, 19:53

Sorry to hear about this Alex..

Keep us posted how it gets resolved.

Sean

greg · 5th September 2005, 20:47

Sorry to hear about your experience. Makes me crazy. But I think you're handling this exactly the right way. As for copying BMWNA, I would save that for the 2nd letter (you can include a copy of the first) if they don't satisfy you. And if you have to send a 3rd, then copy the prior 2 and include all, cc: the BBB and "M Brand Manager" at BMWNA - used to be Tom Purves but I think its a different guy now - someone on the board will know....