I just got screwed on a new Moonstone M5

Alan S · 6th June 2008, 01:14

I wrote a post about an order I placed for a Moonstone M5 here is the US. I was told that you could order an individual color now in the US. The order was placed about three months ago and I was informed the order was approved. I was tracking the delivery on the Owner's Center Website and the car is at the Vehicle Preparation Center. I'm excited that my car is almost here! I get a call from the sales person today, and they said the car was built, but the color was rejected. WTF!!! Evidently the color had to be approved by three managers - a 5 series, M, and Individual manger and the color was not approved by the Invididual Manger. Some excuse about diluting the 6 and 7 series Individual program in the US. There has obviously been a serious breakdown in communication. It's one thing to say no at the time of the order, but quite another to have me wait three months and build the car in the color I don't want (the car is Alpine White). My sales person nor I were ever notified that the color was rejected, nor did they ask what alternate color I wanted, and they just decided to build the car anyway in Alphine White. I've been a loyal BMW customer over the last 10 years and I'm so pissed off right now. I think I've had it with BMW.

Cosmos · 6th June 2008, 01:17

Did you discuss this with the M Brand Manager of NA before ordering?

Alan S · 6th June 2008, 01:21

Actually according to my Sales person, he had to contact the M brand manger in Germany to get the approval. They charged an extra $5000 for the color change, which I agreed to. I had the wait about three weeks just to hear back from them, and I was notified that the color was approved. My sales person told me that the M5 would some up in a generic color, so I wasn't worried when the car showed up as Alpine White during the build tracking process. With the economy the way it is I really don't think BMW should be providing this level of customer service.

Gustav · 6th June 2008, 01:26

If you paid for it you should have it, and the very least be informed about it that you cannot have it. Have the communcation went wrong somewhere? Anyway, an Alpina White M5 is nice too

Alan S · 6th June 2008, 01:28

I placed a deposit and we agreed upon a price. I was never informed that the color choice was rejected. Somewhere along the line it was decided to build an Alpine White M5 without notifying me or my sales person.

Alan S · 6th June 2008, 01:29

Ordered a 2008 M5 Moonstone (Individual Color) in the US

NobleM400 · 6th June 2008, 01:46

Wow, that bites.

M5Newbie · 6th June 2008, 01:59

Hopefully you can successfully escalate this and get it worked out with BMWNA.

Your fallback position is probably contractual, so I wouldn't worry - at this point you can almost pick your price since you have an approved order (get the Emails or copies immediately from dealer if you don't have them) and an obvious breach of contract. Most big companies require "Change Order" forms to be signed off upon if there are significant differences between order and fulfillment. A publicly traded company may actually have to show the chain of forms, from original order through all change orders to final forms, with evidence at the end that what was represented in the paper chain is what was delivered. They would do this so they could continue to trade on the stock exchanges.

They will desperately want to close the sale and get the customer service feedback form coming back as favorably as possible.

Work the chain of command and don't lose your cool.

"It may look like we're on equal footing here, but I assure you, it just looks that way." - Morgan Freeman as President in Deep Imact

Daytona Bones · 6th June 2008, 03:05

What a let down, after waiting so long for it. Sorry, to hear what happed.

AvusAndy · 6th June 2008, 03:09

If I were you,and of course if you have time....Start rasing HELL
Start in BMW NA then to BMW AG....get the right channels and your voice will be heard....BMW AG wll most likely balme BMW NA.since the two are seprerate entities......