GT Premi

Because they gave me a FREE windshield!! I don't know how they did it because I carry an insurance deductible that is probably higher than the cost of windshield replacement. Why, you ask? Because I don't like throwing money to insurance companies on what "might" happen. If it wasn't for insurance companies having the government in their pockets requiring us to carry insurance, I wouldn't have any! But I digress...

Anyway, back to Hendrick. I had a laundry list of items that needed addressing. All sorts of warnings and such. (Details if requested.) They said it was a bad intake manifold pressure sensor. They replaced that, replaced the tilt mirror motor, replaced the gas cap seal, adjusted the trunk latch, etc. (told it was a laundry list of items) and on top of all that, GAVE ME A FREE WINDSHIELD!!! Needless to say, when Saad Mabarik, my new Service Advisor, told me that, I was more than ecstatic! I had been to the service department at Hendrick before and felt like The Invisible Man. They'd all just walk by without so much as a "hello!" Saad really changed my opinion of them. Fantastic SA. If any of you end up in these parts and need service, I'd recommend seeing Saad at Hendrick.

I had an X3 as a loaner. Good gas mileage, that. It was pretty basic, though. Leatherette and all. All I have to say about leatherette is "wow." And I don't mean that in a good way. For those that argue leatherette is just as good as the real stuff, they must not've ever felt or seen real leather. They went overboard with the graining and it's so thick. I'd rather have cloth! Come to think of it, cloth is a rare thing these days. When I do have occasion to sit in a car with cloth I think, "this is not so bad." It's like a nice blanket. Then you start moving in the seat and it's constantly grabbing your clothes, and you remember why leather is becoming "defacto."

BeBogus

An interesting observation though regarding the leather and leatherette. The e60's that do come with leather interior have leatherette in the door. So if you look at the natural brown interior for example, the section that is brown along the door is leatherette while the seats and center console are leather.

nickolas_g

Good to hear. Especially since they have the only dealership in town.

Thanks!

Future5er

Why did you need a new windshield? I assume you had a rock chip or crack but you never said for sure.

I too live in NC and am happy to hear you're happy. However, you sure have a long list of issues. How happy have you been with your E60 on the whole?

Richard in NC

I think Hendrick has made great strides in the service department (and sales) recently. I have Saad as an SA as well. Even though I didn't buy the 550i from Hendrick, they treat me as if I did.

So far, I've only had one minor issue with it, When new, I kept getting an SES light caused by a fuel vapor sensor. They replaced the purge valve, over nighting it in so it could be repaired the morning I was going out of town (to VIR for a driving school). I sure didn't want an SES light on track.

PS: Are you sure the doors of the 550i are leatherette? The LCI door trim area and console seem as good and soft as the real leather on the seats.

slickrick

As far as I know the LCI models have leather on the doors.

hoopsrob

I have to agree on the kudos for Hendrick--- I used to live in the Queen City and I pointed out to the SA once that my steering wheel showed some 'ribbing'---as if the wires for the heated steering wheel were starting to show through. I just asked them to check it out, fully expecting them to tell me to come back in another 10,000 miles or so.

When my car was finished with the other small items they were taking care of, he came out and said that they agreed that the steering wheel wasn't acceptable and they had replaced it with a new one!

Their service dept. has always been great in my opinion.

pukka

I know what you mean about the leatherette on the X3. I had a loaner last week and I wasn't impressed. But leatherette does come in much better variations. Its not bad on the base E60 and I have custom leatherette surfaces on my Camaro that feel pretty confortable also.

Its still not leather - but I think what is in the X3 is just not the norm. Maybe its what is only used in loaner cars.

GT Premi

To answer the question about the windshield, I had a huge crack in the windshield that was quickly spreading across the whole thing. I was driving on Concord Mills Blvd where they added a new turning lane the Saturday before last and a piece of asphalt (I guess) was thrown up into the air and hit my windshield. It sounded like a crack when it hit, but there was no evidence of one. The next morning, I was taking my kids back to their mother and my son says, "Whoa! Is that a crack?" It was on the passenger side of the car, blocked by the rearview mirror. I lean over and sure enough, it's a big crack coming down and curving toward the driver's side. Astonishingly enough, I wasn't too upset over it. (If you knew me, you would've rushed me to the hospital, certain I had been labotomized! ) I just figured that's not particularly how I wanted to "stimulate" the economy, but oh well... I let it ride for a few days, and by the time I took it in for my appointment, the crack had spread almost to the middle of the driver's side of the windshield. It was nasty. I was gonna have Hendrick coordinate a replacement and I'd pay for it. They ended up replacing it for free.

Here's the part where I might have to recant my original post. I went to early voting yesterday evening, and as I was walking back to my car, the sunlight was hitting it just right. I could see a bunch of what looked to be scuff marks at the right corner of the rear fascia. At first I just thought it was dust built up in that spot from somebody walking by it at some point; it happens. As I get closer, I notice it's some serious (to me) scratches!! First thing that comes to my mind is, "So that's why they gave me the free windshield!" I will call Saad and hopefully get the truth. It looks like they backed into something. What ironic is that the scratches are on a plain with one of the PDC sensors.

Now to the other question; yes, I have enjoyed the car overall. I don't really understand how because if this were an American car, that many issues in such a short time span would be totally unacceptable. American manufacturers get a bum deal in that regard. I didn't pay them much mind since I presumed a reprogram would take care of it all. Though, I did get the gas cap light again the other day after a fill-up.

BeBogus

Yea, my mistake. Leatherette is the standard trim on the car even if you select leather seats. Upgrading to Dakota Leather or Premium package will aslo upgrade the door trim to real leather.

Selecting the split fold down rear seats makes the rear seats leatherette I think. Check out the link, it tries to explain the interior trim when selecting options. Looks like the wood trim is real wood all around

Check out "Seats and Trim"
http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?se...tSelection=true