Brake recall done, stand-up dealer...
03-26-2011, 05:12 AM
#1
Members
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 441
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
My Ride: 545i sport
Model Year: 2004
Well, I finally took my '04 545i in for the brake recall. Quick little history: Purchased car 6 mos. ago and got killer dealer on well equiped car. Seller replaced failed brake booster to make car ready for sale (seller unaware of recall). Anyway, BMW of Austin put me in a 2010 335i and replaced the booster vacuum line, booster, and master cylinder. My wife picked up the car and when I got home I noticed a "stain" on the left headlight. Apparantely, the dealer spilled brake fluid on the headlight and it etched the plastic. Now, with a car of this age, the headlights were not perfect. I had polished them myself a few weeks earlier.
Called the dealer and told them of the problem and even said I was not interested in a new headlight because it would not match the otherside. I told them I wanted the headlight polished. The dealer jumped on the suggestion and offered to polish them both. Put me another loaner and did a excellent job of polishing the headlights, they look brand new...way better job than I did.
So, the point of the story is that all dealers are not bad...I got excellent service, dealer owned up to their problems and treated me as a valuable customer even though I rarely visit the service department (I buy lots of parts though). They also did not try to hard sell me on other repairs. It seems amazing to me that I just got my primary braking system renewed at not cost on a car with 90k + miles and 6 years old!
Oh, BTW, the new brake line is very flexible as the old one was very stiff. Funny what age and heat does to plastic. I also made sure I resealed my vacuum pump prior to taking the car in so they wouldn't say it needed to be replaced at my cost. Now I have a factory correct crimped on hose clamp on the vacuum line.
Called the dealer and told them of the problem and even said I was not interested in a new headlight because it would not match the otherside. I told them I wanted the headlight polished. The dealer jumped on the suggestion and offered to polish them both. Put me another loaner and did a excellent job of polishing the headlights, they look brand new...way better job than I did.
So, the point of the story is that all dealers are not bad...I got excellent service, dealer owned up to their problems and treated me as a valuable customer even though I rarely visit the service department (I buy lots of parts though). They also did not try to hard sell me on other repairs. It seems amazing to me that I just got my primary braking system renewed at not cost on a car with 90k + miles and 6 years old!
Oh, BTW, the new brake line is very flexible as the old one was very stiff. Funny what age and heat does to plastic. I also made sure I resealed my vacuum pump prior to taking the car in so they wouldn't say it needed to be replaced at my cost. Now I have a factory correct crimped on hose clamp on the vacuum line.
03-26-2011, 05:27 AM
#2
Contributors
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The State of Southern NJ!
Posts: 5,972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I finally took my '04 545i in for the brake recall. Quick little history: Purchased car 6 mos. ago and got killer dealer on well equiped car. Seller replaced failed brake booster to make car ready for sale (seller unaware of recall). Anyway, BMW of Austin put me in a 2010 335i and replaced the booster vacuum line, booster, and master cylinder. My wife picked up the car and when I got home I noticed a "stain" on the left headlight. Apparantely, the dealer spilled brake fluid on the headlight and it etched the plastic. Now, with a car of this age, the headlights were not perfect. I had polished them myself a few weeks earlier.
Called the dealer and told them of the problem and even said I was not interested in a new headlight because it would not match the otherside. I told them I wanted the headlight polished. The dealer jumped on the suggestion and offered to polish them both. Put me another loaner and did a excellent job of polishing the headlights, they look brand new...way better job than I did.
So, the point of the story is that all dealers are not bad...I got excellent service, dealer owned up to their problems and treated me as a valuable customer even though I rarely visit the service department (I buy lots of parts though). They also did not try to hard sell me on other repairs. It seems amazing to me that I just got my primary braking system renewed at not cost on a car with 90k + miles and 6 years old!
Oh, BTW, the new brake line is very flexible as the old one was very stiff. Funny what age and heat does to plastic. I also made sure I resealed my vacuum pump prior to taking the car in so they wouldn't say it needed to be replaced at my cost. Now I have a factory correct crimped on hose clamp on the vacuum line.
Called the dealer and told them of the problem and even said I was not interested in a new headlight because it would not match the otherside. I told them I wanted the headlight polished. The dealer jumped on the suggestion and offered to polish them both. Put me another loaner and did a excellent job of polishing the headlights, they look brand new...way better job than I did.
So, the point of the story is that all dealers are not bad...I got excellent service, dealer owned up to their problems and treated me as a valuable customer even though I rarely visit the service department (I buy lots of parts though). They also did not try to hard sell me on other repairs. It seems amazing to me that I just got my primary braking system renewed at not cost on a car with 90k + miles and 6 years old!
Oh, BTW, the new brake line is very flexible as the old one was very stiff. Funny what age and heat does to plastic. I also made sure I resealed my vacuum pump prior to taking the car in so they wouldn't say it needed to be replaced at my cost. Now I have a factory correct crimped on hose clamp on the vacuum line.
I think it's OK to tell the dealer's name in the feedback topic section ...
03-27-2011, 06:07 AM
#5
Members
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 441
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
My Ride: 545i sport
Model Year: 2004
Tire balance issue. Wife hit pothole and blew out two tires, so will report after tires replaced and wheels straightened
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bestofthebest
Complete Car Sales
4
03-28-2016 02:47 PM