Gene

Jon, I believe the OP is using SA as "Sales Associate" and not "Service Adviser"

luigi524td

I guess you're new to this whole experience.

Can't help asking, if you took delivery of a car that cost $60K+ and it had obvious paint defects ... WHY you left the dealer's parking lot without having it attended to ON THE SPOT!

Just seems a bit strange to me

bimmerfan00

Sorry, was talking about the sales rep.

They made me wait 2 hours while they were TRYING to get rid of them. Like I had mentioned, the dealership is 300 mi from where I live and it was almost 5 P.M. That along with him promising me that he would pay whatever it cost for me to get it detailed led me to leave. Also, I didn't want them to work on it, as they did not have a proper detailing place and contracted it to a 3rd party. So, I figured, I would rather have it done by my guy. I know I shouldn't have trusted him, but he did not do anything to warrant my suspicion either. Sales experience was wonderful and he was pretty cool about it.


That said, yes it does hurt to pick up a $70K car and see swirls and all sorts of things. But, it's not that bad that it won't come off after a detail. I just didn't think he would stiff me for $400 knowing that I had bought my previous bmw from them and will be shopping for another one next year for my family.

Oh well, you live and learn.

Gene

again, sorry to hear. Do you have a detailer in mind to do the job? Again if you want some suggestions post your location when/if you feel comfortable doing so. GL, hope things gets resolved to your satisfaction...

seoulman

Yeah... Good luck on getting this matter resolved to your satisfaction.

bimmerlust

Hi,
My family owns a group of franchised motorcycle dealerships and so I have experience behind my advice. Car dealerships live and die by their customer satisfaction reports. It's actually something that is DIFFERENT between motorcycles and cars. One of our GM's is from the car business and it's something he has talked about. The dealerships money is actually tied to their score - how do you think dealers stay profitable when they're selling cars at cost? It's because there are incentive structures in place from the manufacturer and your survey score affects that. I know you think all GM's are the same, but in actuality the GM is MUCH more likely to be responsive in the case than the SA. If ANYONE is likely to care about your giving the dealershipa bad score it's the GM because his pay is tied to the store's profitability and not just your one sale which is now done & gone. Call the GM. It's your best shot. Also, start out a little pissed, but then cool off once he seems like he's on your side & is going to do something for you. You'll get him to do more for you if it seems like you're a reasonable person. If you're too soft going in he'll think that he can get out of doing anything that involves a dealership outlay of cash. If you're too hostile after a you've been talking for a while he'll think you're an a$$hole and will only want to do the bare minimum to get you to shut up. If you strike a balance you'll get the most out of him. Also, it helps if you have exactly in mind what you want him to do for you. Be clear, be firm, and above all DO NOT CUSS. Keep it clean & polite & I'm sure you'll be successful. Good luck!

flyingpuck

I would call the SA and tell him you will rate HIM PERSONALLY very poorly if he does not come through with a fix to your problem! BMW has given you the means for motivating this guy through their feedback survey, use it to your best advantage. As for using your guy to fix the paint, BMW usually has in house people to fix these things, so they will most likely want to go that route. Good Luck and welcome to the forums!!

CWS530

Bummer I know. I had a similar, if less serious situation when I picked up my new one a year ago June. I drove up from St. Louis to Chicago with a friend who just happened to be headed that way for business or I would have just flown. The sales rep picks me up at my friend's branch office and takes me to the dealership. We go in sit down, have a cup of coffee, so on and so forth and I'm like, OK let's get in the car, do the test drive, inspection, etc. and get rolling. So we walk outside and to my great disappointment, the car looks as if it's just been run through a spray wash. It wasn't dirty exactly, but geez, they've known I was coming for a while and this is the best they can do? I was expecting a high-gloss, new car, eat off the floormat detail. Clearly, I'm not happy, and I tell the salesman, who suggests we should do the test drive, then he'll have it detailed. Already I'm thinking, this is going to take a while, which was irritating since the salesman said it would be fully detailed the night before I got there.

The test drive goes fine, I inspect the car--no swirls or other problems--it's just not making me happy. Like you said, I've just layed down a lot of hard-earned jack for a new luxury car and I expect some primo service. We get back and the salesman disappears for a while I'm assuming going to the detail shop. He's gone for like 45 minutes. Luckily, there was a cadre of hot mostly Latina secretaries who invited me to lunch, so I got in a little Spanish practice and had some great homemade empanadas, but I digress. Still, it's about 100 F outside, all the major roads are under construction, and I have a five hour drive ahead of me. I want to go--now--but not before this deal is to my satisfaction.

Finally, the salesman shows up and just asks, what does a good detail cost where you live, maybe $300? I agree that sounds about right, so he says they're backed up on detail jobs as it's only a few days before 4th of July weekend, etc., so can he send me a check? Sure, fine, they can't take it off the bill since I've got a cashier's check from my bank where it's financed. I drive the car home and give it a detail only I can do, which really taught me a lot about every nook and cranny of the car. A few days later the check shows up. So, it all worked out. I hope yours does too.

melimel

i believ if you give them a bad rating.. someone will call you.. they want to know why.. then you let em have it.. that is unacceptable IMO.. you should tear them a new (u know what).. to drive that far is insane.. maybe they can recommend someone for you to go to and pay or reimburse you? good luck