need opinions on dealership problems

[Duder]

ok.... so i first posted a while back about how awesome my dealership was when i got my car. WELL, since then i've had quite a few issues and i need some advice on what or how i should be dealing with this situation.

So, first off my car came with the wrong wheels. no big deal, they swapped them out for the ones i wanted and all was good. then i noticed that my car only came with one clear bra. the car came with clear bras on the rear fender/wheel well. So i had to take it back in to get that taken care of. next, i went and got my windows tinted at Tint Pros. They're a super good company. Not like some hole in the wall place. After they put the tint on I noticed that my back window on the driver's side was all scratched. I immediately took it back to the tint place thinking it was the tint that was scratched. when you felt the tint, it wasn't scratched at all. so they removed the tint and sure enough it was the actual glass on the window that was scratched up. so i take it back yet again and show them. at this point i'm still keeping my cool, but i'm a little frustrated. They instead of replacing the window, send it out to a shop that can buff out the scratches. fine.... i don't care what they do so long as i can't see the scratches. so they send it off to get fixed. I get a call today that it's ready. i get the car back and take a look and window looks great. well after a little further inspection there are still a few scratches around the edges of the window. also, as i'm driving back to work i notice in my rear view mirror that there looks to be white crap all over my back seats! see the pictures attached. So i get to work and notice that they clearly didn't cover my seats to do the work they did. there's white chalk/powder everywhere. i also notice a scratch in my 3 week old leather. not only is there a scratch in the back seats, but there's a scratch on the passenger side front seat as well! so now i'm a little more than frustrated but i keep cool. so i call the dealership and let them know what has happened and how appalled i am that they would send a customer home with a car in this condition. like how did no one notice there was white chalk/dust everywhere? they washed the car for me! and i sent pictures of the leather being scratched. so now i have to bring it back in yet again. this time i'm guessing will be for quite a while if they're going to have to fix the leather. i mean they probably can't fix that. that's probably going to need to be completely replaced right?

so my question is, i've had the car 3 weeks. it's been at the dealership for quite a bit of this time. i think it's a little ridiculous for me to be paying what i'm paying to be driving loaner cars the whole time..... what's appropriate for them to do other than just fix it? i feel like asking them to make my payment this month but don't know if that's fair or what? what are your guys' thoughts? also, am i making too big a deal out of it and should i just let it go? or would you all be mad too?

[IRNM4N]

Well, first of all... You have a very valid point. There is absolutely some serious issues here. IMO those are by no means scratches. Those are tears. They need to replace those areas and get whatever that is off your leather. Just realize that it could be worse. If the dealer does not meet your demands, get BMWNA involved. Best of luck!

[Duder]

Originally Posted by IRNM4N

Well, first of all... You have a very valid point. There is absolutely some serious issues here. IMO those are by no means scratches. Those are tears. They need to replace those areas and get whatever that is off your leather. Just realize that it could be worse. If the dealer does not meet your demands, get BMWNA involved. Best of luck!

I just don't know what an appropriate response is? do I ask for some sort of compensation because out of my first month of ownership they've had my car lover than I have? I do I just deal with them fixing the problems and take the loaner car and call it a day. personally I feel like I'm paying a lot of money to drive my awesome M4, not a loaner..... so I don't know if it's ok for me to ask for some sort of compensation or not???

[AnujS2K]

Those are tears. You will need to be compensated.

[Duder]

Originally Posted by AnujS2K

Those are tears. You will need to be compensated.

they'll fix the leather or replace it whatever. I'm wondering about compensation for paying to drive loaner cars for he last three weeks hahaha. ya know? like I'm paying a lot of money and I'm driving loaners, not my car! is it unreasonable to ask for some sort of compensation beyond them just fixing the problems?

[SakhirM4]

My guess is that the people repairing your glass did that to your interior, not the dealer, but the dealer should never have given it back to you like that. Get BMW/NA involved now as far as informing them of the situation and ask the dealer to correct.

[Duder]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

My guess is that the people repairing your glass did that to your interior, not the dealer, but the dealer should never have given it back to you like that. Get BMW/NA involved now as far as informing them of the situation and ask the dealer to correct.

yeah it was definitely not the dealership. but just like you said, how would they give it back to me like that?! I mean either way, they have to fix it. and they will. I've already talked with them. they're going to make it right. I just don't know if it's unreasonable for me to ask for more than just them to fix it? like can I ask for them to make my payment this month since they've had my car more than I have because of problems that were THEIR fault? or is that me being ridiculous?

[IRNM4N]

I would contact BMWNA and explain your plight and then have a resonible demand in mind. For example, FeckinSpaceman got a M school voucher for his issues w a lemon M3. I would think one payment would be reasonable if this is your first month owning the car. Best of luck and keep us posted. At the end of the day this is just sad that folks BMW contracts to do the work would do that to a car and just walk away thinking that you wouldn't notice!

Originally Posted by Duder

yeah it was definitely not the dealership. but just like you said, how would they give it back to me like that?! I mean either way, they have to fix it. and they will. I've already talked with them. they're going to make it right. I just don't know if it's unreasonable for me to ask for more than just them to fix it? like can I ask for them to make my payment this month since they've had my car more than I have because of problems that were THEIR fault? or is that me being ridiculous?

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by IRNM4N

I would contact BMWNA and explain your plight and then have a resonible demand in mind. For example, FeckinSpaceman got a M school voucher for his issues w a lemon M3. I would think one payment would be reasonable if this is your first month owning the car. Best of luck and keep us posted. At the end of the day this is just sad that folks BMW contracts to do the work would do that to a car and just walk away thinking that you wouldn't notice!

I agree with this!!

[Duder]

yeah I'm not looking for anything that I feel like is unreasonable. they've just had the car more than I have at this point and it sucks to be paying this kind of money to drive loaner cars hahahaha it just sucks. I'm super frustrated. I told the manager today that same thing. I'm paying this kind of money to drive my dream car. the car I bought! not these loaner cars. so all I was told is they'll fix it and make it right. well that's all good and fine, but at the end of the day, at this point, I feel like I deserve a little more than them just making it right. but I don't know if that's reasonable of me or if that's just the anger and frustration in me being like they owe me this and they owe me that! ya know?

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by Duder

yeah I'm not looking for anything that I feel like is unreasonable. they've just had the car more than I have at this point and it sucks to be paying this kind of money to drive loaner cars hahahaha it just sucks. I'm super frustrated. I told the manager today that same thing. I'm paying this kind of money to drive my dream car. the car I bought! not these loaner cars. so all I was told is they'll fix it and make it right. well that's all good and fine, but at the end of the day, at this point, I feel like I deserve a little more than them just making it right. but I don't know if that's reasonable of me or if that's just the anger and frustration in me being like they owe me this and they owe me that! ya know?

Keep your cool with the dealer and BMW. Don't display anger or frustration - it never works in your favor.

[Duder]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

Keep your cool with the dealer and BMW. Don't display anger or frustration - it never works in your favor.

yeah I've been super calm so far. I just don't know how to go about asking for some sort of compensation if I'm even entitled to it? I have been veeeerrrry calm and veeeerrrrry nice with them. they know I'm frustrated, but not once have I lost my cool. I want to lose my cool now, but I won't because I know that won't solve anything. but sometimes being nice doesn't get you anything in this world. so I don't want to lose my cool, but I think I need to firm up a bit and get some sort of compensation. no???

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by Duder

yeah I've been super calm so far. I just don't know how to go about asking for some sort of compensation if I'm even entitled to it? I have been veeeerrrry calm and veeeerrrrry nice with them. they know I'm frustrated, but not once have I lost my cool. I want to lose my cool now, but I won't because I know that won't solve anything. but sometimes being nice doesn't get you anything in this world. so I don't want to lose my cool, but I think I need to firm up a bit and get some sort of compensation. no???

I agree with the compensation, just ask for it "professionally".

[Duder]

what seems reasonable/appropriate?

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by Duder

what seems reasonable/appropriate?

I don't know how many total days you have been without your car, but reimbursement for days without the car based on your payment seems reasonable.

[Vectors2final]

What I would like to know is how the hell you didn't notice that before you left? I would have noticed as soon as I went to check out the work.

I'm not questioning the validity of your claim, but you really should start inspecting the work before you leave. That's like getting your car back from an accident, and not checking to see if they did a good job with the paint.

[Duder]

Originally Posted by Vectors2final

What I would like to know is how the hell you didn't notice that before you left? I would have noticed as soon as I went to check out the work.

I'm not questioning the validity of your claim, but you really should start inspecting the work before you leave. That's like getting your car back from an accident, and not checking to see if they did a good job with the paint.

I was in a super hurry to get back to work. I really shouldn't have even left to get it when I did. I looked at the window and it looked good. the scratches that are left on it are suuuuper small and right along the edges and I had to really examine it to notice them. but the seat, who would have thought to inspect the back seats? I just looked at the window from the outside real quick where the scratches were. they washed the car for me. I wouldn't imagine they'd give it to me like that! I wouldn't think to even inspect the cleaning job or the leather. the window was the problem. and it looked fine from what I could tell when I looked before I left. as I was getting on the freeway back to work I noticed white spots on the seat in the rear view mirror. so that's when I inspected that. I wouldn't have even thought to look at that before I left. just the window.....

[Cooltones]

Wow OP. Sorry to hear about your challenges. I can't stress enough the importance of carefully inspecting your car inside and out before leaving. Yes, we're all busy and in a hurry, but not doing the due diligence of inspection *before* leaving only makes for a bigger headache.

Some good advice mentioned thus far:
1) Keep your cool. Make sure the dealership fixes the problem to your satisfaction first.
2) Contact BMW NA and share with them your experience.

Regarding "compensation", they may be more amenable to giving you a BMW item rather than $$, but hey, if you don't A-S-K, you don't G-E-T.

Good Luck.

[Vectors2final]

Originally Posted by Duder

I was in a super hurry to get back to work. I really shouldn't have even left to get it when I did. I looked at the window and it looked good. the scratches that are left on it are suuuuper small and right along the edges and I had to really examine it to notice them. but the seat, who would have thought to inspect the back seats? I just looked at the window from the outside real quick where the scratches were. they washed the car for me. I wouldn't imagine they'd give it to me like that! I wouldn't think to even inspect the cleaning job or the leather. the window was the problem. and it looked fine from what I could tell when I looked before I left. as I was getting on the freeway back to work I noticed white spots on the seat in the rear view mirror. so that's when I inspected that. I wouldn't have even thought to look at that before I left. just the window.....

I would have looked inside because the film for the tint is done from the inside, so I have a natural inclination to inspect my car for cleanliness, damage, etc.

[Duder]

Originally Posted by Vectors2final

I would have looked inside because the film for the tint is done from the inside, so I have a natural inclination to inspect my car for cleanliness, damage, etc.

yeah they were not that easy to see. i didn't notice them till I was up super close washing the windows. I did walk around the car and look at everything when the tint was done. I mean shoot.... even the tint shop didn't notice them when they put the tint on! I noticed when I cleaned the window. I first thought it was their fault, but there's no way they could scratch the window and not the tint. the tint wasn't scratched at all. but that being said, I will be inspecting everything from here on out with a fine tooth comb BEFORE I leave.

[visceral46]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

I agree with this!!

Before you get NA involved i think you should contact the GM.

[Lups]

I'm always saying guys relax a little, it's just a car but this would really piss me off.

The leather is not as sensitive as many think. My 50lb dog is in mine daily, 75% of times without any covers on the seats and no scratches to be seen. It is not easy to make marks to it so who ever did this to you had to make an effort.

White powder to the rescue, without it you wouldn't have noticed the rest.

As a future reference to all of us who complain for nothing, this man actually has something to complain about and what he's asking is reasonable. Let's learn from him.