[leeevelynm]

Everytime I have gone to get my '06 325xi serviced the servicemen are never nice. They always give me the feeling that they do not want to deal with me or talk to me. Kind of like I am bothering them. I dont know what it is. When I bought the car, the dealer told me I would get a loaner car when I get services done. I have gotten service several times, everytime they denied. I don't know what to do. Bringing my car to BMW seems to be stressful. I don't want to be treated like this.

[SteveMD]

What's the name of the dealership? Richmond BMW?

[NaTuReB0Y]

Most BMW dealers are like that......get use to it.

[C4talyst]

If if bothers you enough call BMW of NA and also speak with the dealership's general manager and service manager. I would always try to be friendly with the guys working on my car, hehehe, and would take it elsewhere if that was a problem.

[Bimmer335i07]

How old are you? It seems to me that if you're under 21 yrs. old, they are less likely to give you a loaner.

[bavarian19]

Loaners are only usually given for scheduled visits (15k service, 30k service...) and for warranty repairs that will take all day, or more than one day.

Loaners are never really guaranteed, and you never know what you get...




The one thing I really dislike are the people that bitch about the car they get as a loaner. The dealership does not have to give you a loaner, and they are paying for you to have any car for the duration of your work... Im just happy to have a vehicle to get me to work and back while my car is being worked on...

[NaTuReB0Y]

Originally Posted by bavarian19

Loaners are only usually given for scheduled visits (15k service, 30k service...) and for warranty repairs that will take all day, or more than one day.

Not true.....I had my 15K and 30K scheduled visits and I didn't get a loaner.

My wife sat there for like 5 hours each visits.

[leeevelynm]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

Not true.....I had my 15K and 30K scheduled visits and I didn't get a loaner.

My wife sat there for like 5 hours each visits.

Im 22 they don't offer me the car and when you ask they say shuttle bus leaves at 9. When my mom would call for me to get my car fixed they told her that you have to make your appointment 3 months in advance in order to recieve a loaner car. At lexus with our IS300 there is no questions asked. Early in the morning there at at least 10 Rx330's in the front waiting as loaners. I dont understand. When you buy the car they make it sound so good, that they will give you a car. They kept my car for a whole week and wouldn't give me a loaner. WTF??

[bmw0perat0r]

Technically you are eligible for a loaner if the work being done to your vehicle takes in excess of 1 hour. Depending on what they have left in their loaner fleet...you may or may not get a BMW. I've seen placards and such around the dealership that say this. I can understand why they might not be thrilled with loaning you with something if you are under 25, you may be a liability to them.

Still...you should go someplace else, I drive upwards of 45 min to my prefered dealership.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by bmw0perat0r

Technically you are eligible for a loaner if the work being done to your vehicle takes in excess of 1 hour.

Technically how? What you said is rubbish.

Technically you are eligible for a loaner ONLY if the BMW dealership believes you are eligible (they can determine their own criteria, including whether you bought the car from them and what not).

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by leeevelynm

When you buy the car they make it sound so good, that they will give you a car. They kept my car for a whole week and wouldn't give me a loaner. WTF??

So when you bought the car you were told that you would entitled to get a loaner - and now they are reneging?

[leeevelynm]

When i bought the car, they say good things like every service you will recieve a loaner car
But I guess I should go somewhere else , cause both locations are not very good here =/ my mom goes there for me sometimes shes 48, dont tell me shes not entitled to a loaner either its ridiculous the mercedes and lexus service is exceptional compared to them

To change one tire it took more than one day and they told me to go there and take thier shuttle bus

and
when they do say I can get a loaner there is a "wait list" and the next one available they tell me is 3 months away

[flicks28]

Originally Posted by leeevelynm

Im 22 they don't offer me the car and when you ask they say shuttle bus leaves at 9. When my mom would call for me to get my car fixed they told her that you have to make your appointment 3 months in advance in order to recieve a loaner car. At lexus with our IS300 there is no questions asked. Early in the morning there at at least 10 Rx330's in the front waiting as loaners. I dont understand. When you buy the car they make it sound so good, that they will give you a car. They kept my car for a whole week and wouldn't give me a loaner. WTF??

My dealer in Chapel Hill has been real good. I do have to make an appointment several weeks in advance if I would like a loaner. My SA though has been good.

HOWEVER, I had my windows tinted at the Lexus dealership in Raleigh, and all I can say is wow, wow, wow. Absolutely incredible service. They even gave me a loaner and I was just having the windows tinted and was not going to be buying a new car for awhile. Just if their cars werent so boring to drive.

[THE JEDI]

BMW is heading for a serious class action suit..if people are constantly denied a loaner..some young smart lawyer is going to sue them.....and BMW has the ability to fix this before it gets out of hand..this is false advertisment.....if they say in their adds we will do this, but it can be shown that it's consistent that it's not being done..NA had better get ready....ever wonder why GM and Ford are so low on customer satisfaction...it's the dealers stupid. BMW get a hold of your dealers they are killling your name.

[leeevelynm]

Originally Posted by flicks28

My dealer in Chapel Hill has been real good. I do have to make an appointment several weeks in advance if I would like a loaner. My SA though has been good.

HOWEVER, I had my windows tinted at the Lexus dealership in Raleigh, and all I can say is wow, wow, wow. Absolutely incredible service. They even gave me a loaner and I was just having the windows tinted and was not going to be buying a new car for awhile. Just if their cars werent so boring to drive.

All I can say is that Mercedes and Lexus is way better. I dont know what it is. I dont want to think this but is it cause im a minority? Im chinese and most of the people at BMW don't really appreciate or want to talk to me. When you walk in no one will talk to me unless I go up and ask them something. And when they do answer its in a way that is just mean or you can rude.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by THE JEDI

BMW is heading for a serious class action suit..if people are constantly denied a loaner..some young smart lawyer is going to sue them.....and BMW has the ability to fix this before it gets out of hand..this is false advertisment.....if they say in their adds we will do this, but it can be shown that it's consistent that it's not being done..NA had better get ready....ever wonder why GM and Ford are so low on customer satisfaction...it's the dealers stupid. BMW get a hold of your dealers they are killling your name.

BMW should if possible try to fix this part of the service experience but not because they are heading for a "serious class action suit" (who exactly is the damaged class here? )

I guess the problem of American litigousness has spread to Japan - that's unfortunate.

But this "problem" is only going to get worse when people shout "sue" or "class action suit" for no reason.

Loaners, if a dealer even offers them (and they may to some service customers and not to others), are governed by a dealership policy which most likely states "subject to pre-reservation and availability".

If a salesman says "oh, you get a loaner" and that's not in writing, that's not actionable because it's not in the sales agreement.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion forum.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by leeevelynm

All I can say is that Mercedes and Lexus is way better.

You've owned both so you can speak from personal experience then?

[leeevelynm]

Originally Posted by JSpira

You've owned both so you can speak from personal experience then?

Yes we have an Is 300 and mercedes e-class and the service is better. Way better. At least those people don't act annoyed to see you. If you are not a minority than you probably won't understand. Won't understand how some people treat you because you are different. I can understand if I don't speak english and they can't understand me but I was born here and i can speak perfect english and they have to do this. I think it is uncalled for.

My dad has a yellow corvette even Chevrolet service is better. ??????????????

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by leeevelynm

Yes we have an Is 300 and mercedes e-class and the service is better. Way better. At least those people don't act annoyed to see you. If you are not a minority than you probably won't understand. Won't understand how some people treat you because you are different. I can understand if I don't speak english and they can't understand me but I was born here and i can speak perfect english and they have to do this. I think it is uncalled for.

My dad has a yellow corvette even Chevrolet service is better. ??????????????

Compared to reports from friends who have Mercedes and Lexus, BMW's service is better here. The dealership valets my car if service or repair is required; I never set foot in the dealership. They e-mail me updates and are truly great to work with.

I have to disagree with you on the "people act annoyed to see someone because he is a member of a minority" (since you speak perfect english you will be happy to know you are NOT a minority but a member of a minority group).

When my parents went through a short Cadillac ownership phase (mercifully not too long), I went to the service dept with the car twice.

Both times, the SA seemed annoyed to be interrupting his coffee and doughnut to receive my parents' car. They were simply not very nice and I think that the people in the BMW dealership you are going to are probably just not very nice.

That can happen. It's bad for (their) business but it happens.

The only way to find out is to send a friend in who is NOT a member of a minority group in and see how he is received. I know it sounds like Dateline or 20/20 but I would bet dollars to donuts it's the same.

Some people are just not meant to deal with the general public, that's all.

[leeevelynm]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Compared to reports from friends who have Mercedes and Lexus, BMW's service is better here. The dealership valets my car if service or repair is required; I never set foot in the dealership. They e-mail me updates and are truly great to work with.

I have to disagree with you on the "people act annoyed to see someone because he is a member of a minority" (since you speak perfect english you will be happy to know you are NOT a minority but a member of a minority group).

When my parents went through a short Cadillac ownership phase (mercifully not too long), I went to the service dept with the car twice.

Both times, the SA seemed annoyed to be interrupting his coffee and doughnut to receive my parents' car. They were simply not very nice and I think that the people in the BMW dealership you are going to are probably just not very nice.

That can happen. It's bad for (their) business but it happens.

The only way to find out is to send a friend in who is NOT a member of a minority group in and see how he is received. I know it sounds like Dateline or 20/20 but I would bet dollars to donuts it's the same.

Some people are just not meant to deal with the general public, that's all.

yeah thanks I will try to go to another dealer maybe an hour away instead, maybe it will be worth it. I've heard on hear that BMW dealerships in the fairfax/dc area are great. but its about 2 hrs away

[leeevelynm]

I don't understand why these people would want to work with cars and people if it bothers/annoys them that much. lol

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by leeevelynm

I don't understand why these people would want to work with cars and people if it bothers/annoys them that much. lol

I don't either but I've gotten very bad service by not very nice people at fairly high end shops and I simply leave and go somewhere else. It'sa little different with cars (you can go from Saks to Bergdorf more easily) but some people take whatever job they can get.

On the other hand, when you get someone really GOOD in customer service you can have a remarkable experience.