This is a bit of a vent session and me asking for some feedback on if I’m overreacting in general? It's a little long, so for those of you that read it all - thanks in advance.
Few months ago I took my X3 M40i in for the first service, to look at the squealing brakes and to check the wining noise coming from vents on full blast. Towards the end of the day, I got a phone call asking why I had an after market amp installed in the vehicle. Dude almost had an accusatory tone to him, like why would I desecrate this vehicle? I explained and he said they needed the factory amp to be connected so that they could complete an “eye level” test or something. Allegedly needs all cpu’s in vehicle to respond or it fails. I said “no biggie, when I return to get the air vents replaced, I’ll have the factory amp as well”. Dealership completed the oil change and ordered parts to replace the wining vents. Pretty stoked about the service at this point, minus the dude questioning my life choices with an after market amplifier for the stereo. Was also jacked that they gave me a ride to work in a 7 series car and I nearly fell asleep with the massaging seat and pillow for a headrest.
Week or so later, they let me know the parts for the vents are in and we book a service. In the mean time, I’ve visited the audio shop who tells me the two amps are nearly on top of each other. BMW just needs to disconnect the fiber optic or canbus cables and connect them to the factory amp. Perfect I think. I book my vehicle back in for service at BMW. BMW replaces the vents and then I get a phone call “are you sure the factory amp is here?”. I explain what the audio shop said, but they tell me it’s not there. I say “okay, my bad, audio shop told me it was, I guess I’ll be having a word with them. Please reconnect the factory amp and I’ll get the ‘eye level’ check next time the vehicle is in.” I pick up the vehicle and realize I have no audio. Power, but no audio. On the way home, there’s also a crazy rattle coming from the rear passenger door area. Upon checking it out, I eventually find the cables they didn’t reconnect to the factory amp along with a screw from who knows where in the passenger door cup holder. That’s annoying!
Next day, a lady from the dealership emails:
Thank you for servicing at Edmonton BMW! It is our goal to provide an exemplary experience for you and your vehicle!
If there is anything else, we can help you with before a survey is sent out please let me know immediately!
There is no survey attached to this message however BMW Canada may select you to complete a short online survey sometime within the next month. This is your service advisor's report card! We would like the opportunity to earn a 9+ survey recommendation from you!
<man’s email signature>
I figure, if they’re asking, I’ll tell them about the service. I email him/her I explain my annoyances politely and gently suggest if simple things like this are missed, do I need to be concerned about what major things could be missed?
She emails back the same day informing me that she’ll be speaking with the guy who’s signature was in the email (customer relations manager) and he’ll be calling me as soon as possible. Three days later, I miss a phone call from him and get a VM. I return the call and leave a VM. I never receive another email or phone call again. I would have been fine if they just replied to my email and said sorry, we’ll do better, but they set expectations in the email, then again in the voice mail and failed in both cases.
Fast-forward a month or so. Dealership calls and informs me there is a recall on my vehicle and they would like to book me in for service. I say sure and book for a week later. Drop by vehicle off and get a ride to work from them. No 7 series this time, but a dodge caravan. Hop into the third row of seating and its disgustingly dirty back there.
So, now I’m thinking about how this luxury brand not only uses a Dodge Caravan to transport people but has seemingly never cleaned the inside of it. Maybe I was spoiled with the 7-series? Anyways, I get to work about 2h later, my service advisor leaves me a VM. I return it at lunch, but we don’t get to talk until later in the day. Turns out the “new girl” made a mistake and booked my vehicle in for service (presumably this electronic manual recall), without realizing they don’t have the parts for it. Ugh, well that was a wasted day.
Pick-up my vehicle and I’m not sure if it was on immediately or if it happened on the way home, but the ‘Emissions’ light came on in the instrument cluster. I checked google and this forum (coincidentally) said it’s likely gas cap, gas quality, or active vents in grille. Vehicle drove fine, plus it was nearly 7PM so I continued home. Next day after work (yesterday), I contacted the dealership and explained the issue. Spoke with the same service advisor who was cool. We agreed it probably wasn’t life threatening to the vehicle, but he said give him a little time and he’ll call me back. 5min later he called back and said he spoke with someone they’re gonna book me in for whenever I want. Then he transferred me to the booking lady. This lady told me repeatedly that they’re doing extra special services for me. Like she really went the extra mile to make this clear. Realistically, they let me drop my vehicle off at 7:30AM and get the second shuttle even though the service advisor looking after me wouldn't arrive until 945 (I think).
This morning, I check-in at 7:30, explain it all to the lady. She says the advisor isn’t in, she’ll give me a call when she arrives to discuss the service. Cool! I get a ride to work (thankfully in the clean 7 series) and let him know I’m lookin to be picked up at 4 or 430. 4:30 comes around and I haven’t heard a thing, but I’m tired of work so I head out. I call the dealership and explain I haven’t heard from them, I’m supposed to be getting picked up sometime between now and 30min ago, whats the deal? The service advisor says “hey I was just about to call you, we’ve ordered parts and they should be here tomorrow”. I said cool, so what do I do? She asks if I can leave the vehicle with them overnight? I explain no, that’s not possible, I’d have no way to get home or to work tomorrow. She says let me see if I can get you a loaner or whats specifically going on with your vehicle and get back to you. Then I get a call from the gross dodge caravan, he's about 15min out. Cool. 5min later, she informs me that it was the active vents that are the problem. She can’t get me a loaner, but they’re putting my vehicle back together as we speak. I can come pick it up and then drop it off whenever to get the parts installed; they’ll be here tomorrow. 10-15 later, the gross dodge caravan shows up, picks me up and about an hour later after picking up various other people, we get to the dealership, pick up my vehicle, and book it back in for service on Tuesday (I can’t afford to be late to work again tomorrow due to meetings).
As it stands now, I’m not upset, but more so just kinda disappointed in general. This is my first brand new vehicle and my first ever 'luxury' vehicle. While I mostly like the vehicle, the dealership has been underwhelming at times. Between setting expectations (on multiple occasions) and not following through, the disgusting Dodge Caravan and the wasted day due to a booking mistake, I dunno what to think. This booking mistake wouldn’t even bother me, if not for all the other things – I get that mistakes happen.
Many have you have owned multiple BMW’s and/or luxury vehicles. Is this the norm? Am I over-reacting? Would you expect more? I would love for the dealership to reach out and solicit feedback again, I’m not sure what is the best way to provide it otherwise? Sadly, I don’t have much faith in their Customer Relations Manager anymore (email/VM incident). I’m also sad I’ve never gotten an official survey from them as of yet.