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      04-02-2012, 07:16 PM   #1
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Sharing my bad experience at a dealer

Please accept my apologies if I am not posting this in the right part of the forum. I think I just need to vent a little.

I went to Center BMW in Sherman Oaks, CA this past weekend to check out a 2012 M3 with DCT and competition package. Test drove the car and asked them to give me an appraisal on my 2010 M3 with 6 MT. I am very careful with my car so I asked if they were going to drive it. The sales rep (Alex) said "no, they don't need to drive the car". I went to the restroom and by the time I came back the guy told me the used car manager took my car for a spin. No one asked for my permission. I was really upset by this point but to make matters worse the sales manager (Mike), after making me wait for over over an hour treated me with an extremely rude and aggrogant attitude. He basically said "this is only car of its kind in the country, take my offer or don't do business with us". Please do yourself a favor and don't EVER go to this dealership. I wasted 4 hours of my life and had my car driven without my permission to learn this lesson.
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      04-02-2012, 07:20 PM   #2
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Welcome to the world of car dealerships.

Get over it.
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      04-02-2012, 07:32 PM   #3
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      04-02-2012, 07:32 PM   #4
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I'm surprised they let you test drive a new M3, most dealers here in SD won't let you test drive a new M car unless it's basically a last step to signing an already filled out purchase contract. I agree with it too, there is a break-in period for M engines, and most test-driving yahoos couldnt give a crap about that.
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      04-02-2012, 07:34 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Radiation Joe View Post
Welcome to the world of car dealerships.

Get over it.
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      04-02-2012, 07:44 PM   #6
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You are upset that someone drove your car during an appraisal? Really?
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      04-02-2012, 07:47 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pharmdphd98 View Post
Please accept my apologies if I am not posting this in the right part of the forum. I think I just need to vent a little.

I went to Center BMW in Sherman Oaks, CA this past weekend to check out a 2012 M3 with DCT and competition package. Test drove the car and asked them to give me an appraisal on my 2010 M3 with 6 MT. I am very careful with my car so I asked if they were going to drive it. The sales rep (Alex) said "no, they don't need to drive the car". I went to the restroom and by the time I came back the guy told me the used car manager took my car for a spin. No one asked for my permission. I was really upset by this point but to make matters worse the sales manager (Mike), after making me wait for over over an hour treated me with an extremely rude and aggrogant attitude. He basically said "this is only car of its kind in the country, take my offer or don't do business with us". Please do yourself a favor and don't EVER go to this dealership. I wasted 4 hours of my life and had my car driven without my permission to learn this lesson.
Verdict: Sounds like a dump.

Solution: Call or email Steve Thomas BMW.
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      04-02-2012, 09:09 PM   #8
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My intention was to vent and caution everyone here not to waste your time at this dealer. The issue is not that I would not allow the dealer to drive my car for an appraisal; it was the complete lack of respect and arrogance of the management.
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      04-02-2012, 09:18 PM   #9
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We always see how people at some car dealerships are "spoiled" by the fact they work at such "high end" brand dealership.

I have similar experience with local Land Rover dealer, their attitude was basically "if you don't even have the money to afford extra optioins, walk away. we do not have time for business with you guys."

Whereas a honda dealer would say "let me work the deal for your budget, i might get a reasonable at the lot"
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      04-02-2012, 09:22 PM   #10
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I bought 3 BMWs in the last 2 years from other dealers. Never had an experience like this.
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      04-02-2012, 09:24 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaehshim
We always see how people at some car dealerships are "spoiled" by the fact they work at such "high end" brand dealership.

I have similar experience with local Land Rover dealer, their attitude was basically "if you don't even have the money to afford extra optioins, walk away. we do not have time for business with you guys."

Whereas a honda dealer would say "let me work the deal for your budget, i might get a reasonable at the lot"
I bought 3 BMWs from other dealers in the last two years. Never had an experience this bad.
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      04-02-2012, 10:24 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaehshim View Post
We always see how people at some car dealerships are "spoiled" by the fact they work at such "high end" brand dealership.

I have similar experience with local Land Rover dealer, their attitude was basically "if you don't even have the money to afford extra optioins, walk away. we do not have time for business with you guys."

Whereas a honda dealer would say "let me work the deal for your budget, i might get a reasonable at the lot"
Well my BMW dealer has a Kia dealership as well. While I was in service at BMW i saw a porter drive past in a fully loaded Optima - which I was curious to see up front. The porter backed the car into the Kia showroom and locked it. I told one of the sales associates it was nice - and peaked into it. I told I him I would like to see the interior and asked could he unlock it. - He inquired about the whereabouts of the keys to his colleagues. One of the other sales guys says it's not their car and acted like he wasn't interested in unlocking the thing. There was no sold tag on it either. I just laughed and shook my head, and walked out.

I couldn't believe they were trying to treat the thing like gold. If I had more time I probably would of created a firestorm in that joint. I am real quick to bring them back to reality. Little did they know I purchased 5 new cars from BMW/MINI and an Escalade from "their" Cadillac store within the last 3 years. Which in the grand scheme of things shouldn't matter.

There are some dealerships that excel in customer service (Steve Thomas and Hendrick BMW come to mind) while others regardless of brand, employ vultures that like to hover around, often without any product knowledge, lacking professional etiquette/decorum. These are the guys, while trying to make a hard sale - more often than not - turn away customers who are prepared to buy.

I'll let the appropriate folks know about the lack of courtesy at the Kia store, and I guarantee the issue will be properly addressed. It shouldn't come to that.

It is asinine for "any" dealer to act like that.
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      04-02-2012, 10:41 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by car_fan View Post
Well my BMW dealer has a Kia dealership as well. While I was in service at BMW i saw a porter drive past in a fully loaded Optima - which I was curious to see up front. The porter backed the car into the Kia showroom and locked it. I told one of the sales associates it was nice - and peaked into it. I told I him I would like to see the interior and asked could he unlock it. - He inquired about the whereabouts of the keys to his colleagues. One of the other sales guys says it's not their car and acted like he wasn't interested in unlocking the thing. There was no sold tag on it either. I just laughed and shook my head, and walked out.

I couldn't believe they were trying to treat the thing like gold. If I had more time I probably would of created a firestorm in that joint. I am real quick to bring them back to reality. Little did they know I purchased 5 new cars from BMW/MINI and an Escalade from "their" Cadillac store within the last 3 years. Which in the grand scheme of things shouldn't matter.

There are some dealerships that excel in customer service (Steve Thomas and Hendrick BMW come to mind) while others regardless of brand, employ vultures that like to hover around, often without any product knowledge, lacking professional etiquette/decorum. These are the guys, while trying to make a hard sale - more often than not - turn away customers who are prepared to buy.

I'll let the appropriate folks know about the lack of courtesy at the Kia store, and I guarantee the issue will be properly addressed. It shouldn't come to that.

It is asinine for "any" dealer to act like that.
i said this before in another thread - car salesmen don't eat if they don't sell cars (slight exaggeration). so why do so many act like they always have something better to do??

there's another thread on here where the two top BMW salesmen in the country were posting about their amazing experience. does anyone think they got to where they are by judging people as they walked in the door, or by being lazy or arrogant?
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      04-03-2012, 12:59 AM   #14
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I don't get the attitude of some of these dealerships at all. It DOES cost them business!! I recently took my M3 to South Bay BMW in Torrance CA for service under warranty. I purchased from a private dealer but since the car was still under warranty I wanted to take it to BMW obviously to have the service done. I can not say enough about how spectacular my experience was with the SERVICE dept. They also just happened to have all the records since my car was originally leased from there from the previous owner. Fantastic!

Except... my wife also went there. Car shopping. Had such a bad experience with attitude from the sales staff that she walked right across the parking lot into Cadillac and leased her CTS. So for her it was: BMW 0 - Cadillac 1

Sales reps (and I've been one for a couple different industries) need to realize... check that... need to get their heads out of their asses and understand they are in a SERVICE industry.
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      04-03-2012, 01:15 AM   #15
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      04-03-2012, 01:21 AM   #16
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I would contact steve thomas bmw and deal with ryan amico. Had a excellent experience with them.
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      04-03-2012, 01:39 AM   #17
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I wonder if some of you actually read the thread or just take pleasure in posting douchebaggery.

Next time someone hops in your car for a spin without your permission lets see how you handle it. I don't think he's being unreasonable. And then take attitude on top of it?

I dunno.
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      04-03-2012, 01:46 AM   #18
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Thank you

Quote:
Originally Posted by DARK_M3 View Post
I wonder if some of you actually read the thread or just take pleasure in posting douchebaggery.

Next time someone hops in your car for a spin without your permission lets see how you handle it. I don't think he's being unreasonable. And then take attitude on top of it?

I dunno.
Dark_M3,

Thanks for pointing out to some of these people who obviously haven't tried to put themselves in my shoes and realize how offense it is for some stranger to take your hard-earned dream car for a ride without the decency to ask you first. This is especially bad because I had asked the rep whether they need to drive the car just so that I can insist that I be on the passenger seat. I don't anyone of this forum likes to wonder what someone did to their manual transmission M3 while on a solo drive, even if it is only a few minutes. You can do quite a few burnouts and pop the clutch a few times in that amount of time.
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      04-03-2012, 01:54 AM   #19
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Understood. Chances are they didn't abuse it during that short time period but it's just the principle of the thing. Ask first!
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      04-03-2012, 01:58 AM   #20
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We both have black M3s and are obviously on the same page about this issue. Agree with you also about Southbay BMW - excellent service dept but mediocre sales dept at best. I used to live in Redondo Beach but now reside in Encino. Looking forward to getting to know you better on this forum.
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      04-03-2012, 02:04 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pharmdphd98 View Post
We both have black M3s and are obviously on the same page about this issue. Agree with you also about Southbay BMW - excellent service dept but mediocre sales dept at best. I used to live in Redondo Beach but now reside in Encino. Looking forward to getting to know you better on this forum.
For sure
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      04-03-2012, 03:01 PM   #22
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The only three things that I have learned in 28 years of car buying experience is go to the dealer only to either buy right there, get service or get parts. Never I have been in a dealership for more than 2 hours if I'm buying a car. The last purchase was done by email and the car picked up in another dealer in 10 minutes.

I do not know what is a dealer bad service just because I do not give them the opportunity to show me what it is. I'm just not interested at all. In and out, that's it. Keep the chit chat to yourself.

I'm not saying that the OP did something wrong to deserve the bad service. What I'm going to say is that the OP did it wrong in going to a dealer to get his car appraised with the condition of not letting anybody to drive it. That's opening the door for the dealer not to take you seriously and then for the mofos to get out.

Don't let the mofos get out.
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