BMW of Alexandria...oh my

[admranger]

So, as some of you know I'm reasonably new to the area. I've gone to BMW of Alexandria twice now: Once for the X5 10k mile service and Saturday for the airbag and electrical cable recall on my 2011 E90 M3. The 10k service took 2x as long as I was led to believe (and my wife and I were waiting for the car -- never take your wife to the dealership -- she wanted to know where it was, etc.).

Both times I've had appointments. Both times the wait to get to the service bay to meet my service advisor was 20+ minutes. It was closer to 30 on Saturday. I wondered about the warranty work being the Saturday before Thanksgiving, but figured I had an appointment, what could go wrong? A lot, that's what...

I was going to wait Saturday but the advisor asked if I wanted a loaner instead so I took that as a sign they were backed up (line was out into the street by now. I said sure, I'll take a loaner. An hour later I get the loaner (not exaggerating). I call at 6pm Saturday and after about 5 tries, I get through to someone who says my car won't be done until Sunday. No biggie, I don't need it and I can get it Sunday and not have to fuss with rush hour traffic. Or not. Called and called and called on Sunday and finally got someone. My car had been assigned to a tech but the tech wasn't working Sunday. WTF? Ok, so now I have to go in tonight to get the car, fighting traffic, etc. Not ideal b/c I'll miss my normal workout but whatever, I finally get the airbag of death out of the car.

I arrive at 730pm and drop the loaner off. So far so good. Find the service advisor and he brings me to the cashier to check out while he gets the valet to get the car. I finish at the valet and see my advisor looking around his desk, then another advisor's desk, then asks the valet if they already have the key. Bad feeling time...they lost my key. Unreal. Soon it's closing time (8pm) and I still see people running around like their hair is on fire trying to find my key. Finally, at 830pm (yes, 830pm) they give me a loaner and said they'd deliver my car to me tomorrow (fortunately, my wife isn't on travel this week). Not ideal, but I'm tired and just want to get home and get some food in me after 11 hours in the office and then this.

Now I'll bring you back to the fact that I'm new in the area. So I'm driving home and my phone goes off. I'm using Waze to navigate home and I'm about to take a turn so I reject the call. Then my wife texts me (in the middle of another turn...). At this point I figure they've found the key and sure enough my wife calls and I answer == they've found the key and the guy who has it is heading back to the dealership. She told them to just deliver the car tonight instead of me heading back to the dealership. The service manager arrives at the house around 930pm. Nice enough guy, but damn, what a cluster.

As my wife said: "I guess they want us to buy a Porsche" (and it used to be a "oh hell no you're not buying a Porsche" from her). I can walk to the Porsche dealership at least...

Thanks for letting me vent and I'm open to suggestions for a better service experience. I don't think I'll be heading back to BMW of Alexandria. I live between Old Town and Crystal City.

[1BlackDropTop]

I've definitely experienced the long waits. I haven't been back since my previous car (135i) went out of warranty. My procedure was to get there right when it opens (730 am) drop it off and get a loner. The one time I waited for an oil change it was about 2.5-3 hours before I gave up and opted for the loner, which was another 45 mins before they got me in one.

I'm pretty close by to you (Shirlington) and unless you HAVE to go to the dealership for service I would recommend J&F Motors on 4 mile run, or RRT in Sterling. The latter is where I plan to take the E90, and the DD 528i goes to J&F

[SYT_Shadow]

my goodness that really sounds terrible!

I use BMW of Westchester for the recalls of my cars and although they are unable to make me like dealerships, at least they are on time, call me, leave voicemail, etc etc.

[bigdaddycane]

sorry to hear that man, but BMW dealers in the DMV are historically bad. At BMW of Sterling, they have run off all the good service managers and techs and its a complete clown show now.

ironically, I will be dropping off my M3 tonight at BMW of Sterling for the airbag and the battery cable recall. praying no nonsense insues.

[Day Laborer]

Passport BMW SA Joey Kestermann is pretty good

[El Duce]

Emily was my SA at Alexandria and very good. They've always been helpful in the past with me, especially looking past the mods on my 335i. It's always been my experience that getting any work done at a BMW dealership on the weekend is a complete shit show no matter where I've gone. Took a M3 for a PPI to one up in NJ like 2 weeks ago on a Saturday and it was just awful and a reminder of why I never go to the dealer on the weekend. With that said, your experience seems particularly painful.

[admranger]

Thanks for all the replies.

The only reason I took it there was for the warranty work. I do my own work (including the rod bearing replacement on the S65), though it's harder here since I don't have my lift (or large garage) anymore.

Unfortunately, my job is such that the weekends are pretty much when I can take the car in if I have to. I like 1blackdroptop's suggestion of just getting there as they open and taking off in the loaner (which they seem to have an abundance of).

My service advisor said they are 1-2 days behind with all their work so unless you wait you don't get it back on the same day as your appointment! One of the many things I'm learning about living in the area. It's definitely different in Vegas where you essentially have to kiss the SA's ass to get a loaner car. I got used to waiting.

Good news out of all this is my wife will now look at Porsches with me (and I can walk to the P-car dealer)! My friend has a Macan turbo and they are stupid good fun to drive. I've never drifted an SUV before I drove his Macan turbo! In the 'no fun allowed' state of Virginia, it doesn't make much sense, but I've never been entirely practical.

[El Duce]

Oh, BMW dealerships around here have no shortage of loaners. They just hand them out like candy. Hell, sometimes they give me a list to choose from. I've actually had 328i in light blue with M-sport packages on them. Then again, I've also had stripper X1's.

[bigdaddycane]

Yesterday went off with out a hitch (recalls), but was told there's another recall coming in January (when parts are available) for a wire on the cooling fan I believe. Maybe make the appointment now

[admranger]

Originally Posted by bigdaddycane

Yesterday went off with out a hitch (recalls), but was told there's another recall coming in January (when parts are available) for a wire on the cooling fan I believe. Maybe make the appointment now

Yeah, saw that we have another recall coming up. Not looking forward to that at all.