How many bought a car elsewhere and get a loaner for service?

[Thrumcap]

My local dealer, from whom I bought a 2008 535xi and have serviced there, will no longer offer me a loaner on my new M3 which I bought from another dealer. They say this is their new policy. I am pretty ticked off considering we have bought 6 cars from this dealership and I tried to go through them with the M but they wouldn't do $1000 over invoice like the other dealers. My 335i has been serviced there with a loaner always available so this comes as a bit of a surprise. It also seems very shortsighted on management's part to basically tell a longtime customer to take their business elsewhere.
Is this a pretty standard policy and if so is it normally applied to everyone without regard for history? I will never buy another car from this dealer again if this new policy applies to me.

[asp17]

Some dealers are assholes. But it also depends on your Service Advisor. I bought my first Bmw from my local dealer a decade ago. All my current BMW are bought else where but i still get a loaner. If my service guys not in I don't get one but my guy gets me one. Usually the loaners not a BMW it's either a VW which the dealer also sells or a Enterprise rental. But as long as I get a car I don't mind.

Try a different service advisor

[Thrumcap]

I copied the sales guy I bought the 535xi from and also tried to buy the M3 from to see what was up and he confirmed that it is in fact a new policy that all service advisors must follow.

As a business owner, I cannot fathom what kind of moron would apply a policy like this to anyone and everyone without considering the impact it will have on future sales. Truly incredible. Apply it to the guy with the 1985 318i that didn't buy it from the dealership. Don't apply it to someone who has bought a new car every 2.5 years on average over the last 15 years. Not exactly rocket science.

[Georgeair]

Originally Posted by Thrumcap

As a business owner, I cannot fathom what kind of moron would apply a policy like this to anyone and everyone without considering the impact it will have on future sales.

Isn't that precisely what they've done? Buy here, get all the perks. Don't buy here, we'll still service you but all the perks are for our loyal customers.

[Thrumcap]

How is it ever a good business decision to push good customers away?

It's more about servicing the customer than one particular vehicle in my opinion. They know I buy regularly and they know I will be buying again soon. I bring my wife's car in for service- I get a loaner. I bring my car in for service- I don't get one. Seems petty to me and not in their best interest.

They didn't get the recent sale because they were unwilling to sell at a price other dealers in the area were. They got the last sale in '08 and you would think if they would want the next one coming up that a big "f*ck you" would not be their chosen way to go about it.

[kcdude24]

Originally Posted by Georgeair

Isn't that precisely what they've done? Buy here, get all the perks. Don't buy here, we'll still service you but all the perks are for our loyal customers.

Define "loyal"...

What is more profitable...a car sold at invoice or fees charged to BMW for 4 years of maintenance/service issues?

I'd bet there is more money for the dealer in the ongoing service of the car...who cares where you purchased it...loaner keeps you coming there for service.

[FStop7]

Originally Posted by Thrumcap

My local dealer, from whom I bought a 2008 535xi and have serviced there, will no longer offer me a loaner on my new M3 which I bought from another dealer. They say this is their new policy. I am pretty ticked off considering we have bought 6 cars from this dealership and I tried to go through them with the M but they wouldn't do $1000 over invoice like the other dealers. My 335i has been serviced there with a loaner always available so this comes as a bit of a surprise. It also seems very shortsighted on management's part to basically tell a longtime customer to take their business elsewhere.
Is this a pretty standard policy and if so is it normally applied to everyone without regard for history? I will never buy another car from this dealer again if this new policy applies to me.

This is my biggest pet peeve about BMW NA. They need to lay down the law with the dealerships and get a standardized loaner policy. I hate this "some dealers will, some dealers won't" crap. It shouldn't matter. Lexus customers don't get dicked around like this.