NoVA Dealership for Service

[wtm1417]

I used to go to bmw of fairfax because of its location but after my last appointment i will swear off them for good... My car was dropped off to fix a power seat issue, which i was told they had ordered the part and would take an hour. So i drop it off only to find out they ordered the wrong part (no big deal mistakes happen...) So they kept it over night. Then when they called to tell me my car was ready they also said I needed a new shift knob because apparently it "fell apart" while they were driving it back from the wash. This angered me because it was completely fine when I dropped it off. When I picked up the car the shift knob only seemed loose and my SA told me that was why she recommended the new knob. LIES. After a day of driving the knob completely fell apart revealing that they had completely snapped the plastic sleeve that held the knob onto the shifter and had attempted to glue it back together hopping i would not discover it. And on top of it all I am still battling with the service manager to pay for the replacement knob. All i know is i will not be returning...

Here is a pick of the knob after 1 day of driving:


Oh and sorry about my novel of me ranting....

[WagonSquad]

bmw of fairfax is alright... they never take blame though.. ^^^

[tunnie]

Originally Posted by WHITE-E92

bmw of fairfax is alright... they never take blame though.. ^^^

yeap, pretty accurate statement. see what happened to me here.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325962

they dicked around with me for about a week and a half. In the end i didn't get charged for the repair but they wanted it to make it seem as if they were doing me a favor.

[bimmernupe]

FFX is only less worse than Arlington. Fairfax is still horrible. A friend of my mine had a battery issue on her 550. These asshats told her that it was not covered by warranty due to her "short trips". This is the second time she has had this problem.
Her commute is 5 miles and takes 0ver 30 minutes each day and the car is driven more than just to work. I called my tech over at Passport and he said they were maybe correct in the diagnosis, but they should have tested the battery and if the battery was indeed bad, replaced it. If the battery was good, then advise the customer why the battery is not getting enough charge. But, they would not try to charge a in-warranty customer for a battery. If this is indeed her second time in for the same problem, then they would have changed the battery.
Before this she was in for a flat tire. They wanted to charge her $800 dollars for a tire and brake fluid change. She said the brake fluid is covered under maintenance. They said well it did not make it to the warrantied mileage. She told them to pound sand and went across the street to the indy shop. They repaired the tire and explained to her that most run-flats cannot be repair, but her's was a simple puncture.
While there about her tire there was another woman raising hell about how this was her third trip to their service for the same problem and she never deals with the same person and they all give her a different diagnosis.
My personal experience is there is not a personal touch or relationship with the customer and they tell you to be sure to give them all 10s. I went there for a simple bulb change. They left the key box in my seat. This is the heavy metal boxes that hang on the window for cars on the lot. When I brought it to their attention dude was like, oh those are the boxes the techs put the fobs in so they don't lose the customer's keys. Ok cool, but the box is heavy, metal and could have easily punctured or scratched the seat surface. Then you guys would have tried to say that was already there. How about putting it on the floor.

Passport is different. The cultivate a relationship with their customers. They don't try to make stuff up. If they don't know they will tell you and then find out. I have had nothing, but an excellent experience with the service dept. I have the same SA and tech. Hell I have my tech's cell number. I always get a BMW loaner if I need one. Hell I have been able to just come in w/o an appt. and Stephen will still offer a loaner. If I don't have an appt. I'll tell him to get to it when you get to it. I understand I don't have an appt. I am still out of there in record time.
It has not been all roses with Passport as a whole. The finance guys are are jerks. See my ED write-up for that whole debacle.

[emthree4me]

Too bad not all Northern Virginians can afford to drive to Maryland and deal with the bottleneck at the Wilson Bridge\\\

I guess thats why the OP frame the question properly

Originally Posted by bimmernupe

FFX is only less worse than Arlington. Fairfax is still horrible. A friend of my mine had a battery issue on her 550. These asshats told her that it was not covered by warranty due to her "short trips". This is the second time she has had this problem.
Her commute is 5 miles and takes 0ver 30 minutes each day and the car is driven more than just to work. I called my tech over at Passport and he said they were maybe correct in the diagnosis, but they should have tested the battery and if the battery was indeed bad, replaced it. If the battery was good, then advise the customer why the battery is not getting enough charge. But, they would not try to charge a in-warranty customer for a battery. If this is indeed her second time in for the same problem, then they would have changed the battery.
Before this she was in for a flat tire. They wanted to charge her $800 dollars for a tire and brake fluid change. She said the brake fluid is covered under maintenance. They said well it did not make it to the warrantied mileage. She told them to pound sand and went across the street to the indy shop. They repaired the tire and explained to her that most run-flats cannot be repair, but her's was a simple puncture.
While there about her tire there was another woman raising hell about how this was her third trip to their service for the same problem and she never deals with the same person and they all give her a different diagnosis.
My personal experience is there is not a personal touch or relationship with the customer and they tell you to be sure to give them all 10s. I went there for a simple bulb change. They left the key box in my seat. This is the heavy metal boxes that hang on the window for cars on the lot. When I brought it to their attention dude was like, oh those are the boxes the techs put the fobs in so they don't lose the customer's keys. Ok cool, but the box is heavy, metal and could have easily punctured or scratched the seat surface. Then you guys would have tried to say that was already there. How about putting it on the floor.

Passport is different. The cultivate a relationship with their customers. They don't try to make stuff up. If they don't know they will tell you and then find out. I have had nothing, but an excellent experience with the service dept. I have the same SA and tech. Hell I have my tech's cell number. I always get a BMW loaner if I need one. Hell I have been able to just come in w/o an appt. and Stephen will still offer a loaner. If I don't have an appt. I'll tell him to get to it when you get to it. I understand I don't have an appt. I am still out of there in record time.
It has not been all roses with Passport as a whole. The finance guys are are jerks. See my ED write-up for that whole debacle.

[bimmernupe]

Originally Posted by emthree4me

Too bad not all Northern Virginians can afford to drive to Maryland and deal with the bottleneck at the Wilson Bridge\\\

I guess thats why the OP frame the question properly

I have only sat in slow traffic maybe 10 minutes. I usually get up early so I am one of the first checked in. I may get there 15-20 minutes b4 opening. The few extra miles for less stress is worth it.

Originally Posted by darwin316

For those going to Passport, who is your Service Advisor since apparently Bogdan doesn't work there anymore?

Stephen on the silver team I believe. David is my tech.

[JerezBlacke92]

Originally Posted by ase2dais

Sterling is just inconvenient for me.. but the 2x times I went, they disappointed me.
First, a e39 M5 PPI, told me it was ready. I paid and took awhile to find it, no one seems to know its location. I even doubted they performed a PPi
Second, told me they would cover my 2 day rental, 6 months after, they slipped a day rental charge on my CC, thinking I wouldnt noticed it.
I challenge it, and the SA that said earlier that they would cover it, he suddenly had a bad case of Amnesia.
What can i say.. but seems like I hear good comments from clients that live close by their facility. Maybe they just take care of their local customers, since it would be their main source of revenue, dealers do that sometimes.
Fairfax been good to me..
Arlington BMW, Is that in Va or DC ?

I have taken mine to Sterling a few times, no complaints from me. Debby is a good SA as far as I can tell.

[checkmate]

BMW of FFX has changed their services over the last 2 years-for the better. I've owned a Z4-had it serviced there 3 times. Now, with the M3-its been just fine.

Being a CCA member helps (15% discount on parts/services). I've seen mechanics from sterling and arlington come over and get parts there (and for trouble shooting tips from FFX).

Ask for Pat, great guy and also a straight shooter. Stands up for you (one of the rare ones that actually do.

[besiktas]

I would recommend passport for people in MD, had a recent non maintanance issue, they really earned my confidence in their work.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by bimmernupe

FFX is only less worse than Arlington. Fairfax is still horrible.

They left the key box in my seat. This is the heavy metal boxes that hang on the window for cars on the lot. When I brought it to their attention dude was like, oh those are the boxes the techs put the fobs in so they don't lose the customer's keys. Ok cool, but the box is heavy, metal and could have easily punctured or scratched the seat surface. Then you guys would have tried to say that was already there. How about putting it on the floor.

.

Same thing happened to me last week.

Was there getting my 1200 miles work done AND trying to get my alarm to function properly.

Do they even bother assigning service reps there any more? Mine was present yet he never came over even though we had always had positive experiences with my previous car.
As would be expected, they didn't have the alarm part. Said it would take a couple of days (tomorrow will be a week). Three hours after I return home with my car (I waited) I get a "robo call" telling me my car is ready for pickup and asking if I'm planning on getting it that day. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.

Service departments are nothing but a collection of people. I wonder if the service management changed recently as it appears they are sliding back into the sh*tter. Too bad.

[checkmate]

Everything about my experience there (FFX) is the opposite. They were very courteous and fast in servicing my car...never had a key fob holder inside my car. My service advisor even took me the lot where the car was parked overnight to make sure that I did not leave any necessities in the car....

Oh btw-being a CCA member really helps cut the bills.

[ase2dais]

same!
+ plus convenience
+ pick your own SA to deal with,
there are good and bad ones in any dealership