Won ebay auction at 60K for E90 M3, BMW of Lincoln refusing to honor

[daniel240]

Did anyone else notice that when you click on the Contact Us link on their website it directs you to some other random website. I also think its funny that they removed the picture of the Internet Sales Manager.

[eclipsisNA]

They've disconnected the extension for the new car sales department. LMAO.

[dudesayz]

Edit: To the dude who keeps claiming I didnt win the auction, I won, look at the page. So please, no more posts on what you feel is a BIN/reserve.[/QUOTE]

Maybe he works for Husker BMW.so S###W him.Good luck with the whole thing and tell you what - that IS a butiful car !!!

[BritBoy]

Originally Posted by daniel240

Did anyone else notice that when you click on the Contact Us link on their website it directs you to some other random website. I also think its funny that they removed the picture of the Internet Sales Manager.

I looked the other day and they weren't there either - and you'd think if they were trying to protect their staff they would take all the photo's down.

But then, who knows with these guys...they're obviously not the brightest!

[AML]

Originally Posted by dooma350

How does the car look? Someone posted a few pics where the engine bay appeared dirty. It could be a poor photo, I dont know. Also wondering if the car still has 13 miles.

That does worry. Someone should probably go check it out just in case, although as a potential M3 buyer and not "spy".

[ersin]

Originally Posted by daniel240

Did anyone else notice that when you click on the Contact Us link on their website it directs you to some other random website. I also think its funny that they removed the picture of the Internet Sales Manager.

They must have fired him already.

[Yeahas]

Originally Posted by Shorebird

I went to their website and indicated that I was interested in buying a car. I received a call back in less than two hours. I told the salesman that I would not buy from them because of the way they handled the auction and that they needed to honor the contract. The salesman stated that they were honoring the bid price and that they were awaiting Dooma350s' payment. Dooma what is the status here?

we should all do this. Giving them a call and inform them that we are all aware about this event. Just to give them some pressure

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by bigal115

Dooma, I actually had a nightmare with BMW dealership and BMWNA was very helpful...I actually have a direct number for someone in the NJ office who was extremely helpful..I was very satisfied with the outcome .email me if you need the contact ...ad790@yahoo.com good luck with everything

I think that's what DOOMA needs but he has lawyer too now so guy should stat working on this also.

BMWNA shuold really call up the shmuchks running BMW of LInconln and tell them to SORT THIS OUT TODAY. Rediculous! It's into one week now. Guy buys the car, but told he cant have it. WTF is this shit. IM getting fed up with this, I can only imagine how Ken feels.

[darkblade06]

Originally Posted by Yeahas

we should all do this. Giving them a call and inform them that we are all aware about this event. Just to give them some pressure

We should not do anything that Domma has told us not to, he said not to make calls. Because it could possible do damage to him as well.

So be patient and wait for the update.

[0.02eurocents]

Originally Posted by Triple-Net-Automotive

In the car business on the other hand, haggling seems to be the birthright of every consumer out there. Customers want to beat you up, want to steal the car, and they will flat out tell you they don't want you to make a profit off of them! That is not fair!

Stomps foot. Not fair. Dude, it is so obvious you are in the trade, and it is getting to your bones. Go find another line of work before your doctor has to prescribe you Prozac. I can totally see how customers can get worked up into threating rearranging your facial components, considering the arrogance that is displayed in the actions and the behavior of the (or some) Husker employees. Go, read THE WHOLE THREAD and you will begin to grasp WHY exactly that is the case.

The jewelry comparison is moot though. Not everyone NEEDS jewelry, but pretty much anyone and their dogs need a job. If you have someone that has bought, say 5 cars already in his lifetime, you statistically have some that has been bullshitted or worse burned and frauded by a car dealer. Do you really blame him for extending his distrust you, the car dealer he has to deal with now? A jeweller that pulls stunts like these, because in such an exclusive business trust is everything.

Consumers enjoy this game, and thrive when they feel they are getting a good deal and giving it to the dealer! Consumers made dealers what they are, they have no respect for car salesmen and they are vocal about it.

Yeah. I think that is about right. However, it works both ways. Dealers make consumers what they are AND vice versa. And you are not "the guy who sells some cars at XYZ". You are prolly living off a shitty fixed and then the bonuses you get for each closed deal. So, please don't tell me salespeople don't have very selfish interests in selling a car too. Would you want to sell a nice, honest, easy going customer the best value deal on the lot just because you kinda like that guy? Bullshit, once you know the limits that guy mas financially you'd sell him a lemon at slightly above his limit to raise your bonus. That is the way the market works. Ideally, in a sale both leave the office thinking they made a good deal. To have a customer feel like that you have to discount a bit. To account for that discount the cars are valued over the actual price in the first place. Now, this tactic is being pushed to the limits, by the customers demanding credit (rightly so, because the car is not worth it) and by the dealership (rightly so, the boss needs a new set of golf clubs and the salesperson needs to eat).

A car is a depreciating asset, a house isn't. A realtor is respected a car salesman isn't. Interesting!

Dude, WTF? They have newspapers in Nebraska, don't they? Have you heard the terms housing bubble, foreclosure, Bear Stearns, recession lately by chance?

The dealer in this case does not want to lose money, I think the dealer should have his own blog and state his side of the story!

Yeah that would be awesome. He'd essentialy be confessioning to a a few really fould moves and outright criminal behaviour. I'd read it, and if so desired post it to reddit too so he can enjoy half a million hits from around the world. Although the "confessions of a car salespersonW posted there recently pretty much summed the general set of ethics up quite well.

[AYF82M4]

I'll have an update soon guys.

[0.02eurocents]

Originally Posted by Triple-Net-Automotive

1-For a business to be viable it needs to make a profit. Yes, some businesses lose money, yes they sell loss leaders, but this is the exception to the rule.

BS. It atually is a business model for the entire printer industry. ANY printer you buy at Sears or whereever, be it Inkjet, laser, photo printer is EXACTLY at cost at most or (as with Hewlett Packards) at half of cost. You can get discontinued models at 1/3 manufacturing cost if you happen to run into a store clearance of that item. Once they sell you two or three sets of ink/toner refills or drums for laser printers they make a cut.

3- 300% markup, my point exactly. Dealers have a 5-10% markup on new cars. I don't think many jewelry customers haggle, maybe a fraction but certainly not the majority. 90% of car shoppers haggle!

My point here is simple, let's stop looking at car dealers as these big bad liars and try to resolve the issues at hand with some understanding and compassion.

I have yet to see any jewellery retailer that...

- changes important and agreed upon contract details on the way from the counter to the register
- soups up 2nd grade goods and presents them as the cream of the crop
- denies you sale of that watch on display, because, well it has been sitiing there for a few days with a wrong price apparently, and don't you dare to complain about it, you are allowed to cough up some extra dollars and buy it anyway or get lost.

[ucdbiendog]

Hey dooma, been following this since Sunday, excited to hear that you may be getting your M3 soon. Keep it up!!

[Last E92 M3]

Originally Posted by dooma350

I'll have an update soon guys.

waiting for it...

[s65dave]

Dooma,

Might be helpful to post your update on a new thread.

[par4bmw]

Originally Posted by dooma350

I'll have an update soon guys.

Cool. Wish you luck in wrapping this up quickly.

[BritBoy]

Originally Posted by s65dave

Dooma,

Might be helpful to post your update on a new thread.

Er, helpful? How so?

Place you update right here please Dooma - we're all waiting patiently.

Fingers crossed.

[toddy33]

Originally Posted by s65dave

Dooma,

Might be helpful to post your update on a new thread.

My goodness, with all the links out there that are leading people to this thread? I think we're all way too emotionally invested in sitting here.

[Bimmer777]

I've been a memeber on M3 Forum and e46f for a while...also been following this thread from the very beginning - on my screen all day! Just registered here to show my support!

Originally Posted by s65dave

Dooma,

Might be helpful to post your update on a new thread.

No way. Too many people know about this thread (links) and everything should be updated here. Besides, when this is all told and done we might have a record in the amount of views a thread got on any forum!

[Elisabeth]

Originally Posted by mooseman

I know this is my first post, and the only thing I have in common, apparently, with any of you is that I own a BMW, which I enjoy driving.

But, as far as this situation goes, here is my take: I find the whole ordeal disgusting. I've been to a restaurant where the waiter gave me change for $100 when I paid with a $50. Naturally I returned the money. I've been at the bank where the teller gave me more money than the check I cashed. I obviously returned the money.

Here, we have a very analogous situation. You were bidding on the car with full knowledge that the vehicle was listed for less than invoice. You knew it was most likely a mistake. Did you e-mail the lister to find out if they intended to sell it under invoice? No, you wanted to profit from the mistake of another.

Now you want to post in here about how the dealer "screwed" you. Although I don't know what they have "cost" you in refusing to "honor" what was obviously a mistake on part of an agent of their organization. Rather than sympathize with the poor bastard who might lose his job in this worsening economy, all you can do is pout and pitch a tantrum like a 4 year old.

Seriously, and what is worse the constant support from others in here who believe that you are somehow "owed" that deal. Am I the only person who find you a morally reprehensible spoiled brat?

No wonder I never get anywhere in this world. I'm too worried about morals, ethics, principles, empathy and the other useless traits that tend to keep good guys down.

Good luck with your purchase, I hope you get your car, but it won't be worth what you paid for it, namely your humanity.

I'm new and landed in this epic thread by way of a completely unrelated forum (Ken's plight has spread far indeed), but this has to be the most idiotic post I've read so far. I realize I'm only on page 6, and after the argumentative BIN vs reserve guy, I'm a little concerned. :P

The situations you describe would have been stealing, and one case would have been stealing from a financial institution and therefore punishable by law. Stealing from an already underpaid waiter or waitress is most definitely morally repugnant. Perhaps you would like a cookie for doing what is right? ^^

This situation is completely separate from moral concerns. This is a commercial auction, with the price set by the dealer and posted with full awareness of contractual obligations. In some situations, dealerships will sell vehicles at prices under invoice to meet certain sales goals or what have you, and there was really no reason for Ken to call up the dealership and offer to pay upwards of $5k more than the dealer set the starting bid at. If you would be willing to give more to an industry that already makes quite a bit of profit off every buyer each year... well, I'm glad you seem to be financially settled.

In other words, you're full of horse manure.


Anyway, I am rather late to the game here, but I just wanted to give the OP my support. I am from Nebraska, though the military has led us far from home, and I'm simply appalled at this. I hope the dealership is forced to bend to their original asking price and that their General Manager is ousted somehow. It's just one of those completely avoidable fiascoes that is probably somehow related to karma. :P

Also, this might be a tad blasphemous... but who the hell would pay more than $62k or so for that car? I am a Husker and I wouldn't be caught in a coal-colored car with "fox red" interior for any reason. That's just taking football pride one step too far. My suggestion? Use your savings off the Invoice to reupholster that thing.

[0.02eurocents]

Originally Posted by Laszlo

I see your points, but this issue is extremely visible, it does include BMW's brand on a massive scale. This story is historic; the viral response is at block buster levels. This site alone has generated over 500,000 hits. That's huge. Can you imagine all the other sites, from all over the world!

Well, I am not trying to troll, but I cannot see why they would be trying to get involved. It is pretty clear to most people that there are good, reliable brands of cars (like BMW, MB, etc.) and that there cheap, shady ones (like, is the Geo Metro still on the market in the US). And just as such there are good and bad dealers. There good and bad cops. I don't really see how anyone that has decided on getting BMW would jump shit now because some dealer is rampage. Someone also pointed out that BMW-NA has pretty much no way to control how a dealer conducts his business or any sort of legal recourse.

If they were really bent on taking their "brand" and "corporate" protection to such levels, they also would have to require every BMW purchaser to sign an agreement to never go over the posted speed limit, park illegally, drive recklessly. They require you to keep any aftermarket parts off the car to not ruin their careful design, check the tire pressure every 4 weeks so you don't burn more fuel than it is necessary, etc. etc. pp.

But they can't. I see it like this - once I pick up the car it is mine, and the manufacturer or the dealer has nothing to tell me about how I use it. And I think once BMW-NA deliveer to the Hustler of Lincoln they have no more control about that car themselves.

And I don't know about the culture/jobs position filling in BMWNA, but I might there are a few germans in important position. Car coporations, especially here in Germany have a mantra when the shit hits the fan. "This too shall pass." Customer has been a word that was unheard in these places until recently. Maybe a german department manager in BMW-NA has infused the same attitude in his employees. I don't know if you have noticed the desaster BMW had a while ago with theiranti lock braking system on their bikes or if that was a thing local to Germany, BUT they handled the situation and the complaints and even the article in a magazine of the ADAC (AAA like organization, publication has like 4 million circulation) with dead silence at first and then by ridiculing the complaining person ("Maybe the gentleman should learn tu use the brakes properly on his bike" to a seasoned motorcycle rider) and only after authorities became aware that there is indeed a problem that is not an isolated case and started to look into it, BMW became active and issued a recall. And we are talking about a freaking brake system that was bound to fail here, not just some customer who was mistreated by his dealership.

So, yeah. Don't hold your breath for corporate invention. They might contact the people involved direclty at most, that would be Husker, Ken, the lawyers and Van Tuy or whathisname. But the BMW CEO is not going to take and the wife out for dinner in Munich with the corporate jet. It is not common german practice to go out of your way to rectify a problem like that, sad as it sounds.

Don't buy german cars if you live in Germany.

[cngzsn]

Originally Posted by s65dave

Dooma,

Might be helpful to post your update on a new thread.

no it might not be helpful kthx...