My Euro Delivery Disaster

[aus]

Sorry to hear this mess.
I'd consider swapping the interior. It's not that big of a deal and you'll get the car you want so badly. The interior comes out and going in pretty smoothly.

.

[esquire]

also, p.s. - make sure on this next one they don't give you ATLANTA BLUE. Can you imagine?

[Rk-d]

Guy pays $80,000 in cash, he deserves to get what he ordered. Hell, if he finances $80,000 and puts zero down, he deserves to get what he ordered. There is nothing "feminine" about standing firm.

Bottom line, BMW screwed up and is trying to shove this down your throat. Repaint is a non-starter. They need to get you the car you ordered and they need to reimburse your travel expense. This is not that complicated - the screw up was clearly on their side. Whether or not they care- I guess we'll see. Like others have said, I doubt taking BMW AG to court is going to amount to much. Spreading this on social media might - though I doubt it would get much traction on the big sites, ie Jalopnik. If it did, there is a very real possibility of backlash. BMW drivers get very little sympathy.

Good luck - it will probably takes months to rectify this. It really sucks, I can't imagine how pissed I would be.

[surlynkid]

I was considering an individual color and stitching for a new M4. Not a chance now. BMW absolutely can "cut in line" at the seat manufacturer to get a new set of seats made. They are the buyer, but also customer and boss in these Tier I suppliers situations. It will cost them some overtime, etc. but they can do it. If my company's customers come to us and want an 8 week lead item in 2 weeks, we can do it. They just have to pay extra. It is quite simple.

To the OP, don't accept a repaint or interior transfer. Either is the easy way out for BMW. They can accomplish this correctly for you. They just have to want to do it. They would love to have you take your $80K back and walk away. Honestly, it is easier for them. Don't do it. Make them build the car as contractually obligated. Then have them refund all your ED travel costs, send the new car back to the US at ED pricing, and pay for your airfare to go get the car from Spartanburg or pay for a local dealer to prep it for you. Then make them give you 7 year, 100K warranty and maintenance just for the PITA they made for you.

[Lorde]

Originally Posted by CodeBlu

OP, well I can believe this happened. I am currently waiting for my second E92 "Atlantis Blue" M3 - the first was painted the wrong color blue by the factory - but not Atlantic Blue like your car. My second car is now on a ship headed for port and my current nightmare is that this one will be painted Atlantic Blue - not Atlantis Blue. The BMW paint codes are different -- 207 for Atlantic Blue and 399 for Atlantis Blue -- but the German name for Atlantic Blue is "Atlantisblau", which seems un-necessarily confusing.

See link http://www.bmwforums.info/general-gu...code-list.html.

I hope this works out for both of us - it is a great color.

Holy hell that's confusing...

What the heck is Atlantis Blue in German??

Paint code 399 on the link you posted indicates "Atlantis Green Metallic"

[davesaddiction]

OP, I'm truly sorry to hear your troubles -- I'd also be absolutely pissed if I was in your situation -- and I hope they make it right for you in the end, but if I'm completely honest, #FirstWorldProblems is what popped into my head when I first read your thread, too...

"After spending about 4 years working on color and interior options (causing me to miss the E90 order deadline)..."

Really?

"While I am ecstatic they have a new allocation for me, I am informed that they will be unable to include the deviated leather stitching that I requested."

While I understand your frustration, especially after you spent so much time trying to decide, don't let an issue as minor as thread color keep you from getting your car. They screwed up (big time) and it sounds like they're trying to make it right. At some point, you'll have to get over this disappointment and get on with enjoying your car.

Will the lack of colored thread really hamper the joy you'll get from this car? If so, just walk away and find another maker who will build a car exactly to your liking.

If you care more about finally owning and driving this incredible machine, suck it up, accept your newly built car in one of the most stunning colors available, take the refund for the stitching and whatever else you can milk out of them for their mistake, and enjoy another trip to Germany (I'm guessing most Virginians will never get there once in their lives).

IMHO, $5k is better spent on go-fast parts than some thread, anyway.

[mdosu]

sorry about your luck man. It's tough pill to swallow given all the time and anticipation spent on taking delivery. Make the best of it, and I would just take the replacement car state-side, unless you have funds to do another ED.

There was a guy locally who ordered some color, and his car was delivered in Barbara Red. The car looked great, and all the other options were there, just got the exterior color wrong...he was able to return the car back to the dealer and got his ordered color.

[nemex12]

I am a lawyer and this happens everytime. A company messes up and they try to take short cuts to save some money but most of the time they know that they have to make it right so keep pushing that they know that is their obligation to correct their error so ask for the car you wanted and if they can update your car vin and swap seats and they are willing to cover your trip expenses then I say let them swap seats and keep you as a customer. still, shame on BMW for trying to make you settle for a different car after their mistake

[Hyperjack]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

OP, I'm truly sorry to hear your troubles -- I'd also be absolutely pissed if I was in your situation -- and I hope they make it right for you in the end, but if I'm completely honest, #FirstWorldProblems is what popped into my head when I first read your thread, too...

"After spending about 4 years working on color and interior options (causing me to miss the E90 order deadline)..."

Really?

"While I am ecstatic they have a new allocation for me, I am informed that they will be unable to include the deviated leather stitching that I requested."

While I understand your frustration, especially after you spent so much time trying to decide, don't let an issue as minor as thread color keep you from getting your car. They screwed up (big time) and it sounds like they're trying to make it right. At some point, you'll have to get over this disappointment and get on with enjoying your car.

Will the lack of colored thread really hamper the joy you'll get from this car? If so, just walk away and find another maker who will build a car exactly to your liking.

If you care more about finally owning and driving this incredible machine, suck it up, accept your newly built car in one of the most stunning colors available, take the refund for the stitching and whatever else you can milk out of them for their mistake, and enjoy another trip to Germany (I'm guessing most Virginians will never get there once in their lives).

IMHO, $5k is better spent on go-fast parts than some thread, anyway.

what is it with some of the responders on this thread that has to convolute the issue by taking the time to criticize,judge or evaluate what the OP's build was, what he focused on and/or what he values in a M3?

i don't care if he did an individual order with pink leather and green stitching, frozen gold paint and gun metal wheels.....BMW agreed to do what the OP wanted for an agreed amount of money....and the OP paid for it. BMW has to meet their end of the bargain or the whatever the OP believes is adequate compensation.

that's the key phrase right there.....not what any of you think he should value.

wether he should spend the saved expense on after market parts....be okay with a non factory shop swapping out interiors....or whatever....it's up to him to figure out what's worth his time and money and he shouldn't be judged because of it.

[truths2k05]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this, why doesn't BMW send you a little piece of plastic with a sample of your individual color to begin with. That way these scenarios don't play out in the first place. In regards to the build sheet, the wrong color is stated there as well. And either the op or the people at Steve Thomas should have caught that. That was the time to make changes, not after the fact in Europe. The difference in color is so slight anyways from the touch up paint, that I would just suck it up get reimbursed somehow and enjoy my European trip and the ring. Sometimes life gives you little reminders that we should react to things differently. Change your paradigm and everything will work out.

[truths2k05]

To be honest when I originally read this thread I thought the car had been damaged or destroyed. Or the door dropped on the roof of the car as it was coming out of the lift, as another forum member experienced. A couple shades off on the color, not a DISASTER in my book.

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by truths2k05

To be honest when I originally read this thread I thought the car had been damaged or destroyed. Or the door dropped on the roof of the car as it was coming out of the lift, as another forum member experienced. A couple shades off on the color, not a DISASTER in my book.

BMW charges a steep price for an individual color. So getting the wrong one in that case is more problematic.

[Hyperjack]

Originally Posted by truths2k05

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this, why doesn't BMW send you a little piece of plastic with a sample of your individual color to begin with. That way these scenarios don't play out in the first place. In regards to the build sheet, the wrong color is stated there as well. And either the op or the people at Steve Thomas should have caught that. That was the time to make changes, not after the fact in Europe. The difference in color is so slight anyways from the touch up paint, that I would just suck it up get reimbursed somehow and enjoy my European trip and the ring. Sometimes life gives you little reminders that we should react to things differently. Change your paradigm and everything will work out.

i've ordered from Steve Thomas before....that's not the build sheet you sign off on.

to all you "suck it up" folks, it doesn't matter how difficult you think the OP is being. obviously there are other solutions to this problem out there.....

but, it's more on BMW to make this right because they were paid in full and have been sitting on his money for months.

not the OP to accept any given situation, see the brighter side of life and "suck it up".

[quiksi]

just saw this thread and ouch!!! I'd be just as horrified as the OP if that happened to me, although I'd certainly be OK with the interior swap option and a second (comped) trip

[Hyperjack]

Originally Posted by truths2k05

To be honest when I originally read this thread I thought the car had been damaged or destroyed. Or the door dropped on the roof of the car as it was coming out of the lift, as another forum member experienced. A couple shades off on the color, not a DISASTER in my book.

you're looking at almost 10k in custom order charges....that's significant. not a disaster....but, significant enough to make a big deal about.

[darnelld]

Sorry to hear that man, you deserve to be taken care of. Start escalating is what I say, if you can figure out how. I would like to offer, while this is awful, your E9x is still going to be fantastic! Hopefully, after years of enjoyment, this will wear off.

[Rk-d]

Originally Posted by highyo

the solution that he pines for seems highly unlikely. time to move on to plan b

read what truths2k05 wrote. he's right. sure it sucks and sure we all feel terrible for the OP (obviously some more than others) but it's not the end of the world.

and i still think that is an awesome color

BMW can make it right if they want to. It's not an unreasonable request. With perseverance, I bet the OP will get the car he wants. Question is whether he is up for the headache. Either way, the situation sucks. A big part of ED is the experience, which he'll never get back.

[truths2k05]

Originally Posted by gblansten

BMW charges a steep price for an individual color. So getting the wrong one in that case is more problematic.

Solution refund the 4700 to customer for the paint. Drive to Amsterdam with said 4700 dollars and suffer short term memory loss. Things won't seem so bad after, trust me.

[jphughan]

OP I feel terrible for you. I'd have been seriously let down if the non-Individual car I waited 2 months to take delivery of locally had been messed up, so I can imagine how much worse it would be to have gone to Germany and gotten the wrong color on a custom order. I agree that BMW owes you the exact order and I'm sure they CAN do it, they just need to be convinced that they HAVE to. Then they should do one of these things:

1. Reimburse you the trip you already took OR pay for your second trip out if that one would be more expensive due to advance booking time and/or seasonal fare changes. But you shouldn't expect them to pay for both since obviously you'd have paid for one trip anyway if things had gone correctly.

2. If coming out again isn't possible (even just for a weekend? I know some people fly in and right back out just to get the discount), they should ship your car to a US dealer of your choosing but STILL give you the Euro Delivery price.

All that said, I have to say I'm pretty puzzled by two things you said:

Originally Posted by b-thumper

After spending about 4 years working on color and interior options (causing me to miss the E90 order deadline), I had a production number for my dream E9x M3.

Seriously, it took you 4 years to decide on color and options? I thought people agonizing for more than couple months on this were bad, even those doing Individual. And you missed the body style you wanted for color?

Originally Posted by b-thumper

It's not a stretch to say that the Individual program is the very reason I am buying an M3

I really hope that's an exaggeration. If you're buying an M3 because its aesthetics can be customized and not because it's an amazing car on road and track, you're doing it wrong IMHO.

And wow, BMW paint codes are indeed error-prone, at least in this case:

041 Atlantikblau Atlantic Blue Standard Blue
207 Atlantisblau Atlantic Blue Metallic Blue
306 Atlantablau Atlanta Blue Metallic Blue
399 Atlantis Atlantis Metallic Green

[truths2k05]

Originally Posted by Hyperjack

you're looking at almost 10k in custom order charges....that's significant. not a disaster....but, significant enough to make a big deal about.

Solution.......Get a refund for those options, enjoy your trip in Europe. They let him drive the car anyways, so he could have enjoyed himself and fixed the issues when back on the mainland. No second trip, no loss of work, no loss of enjoyment from not driving an m3 in Europe in the first place.

[truths2k05]

Originally Posted by jphughan

OP I feel terrible for you. I'd have been seriously let down if the non-Individual car I waited 2 months to take delivery of locally had been messed up, so I can imagine how much worse it would be to have gone to Germany and gotten the wrong color on a custom order. I agree that BMW owes you the exact order and I'm sure they CAN do it, they just need to be convinced that they HAVE to. Then they should do one of these things:

1. Reimburse you the trip you already took OR pay for your second trip out if that one would be more expensive due to advance booking time and/or seasonal fare changes. But you shouldn't expect them to pay for both since obviously you'd have paid for one trip anyway if things had gone correctly.

2. If coming out again isn't possible (even just for a weekend? I know some people fly in and right back out just to get the discount), they should ship your car to a US dealer of your choosing but STILL give you the Euro Delivery price.

All that said, I have to say I'm pretty puzzled by two things you said:



Seriously, it took you 4 years to decide on color and options? I thought people agonizing for more than couple months on this were bad, even those doing Individual. And you missed the body style you wanted for color?



I really hope that's an exaggeration. If you're buying an M3 because its aesthetics can be customized and not because it's an amazing car on road and track, you're doing it wrong IMHO.

And wow, BMW paint codes are indeed error-prone, at least in this case:

041 Atlantikblau Atlantic Blue Standard Blue
207 Atlantisblau Atlantic Blue Metallic Blue
306 Atlantablau Atlanta Blue Metallic Blue
399 Atlantis Atlantis Metallic Green

Why don't individual customers ask for paint samples and upholstery samples and avoid these scenarios in the first place? when you go to Home Depot to pick out paint for your garage, you make sure to match the paint sample to what color they mix up for you......don't you?
This should be no different.

Get a refund...........move on. Life is much too short for these first world problems.

[Hyperjack]

Originally Posted by truths2k05

Solution.......Get a refund for those options, enjoy your trip in Europe. They let him drive the car anyways, so he could have enjoyed himself and fixed the issues when back on the mainland. No second trip, no loss of work, no loss of enjoyment from not driving an m3 in Europe in the first place.

when you spend 80k and BMW screws up your order, now you know what a good solution is for you.

let's let the OP figure out what's fair to him.BMW needs to make another attempt to make this right for him first before you start judging what he should settle on.