How are the BMW Service Departments in your area?

[Jaron Bell]

When I was changing out my stock X-pipe for the Challenge Race X-pipe, I notice a small leak coming from the oil pan on my DCT. I stopped driving the car and made an appointment with BMW Northwest, Tacoma WA. My car is heavily modified so the only things I will allow BMW to do is the small things like, oil changes, and transmission work or anything that I can get covered under warranty which is little. My appointment is scheduled for 20 April and I take her in. When I pull up, no one greets me so I go inside the service department. There is only one SA and he has a customer. I wait for about 15 minutes as the line grows behind me. Finally Im up! I get to the counter and let the SA know I only want an oil change, the DCT leak fixed and my headlights aligned. He then tells me that he doesn't know why we (BMW) are even working on this car because its heavily modified and that he normally turn cars like mines away. I didn't get upset or anything and explained to him the the DCT should be covered under warranty and the only thing I allow BMW to touch on my car are the oil changes twice yearly and brakes for the most part. After I finished up at the counter it was time for my loaner car. I thought the SA was gonna go get the loaner car so I checked out a '13 AW M3 that was on the showroom floor for a minute. I went back up to the counter and the SA had another customer. A Service Manager notice me standing there and asked if she could help. I told her I was waiting on loaner. She asked my SA if he was getting it. He then stated I walked off so he continued to work with other customers. I feel that BMW is lacking quality customer service for what I paid for my cars.

So, my question is... What is your dealership experience like? One of my best friends told me that Hawaii dealerships has valet service when you drive up to the service department. I know here in WA, I expected more from BMW. My wife drives an Audi RS4, she gets the best treatment from Audi. I am somewhat considering changing companies.

[mjposner]

My dealer has been great even though I buy used cars and not from them. Even got my iDrive controller replaced (was partially worn through).

Braman in West Palm. They are so obsessed with good grades they bend over backwards.

[FVM3]

I dont bring my car for oil change service.Only visit when sh** happens. Charging too much for simple job, always do the oil change in my own place.

[Jaron Bell]

Originally Posted by christopherchenm

I dont bring my car for oil change service.Only visit when sh** happens. Charging too much for simple job, always do the oil change in my own place.

I still get the free ones as part of the Maintenance Program. But I pay for a mid change because I'm boosted.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

There are service departments and then there are service departments ,,, I found over the years it takes time to find the right one.

I have a dealership only 10 minutes from my house, however, take my car for a 200 mile round trip to get the right service. I will do this until the warranty expires then find a good Euro type car shop in my town here.

Good luck finding the right shop.

[Transfer]

I've had great service with Alex Long at BMW Seattle. Sorry to hear Tacoma sucks.

[shrimp_chips]

Yup, Alex is my service guy as well. Nothing but awesome service from him.

[Prince_of_Persia]

I have had great experience from Elise at Calgary BMW. I have always got amazing service from her and I found her pretty knowledgeable and honest. I only deal with her no matter what, if she is not there one day, I will leave and go back when she is in. Try to build a relationship with your SA, it will pay off. I have seen people that have high expectation and come to the dealership expecting everyone bend over for them because they drive an expensive M car; these people usually get crappy service and to be honest I think they deserve it.

[Jaron Bell]

Originally Posted by Prince_of_Persia

I have had great experience from Elise at Calgary BMW. I have always got amazing service from her and I found her pretty knowledgeable and honest. I only deal with her no matter what, if she is not there one day, I will leave and go back when she is in. Try to build a relationship with your SA, it will pay off. I have seen people that have high expectation and come to the dealership expecting everyone bend over for them because they drive an expensive M car; these people usually get crappy service and to be honest I think they deserve it.

I am looking for a decent SA. It seems that I cant even tell them anything without them using it against me by voiding my warranty. I haven't even track my car YET, only because I don't have a BBK. I would drive 200 miles for a decent dealership SA. I was nervous going to Bellevue and Seattle because they both got bad Yelp reviews in the service department.

[M4Now!]

BMW of Austin has been great, and pretty much the opposite of what you described.

Cheers

[davesaddiction]

Michael Huerta at BMW of Tulsa has been great - helped me catch a bad evaporator right before my warranty ran out, replaced several worn trim pieces, and had no issue with TireRack, even suggesting I have them delivered directly to them.

[4corners]

Amy at Palm Springs BMW rocks

[Jaron Bell]

Update: I went to pick my car up from BMW Northwest and it was a complete different experience. My SA was on point. I asked for my BMWCCA discount and he told me because I in uniform I didn't need it. Then I bought a key chain and some extra oil for the MFEST drive. The cashier asked if they had applied my discount on my bill for the service. My SA went back to check, when he cam back, said that it wont let him change it so he gave me an extra quart of oil. He let me know he kept my car in the garage over the weekend. The problem was though, he started asking me if I ever tracked my car, which I hadn't yet. Overall, BMW Northwest came through today.

Lesson Learned: I will admit talking to my SA may have had a impact on the way I was treated.

[JoeKixxon]

It was good to see another Austin post up there before I posted. They are amazing! Been there 3 times. One for the personal "training" they offered on the iDrive and functions in my new (used) M3. Second, to collect my plates (they went ahead and put them on). Then yesterday I pulled in during my lunch to ask what oil to use since the car wanted a quart. The polite, smiling, professional young lady at the desk says "please pull up to the valet and they'll top it off"... And they did. With No. Questions. Asked. Other than to offer me coffee and cookies.

Good luck opening a door there too because someone will always hold it open for you.

Granted I'm gushing about the service at BMW of Austin, when I came from owning a Mazda. However, my Mazda SA was fabulous! Ethan. Yes I know and remember his name.

I sound like a commercial but this is my first ever BMW and my first ever post about service. They are truly amazing.

My wife's next car will be a BMW if for no other reason than for her to receive the rock star treatment she deserves.

[e1000]

It's a shame but I still refuse to go to Irvine BMW and it's less than 5 miles from where I live. No loaners for same day services such as oil changes, and no I don't feel like I should need to be treated any differently to get one. I even bought my car there.

The experience has soured my overall ownership of this car.

[jeff@autocouture]

shitty man, i bring mine to ridgefield bmw, have been for over 4 yrs since mt kisco screwed me around,
always a great experience

[LimiTed]

I've had nothing but mediocre to blatantly horrible service from BMW (service/warranty related). I may jump back to Audi. Perhaps it is just the dealers in my area.

[cosmicdust]

Brought my 2013 M3 in for it's first (1,250 mile ... oil change ...) service. To the dealer from which I bought the car. Got home, for the heck of it, checked oil level. Got max oil warning. Called the dealer, they told me give it a day for oil to work it's way into the nooks and crannies ... that struck me as very odd ... of course got the same warning the next day. Brought it in, they admitted they overfilled about 1/2 or so quart. Anyhow, not sure if I have anything to worry about going forward ... only drove the car 140 miles or so ... back and forth to the dealer. Not the way I wanted to start out my M3 adventure.

[BPMSport]

I've definitely had bad experiences before... but now they take care of business no questions asked. I had to ruffle some feathers

[DMW2315]

OP, just curious. What age are you?

[socalm3lover]

"explained to him the the DCT should be covered under warranty and the only thing I allow BMW to touch on my car are the oil changes twice yearly and brakes for the most part."

Not the best way to start a relationship with someone that maintains/repairs BMWs for a living, regardless of how well or poorly they do it.

John

[VMcV3y]

Originally Posted by Jaron Bell

Update: <snipped> The problem was though, he started asking me if I ever tracked my car, which I hadn't yet. Overall, BMW Northwest came through today.

Lesson Learned: I will admit talking to my SA may have had a impact on the way I was treated.

BWM Houston Advantage Midtown has been fantastic, even though my E93 is a European Delivery, purchased from an Atlanta-based ED expert.

I've worked primarily with Karen H. as the Service Adviser, and she's been equally great on addressing issues and communicating. For the most part, the car has been in there for scheduled maintenance, and a couple of minor issues. One of the other SA's was available at first when I went there, and he looked at my key-data and said, "You haven't been driving your M3 very hard. You know that car wants to be pushed." (This was after only 2 months of having it.) I told him, straight-up: "I just missed a Track Day, but have my first one coming up in a week!" He was all "Hammer the car, it can do it." talk. Then, Karen has been fully aware that I track the car, and asks how it's been doing after each track day. There has been no scrutiny, talk of not covering something, or any of that. In fact, there was something worn down with the discs and they went above and beyond on that.

So, my experience has been that the SA's are enthusiastic about the M's and expect/anticipate that they get driven hard.

- V


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