[Mustard3]

Regarding the broken oil filter, they don't have to be in a strop to achieve that, all to easy for them in the sunniest of moods.

[RickLS7]

Whereas I had a good purchase experience with my local dealer (Wollaston), their servicing is terrible. Eveytime it's gone in for a service or recall, have had to go back at least once to sort the stupid things they've c*cked up.

The Porsche dealer at Towcester is no better, if you want a good servicing experience you are better off with specialists these days.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by RickLS7

Whereas I had a good purchase experience with my local dealer (Wollaston), their servicing is terrible. Eveytime it's gone in for a service or recall, have had to go back at least once to sort the stupid things they've c*cked up.

The Porsche dealer at Towcester is no better, if you want a good servicing experience you are better off with specialists these days.

Absolutely, and for good reason. They’ve always been a better standard in my view.

They’ve often served 20 years at a main dealer before setting up themselves, and generally only the better ones will take that leap to do it.

[RoShambolt]

Appreciate the responses everyone, I collected the car yesterday, I was given a report which listed the oil filter housing as a replaced part, so all good with that.

When collecting it was starting to get dark and was wet, which wasn't ideal, had a quick look today in the daylight, not happy.

Edge of the right wing where it meets the bonnet there's damaged paint, that's had a shoddy touch up. It seems that me having reservations about this whole situation were valid.
They obviously hoped I wouldn't notice as they never mentioned a thing.

Waiting to hear back from the manager. Fucked off.

[ian332isport]

That sucks balls. I’d go absolutely mental if that was mine

I hope they don’t try and wriggle out of it.

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by RoShambolt

Appreciate the responses everyone, I collected the car yesterday, I was given a report which listed the oil filter housing as a replaced part, so all good with that.

When collecting it was starting to get dark and was wet, which wasn't ideal, had a quick look today in the daylight, not happy.

Edge of the right wing where it meets the bonnet there's damaged paint, that's had a shoddy touch up. It seems that me having reservations about this whole situation were valid.
They obviously hoped I wouldn't notice as they never mentioned a thing.

Waiting to hear back from the manager. Fucked off.

If thats the top of the wing I hope that it's just condensation on it, looks like it's been boshed with a brillo pad

Hope they sort it properly for you.

[BBri89]

Not great is it.

Hopefully the manager will sort everything for you, especially when they hear of your experience so far.


Just keep calm and courteous whenever you deal with them, but firm too that you expect and insist that they fix it.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

If thats the top of the wing I hope that it's just condensation on it, looks like it's been boshed with a brillo pad

Hope they sort it properly for you.

Yeah that's just after I wiped it dry, just condensation. Luckily.

[Ronstein]

If you haven't already, probably worth creating a written record of every last detail of what's happened with dates and times for future reference or to pass on to BMW UK.

[RickLS7]

I'm sure you guys get the same BMW email as me asking to review your dealer experience after a service or recall.

I've always replied and advised what they've done - unfortuanely it's never positive. The dealer is supposed to reply but never heard a dickie bird from Wollaston - they don't give a damn.

[Ronstein]

Originally Posted by RickLS7

I'm sure you guys get the same BMW email as me asking to review your dealer experience after a service or recall.

I've always replied and advised what they've done - unfortuanely it's never positive. The dealer is supposed to reply but never heard a dickie bird from Wollaston - they don't give a damn.

If their poor enough they'll lose the franchise. In Maidenhead, the long-time local dealer sold out to a well known multi-franchise dealer group who were so consistently poor that they ended up being told to sell to Sytner or lose all their franchises (allegedly, in case any legal people are on the forum!).

[RoShambolt]

So I've heard back from the dealer, they are saying they will repair the damage and would like the car for "a few days" this has alarm bells ringing already, how can a touch in/wet flat/polish take a few days?! I've asked them what they actually are planning to do that it will take a few days, the last thing I want is the whole wing sprayed and blended into the bonnet and door or anything ridiculous like that.

They're not filling me with confidence.

[g9icy]

When I had a scratch + small dent on the bottom of the offside front door, I took it to my local HJ for a quote. It was £800 (including some dent removal elsewhere), and they were planning on repainting the whole door and the entire wing infront of it, and charging me to replace the L shape trim thingy (4 series) and M Sport badges.

I took it elsewhere for £350 and can't tell there was ever a respray or even a dent.

Definitely get an itemised list of work before accepting it...

[Armaan]

Originally Posted by RoShambolt

So I've heard back from the dealer, they are saying they will repair the damage and would like the car for "a few days" this has alarm bells ringing already, how can a touch in/wet flat/polish take a few days?! I've asked them what they actually are planning to do that it will take a few days, the last thing I want is the whole wing sprayed and blended into the bonnet and door or anything ridiculous like that.

They're not filling me with confidence.

Could they be sending it elsewhere for repair? Get an itemised bill and confirm that they are doing the work.

The botch job initially tells me they don't have a body shop on site, or someone more competent might have been on hand to help at the time.

Armaan

[Pizzaeatingking]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Just put the Ghost in valet mode. Tell the dealer that it'll reactivate above 30mph and that they will then need a low loader to shift it if the engine is stoped.

Does the trick and stops your car being used as a runaround or taken out for a blast.

I think if I couldn't trust the garage to drive the car above 30mph I'd be better finding somewhere else to take it tbh.

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by Pizzaeatingking

I think if I couldn't trust the garage to drive the car above 30mph I'd be better finding somewhere else to take it tbh.

I've collected my car back from a main dealer with a completely unexplained 47 miles extra on it over only a few days.

Wasn't in for any work that required a test drive, and even so a test drive shouldn't need to be anything like that long.

Even the dealer principal couldn't offer answers. BMW UK were unable to get answers/explanation from the service manager or dealer principal, but at least they fixed things for me in terms of recompense and goodwill.

I suspect one of the staff was using it for the weekend. Or maybe someone came in looking for a used car and they gave away a test drive.
Obviously neither of those, or any other explanation was approved or authorised.

But you would trust a main dealer at least to act correctly and appropriately, even if they're overpriced and might not be the best people to be servicing your car.
So I can understand why someone might leave it in valet mode if they had that option.

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by BBri89

I've collected my car back from a main dealer with a completely unexplained 47 miles extra on it over only a few days.

I had something similar back in 2008 with my Octavia vRS from a Skoda MD. It was the final straw with crap service from garages that pushed me to going back to servicing cars myself. The BMW is the first time someone other than myself has touched, driven or worked on one of my cars since then and let's just say the experience hasn't exactly been positive!

[tjlees]

Stealer seems to be digging an even deeper hole for themselves.

plenty of photos is your friend - maybe demand a free service next time?

I've had ppf stripped, damaged alloys, marked calipers, forgetting to put the oil in the engine, forgetting the gearbox oil to name but a few stealer problems.

I'm not overly precious but do take multiple photos before the car goes in. Anxiety always on collection to see what 'extras' I've gained.

tbf the bmw stealer does sort the problems out with good grace, but marking m sport calipers on brake change is easily avoided by tapping off.

indys tend to fair better and i do use them for some of the more difficult jobs and once out of service package.

like the ghost valet mode - my tracker also has speed fencing set at 90, which has resulted in some interesting conversations with SA and test pilot mechanic...

[Pizzaeatingking]

Originally Posted by BBri89

I've collected my car back from a main dealer with a completely unexplained 47 miles extra on it over only a few days.

Wasn't in for any work that required a test drive, and even so a test drive shouldn't need to be anything like that long.

Even the dealer principal couldn't offer answers. BMW UK were unable to get answers/explanation from the service manager or dealer principal, but at least they fixed things for me in terms of recompense and goodwill.

I suspect one of the staff was using it for the weekend. Or maybe someone came in looking for a used car and they gave away a test drive.
Obviously neither of those, or any other explanation was approved or authorised.

But you would trust a main dealer at least to act correctly and appropriately, even if they're overpriced and might not be the best people to be servicing your car.
So I can understand why someone might leave it in valet mode if they had that option.

Does it limit the distance you can drive too? I could maybe see more of a use for that, unless it was going in for something that needed extensive test drive/diagnostics.

The 30mph limit just like a pain, my local dealer is on a 60mph road, I wouldn't want to send someone out into that situation only being able to do 30mph. I just think if I can't trust them to drive over 30mph then I can't trust them to work on the car.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by Armaan

Could they be sending it elsewhere for repair? Get an itemised bill and confirm that they are doing the work.

The botch job initially tells me they don't have a body shop on site, or someone more competent might have been on hand to help at the time.

Armaan

Yes they said it would have to go to their body shop on the same industrial estate, I googled body shop repair places in the area, there is only a smart repair place that's definitely not a BMW body shop.

I said I'm concerned that a body shop couldn't tell what would need doing from the detailed photos and why they would need it so long. They said it's because they're low staffed. Either way I'm not filled with confidence and it's very inconvenient with what I have going on with work and home.

I've had a quote from chips away to come to my address and repair, they said it would take three hours and would be £175 plus vat. Although expensive it's more of the time frame I would expect for a professional repair. Not a few days!

I've forwarded this to BMW and said it would be the preferred way of resolving this, as it's the least disruption for me and and if they are "low" staffed.

I said I would be a expecting them to be bend over backwards to resolve this after what has happened and reminded them that the car was damaged while under their care and an attempt made to hide it.

I emailed that on Friday and haven't heard back. The survey request came through yesterday, I'll give them until Friday to reply, even though it shouldn't take that long at all.

Reading their google reviews it paints a picture. The service department is definitely dragging their rating down.

[2JPW]

Had some issues with a local dealer, I emailed the dealer principal and stated that if I didn't hear back from him then I would contact BMW UK.
They didn't come back to me so I explained the situation to BMW UK and copied them on the email.
Within 15mins I had a call from the dealer apologising that they had lost my email!! A likely story.
They offered to make amends by changing wheels (a warranty job that they were meant to have sorted) valeting my car and filling it full of fuel.
They would then return it to me.

To cut a long story short, they c@cked this up too. They were returning the car to me and curbed the new wheels on the way.
It went back to the dealer and I ended up with some new wheels and tyres as a result.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by 2JPW

Had some issues with a local dealer, I emailed the dealer principal and stated that if I didn't hear back from him then I would contact BMW UK.
They didn't come back to me so I explained the situation to BMW UK and copied them on the email.
Within 15mins I had a call from the dealer apologising that they had lost my email!! A likely story.
They offered to make amends by changing wheels (a warranty job that they were meant to have sorted) valeting my car and filling it full of fuel.
They would then return it to me.

To cut a long story short, they c@cked this up too. They were returning the car to me and curbed the new wheels on the way.
It went back to the dealer and I ended up with some new wheels and tyres as a result.

So after not hearing from them for a week, I assumed they were just hoping I would go away.

I filled out the survey, let them have it all.

I also emailed on Friday saying basically seeing as your not making any effort to get this resolved I will not be chasing you, I will just contact BMW UK to sort it. I gave them 24 hours to come back to me.

Which they pretty much did, manager has agreed to pay for chips away to come to me, which is the least hassle for me, they apologised for the inconvenience.

Although I am happy with this, I would have thought a lot more of them if they had replied straight away saying if that's what you want that's what we will do. Rather than me having to keep on at them.
They will be getting the car back to the condition it should have originally been returned in, there was no goodwill gesture offered.
I'm also a little disappointed that a manager didn't actually contact me themselves considering what actually happened.

That's just my opinion, but over all they car is going to be repaired at no cost or inconvenience to me now which I guess is all that really matters now.