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We'll see.
Around here (metro-boston area), 2 of the bmw dealers I went to for service (once each) I'd never go back to, unless I had to. The place I bought my current bmw from were great both with sales (rare with bmw dealers in my experience), & the 2-3 times I took it in for service. They will also pick-up your car & deliver, if you bought the car there, for free or $25 depending on your area--a godsend imo.
A lot of bmw dealers take the post-service report the owner gives to bmw veryseriously (bmwna calls the owners after the service visit). Maybe a letter written to the GM/owner might get some results(?)
My recent service visit was at Sam Swope BMW in Louisville--again, the only game in town. I had received positive feedback on their service department from a couple of sources. Unfortunately, that was no guarantee of a good experience.
I am familiar with the feedback/survey system that BMW uses. My understanding is that the dealers are allocated very large sums of bonus money that is contingent on their having a good (read: perfect) score on their surveys, however, about 3% of the surveys can be discarded, and the surveys are not anonymous, so if you give a bad survey, your name will have a black mark beside it if you ever try to go back to the same dealer again--and if they do end up servicing your car, you may not get a survey because they threw out your response ahead of time.
I am receiving unidentified calls on my cell phone--one at 9:30 last night and one at 12:30 this afternoon. I didn't answer either of them, as I usually don't answer calls that have the caller ID blocked, or from numbers I don't recognize. I assume the calls are from the survey people. I sent an e-mail to my service advisor this afternoon attempting to get the remaining problems with my car fixed, but haven't received a reply yet.
Generally within a couple of days of the service they will give an initial call. They will ask you a few questions although it might not be the full blown survey. Later on you may get a full blown survey in the mail that could be a couple of pages long.
Best way to handle this since those surveys are not anonomoys is to call the service manager or possibly the GM for the entire dealership. Explain what happend and that you understand how important the survey is to them. They will bend over backward for you to keep you from giving them a bad survey.
Your other option if the GM does not do enough for you is to give them an ok survey instead of perfect, excellent or whatever their top mark is give them one level lower. In the comments section explain why you could not give them perfect scores.
I know for our surveys if someone gives a bad initial call survey the service manager will ususally call them before the written survey arrives. Try and talk to them and understand what happend so that when the written survey arrives they might give them better scores.
I see the other side--I am sure they think they've already bent over backward for me, as their valet drove a total of 280+ miles Tuesday to pick up the key (first trip) and return my car (second trip). But, my car's electrics are still acting up...
I am aware of the survey's alleged importance, so I don't intend to give them a poor survey without affording them the opportunity to correct what went wrong. Thanks for the tips!
The heat that will come down from the sales side on the service department will be intense.
WOW a lot has been going on with everyone since I've been gone!
Anyway...Jolie when I came to your post I just had to respond. For years I've blamed my auto obsession on my dad. AMOF, every time something comes up about buying or trading cars, Beth always says, "You're just like your dad..." :sick:
But your post reveals a different side of the CCB syndrome. Apparently it also stems from my mother buying all those Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars for us when we were kids. We went through a time when she was buying us a new one every week! And I never had to trade in an old one to get the new one!
And what a conglomeration of cars you could own in a miniature world. How else could you explain a Pinto, Corvette, Lotus, Ferrari, LeCar, Cuda, US Mail truck (overnighter not a delivery truck), Starsky and Hutch Torino, the Batmobile, and dozens of others all in the same garage on a working man's salary? Those were the days! :shades: Thanks, MOM!!!!
But your post reveals a different side of the CCB syndrome. Apparently it also stems from my mother buying all those Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars for us when we were kids. We went through a time when she was buying us a new one every week! And I never had to trade in an old one to get the new one!
And what a conglomeration of cars you could own in a miniature world. How else could you explain a Pinto, Corvette, Lotus, Ferrari, LeCar, Cuda, US Mail truck (overnighter not a delivery truck), Starsky and Hutch Torino, the Batmobile, and dozens of others all in the same garage on a working man's salary? Those were the days! Thanks, MOM!!!!
LOL, that is sooo true. I had TONS of matchbox cars when I was a kid, I loved getting new ones every week. You are right, never had to trade in the old ones, it was heaven! My kids even have a couple RVs and a few tractor trailers in their collection. My daughter counted up the ones she had in the livingroom yesterday, it was around 148 and that's not all that they have, they are spread between the 2 Rams and the Sebring, bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, and anywhere else they can stick them. I just LOVE stepping on them in the middle of the night!!!
Well, that's what I would do!
Really, I am just kidding. Sounds like you are on the right track. Try to get underneath where it could be hiding, and use whatever products sound right. That, and leave it open to air out.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Guess my automobile passion started when I was quite young...and it's never left me to this day. Unlike many in here though, I married a very fiscally responsible spouse, or I'd be swapping cars out every 2 years or so!
The Sandman
I'm in the same boat with you Sandman
Was a great feeling to get a car that I really wanted with only the $15,ooo constraint of cash out of pocket. Luckily, I ended up using less!
The Sandman
Whatever you do, do it QUICK.
The longer you wait, the harder it will be to eradicate the smell.
Ouch! My step-daughter starts college in a few weeks; I cannot imagine what it would be like to have 3 in college at the same time.
The wife reports that the VUE is making a 'clunking' sound when she drives it; on what may be a related note, she found a bolt in a platic bag in the cupholder. Somehow, I missed that when I picked the car up on Tuesday. Guess it's going back for a look-see.
Saturn does the survey two-step as well. A phone call a few days after the service, then a paper survey comes a week or two later. Not sure that the service surveys have an impact on the sales bonus, however.
While my service department does a great job of taking care of us, I do try to be honest with my grading and comments, as they are meant to provide feedback for improving the quality of service.
If a service department got all 5's, all the time, how are they supposed to get better at what they do?
We have a similar survey that we use for our work (software technical support). Grading goes like this (the question is "how was your overall support experience" or something like that):
5 - 100%
4 - 75%
3 - 50%
2 - 25%
1 - 0%
We then calculate the average. Currently, the department is at 92/93/94% (can't remember exactly) and my number is 93.59%, based on 117 surveys.
I remember that my grandparents had a 1957 Plymouth that had milk spilled in it. It smelled of sour milk for YEARS. Probably until they sold it (I don't really know as I was but a young sprout back then).
Good luck - james
Will go smell that spot again this morning to make sure. It was pretty dry when I shut the door of the truck last night.
Guess it could be worse.......my 04 Explorer was only a month old when my dog threw up all over the back seat, never did get the stains or smell out of that truck. Traded it in 4 months later.
*Edit* Ran out just a minute ago and smelled the carpet (hubby was wondering what I was doing), I just smell new carpet, no milk. I think I dodged that bullet thankfully!
Thanks for all the suggestions!!
The dog on Top Gear (the BBC motoring programme) vomited in the back seat of a Kia diesel station wagon in the latest episode. Looked pretty disgusting!
I got another call from BMW's survey company (and didn't answer) while I was in a meeting. I did answer a call from Sam Swope BMW this morning, and apparently they were conducting their own survey. I let them know that the car was not fixed, I've heard nothign from them up until now, and I was not happy with the overall experience, and they told me to call the service advisor if I didn't hear from them within a few hours.
Anyway I was browsing the classifieds and I see my old car is still for sale at the dealer I traded it into over 4 months ago. I don't know if I should cry ( nobody wants it) or be happy (maybe I won one over a dealer).
I am definitely happy I did not try to sell it myself. I guess the market for Mazda6 wagons is a little tough. The Ford dealers price is only $500 over what he gave me for trade in.
What is the longest anyone has seen their trade in sit ?
The Sandman
When I traded in the '01 F150 for the Mountaineer (dumbest car trading mistake I ever made), the truck sat at the dealer for at least two months. It seemed like longer than that, but they eventually sold it.
Many if not most trade-ins never get a chance to sit on the lot where they were traded - at least if it's a new dealer. Most are wholesaled or auctioned off. That's a big reason why no one wants to give you what Edmunds, KBB, or any other company tells you your trade-in is worth. The dealer doesn't want to lose money so they'll usually offer you only what the wholesaler offers.
It seems that the cars and trucks most likely to be cleaned up and put out on the lot are when a Honda is traded for a Honda, Toyota for Toyota, Ford for Ford, etc, and then only if they are super clean. Not to beat a dead horse, but I personally think it makes a significant difference if you clean up your car before you trade it.
Dealers like to be able to honestly say that a car was owned by a retired couple who only drove it to doctor's appts and church, kept it in a garage, always brought it in to the dealership for service, had no grandchildren, pets, or problems with incontinence, and they were lactose intolerant, so they never spilled milk in the car.
My cousin recently bought a used Accord from just such an individual. I'm still looking for that car.
Most CCBs probably don't look back--they're already looking forward to the next trade. :P
Spoke with the original service advisor. He was very apologetic. Returning the car to the dealer tomorrow--they offered to come pick it up again, but I declined, as I have something to do in town anyway.
Funnt thing is that when I saw it on their lot, I knew I had done the right thing by trading for my Civic...no pangs of regret!
The Sandman
Traded that 4 Runner on an 06 Ram over 4th of July weekend and its sitting on his lot.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Longest any of my trades ever sat on the dealer's lot was the last one - a 2-year-old RSX, which sat on the lot in a prominent position for all of about 10 days or two weeks (I drive past there on a semi-regular basis, so I would always keep an eye out for it after I traded it in).
I mostly don't trade, I sell privately.
corvette: I am following your whole service department epic with fascination - don't forget to pop in with updates now and again! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
They were 50 cents each at the Crondelett (sp?) (membership store). Does anyone remember those stores? I recall I had a 1964 Cadillac Ambulance among many others.
Jolie, you don't "seatbelt" your groceries in? It's all the rage! :P
mark156
Speaking of matchbox cars, I was a chronic matchbox buyer through the end of last year or so, when I finally had about all I wanted (and could fit on my shelf). I have a few pics at carspace , scarily I actually have a few more I bought since I took the pics.
I guess China has at least figured out how to make our tiny cars for cheap.
Fintail, are those really Matchbox cars, I don't remember them being that big.
I remember when I was little, in maybe the early 80s, they were also 99 cents, and I could usually con one per week or 2 out of my parents. There were also "Pocket Cars" from Japan by Tomy sold at that time, which were very detailed but fragile compared to the others.
The pics are the first series of Matchbox cars primarily from 1955-1960. Almost all of them are about the size of modern ones, ca 1:60 scale.
We traded an 03 Civic EX in on the 06 Passat. I know that the dealer sold our car themselves rather than wholesaling it. However, I think that was largely due to the fact that since my brother worked at the dealership, they put more into our trade than they probably would into someone else's. Basically they couldn't afford to wholesale our car, and being a Honda in excellent shape and super clean inside, out, and under the hood, they knew they would eventually get their money back out of it.
Loved the pix. And I also remember them being about a dollar per when I was a kid. We had both Hot Wheels and Matchbox, but I think what propelled Hot Wheels to prominence was not so much the cars, but all the tracks and launchers you could get from Hot Wheels.
With my brother and I it didn't really matter which brand of car you had, you just wanted the fastest one. We used to sit for hours pulling the handles on our "Thundershift 500" racetrack. We'd race about ten laps until the plastic curve came apart and we'd fix it back then race some more.
I still like to get in the floor with my son and play with his Hot Wheels racetracks. It's just that now getting back up out of the floor is not so easy. :sick: Oh, to be a kid again.
My Titan is still there and Zippy is still sitting at the used car dealer I sold her to. I'm sad for Zippy, I kind of miss her, but after getting the Sebring I didn't drive her at all.
As far as I know, anything else I traded in went to auction ... at least that's what the dealers said they would do with it. I usually don't check.
The longest probably will be the Lincoln LS I traded in a couple of months ago to a Honda dealer. They have it listed for the same price I paid for it 9 months prior ... and I got it with a certified warranty from a Lincoln dealer. The asking price is also $2500 above what I was trying to sell it myself for, but got zero bites.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Normally our used cars have a shelf life of 60 days and anything older then that goes to the auction no matter what. Sometimes that is stretched to 90 days but not normally.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I have sold used cars at pretty big loses just to avoid them going to auction where will take an even bigger loss. We have even sold a couple of used rovers to people for less then we would get at the auction just to earn another retail customer and their service business. It does not happen very often but it happens.
At the same Acura dealer a couple of years earlier, I bought a Pathfinder for $7,500 when wholesale was probably close to $7,000, so go figure.
If you don't have another car to use, it'd almost be worth it to pay Enterprise for a few days rental. I find schlepping the car to the service dept. back & forth can add greatly to the aggrevation, esp. if it's some distance. If something's not fixed, I resent it more if I've sat in traffic, etc.
About bargaining on cars over time...I bought my old 126 from a MB dealer, and my initial offer was slightly more than half their asking price. Of course they balked...so I added a little more, told them they'll keep it forever or sell it to me now...and the next day they called and it was mine. They had had it around for awhile, but rarely on the lot as it wasn't new enough I guess.
That way you get to see it in it's natural state before any odors or scratchs get covered up. Also you get around paying the dealer re conditioning fees that I usually end up re doing anyway.
My original service advisor was out to lunch when I dropped the car off, so I got to deal with the one that locked my keys in the car.
This week's loaner is a 2006 X3 3.0, also black on black.
The day I picked it up I spent a few hours detailing it, even though they washed and waxed it.
I was going to suggest that you either trade the thing in on an acura, or that you go into the bmw service dept. with a couple of really big, nasty looking friends, & 3 baseball bats, but it sounds like there's hope they will straighten things out.....
good luck, enjoy the X3
I have been offered a job to practice law if and when I pass the bar (after I take it in 2007). The closest BMW dealer is 45 miles away, and the second-closest one (Swope) is about 70.