Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Shocked at BMW parts dept
I needed a new factory wheel to replace a damaged one on my '99 BMW. Went to the same dealer who sold me the car. They had one in stock last week when I originally asked for it, however it was scratched and of course was not acceptable. So they order another from the warehouse. I show up yesterday to pick up my "new" wheel and after a brief inspection find out that's it's been repainted. The color doesn't match and the surafce finish is softer and not smooth as factory coating.
I hate to think it was the same wheel they had last week, but there is no way what I saw yesterday came from BMW.
Needless to say, I lost my temper big time at the dealership. To fuel my fire even more, the service manager didn't see any problem with it. He insisted it was a "factory wheel". OK, I'll play along , it was a factory metal wheel minus the factory finish. I would never expect this kind of scam from any reputable dealer, and especially not BMW. Because of this, I'm now questioning everything the service dept has done or may do to my car. I would change shops but the next closest is almost 2 hours away.
I hate to think it was the same wheel they had last week, but there is no way what I saw yesterday came from BMW.
Needless to say, I lost my temper big time at the dealership. To fuel my fire even more, the service manager didn't see any problem with it. He insisted it was a "factory wheel". OK, I'll play along , it was a factory metal wheel minus the factory finish. I would never expect this kind of scam from any reputable dealer, and especially not BMW. Because of this, I'm now questioning everything the service dept has done or may do to my car. I would change shops but the next closest is almost 2 hours away.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I think your guns are out and blazing a bit too soon here. No doubt SOMETHING is amiss, but who did what to who is still undetermined, in my opinion.
Rather than sever the relationship with your dealer, or spoil it, just have them order up another wheel and forget it.
Actually, repainting a wheel is a hassle and since BMW buys back all defects I can't see why they'd bother.
Many people die each year from being shocked at the parts counter. Proper precautions are your responsibility.
Regarding the spazz you threw at the dealer, I don't know which is worse - - your total overreaction to something you had no definitive proof of, or me and the other 500,000 Town Hall readers who had the grave misfortune of reading of your temper tantrum.
After five weeks the company owner finally agreed to get me a new wheel. That was the order I placed through BMW. I found out this company also does work for them occasionally, mostly prepping wheels on resales.
I found out from a cashier at BMW late Friday afternoon that wheel guy intentionally substituted the repainted wheel for a new one. The part I find hard to believe is that the BMW people played along with it.
So you guys wouldn't be the least bit pissed off over it?
I was just questioning that there is no motive for any of this that I can discern, and this leads me to think that the BMW people were just making a stupid mistake, not intentionally trying to scam you. I always look for a motive when someone yells "treachery!"
I'm sure there's more profit in selling you a new wheel than having an old one painted--so I'm just puzzled by it all.
Humans are far more often stupid than dishonest or mean-spirited. You see this in traffic all the time....somebody cuts you off....you scream "Hey, didn't that jerk SEE me?"
Well, maybe he didn't, right?
I'm not doubting your story....exactly.... but there are other possibilities here. Not all factory wheels of the same design may be made using the same batch of paint or even made at the same plant for that matter. Generally that wouldn't matter since you'd put 4 wheels from the same batch on a car - they would match perfectly with each other. However if you tried to substitute a wheel made in YOUR batch for as a replacement for one made differently, YOURS wouldn't have the same factory finish or look to it.
You'll see plenty of examples of the differences in silver paints (as an example) when you try to match paint after a fender-bender...
Body shop labor is more like 60.00 per hour.
That would be 1800.00 plus materials to repaint a wheel.
Give me a break!