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Who is wrong here? The dealership or the customer? We need you to judge!

Agent001 submitted on 10/09/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 2:23 PM
from: consumerist.com

[97] user comments | category: Spy News

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Tags: BMW, Dealer, Brecht, VW

Tag Links: BMW, Dealer, Brecht, VW

Who is wrong here? The dealership or the customer? We need you to judge!

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DaHarder - 10/9/2007 2:44:40 PM

+6 Boost

I can't help but feel that there are a number of serious exaggerations here, but...

The BMW dealers here in Las Vegas are not all that customer friendly either, especially when compared to my local Lexus and Infiniti dealers.

reply to this comment

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 5:38:30 PM

0 Boost

lexus sales and service is better. and it's a MAJOR reason why people buy a lexus. it's not so much about amazing product.

BMW is purely about product. great product. and DESPITE a dealer experience that is apparently not as good as lexus (personally i've had no problems), the cars STILL sell like crazy. the product is that good.

imagine what might happen if BMW or mercedes matched lexus in sales and service?

EnnNorak - 10/10/2007 12:47:57 AM

+1 Boost

This boils down to whether all BMW dealers are contractually bound to accept returned lease vehicles as part of their franchise agreement. If I was BMW, I would terminate an offending franchise immediately upon discovering such breach of contract.

I suspect the Mercedes dealer helped out because the owner also owns a BMW dealership or he figured that the wholesale value of the BMW was higher than the residual value which he would use to settle with BMW.

adamblack - 10/10/2007 1:55:48 AM

0 Boost

hahahahahahahahahhaa lol

M35MT - 10/10/2007 10:55:03 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

enthusiast
It's stupid to assume that people only buy Lexus becaues of good customer service. Believe it or not, people actual like Lexus, because they like it. Although I do agree with you that if BMW improved their customer service they may sell more cars (because they're able to close the actual deal, not attract new buyers).

From personal experience, I agree, BMW must teach their sales associates to be condecending an stuck up. Funny thing is, most of them are probably badge whores or simply, sales people, who dont truly appreciate the bimmer for what it is.

flozel1 - 10/10/2007 8:50:02 PM

0 Boost

He's thinking that people are pitifully stupid that they'd spend 82k on a Lexus just because they were "treated well".

What a ridiculous comment.

CBR2200 - 10/9/2007 2:47:39 PM

+3 Boost

There is no full story here, I see only one side.

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johannas - 10/9/2007 2:52:12 PM

+3 Boost

Agreed. At this point it's just hear-say.

SHOWTIME - 10/9/2007 3:02:21 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

I agree with you, it wouldn't make sense for both, a regular employee and a GM to act this way at the same time.

golfer38 - 10/9/2007 2:56:59 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

No one deserves to be treated the way this person is describing. However, I'm sure there's more to it than she's letting on, although again there is no excuse.

When you turn a vehicle in, it makes the dealer liable for the vehicle while its in their possession. It also takes up space. If a dealer is short on space they have every right to decide not to accept your car, respectfully. Although this usually only happens if your not purchasing a new BMW or the lease company is not the Automakers financial institution.

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cl0wn - 10/9/2007 3:04:59 PM

+6 Boost

// Please attach picture of Raquel.

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Agent009 - 10/9/2007 3:17:06 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

LOL!

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 5:40:42 PM

-3 Boost

funny. she probably looks like a nut job.

answer - 10/9/2007 3:18:59 PMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

If true, there are multiple employees there in need of a punch to the face.



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cdoke - 10/9/2007 3:35:18 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I have no doubt that she was not as sweet and innocent in the matter as the letter implies. Having said that, if the GM did indeed say such things then what he did is inexcusable. That is your job and you are expected to maintain appropriate professional conduct – including providing an appropriate reasoning for all actions.

As far as the GM goes such behavior is unbecoming, telling of his upbringing, and something which you really cannot get away with. My experience is that those who would behave in such a manner are playing to a particular insecurity. What makes someone trash is not what or how much they have it is simply how they treat other people.

This last weekend, fortuitously enough, I witnessed a salesman become snippy. I was out with a very good friend (whose title happens to include the words “President and CEO”) furniture shopping. He is moving in a few months and wanted to look around. Well he found a beautiful ebony topped living room set at Roche Bobois. While one of the gentlemen went to get information on it, another, a Frenchman, came up and was really pushy about selling it that second. I sat there in shock (on a beautiful white leather sofa that had been featured in Architectural Digest)

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bigTYME - 10/9/2007 3:44:33 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Nothing new. Ive had a case of BMW arrogance too. I was looking at a 328 at the end of this summer. This guy told me that BMWs are very exclusive and that they might not have every color possible, that they would have to order a special one that'll take about 2 months. I then asked about any deals they had going, like end of model year specials. This guy told me this is BMW, all our cars sell regardless, Don't expect any year end deals. He is probably telling the truth, but he wasn't trying to work anything out. I mean, cmon. It's only a 40k BMW. It's not like I'm looking for an M3, M6. So back to Infiniti.

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golfer38 - 10/9/2007 4:01:53 PMView My AgentSpace

-6 Boost

Although its not his fault that you can't afford it.

bigTYME - 10/9/2007 4:36:55 PMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

Im happy you pay full price for everything.

JRobUSC - 10/9/2007 6:34:03 PM

+2 Boost

just out of curiosity, should he have lied and said there would be deals and/or savings he knew would not exist just to tell you what you wanted to hear? I would think that would be worse.

chuck717 - 10/9/2007 7:09:46 PM

+3 Boost

Why get excited, most sales people will tell you that they have the #1 car even if it is a Yugo that is the sales game, you as a customer have the ultimate choice, hang in the there and sit with the sales person to show a real intent to purchase or leave the dealership because the first thing out of their mouth is no discount. most young ladies tell a first encounter with a man no i won't go out with you if you like her she wants a persuit do you just give up come on that is life, you want a car deal go for it, they won't deal which in today's world is hard to believe if a dealer has a profit they will get that unit off their lot, it may take work on your part but that is the game otherwise walk out, find another dealer?

bigTYME - 10/9/2007 7:27:04 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

JRob, I agree with you. I guess it just pisses me off how he said he would have to order it, and he needed a 2 month notice. He made it seem like it's some exotic car, when all I was looking for was something that has good performance, good fuel economy, and something that looks good, as an everyday car.

golfer38 - 10/10/2007 12:34:24 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

No, I'm just not cheap enough to allow a lack of a discount to stand in the way of me getting something that I not only want, but that I feel the engineering, style, and workmanship is worth paying a little extra for.

Neverfollow - 10/9/2007 3:53:29 PM

+2 Boost

Wow,

While there is a certain "stigma" associated with BMW dealers and the attitude they like to portray towards customers of other car brands, but this story is way over the top. Sounds like the entire dealership culture over at Brecht has gotten out of hand. They're just a little too caught up in their own hipe.

I can't see how anyone can disagree that the way this potential client was handled by Brecht was dead wrong. I would expect that kind of treatment from a BMW salesperson who couldn't/wouldn't take the time out of his pressing day to do a lease return, but to have the same response from as high up as the GM position is simply unacceptable. There is precidence for this kind of behavior at BMW however, and it has been known to extend all the way up the corporate ladder to the CEO position. When stories like this hit the press however, the result is almost always the same: Immediate termination of the person in charge.

A smart and alert salesperson would have sat down with the client, offered to help, and engaged her in some sort of conversation. They could have asked her if her experience with the car was a good one or not. They could have found out her likes and dislikes about the car and the original selling dealership. Maybe the dealership she bought the car from was rude and she was looking to change. She might have expressed whether or not she liked leasing vs buying. All information which could have led to another sale.

A lease return is like any other client coming through the door. In most cases they can be better than most. They're already driving your product, they don't owe more on it than it's worth, they need a car right away, they're probably a good credit risk since they're currently in a lease with a bank, etc etc. How many clients walk in the door that prequalified?

Simply unbelievable.





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golfer38 - 10/9/2007 4:19:08 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

Are you really that naive that you would believe her side word for word. I mean, they threatened to call the cops on her. IF thats true, and thats a big IF, why would they call the cops on her.

Lets just set the scene. She has kids with her, shes being nice as pie with her questioning, so lets call the cops on her, riigghhtt.

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 5:46:05 PM

-2 Boost

please, they threatened to call the cops? either this is a joke OR she was a hysterical nutjob screaming her head off in the dealership (in which case i would have called the cops too).

stevenv1999 - 10/9/2007 3:55:28 PM

+5 Boost

I cannot believe none of you have experienced something this outrageous with a car dealership and that you feel it may not be true? I have had this very experience with a Ford dealership and I was as pleasant as could be and they basically threw me out. Do not think for one moment this kind of behavior does not happen at these dealerships. Their stand after I talked with the owner\manager was that, "what are you going to do about it"? I contacted the district manager and complained and he said that the dealership is a franchise and they cannot do anything about it. What !!!

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Dustbuster - 10/9/2007 4:01:53 PM

+5 Boost

I have always made an appointment before returning my lease instead of showing up on the last day and expect the dealer to take my car. That way, they could check for damages and advise me to fix them instead paying big bucks in penalties. Dealers usually will sell the car at an auction if they do not take it into their used inventory, but they don't have to take a loss/risk just because Chase says to take it anywhere she wants (Chase doesn't own the dealership obviously so who are they to say that the dealers must take the car?). I would have taken the car somewhere else just to save time instead of arguing. Keep in mind that Chase was closed and when the brother went to the MB dealer, it was another time/day. Oh, why would the dealer threaten to call the police? She must have either gotten out of line herself or refused to take a "no" for answer. I think the only mistake the dealer made was not to advise her of other options - like "why don't you try the dealer across the street because store policy doesn't allow us to take the car in?".

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chuck717 - 10/9/2007 6:56:52 PM

+1 Boost

Xlnt post and most likely that is what happen, i can tell you in 28 yrs of busines ownership Appliances and Auto's our family run operation called the police twice once for a military man that threaten to machine gun the showroom floor if we didn't get him into finace faster and he went to his truck and reach for a weapon so we took it very seriously, and a Dr.( so called lady) who drove her new 45 k car up to the showroom window and threaten to smash it if you didn't give her money back, the problem she didn't buy the car from us she thought all dealers were owned by the Corp like Costco i guess and demanded we make the refund?

sold2early - 10/9/2007 4:12:21 PM

+2 Boost

It wasn't a total loss; at least she was able to publicly slander the dealership. Hopefully each member of the manangement team will develop inoperable brain tumors.

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sold2early - 10/9/2007 4:18:39 PM

+3 Boost

After hearing this story I will make a point of bringing a hidden voice recorder whenever I go to a dealer for any reason.

Just think of the financial damage that could have been done to the dealer in this case (i.e. after submitting a copy of the recording to all the local news stations and distributing it on the internet)

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DiamondJim - 10/10/2007 2:49:55 PM

+1 Boost

recording the incident on your mobile phone and subsequently posting it on youtube would be even better proof.

Agent001 - 10/9/2007 4:26:20 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Where is Iamevilhomer when we need him to chime in on this?

001

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enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 5:53:13 PM

+2 Boost

listen houston:

i've had no problem with BMW dealers. do i love them, no. but as long as they get the job done i care about product first and foremost. service is an ancillary issues for me. i do believe others have truly amazing experiences with lexus sales and service. still not a reason to buy a lesser product.

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MJS2113 - 10/9/2007 4:53:04 PM

-2 Boost

THERE ARE ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS "PRINCESS" WAS JUST A INNOCENT VICTIM. I'VE NEVER STEPPED FOOT INTO A BMW DEALER, BUT FOR A MANAGER TO ACT THAT WAY, HARD TO BELIEVE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT AX SHE HAS TO GRIND AGAINST THIS DEALERSHIP. ALSO, FOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS TO SAY THAT "NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND DON'T EXPECT A CALL" DOES NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MANUFACTURE'S CR DEPARTMENTS. BMW'S CR DEPT. HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLING WITH PROBLEMS, SO TO SAY ALL THAT, HOGWASH! ALSO, SHE LETS THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG BY STATING THAT SHE'S BEEN TO THE DEALERS 10 TIMES, INSTEAD TO THE ONLY TWO THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR MAINTENANCE, WHAT, ONLY A ONE YEAR LEASE??? STORY DOES NOT ADD UP LIKE HER IDEA OF MAINTAINING A CAR.

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JRobUSC - 10/9/2007 5:33:21 PM

+2 Boost

don't worry bulldog, everyone won't have a 335i Convertible by next summer. They're still too hard to get without ordering one for that.

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S4cabriofoxone - 10/9/2007 5:58:49 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

"It's not just an old wife's tale about 'crappy BMW dealership experience', yet everyone here somehow comes up with the typical "well, my sister's friend's cousin had the same thing happen at Lexus". Stop it, no it didn't. Ever."

There's not a single person here who mentioned a bad experience at a Lexus dealership- just a few bad BMW experiences, and one from Ford.

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LexusKindaGuy12 - 10/9/2007 5:03:16 PM

0 Boost

yeh sounds like rachel was on something...lol. a lot of exageration

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OBie - 10/9/2007 5:04:03 PM

-2 Boost

Hahaha, serves her right for leasing/buying a BMW.

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nybimmer - 10/9/2007 5:19:59 PM

+5 Boost

001...you live in San Diego, why don't you give a call or stop into Brecht BMW on your way to/from work and publish their response to this posting?

....or do you have an ax to grind with Brecht BMW?

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Agent001 - 10/9/2007 5:31:05 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

That was the first thing we did...we're just waiting for a formal response in the blog from them.

Could be tough if there are any lawsuits in process, etc.

We have no axe to grind with any dealership, just trying to get to the bottom of this.

Without knowing the full details it is hard to side with one or the other.

That's why we published this here to hopefully get the real story.

001

nybimmer - 10/9/2007 7:18:12 PM

+2 Boost

Thanks 001..that's the right thing to do; sounds like we won't be hearing from them.

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 5:34:40 PM

0 Boost

don't know about the rest of you but... i've never just shown up (after bank business hours like this lady), dropped down keys, taken a picture (what the hell is that about?) and left my leased car with any random dealer. generally, you plan in advance (which this lady never did), make an appointment for inspection (which is essential to assess damages beyond normal wear and tear) and return the car. pretty easy.

she sounds like a mess who just waited till the last minute and screwed herself.



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S4cabriofoxone - 10/9/2007 6:01:14 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

You sound like a bit of an overly defensive BMW fan. They are not known for their great dealers and there is no reason to make excuses.

DaHarder - 10/9/2007 7:40:08 PM

+4 Boost

That's why I couldn't help but question the veracity of this individual.

I simply refuse believe that someone would fail to plan the return of a leased vehicle better than this, and if she did wait until the last possible second, she was probably the RUDE one, demanding that she get what she wanted.

As they say, poor planning of the part of one does not constitute an emergency on the part of another.

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 7:55:10 PM

+1 Boost

S4:

i'm not making excuses. but have any of you just shown up the evening your car was due back at some random dealer and demanded it all be handled instantly? and we're only hearing one side of the story.

how do you know this woman isn't just some lunatic?

r15mohd - 10/10/2007 11:06:04 AM

+1 Boost

nothing wrong with showing up last minute...the lease ends on a certain date and you have EVERY RIGHT to return the vehicle on that date, so long as it is within business hours.

JRobUSC - 10/10/2007 12:57:31 PM

+3 Boost

r15, the dealer is in no way obligated to take that lease return, the only lease returns BMW dealers "have to" accept are ones through BMW Financial Services (and even then if the dealer didn't originally sell the car they don't have to keep the car, just do the inspection and lease end paperwork and tell BMW to come get it). This dealership might not even be a Chase Bank affiliated dealer, not all dealers are contracted with every lending institution. Also, why did she drive to a dealer 45 minutes away from where she lives, a dealer who she didn't buy the car from and who she never even spoke to? She lives in California, there's no way there weren't closer dealers to her than this one. She probably drove by them to get to this one. I live in Cincinnati, there are four BMW dealers within that distance. Regardless, they didn't sell her the car, she didn't call to schedule the lease end inspection or return, or even to find out if she COULD drop the car off there, and she waited until the bank was closed to do the turn in so the dealer couldn't even verify the lease contract was complete (for all the dealer knew she still had a year left on the lease, it was stolen, whatever)...

We're obviously not hearing the whole story. Just because she waited until the last second and didn't properly plan doesn't make that someone elses problem. Dealers don't call the police on people who are rational, they call the police on people who are refusing to listen, making a scene, disrupting business, and refusing to leave.

autopro - 10/9/2007 5:40:39 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

I love it, this is typical attitude from BMW and all the germans MFG's thats why Lexus spanks them every year.

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enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 5:47:03 PM

-1 Boost

i love how you just automatically believe this.
two sides to every story.
furthermore, exactly how does lexus 'spank' BMW?

leelemon - 10/9/2007 6:11:07 PM

+1 Boost

autopro, you are truly ignorant if you believe that. This article is not about BMW vs Lexus. Stop adding your ridiculously bias comments because it makes people think all Lexus fans are ignorant - which just isn't true.

Like most people here have already posted, there is probably more to this story. Car dealerships are privately owned and each dealership has its own policies that have nothing to do with the car manufacturer itself. If you want to talk Lexus, my cousin has had several horrific encounters with the Lexus of Westminster dealership. They were real nice when she bought here new IS, but were very rude and dishonest when she came in for service. She also owns two MB, one bought from Laguna and one from Long Beach. She has had service at both those MB dealerships, as well as others, and she admits that each dealership has a very different attitude towards customers.

autopro - 10/9/2007 7:15:19 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

It is about Lexus vs BMW you don't spank the mighty germans in ten years by just bringing out products that offer a better value. Its about customer service.Lexus dealers are the best in the country.I know you may run into a couple of a-holes with any dealer,but BMW's dealers in general are a little cockey.To answer your question enthusiastx11 YTD numbers BMW 216,337 Lexus 244,656 that my boy is a spanking.

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 7:56:54 PM

-1 Boost

why no comment here S4?

all of a sudden this is 'typical BMW dealer.' isnt' that just a little presumptuous?

enthusiastx11 - 10/9/2007 8:00:25 PM

-1 Boost

autopro:

we know it's no contest globally...BMW and mercedes dominate. but even in the states, BMW and mercedes far outsell lexus in passenger cars. so who exactly is getting 'spanked.'

lexus as a brand only outsells BMW and mercedes brand because of the 100,000+ $40,000 RX they sell per year.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/9/2007 8:32:56 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

enthusiast, I have no quibbles with BMW dealers. They're fine, nothing exceptional. I feel the same way about Audi dealers, with respect to my good friend Paul (salesman). It's defensive fans who can't admit a fault that I have trouble with. Not even BMW is perfect.

enthusiastx11 - 10/10/2007 2:10:18 AM

0 Boost

S4:
never claimed perfection.
in fact, i've already said lexus is known for much better sales and service.

if there were a trend of problems like this i'd take it seriously. but this is one person and one side of the story. so all we can do is guess what's going on here.

autopro - 10/12/2007 10:58:43 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

The Lexus franchise is only 17 yrs old. That's the only reason they don't compete globally.If the wanted to they could take over europe too. People buy Lexus products because of quality,value, service,reliability and the overall lack of NVH.Only a small percent of people are enthusiasts we just don't matter.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/9/2007 6:08:00 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I've had a bad BMW dealership experience, myself. There is one terrible dealer in my area, and the other is very good.

First, the bad:

About two years ago, in December of 2005, I was getting rid of the old A4 my son had driven and replacing it with a new winter car to complement my S4. I started at BMW- I wanted to drive a used 330xi, nothing expensive. So, I walked into the dealer and there appeared to be quite a few slightly tipsy salespeople. They might have had a holiday party--but why would you ever do that during open hours, when a potential customer like me would walk in?

I asked one of them (who wasn't drunk) to pull out a 2004 330xi. He obliged, and said it would be around in a few minutes. We waited... five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen and finally twenty. I stepped out in disgust, and have vowed never to go back to Fields BMW. I ended up with an A3 2.0T DSG (floor model) from my favorite Audi dealer.

My good BMW experience: shopping for my wife, I have gone to Fields's rival, Knauz. There is a huge chain there- Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, MINI, Jaguar... but we've focused on the BMWs. I have driven the X5 3.0si, 535xi and X5 4.8i there. Because of the time spent at Knauz, we now have a favorite salesman. It has much better service, a more airy interior and is more popular overall. It seems like I'll be ordering an X5 4.8i from there later this month.

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xphilter - 10/9/2007 6:23:43 PM

+2 Boost

why didn't she simply call ahead of time and save her the horrible 45 min drive?

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Mate - 10/9/2007 6:29:45 PM

+3 Boost

I just sent the dealer i nice long email. ^^

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chuck717 - 10/9/2007 6:45:27 PM

+1 Boost

As a x car dealer of course i don't like to see the public mistreated, on the other hand it seems that the rest of the story must be heard in relations to the dealer's side.
It is not good practice for any dealer to summon the police since a police report is public record could appear in the local press or news agency it is something a dealer wouldn't want to happen. If of course a threat took place that put the general public or employees inharms way you have no choice.
I believe the client started yelling in the dealership and went around telling all that would listen that the dealer was unreasonable in their demands. This prompted the GM to either instruct her to leave or have a police agency called.
The women should have gone to her car and if she has a cell phone call the local BMW distric office to put on record that she tried to leave off a lease car at other then the dealer she purchase from. She then calls the dealer where she purchase the car ask for the GM and explain what happen and that she may be a day late because of it in returning the lease vehicule back to them.
People would come into the dealership on a Sat and demand we take care of their lease problems, Sat is boom day for a dealer and many times we would have to make them wait for hour or two to address their lease purchase problem the finance peple are very busy on weekends and they generally had all the answers not the sales consultants.
This is not to say a sales person who had no sales that day and then was told by a cutomer to help her out became frustrated and started a confrontation that has and does happen again though the dealer is very recluctant to call the police unless a real threat was made.
PS BMW dealers are no more rude then anybody else, i can tell you stories about Chrysler dealers that makes your hair stand out or high volume Toyota dealers. For the most part these problems start with a poor managment team who doesn't want to train its staff in the rigors of the very tough auto business.

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Neverfollow - 10/9/2007 6:47:19 PM

+3 Boost

I know that attitude is everything in business and customer service and the client could very well have come in with a bad attitude of entitlement that could have rubbed everyone the wrong way.

I also know that BMW dealers UNIVERSALLY seem to have this public relations problem more than any other brand, and it extends beyond the dealership level all the way back to Germany. It has always been that way and I'm not sure how it came about.

Even when execs from BMW leave and go to other companies, they tend to have problems adjusting to the new corporate cultures they go to. Look at the CEO that left and went to VW. He lasted what, a week or two? He made some stupid comment to the press about Piech and the Phaeton and he was immediately gone!

I have a feeling the same will happen with this GM at Brecht.



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S4cabriofoxone - 10/9/2007 8:36:55 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

"Look at the CEO that left and went to VW. He lasted what, a week or two? He made some stupid comment to the press about Piech and the Phaeton and he was immediately gone!"

Ah, I remember that! Axel Frieden! He worked for Audi, and he bad-mouthed Piech. Was fired by the next week.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/9/2007 8:39:15 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

Excuse me, not Axel Frieden. That's someone else I know :-S

Axel something, though...

GT3RennSport - 10/10/2007 1:57:51 PM

+1 Boost

Axel Mees ;)

monkeyrun - 10/9/2007 6:50:21 PM

+5 Boost

She should know very well that she need to return her BMW to the original dealer.

Looks like she didn't get what she wanted, and made a scene there.

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DaHarder - 10/9/2007 7:45:08 PM

+5 Boost

BINGO!

We've all seen it everywhere from WalMart to Bloomingdale's, customers simply have this false sense of entitlement regardless of their own (often obtuse) attitudes.

Whoever penned The Customer Is Always Right, never anticipated the kind of consumer in today's market.

monkeyrun - 10/9/2007 6:50:40 PM

+1 Boost

She should know very well that she need to return her BMW to the original dealer.

Looks like she didn't get what she want, and made a scene there.

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bmwdrvr - 10/9/2007 7:00:46 PM

+1 Boost

lets be realistic, this sounds a little far fetched who cares that its a BMW dealership but for any dealership to act like this....the article makes it sound like as soon as she walked in they jumped down her throat. It seems like there are alot of exaggerations, as well as some left out parts of the story. Why would a management team, or sales staff go through all of that over something it sounds like they do on a regular basis. Lets be logical here, this story sounds very far from what actually occured. It sounds like they maybe said something shed didnt approve of she flipped out, and they asked her to leave. Ive heard of bad times at dealerships but this unrealistic.....come on!

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chuck717 - 10/9/2007 7:21:16 PM

+3 Boost

I love the public in general, every sales person is bad or a crook but every customer is misunderstood?
I always listen to both sides, as a owner i had employess for over 25 yrs and the clients would tell me fire him he lied about the deal i would tell the customer in 25yrs this person never had that accusation now tell me what transpired, and they would stand up and say if you don't fire him i will never come back, i showed them the door and location of the local competition?

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EL34 - 10/9/2007 7:33:40 PM

-1 Boost

I don't believe the story for a second and I would a bet a dollar to a doggone doughnut a wacky Lexus fanboy made this malarkey up.

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Occarnut - 10/9/2007 7:59:06 PM

+3 Boost

There are two sides to every story..my guess is, if she is like every other woman I see, she was probably on her cell phone with a friend ignoring her kids who were playing getting the cars in the showroom dirty and that is what prompted the anger from the dealership staff.

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kart1 - 10/9/2007 8:06:56 PM

+1 Boost

With what I have seen and heard in regards to customer service I know that there are multiple versions of each story. I do understand that some dealers are bad and some customers are stupid. So I don't know really who to believe, but I believe that BMW USA could have given her a better answer than point out Franchise issues. I don't know how BMW dealers treat customers, but I have seen many times Lexus referenced as being very good and that their service draws customers to them. That statement about Lexus drawing customers because of their better service does point out one thing: that other luxury frontrunners (Cadillac, BMW, and MB in the US) don't have good service. My experience with my Acura dealership has been professional always no matter why I am there, the service department is excellent as well.

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kart1 - 10/9/2007 8:08:57 PM

+1 Boost

In the end I would like to hear the dealers side, but I don't know how BMW treats its customers.

DaHarder - 10/9/2007 8:16:32 PM

+1 Boost

I will say this, for service alone, I always find it far more pleasant to go to my local/neighborhood BMW Certified Service Centers than the actual dealers.