Do BMW dealers swap 19's for 18's without telling you ?
Discussion
Question for those in the know. my e46 M3 is in at Cotswold today getting the alarm looked at as it still can't be locked with the remote without the alarm going off. When i go back to pick the car up i don't know if i shoudl mention something i noticed last week.
I had a look at the photo i saved that was on the website when i bought the car and the wheels looked a bit different/bigger to the one's on there now.
I'm sure that it had 19's on in the picture (should be in my profile) can anyone tell just from a picture ?
Am i going mad, it definately has 18's on now and has had since i picked it up in November.
If they have swapped them can i do anything ?
Sorry pics not in profile yet and my mobile with pics on was dropped whilst at Cotswold this morning so can't transfer them yet.
I had a look at the photo i saved that was on the website when i bought the car and the wheels looked a bit different/bigger to the one's on there now.
I'm sure that it had 19's on in the picture (should be in my profile) can anyone tell just from a picture ?
Am i going mad, it definately has 18's on now and has had since i picked it up in November.
If they have swapped them can i do anything ?
Sorry pics not in profile yet and my mobile with pics on was dropped whilst at Cotswold this morning so can't transfer them yet.
Edited by bod33 on Thursday 19th July 09:53
So you are saying they changed the wheels between putting the ad up and you buying it?
If so there is nothing you can do, they just changed the car a bit, nothing wrong with that as you definitely viewed the car before buying it and approved enough to exchange currency for it. They could have replaced the engine with a 1.8 diesel as long as they didn't explicitly state 3.2ltr whilst selling.
No big loss really as the 18" are meant to be far superior for driving dynamics anyway.
If so there is nothing you can do, they just changed the car a bit, nothing wrong with that as you definitely viewed the car before buying it and approved enough to exchange currency for it. They could have replaced the engine with a 1.8 diesel as long as they didn't explicitly state 3.2ltr whilst selling.
No big loss really as the 18" are meant to be far superior for driving dynamics anyway.
Easiest thing would to be to take a car as it is now with the 18s on, from the same angle/zoom. Then put the photos side by side and take a look.
If they advertised the car with a photo of it with 19s on, then that is what you can reasonably expect to buy. It is not a "buyer beware" situation, as it would be with a private sale.
If they advertised the car with a photo of it with 19s on, then that is what you can reasonably expect to buy. It is not a "buyer beware" situation, as it would be with a private sale.
bod33 said:
Question for those in the know. my e46 M3 is in at Cotswold today getting the alarm looked at as it still can't be locked with the remote without the alarm going off. When i go back to pick the car up i don't know if i shoudl mention something i noticed last week.
I had a look at the photo i saved that was on the website when i bought the car and the wheels looked a bit different/bigger to the one's on there now.
I'm sure that it had 19's on in the picture (should be in my profile) can anyone tell just from a picture ?
Am i going mad, it definately has 18's on now and has had since i picked it up in November.
If they have swapped them can i do anything ?
Sorry pics not in profile yet and my mobile with pics on was dropped whilst at Cotswold this morning so can't transfer them yet.
The M3 18" and 19" wheels are different designs...surely it would be screaming obvious if they'd been swapped??I had a look at the photo i saved that was on the website when i bought the car and the wheels looked a bit different/bigger to the one's on there now.
I'm sure that it had 19's on in the picture (should be in my profile) can anyone tell just from a picture ?
Am i going mad, it definately has 18's on now and has had since i picked it up in November.
If they have swapped them can i do anything ?
Sorry pics not in profile yet and my mobile with pics on was dropped whilst at Cotswold this morning so can't transfer them yet.
Edited by bod33 on Thursday 19th July 09:53
I only have an original picture of when the car was advertised on an sd card that was in my phone which was damaged yesterday so i can't access it ! (THAT WAS THE POINT)!
I mentioned it to someone last week when i came across the old photo and they thought they were the same, i disagreed.
The wheels I have look too small for the car and the other M3's i have seen all have the estate agent 19's on. Yes you can easily tell ! i know that thanks you brilliant detectives but i drove it with 18's on and bought the car so it was a legal question. I have my answer now, finally.
I would have wanted the 19's anyway but haven't heard great things about the ride quality etc, but they do look better.
It wasn't my intention to buy the one i have as i wanted a CSL originally, my car was fully loaded and the CSL looked scruffy so decision made.
bod33 said:
It wasn't my intention to buy the one i have as i wanted a CSL originally, my car was fully loaded and the CSL looked scruffy so decision made.
Not taking the mickey but surely there was more than one CSL out there when you were looking? Why buy a car you didnt really want, especially if you wanted 19's and bought one with 18's?? Again, not taking the p*ss but just doesnt make sense to me..My other half's Dad bought a Yaris T Sport.
Did the deal, car immaculate. Went to pick it up and the cheeky strokers had swapped the wheels for a set off an identical car which had marks on them.
Words were exchanged, and he eventually told them to shove the car.
Not unknown. But changing the size would be a bit much. Mind you if you were daft enough to miss something as obvious as that when you picked it up then I'm afraid it's too late to moan now. Maybe you should check the engine as well....!
Edited by Vesuvius 996 on Friday 20th July 10:35
Trying really hard to not be sarcastic here...but you can't tell the difference between 18 and 19's, come here asking for others to tell you from a non-existent photo and then get all huffy when you get some sarcasim!!!!
Ok, Seriously: When you test drove the car did it have 19's or 18's on it?
The picture is often 'a representative' sample of a car and not always the actual car. The thing that counts is: Has the car been changed from the time you test drove/agreed to buy it until you took delivery?
Even if you can remember what wheels you had on it, I don't think you have case. If you swear blind it had 19's when you drove it-why have you waited so long to notice? It is a material difference that is apparent from a quick glance, even at night so there is no excuse really. Even if you drove of not knowing surely you would notice the next day?
They can easily claim that you swappped the wheels and are blaming them?
Ok, Seriously: When you test drove the car did it have 19's or 18's on it?
The picture is often 'a representative' sample of a car and not always the actual car. The thing that counts is: Has the car been changed from the time you test drove/agreed to buy it until you took delivery?
Even if you can remember what wheels you had on it, I don't think you have case. If you swear blind it had 19's when you drove it-why have you waited so long to notice? It is a material difference that is apparent from a quick glance, even at night so there is no excuse really. Even if you drove of not knowing surely you would notice the next day?
They can easily claim that you swappped the wheels and are blaming them?
Edited by Dino D on Friday 20th July 10:54
Dear God ! The picture was definately of the car I bought and the picture I would say has 19's on it. I drove it with 18's it has always had 18's on, just wondered why they would swap them.
From what i can remember it was all polished up and didn't really look at the wheels as i was too busy being upset at the 911 going.
I bought the car pretty much because the fiance liked it more and her kids liked the TV in it ! The CSL was the closest one to me and shouldn't have been on the forecourt with all the internal scratches, according to the dealer, that particular car has been discussed on here at length already !
Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit so I'm always being told, as for being huffy, get F****d !
It was a simple question and required a simple answer, I do not have the original advert from the website just a picture with the reg no showing so it may have said 18's and not 19's.
Case closed as i'm keeping it as is anyway.
Many thanks for the carefully thought out arguments and points of view provided in this FORUM (open discussion)
From what i can remember it was all polished up and didn't really look at the wheels as i was too busy being upset at the 911 going.
I bought the car pretty much because the fiance liked it more and her kids liked the TV in it ! The CSL was the closest one to me and shouldn't have been on the forecourt with all the internal scratches, according to the dealer, that particular car has been discussed on here at length already !
Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit so I'm always being told, as for being huffy, get F****d !
It was a simple question and required a simple answer, I do not have the original advert from the website just a picture with the reg no showing so it may have said 18's and not 19's.
Case closed as i'm keeping it as is anyway.
Many thanks for the carefully thought out arguments and points of view provided in this FORUM (open discussion)
Edited by bod33 on Friday 20th July 11:11
bod33 said:
I was really asking why they would have changed them ?
Another customer wanted one of their other M3's but wanted 19's on it "certainly Sir, we've got another one on the forecourt with a mint set, we can get them swapped over no problem". Anything for a sale..Sorry, you really should have noticed tho! In fact, are you sure the CSL you looked at first was not a 320D with a badge on? Not being sarcastic..but it does happen you know...
Vesuvius 996 said:
Mind you if you were daft enough to miss something as obvious as that when you picked it up then I'm afraid it's too late to moan now. Maybe you should check the engine as well....!
If what you took away was different to what's in the photo then you've got a bloody good argument that it wasn't sold as represented. Lots of avenues you can take, trading standards, solicitors letter. My advice - hit them hard as quickly as possible. Make their life hell in as many ways as possible, scattergun attack.Edited by Vesuvius 996 on Friday 20th July 10:35
But surely, you go to a main dealer - test drive the car (now presuming it had 18's at this point), do the deal - drive away! It hasnt been changed in any way since you test drove it and agreed the price has it?!
I suppose if it was in the spec description stating it had 19" wheels (as it def would do if you bought it from Cotswold) that would be different.
Unless you can prove this me thinks havent got a case. Very best of luck tho, i hope you nail em..
I suppose if it was in the spec description stating it had 19" wheels (as it def would do if you bought it from Cotswold) that would be different.
Unless you can prove this me thinks havent got a case. Very best of luck tho, i hope you nail em..
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