Discussion
A mate of mine has an X Reg X5, the other day we were heading home when it made a clunking sound and the message Trans. Failsafe Prog appeared on the display. From then on it felt like it was stuck in third or something and wouldn't change gear anymore (automatic).
He decided to take it to a local BMW dealer with the impression that they would do a good job, and that even though you pay a premium it would be a good and realiable job.
After dropping the car off for them to have a look they told him the transmission control box had corroded and needed replacing, in total it would cost around 600 quid for a new box plus labour. That seemed about right as it was raining heavily at the time this fault occurred. Bit pricey that but he went ahead and got the job done thinking that a third-party warranty he had taken out would either cover or partially cover the cost. Wrong (but not the main issue here)...the warranty people said because it was corrosion it was not covered as an electrical problem and they wouldn't pay out (surprise surprise).
He went ahead anyway, but then I went looking on the internet and it turns out that this is a common problem on X5's and a recall in the US had replaced these failed units.
Anyway, job gets done, the final bill is £1095.00. We go in to pick it up and ask for the old part to take a look at. The sales bloke says you can't have the part back because it is a BMW "exchange part"? WTF are these? My mate reasons that if the part came off his car he can damn well have it back FOC, the sales bloke retorts that yes actually you can have it back, for a £100 surcharge! A heated conversation then follows with the BMW bloke being as unmovable as an unmovable thing. Considering he got no loaner car while the X5 was in for four days would it not be reasonable for them to wave the £100 surcharge for this "exchange part" that CAME OFF HIS CAR? No, apparantly not.
Furious he decided to pay the hundred quid surcharge, bringing the total bill to £1195...and suddenly a change of "idea" from BMW of what the replaced part was, it was now a switch and not a control box but conveniently it still cost 600quid. 600! We took a look at this thing, it's a light-as-a-feather aluminium box about the size of a couple of dvd cases with a couple of electrical connector sockets. How on earth it took three hours of labour to replace @ £95 per hour is amazing. What's more amazing is that to me it looked like if they had wire-brushed the connector pins or a bit of WD-40, this problem would have been corrected. It looked, as the corroded pins corroborated, like the connector pins and not the box components, had just corroded a bit. No wonder they didn't want to give him the part to inspect! Fact is, really, the bloody thing shouldn't have failed at all, it's a dodgy design. In fact we're getting the box tested to see if it is knackered, and if it was just the pins...surely that's a rip-off?
Now, does this "exchange part" bullshit really exist and what is it exactly? Did they fit a new part or a reconditioned one? Why are you charged for something you have A: just paid for, and then B: is off your own car? How on earth can they justify that?
Basically, and he told them this, in a couple of months he was going to part-ex the X5 against a NEW BMW, probably another X5 actually and told them that they had most likely now not just lost a sale but lost BMW a long time aspirer to the marque. The sales bloke didn't give a shit, in fact we were kept waiting in the service lounge for an hour and three quarters, which ultimately ruined our day too.
I too now just feel that the BMW badge is a sign that you don't mind being ripped off and will just roll over and pay any amount they deem correct. If something comes off my car and I want it back, I don't expect to get mugged for an extra £100. If something can be fixed, fix the bloody thing, don't hit me for £600 for a new (or reconned) little box of chips that looks like it cost a tenner to build. Also, don't change your mind on what the part was AFTER I have queried it, it makes me feel like I am being bullshitted AND ripped off. And finally, if it takes 30 minutes to change, charge me £45, not £285 + VAT. Oh and yeah, BMW lost TWO customers today, customer service is about service, the BMW guy was arrogant and rude and totally refused to budge.
I won't name the dealer out of respect for board conventions, but I think BMW might be interested in why a dealership is pulling such stunts? Should I write to them? This all stinks to me. Can anyone advise on whether or not this is common practice?
Thanks!
Oh yeah, I get the feeling there was/is nothing wrong with the box and they knew that and could have sold it to some other mug without specifying if it was new/reconditioned by simply brushing the pins. It just all seems crappy to me, no better than some dodgy cowboy garage hiding behind the BMW badge.
He decided to take it to a local BMW dealer with the impression that they would do a good job, and that even though you pay a premium it would be a good and realiable job.
After dropping the car off for them to have a look they told him the transmission control box had corroded and needed replacing, in total it would cost around 600 quid for a new box plus labour. That seemed about right as it was raining heavily at the time this fault occurred. Bit pricey that but he went ahead and got the job done thinking that a third-party warranty he had taken out would either cover or partially cover the cost. Wrong (but not the main issue here)...the warranty people said because it was corrosion it was not covered as an electrical problem and they wouldn't pay out (surprise surprise).
He went ahead anyway, but then I went looking on the internet and it turns out that this is a common problem on X5's and a recall in the US had replaced these failed units.
Anyway, job gets done, the final bill is £1095.00. We go in to pick it up and ask for the old part to take a look at. The sales bloke says you can't have the part back because it is a BMW "exchange part"? WTF are these? My mate reasons that if the part came off his car he can damn well have it back FOC, the sales bloke retorts that yes actually you can have it back, for a £100 surcharge! A heated conversation then follows with the BMW bloke being as unmovable as an unmovable thing. Considering he got no loaner car while the X5 was in for four days would it not be reasonable for them to wave the £100 surcharge for this "exchange part" that CAME OFF HIS CAR? No, apparantly not.
Furious he decided to pay the hundred quid surcharge, bringing the total bill to £1195...and suddenly a change of "idea" from BMW of what the replaced part was, it was now a switch and not a control box but conveniently it still cost 600quid. 600! We took a look at this thing, it's a light-as-a-feather aluminium box about the size of a couple of dvd cases with a couple of electrical connector sockets. How on earth it took three hours of labour to replace @ £95 per hour is amazing. What's more amazing is that to me it looked like if they had wire-brushed the connector pins or a bit of WD-40, this problem would have been corrected. It looked, as the corroded pins corroborated, like the connector pins and not the box components, had just corroded a bit. No wonder they didn't want to give him the part to inspect! Fact is, really, the bloody thing shouldn't have failed at all, it's a dodgy design. In fact we're getting the box tested to see if it is knackered, and if it was just the pins...surely that's a rip-off?
Now, does this "exchange part" bullshit really exist and what is it exactly? Did they fit a new part or a reconditioned one? Why are you charged for something you have A: just paid for, and then B: is off your own car? How on earth can they justify that?
Basically, and he told them this, in a couple of months he was going to part-ex the X5 against a NEW BMW, probably another X5 actually and told them that they had most likely now not just lost a sale but lost BMW a long time aspirer to the marque. The sales bloke didn't give a shit, in fact we were kept waiting in the service lounge for an hour and three quarters, which ultimately ruined our day too.
I too now just feel that the BMW badge is a sign that you don't mind being ripped off and will just roll over and pay any amount they deem correct. If something comes off my car and I want it back, I don't expect to get mugged for an extra £100. If something can be fixed, fix the bloody thing, don't hit me for £600 for a new (or reconned) little box of chips that looks like it cost a tenner to build. Also, don't change your mind on what the part was AFTER I have queried it, it makes me feel like I am being bullshitted AND ripped off. And finally, if it takes 30 minutes to change, charge me £45, not £285 + VAT. Oh and yeah, BMW lost TWO customers today, customer service is about service, the BMW guy was arrogant and rude and totally refused to budge.
I won't name the dealer out of respect for board conventions, but I think BMW might be interested in why a dealership is pulling such stunts? Should I write to them? This all stinks to me. Can anyone advise on whether or not this is common practice?
Thanks!
Oh yeah, I get the feeling there was/is nothing wrong with the box and they knew that and could have sold it to some other mug without specifying if it was new/reconditioned by simply brushing the pins. It just all seems crappy to me, no better than some dodgy cowboy garage hiding behind the BMW badge.
I suppose part of the problem was that the fitter (I refuse to call them technicians) just plugged the diagnostic computer in and it showed a fault with the control box signal, so they replaced the control box which meant they disturbed the poor connectors. When they retested the system the control signal would still be showing incorrect so they changed the switch next. Don't know how the system works so this may be completely wrong but I do have experience of modern diagnostics on other marques.
Basically the fitter just changes whatever the computer tells him to. Happens in most dealerships. They don't diagnose anything and they don't think about it. If it tells them something is not working, they replace it and retest.
I would say it may be the switch at fault and the connections at the control box needed a good clean.
With no experience of working on X5's all of the above is imho but I am happy to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable.
Basically the fitter just changes whatever the computer tells him to. Happens in most dealerships. They don't diagnose anything and they don't think about it. If it tells them something is not working, they replace it and retest.
I would say it may be the switch at fault and the connections at the control box needed a good clean.
With no experience of working on X5's all of the above is imho but I am happy to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable.
There are many things on a BMW that are subject to surcharge-for instance ECU's,Control panels,Catalysts,Turbo's,Gearboxes,Engines,Differentials etc.Its basically a salvage charge-they receive the part back and pay X to the dealer.The part is then shipped back to Garrat,ZF,VDO who then pay BMW X for it or who ever made the part so it can be rebuilt or parts used.
The part without surcharge is alot more than you see-If a service advisor or parts advisor showed the screen to you when you pay for the item you will see the true price the dealer paied for the part.Then the dealer claims back the surcharge from BMW or in your case from you.
It is unfortunate but it may have helped if the guy explained this to you and showed you that its not a ripoff-the dealer is ensuring they are not out of pocket.
This process is the same throughout the entire motor trade.
Hope that explains it a little
I am interested in the part you have bought-do you have the part number for it?
Most control units are quick to replace and code-Im guessing it was a sod to diagnose.
The part without surcharge is alot more than you see-If a service advisor or parts advisor showed the screen to you when you pay for the item you will see the true price the dealer paied for the part.Then the dealer claims back the surcharge from BMW or in your case from you.
It is unfortunate but it may have helped if the guy explained this to you and showed you that its not a ripoff-the dealer is ensuring they are not out of pocket.
This process is the same throughout the entire motor trade.
Hope that explains it a little
I am interested in the part you have bought-do you have the part number for it?
Most control units are quick to replace and code-Im guessing it was a sod to diagnose.
I thought if the part was replaced under warranty then it would be sent back to BMW. As previously mentioned, unfortunately these days the techs do just fit parts and no longer repair items. I believe this is down to the targets the dealers have to meet, get em in get em out, quick, next.
No BMW warranty on this vehicle though. If the car belongs to its owner then surely any part that is removed from it continues to be the property of the owner after being removed. They've charged labour for the time they've spent removing it so there's no excuse for not returning it to its owner if they request. I'd be spitting boiled p!ss over this and wondering what my legal rights were.
MitchT said:
No BMW warranty on this vehicle though. If the car belongs to its owner then surely any part that is removed from it continues to be the property of the owner after being removed. They've charged labour for the time they've spent removing it so there's no excuse for not returning it to its owner if they request. I'd be spitting boiled p!ss over this and wondering what my legal rights were.
I agree
MitchT said:
No BMW warranty on this vehicle though. If the car belongs to its owner then surely any part that is removed from it continues to be the property of the owner after being removed. They've charged labour for the time they've spent removing it so there's no excuse for not returning it to its owner if they request. I'd be spitting boiled p!ss over this and wondering what my legal rights were.
In that case pay full price for the part. You woldn't part exchange the car for a new one and expect to keep both would you?
The part do'es belong to you....
The part comes at a premium as everthing do'es.Turbo's,control units are generally expensive to produce(both in development and production,shipping and so on).
In theory what the manufactorer is doing is buying the faulty part back from you-not by giving you money but by reducing the overall cost of the part.
So what you get is a part for £600 instead of £750 aslong as they can have the old faulty unit back.
Or you get to keep the faulty unit but pay the full price.This isnt explained to customers that often and as you have found causes friction.
During warranty almost all parts go back-These parts are all sent back to the different subsiduaries who make the parts for BMW,these companies then bare the costs of the repair.Except for the trims and parts BMW make which are binned.
I think the dealer has let you down here by not relaying information about why they believe the unit has failed,possible costs that could be involved,not explaining the surcharge and so on.
The part comes at a premium as everthing do'es.Turbo's,control units are generally expensive to produce(both in development and production,shipping and so on).
In theory what the manufactorer is doing is buying the faulty part back from you-not by giving you money but by reducing the overall cost of the part.
So what you get is a part for £600 instead of £750 aslong as they can have the old faulty unit back.
Or you get to keep the faulty unit but pay the full price.This isnt explained to customers that often and as you have found causes friction.
During warranty almost all parts go back-These parts are all sent back to the different subsiduaries who make the parts for BMW,these companies then bare the costs of the repair.Except for the trims and parts BMW make which are binned.
I think the dealer has let you down here by not relaying information about why they believe the unit has failed,possible costs that could be involved,not explaining the surcharge and so on.
m3evo2 said:
I thought if the part was replaced under warranty then it would be sent back to BMW. As previously mentioned, unfortunately these days the techs do just fit parts and no longer repair items. I believe this is down to the targets the dealers have to meet, get em in get em out, quick, next.
Not with us it isnt..We have a dedicated service team for the turn over(service,brakes etc)and a diagnosis team.My sole purpose is to Diagnose,search and repair to the original standard.This includes cutting looms open and fabricating wires in,reworking seat frames,engines and so on.
If in a QMA audit we are found to just replace,lets say batteries without diagnosis then the years battery replacements retail or warranty are debited by BMW.A few years ago that cost us £20,000.
The network is closely monitored,fortunately,BMW has the most skilled technicians,mechanics,fitters or grunts of any in the world-the UK has the best of them.Every level Service technician,technician,senior technician and master is recognised in IMI(institute of motor industry).And almost all of the 1800 are at one of those levels.About 60 of us are at the Master level.
I would like to see more mystery shoppers as the main problem I here about is the general attitude to the paying customer-all dealers should be at the same level af care...After all without a paying customer there is no business.
blackspider said:
I would like to see more mystery shoppers as the main problem I here about is the general attitude to the paying customer-all dealers should be at the same level af care...After all without a paying customer there is no business.
One of the main problems I have is that the service dept staff don't even seem to know things that I do. A few years back early one May I had my car MOTd and a couple of things needed doing. The woman on the service desk was absolutely adamant that 'MOT Insurance' was a very new product and I wouldn't have it until the next time I renewed the warranty (due to be done a few days later), despite the fact that the previous May when I'd renewed the warranty I received a letter telling me about the new 'MOT Insurance' and that I was now covered by it. She wouldn't even go and check until I demanded a car so I could drive home and get the letter that I'd received nearly 12 months ago telling me that I was now covered by MOT Insurance... The next year the chap I dealt with didn't even know that MOT Insurance existed!
It is a shame that service levels seem to differ so widely amongst dealers. I appreciate the techs are all trained to the same high standards and I know BMW are very proud of this with their new training centre etc. but unfortunately a lot of the problems I see are down to the management, isnt it always. The dealer I know does not have these dedicated teams you refer to, but it does sound like a very good idea, but I think my local dealer wouldn't be able to stomache the cost of this setup.
I took my E30 M3 to have an oil service, the tech mentioned to the service advisor that the oil he was about to use was too thin for the S14 but the service advisor said to stick it in anyway. I received this information second hand. I have also heard many times that BMW dealers are probably not the best people these days to service the older cars as lots of the product knowledge has been lost which is a shame. I am happy to pay dealer prices because in the past, over the last 11 years I have generally received an excellent service. That is up until about 4 yeas ago where there has been a steady decline in the customer service.
The QMA audits are very thorough but since BMW tell the dealers when to expect the auditors my local dealer spends a couple of weeks prior to the audit making sure everything will be OK. As soon as the auditors have left things revert back to normal. The amount of hoodwinking that goes in this situation is unbelievable and in my opinion outrageous.
With that said, I do and will continue to use my local dealer to service etc. my more "modern" cars but will be using an independent for the M3.
I took my E30 M3 to have an oil service, the tech mentioned to the service advisor that the oil he was about to use was too thin for the S14 but the service advisor said to stick it in anyway. I received this information second hand. I have also heard many times that BMW dealers are probably not the best people these days to service the older cars as lots of the product knowledge has been lost which is a shame. I am happy to pay dealer prices because in the past, over the last 11 years I have generally received an excellent service. That is up until about 4 yeas ago where there has been a steady decline in the customer service.
The QMA audits are very thorough but since BMW tell the dealers when to expect the auditors my local dealer spends a couple of weeks prior to the audit making sure everything will be OK. As soon as the auditors have left things revert back to normal. The amount of hoodwinking that goes in this situation is unbelievable and in my opinion outrageous.
With that said, I do and will continue to use my local dealer to service etc. my more "modern" cars but will be using an independent for the M3.
Well in December my e34 M5's engine gave up the ghost one week after being left with BMW to fix an oil leak coming from the timing chain tensioner (yes, I knew exactly where it was coming from and told them that).
As I knew it was losing oil at a tremendous rate (1L per 10 miles) I kept topping it up until I could get to the dealer on the day it was booked it.
I was asked if they could keep it overnight in need by, and I had no problem with that.
The following day (Saturday) I called up to check progress and was told they technician assigned to it had called in sick on Saturday morning and hadn't had a chance to look at it, but it was sitting on a 4-poster with its sump off, and they had been too busy to have anyone else look at it. They told me someone else would be assigned to it on Monday and it should be ready Monday evening as long as no parts needed ordering.
As I work away all week and need a car, I asked if I could be supplied with a courtesy car - they said no for 3 reasons: 1) as the service department was closing I wouldn't be able to get there to pick one up; 2) the work would be done on Monday and I would then have to bring the car back on Monday evening (which I couldn't as I would be in another part of the country working); 3) they didn't have any available anyway.
Called back Monday evening and was told that no-one had had a chance to look at it, but not to worry as the original technician would be back on Tuesday and would go straight onto it.
Tuesday came and went, same story. Wednesday came and went, same story. Thursday came and went, same story - except I said I'd be down on Saturday to speak to the service manager and/or dealer principal about a courtesy car as I'd incurred expenses in travelling that I would not normally have incurred.
Got a call on Friday before I made it to the dealership and was told the car was being worked on as we spoke and it would be ready for collection that evening - again I told them I couldn't pick it up until Saturday, and the cheeky barstewards said that if I didn't pick it up in a timely manner I could be charged storage fees.
Got there 8:30 Saturday morning and was left waiting for an hour while they tried to find the job sheet and work out the invoice. Finally got the invoice for aroud £500 for investigating and fixing the oil leak. When I reeled a little at the price I was talken through the bill and told it was for 3 hours labour and £100 in parts/oil (plus VAT).
So I start by saying I'm not paying the full bill until I've negotiated a discount for the extra week it's taken them to fix it and for the blatant lies that it would be ready mañana every day. Service manager won't reduce it by a penny. As them about the expenses I've incurred and show them the hire car invoice of £249 for a 2.5 Vectra for the week - won't budge as I could have asked them for a courtesy car (FFS)!.
Finally I ask to see the workshop manager as the service manager is blaming him for the delay as it was up to the workshop manager to reschedule the workload. Service manager goes away for 20 minutes and then comes back saying the workshop manager isn't in, but has spoken to him by phone and denies he's liable for any blame as they were one technician down all week and had other work to reschedule - mine obviously being ignored even though it was the first to be delayed as the original technical had not completed a job sheet, so noone else knew where the repair/diagnosis was up to or why the sump was off (other than to drain every last drop of oil from the engine by being left for a week).
Finally ask to see the dealer principal, but am first told he's not in, then when pushed for someone in charge that day was told he was actually over at the sales site (about 500m away) but was busy with an audit. So off I trundle to the sales site where I present myself to reception and ask for the dealer principal - only to be told he's not in - to which I reply that I know about the auditors, to be told that he's not on site, and he's over at the service site I've just come from.
Back over to the service site I go, and ask the service manager to get the dealer principal - who he obviously knows is in the building as there's a been a group of 4 going round the service dept, workshop and stores all day. Service manager goes away for 20 minutes or so and comes back with the workshop manager and another 'service manager' - guess what...the original service manager I've been dealing with is not the service manager at all and both he and the workshop manager have been busy with the auditors and didn't want to be interrupted.
So finally at 12:30 I sit down with the service manager and workshop manager and am asked to tell the whole sorry tale again - I lay out clearly, concisely and rationally my situation and what I want doing about it, and what the minimum I expect them to do about it and if they can't authorise that then get the dealer principal to authorise it as I am not leaving until it is sorted.
10 minutes go buy with them asking me questions about what's happened and why I didn't get a courtesy car, or why I didn't speak to them sooner!?!? Finally I get offered 60% off the labour and 40% off the parts - which I accept as that will cover the cost of the hire car and let me get out of the forsaken place.
Drive the car home (8 miles) but notice the oil & water temps are unusually high - check the oil level and it is a bit low, but I top that up and then check the water level to find it is the right level but it's not 'slick' - i.e. no cooling/anti-freeze additives added.
Rectify this and contnue to use the car as normal. Drive 80 miles to work on Monday and the car seems fine, potter around the local area for a couple of days, and then drive back home on Thursday.
Halfway down the motorway home the engine not changes and there is a small loss of power, but nothing bad enough to make me think it's anything major - maybe just a dodgy ignition coil or plug, so I continue home using a bit less throttle and acceleration and as I pull up I can hear that it's clearly misfiring on one cylinder.
The following day I swap coils and plugs and find out #4 is misfiring and it's not caused by plugs, coil or injector and there's no oil around the head so it's not leaking that way. Book it in for a compression/leak down test at a specialist (no way is it going to the dealer) and am told it's very low on compression on #4 and the head will have to come off for a proper inspection which is going to cost at least £1200 just to look - however the specialist a suggests it's a stuck/bent valve.
So that's where I left it and I sold the car as it was with a knackered engine.
As I knew it was losing oil at a tremendous rate (1L per 10 miles) I kept topping it up until I could get to the dealer on the day it was booked it.
I was asked if they could keep it overnight in need by, and I had no problem with that.
The following day (Saturday) I called up to check progress and was told they technician assigned to it had called in sick on Saturday morning and hadn't had a chance to look at it, but it was sitting on a 4-poster with its sump off, and they had been too busy to have anyone else look at it. They told me someone else would be assigned to it on Monday and it should be ready Monday evening as long as no parts needed ordering.
As I work away all week and need a car, I asked if I could be supplied with a courtesy car - they said no for 3 reasons: 1) as the service department was closing I wouldn't be able to get there to pick one up; 2) the work would be done on Monday and I would then have to bring the car back on Monday evening (which I couldn't as I would be in another part of the country working); 3) they didn't have any available anyway.
Called back Monday evening and was told that no-one had had a chance to look at it, but not to worry as the original technician would be back on Tuesday and would go straight onto it.
Tuesday came and went, same story. Wednesday came and went, same story. Thursday came and went, same story - except I said I'd be down on Saturday to speak to the service manager and/or dealer principal about a courtesy car as I'd incurred expenses in travelling that I would not normally have incurred.
Got a call on Friday before I made it to the dealership and was told the car was being worked on as we spoke and it would be ready for collection that evening - again I told them I couldn't pick it up until Saturday, and the cheeky barstewards said that if I didn't pick it up in a timely manner I could be charged storage fees.
Got there 8:30 Saturday morning and was left waiting for an hour while they tried to find the job sheet and work out the invoice. Finally got the invoice for aroud £500 for investigating and fixing the oil leak. When I reeled a little at the price I was talken through the bill and told it was for 3 hours labour and £100 in parts/oil (plus VAT).
So I start by saying I'm not paying the full bill until I've negotiated a discount for the extra week it's taken them to fix it and for the blatant lies that it would be ready mañana every day. Service manager won't reduce it by a penny. As them about the expenses I've incurred and show them the hire car invoice of £249 for a 2.5 Vectra for the week - won't budge as I could have asked them for a courtesy car (FFS)!.
Finally I ask to see the workshop manager as the service manager is blaming him for the delay as it was up to the workshop manager to reschedule the workload. Service manager goes away for 20 minutes and then comes back saying the workshop manager isn't in, but has spoken to him by phone and denies he's liable for any blame as they were one technician down all week and had other work to reschedule - mine obviously being ignored even though it was the first to be delayed as the original technical had not completed a job sheet, so noone else knew where the repair/diagnosis was up to or why the sump was off (other than to drain every last drop of oil from the engine by being left for a week).
Finally ask to see the dealer principal, but am first told he's not in, then when pushed for someone in charge that day was told he was actually over at the sales site (about 500m away) but was busy with an audit. So off I trundle to the sales site where I present myself to reception and ask for the dealer principal - only to be told he's not in - to which I reply that I know about the auditors, to be told that he's not on site, and he's over at the service site I've just come from.
Back over to the service site I go, and ask the service manager to get the dealer principal - who he obviously knows is in the building as there's a been a group of 4 going round the service dept, workshop and stores all day. Service manager goes away for 20 minutes or so and comes back with the workshop manager and another 'service manager' - guess what...the original service manager I've been dealing with is not the service manager at all and both he and the workshop manager have been busy with the auditors and didn't want to be interrupted.
So finally at 12:30 I sit down with the service manager and workshop manager and am asked to tell the whole sorry tale again - I lay out clearly, concisely and rationally my situation and what I want doing about it, and what the minimum I expect them to do about it and if they can't authorise that then get the dealer principal to authorise it as I am not leaving until it is sorted.
10 minutes go buy with them asking me questions about what's happened and why I didn't get a courtesy car, or why I didn't speak to them sooner!?!? Finally I get offered 60% off the labour and 40% off the parts - which I accept as that will cover the cost of the hire car and let me get out of the forsaken place.
Drive the car home (8 miles) but notice the oil & water temps are unusually high - check the oil level and it is a bit low, but I top that up and then check the water level to find it is the right level but it's not 'slick' - i.e. no cooling/anti-freeze additives added.
Rectify this and contnue to use the car as normal. Drive 80 miles to work on Monday and the car seems fine, potter around the local area for a couple of days, and then drive back home on Thursday.
Halfway down the motorway home the engine not changes and there is a small loss of power, but nothing bad enough to make me think it's anything major - maybe just a dodgy ignition coil or plug, so I continue home using a bit less throttle and acceleration and as I pull up I can hear that it's clearly misfiring on one cylinder.
The following day I swap coils and plugs and find out #4 is misfiring and it's not caused by plugs, coil or injector and there's no oil around the head so it's not leaking that way. Book it in for a compression/leak down test at a specialist (no way is it going to the dealer) and am told it's very low on compression on #4 and the head will have to come off for a proper inspection which is going to cost at least £1200 just to look - however the specialist a suggests it's a stuck/bent valve.
So that's where I left it and I sold the car as it was with a knackered engine.
Your tale does not surprise me I'm afraid, and what a bloody shame about your M5. You are spot on when you talk about the auditors, nothing else matters when there in. Big bonus to be had if they pass, big trouble if not, but this should not affect how the dealer principal or management deal with customers, it really feks me off. No matter what, the customer should be priority and even the auditors would understand this, it's called customer service!!! aarrrggghhhh. I am aware of so many horror stories i.e. the time a tech forgot to put oil in the diff (e30), customer drove off, you can guess what happened a few yards down the road! Another example, customer booked his car in for service, the service washers grabbed he car, cleaned it, parked it up. At the end of the day, customer comes to collect the car, only for the service advisor to realise they had forgotten to do the work. They then carried out a service in about 10 mins and didnt tell the customer anything. Or the time the service manager reversed his X5 into a customers new 5 Series, only to walk off and do nothing about it. It's a shame the auditors dont get to know about these things, they need a rocket up there rses. I could go on but it saddens me.
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