Time to change brands? Maintenance woes and rude rep at BMW NA

lay3r3 · #1 02-26-2010, 06:21 PM

I'm steaming mad today and was hoping to seek the collective input from the group. Talk me off the ledge...

I've been a very vocal supporter of my X5... LOVE it, even through all its quirks

I drive low mileage... like 7k a year, so it goes in once a year for the maintenance and that's about it. The little e46 328i I had before the X was great also. And the old Beamer cycle I had years ago... same story, awesome. So when my wife was due for a new car, it only made sense to continue the love affair. She liked the e90's so we picked up a CPO 330i. Loved driving it, not as powerful obviously as the X5 but it's like buzzing around in a go-cart. Tons of fun. BUT... the damn maintenance light seems to pop on ALL THE TIME. I'm probably over sensitive b/c I'm used to just one visit a year but damn, this has independent maintenance systems now, all on their own schedule. So we're learning to deal with it but I hit the wall today. The damn oil change light came on after like 2k miles and 4 months from the last one. So I call the dealer and ask WTF is going on here. He told me that the September change was "low mileage oil change" as recommended by BMW - once per year minimum change. I ask why they don't reset the counter on the oil at that time and he said they can't... aren't allowed by BMW. Well, I can't beat the guy up too much if he's operating within parameters he doesn't set. So he gives me BMW NA's number... I talk to a nice guy named David who says I need to talk to a case manager. I get transferred to Brian. Brian... let’s just say Brian must have been having a bad day. I am asking Brian to help me understand why you wouldn't reset the mileage counter when you put new oil/filter/gasket etc. No answer, just says it's the policy. I keep asking different ways, keep getting the policy recited to me. He told me they do NOT recommend the annual low mileage change and b/c I did that it's not on BMW that I now am supposed to change the oil again. Said I shouldn't have changed it in September. We debated the "finer" points of their maintenance program but really after just being told over and over again it's policy and, quite frankly, being talked down to I asked him to forward me an official position from BMW NA on the policy so I could address it with the dealer. I've forwarded the response to the dealer but damn, is this what I should expect from BMW NA? This was my first time calling them. A serious attitude and two oil changes a year and he-said-she-said dealer/manufacturer relationship? He actually told me that dealers are independent and they do not stand behind the dealer recommendations as they can recommend anything they'd like.

Sad that after so much good loving with my BMW's over a 15 year spread I'm now thinking strongly of changing to a different brand. I feel... sad.

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Meiac09 · #2 02-26-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lay3r3

She liked the e90's so we picked up a CPO 330i. Loved driving it, not as powerful obviously as the X5 but it's like buzzing around in a go-cart. Tons of fun. BUT... the damn maintenance light seems to pop on ALL THE TIME. I'm probably over sensitive b/c I'm used to just one visit a year but damn, this has independent maintenance systems now, all on their own schedule. So we're learning to deal with it but I hit the wall today. The damn oil change light came on after like 2k miles and 4 months from the last one. So I call the dealer and ask WTF is going on here.

The unsynchronized maintenance lights piss me off too with my E90. They're different. Right now, my car says 1700 miles to go, but this is for front brakes. It was in 4000 miles ago for rear brakes and 8500 miles ago for oil. Nothing you can do, unless you want to use an indy and ignore the lights. Anything different indicates a problem with check control.

Most dealers have shit customer service anyway. Thats nothing new nor unique to BMW.

lay3r3 · #3 02-26-2010, 06:37 PM

Bingo! The dealer said I can choose to ignore it but come'on. I told the BMW NA guy that they should provide guidelines that empower a dealer to recognize customer inconvenience of having to take the car in repeatedly and perform some repair if it's obvious a visit is due in a few months. His response was "we provide this as a service at no cost and you can choose to use it if you like or not"

What?!? My car is not in warranty so how is that a free service? And how do I turn it off so they are in synch? That attitude says we're great b/c it's free and you surely live within 5 miles from the dealer and like dropping your car off, and will always buy a new one when the warranty is out... right??

FSETH · #4 02-27-2010, 12:10 PM

I guess I am a little confused. You are upset because the car tells you when service is due and that you needed two oil changes in a short period of time? You are also upset the BMWNA rep told you it was policy not to reset the light for an annual short-oil change? This has you at the point where you are thinking about switching brands?

KYZRSOSE · #5 02-27-2010, 12:29 PM

My $.02.

I absolutely love my car, even with its various 'issues.' Some them solved, some of them still ongoing. My current dealer is a good dealer.

As for BMWNA Cust service, very poor. My first rep, Nate was rude verbally and had poor communication skills as for returning phone calls. His supervisor Eric was just as bad, in fact, never returning phone calls. I just spoke with the Floor manager Carlos, and he is supposed to contact me by Tuesday. Lets see what happens. Even as bad as the cust service reps are, and the various 'issue's' I've had with this car, gotta go with the BMW again if I had the choice.

lay3r3 · #6 02-27-2010, 12:36 PM

That's a bit of an over simplification. I'm upset that the car doesn't need an oil change but BMW NA has set a policy on their newer cars that creates the situation for unecessary maintenance which equals higher cost of ownership and greater inconvenience. The dealer changed the oil the last week of September per guidelines stipulating at least once per year. The milage counter was somewhere around 13,000 of the 15,000 mile interval. The dealer is not authorized to reset the counter to zero. So now, after three months and two thousand miles the counter is at zero and wants it's oil changed again. BMW NA told me that they do not allow dealers to reset the counter unless it zeros out regardless if the owner is proactive and changes the oil early or per the one year guideline. (which they said is not a supported guideline) They also confirmed the system can override the counter if it sees something wrong which makes it even more of a mystery as to why you wouldn't reset the usage counter if you do an oil change.

One reason I own, and have owned this brand is because the maintenance is easy. I can do it myself if I want to take the time, I can have my Indy shop do it if I don't, or the dealer is there. But BMW NA clearly told me on the phone they believe a system which now requires many seperate trips for maintenance even if some are unnecessary (as is my case to change oil with barely any use) is the new and improved and preferred plan. That is not my ideal car any longer. While many people are such loyalists BMW can do no wrong, I'm not one of them. I know other cars are just as good and if BMW believes a program that causes greater disruption of ownership is a better system then I think as a responsible adult I have to strongly evaluate our relationship.

So no, it's not just because it wants an oil change. That just created the situation in which in had the displeasure of talking to Brian at BMW NA who educated me in BMW's new philosophy.

lay3r3 · #7 02-27-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KYZRSOSE

My $.02.

I absolutely love my car, even with its various 'issues.' Some them solved, some of them still ongoing. My current dealer is a good dealer.

As for BMWNA Cust service, very poor. My first rep, Nate was rude verbally and had poor communication skills as for returning phone calls. His supervisor Eric was just as bad, in fact, never returning phone calls. I just spoke with the Floor manager Carlos, and he is supposed to contact me by Tuesday. Lets see what happens. Even as bad as the cust service reps are, and the various 'issue's' I've had with this car, gotta go with the BMW again if I had the choice.

Prior to buying this e90 for my wife I felt the same way. But this is on all the newer cars so with my '03 x5 nearing consideration for replacement, the defacto solution of trade for a new x5 is no longer the defacto. With two of the newer systems we will constantly have a loaner in the driveway having one at the shop for this or that.

FSETH · #8 02-27-2010, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lay3r3

That's a bit of an over simplification. I'm upset that the car doesn't need an oil change but BMW NA has set a policy on their newer cars that creates the situation for unecessary maintenance which equals higher cost of ownership and greater inconvenience. The dealer changed the oil the last week of September per guidelines stipulating at least once per year. The milage counter was somewhere around 13,000 of the 15,000 mile interval. The dealer is not authorized to reset the counter to zero. So now, after three months and two thousand miles the counter is at zero and wants it's oil changed again. BMW NA told me that they do not allow dealers to reset the counter unless it zeros out regardless if the owner is proactive and changes the oil early or per the one year guideline. (which they said is not a supported guideline) They also confirmed the system can override the counter if it sees something wrong which makes it even more of a mystery as to why you wouldn't reset the usage counter if you do an oil change.

One reason I own, and have owned this brand is because the maintenance is easy. I can do it myself if I want to take the time, I can have my Indy shop do it if I don't, or the dealer is there. But BMW NA clearly told me on the phone they believe a system which now requires many seperate trips for maintenance even if some are unnecessary (as is my case to change oil with barely any use) is the new and improved and preferred plan. That is not my ideal car any longer. While many people are such loyalists BMW can do no wrong, I'm not one of them. I know other cars are just as good and if BMW believes a program that causes greater disruption of ownership is a better system then I think as a responsible adult I have to strongly evaluate our relationship.

So no, it's not just because it wants an oil change. That just created the situation in which in had the displeasure of talking to Brian at BMW NA who educated me in BMW's new philosophy.

I do agree with you with regards to resetting the oil light. Especially if they perform a full oil service and you are that close to requiring an oil change due to miles driven, regardless of time elapsed. In fact, I really can't think why you wouldn't reset the light.

Either way, the oil is new and you either have another years time or a fresh mileage interval. Still seems like a very small issue, IMO. I know they have reset tools for the older models. Are these available for your 330i?

I don't necessarily know if the BMW rep was rude to you or not. It doesn't sound like it from what you posted. What else can he really do besides tell you what he did? I obviously can't hear his tone through type, but it didn't sound that bad to me.

At the end of the day, brakes, oil, tires, fluids, spark plugs, etc. are all on different maintenance shcedules and all will require service on their own time. What I would do to limit dealer trips is assess where my car is before I take it in for any work. In Meiac's example, his car said rear brakes were required 4,000 miles ago and front brakes will be required in 1,700 miles. Seeing as these intervals are so close together, I would have had all 4 replaced at once and had a short-term oil change done at the same time so I didn't have to make three trips to the dealer. Actually, I would have done all of those things myself, brakes one day and oil when it was required and never made a trip to the dealer.

Every car manufacturer is going to have it's issues and every car is going to have it's quirks. You could end up going to company B who is known for better customer service and have the luck of contacting the only snotty customer service rep in entire the company. If your biggest gripe are the maintenance lights, you are doing OK, IMO.

lay3r3 · #9 02-27-2010, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSETH

At the end of the day, brakes, oil, tires, fluids, spark plugs, etc. are all on different maintenance shcedules and all will require service on their own time. What I would do to limit dealer trips is assess where my car is before I take it in for any work. In Meiac's example, his car said rear brakes were required 4,000 miles ago and front brakes will be required in 1,700 miles. Seeing as these intervals are so close together, I would have had all 4 replaced at once and had a short-term oil change done at the same time so I didn't have to make three trips to the dealer. Actually, I would have done all of those things myself, brakes one day and oil when it was required and never made a trip to the dealer.

Every car manufacturer is going to have it's issues and every car is going to have it's quirks. You could end up going to company B who is known for better customer service and have the luck of contacting the only snotty customer service rep in entire the company. If your biggest gripe are the maintenance lights, you are doing OK, IMO.

He actually was a pretty rude ass but I was really more concerned about the limits of the plan now so not too focused on his stellar customer service skills. In your example they wouldn't reset any counters that still had miles showing and would expect you to come back again. The new plan requires you either wait for all systems to trip red or they want you to keep coming in. To illustrate the point I was in there twice in Aug because they couldn't do both things at the same time because the indicator still had a few miles!

FSETH · #10 02-27-2010, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lay3r3

He actually was a pretty rude ass but I was really more concerned about the limits of the plan now so not too focused on his stellar customer service skills. In your example they wouldn't reset any counters that still had miles showing and would expect you to come back again. The new plan requires you either wait for all systems to trip red or they want you to keep coming in. To illustrate the point I was in there twice in Aug because they couldn't do both things at the same time because the indicator still had a few miles!

I understand how that could be somewhat annoying. They should reset the computers for what ever particular service you have addressed when you bring the car in for service. Otherwise, I would let it light up like a Christmas tree. I am not that familiar with these lights on an e90. Do you happen to have any photos of what you are dealing with?

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