Take Pictures When You Go To Any BMW Dealer!!!

[Inluvwithastr1pper]

Drawback of going to the BMW Dealership? It's a BMW dealership. Just got my M3 back from the dealer for the Takata airbag recall and sure enough I find a short scratch on my side skirt right below the driver side door. Not the kind to buff out. Good thing I inspected it before driving off. My SA looked at it and of course says "Well we don't know if that was there before". I pull out my phone and show him the pictures I took when I dropped off the car. SMH

Friendly reminder always take pictures/video when dropping off your M!

Not sure if I'm going to press to get it fixed. It's just big enough to notice yet not sure if its worth the hassle of going through the process. Thoughts?

[MachinesWithSouls]

Meh. Get a discount off your next service.

They can be such a pain in the ass. This has happened to me before as well.

[Inluvwithastr1pper]

Originally Posted by SoManyBlueCars

Meh. Get a discount off your next service.

They can be such a pain in the ass. This has happened to me before as well.

Yeah not going to happen. I avoid stealerships like the plague but no choice in this case. Have a great indy that I usually go to.

Guess my main frustration is that I take great care to keep my car in mint condition as much as possible and it take one idiot at the BMW Dealership to mess that up.

Anyways I know its not the worst thing possible. Just wanted to give others a heads up when getting their recall issue fixed.

[Munichm3]

The scratch looks very fixeable. From my experience it could just be quick cut and buff with 1st stage and to follow up with 2nd.

[BOOF-M3]

Agreed, looks very fixable. I had a stereo guy do much worse once and my detailer said it was nothing. Dealer can obviously fix it. The question is will you allow them. Catch 22 as they say. Good luck and a good heads up to us.

[IB M]

Why is it so hard for these guys not to fuck up a nice car?

[ByeFelicia]

I got my letter today and also not looking forward to leaving it with them. I may be paranoid but im gonna take photos of the odometer as well...

If you dont mind, what dealership was it?

[spazzyfry123]

Yup. Picked up my E90 from the dealer and they scratched the leather on the steering wheel. Obviously someone getting in/out of the car.

My GLI was at the dealer for a month or so while they were ironing out a timing chain tensioner fail (whole top end exploded and ruined the motor @ 70k). Went to pick it up and the rear bumper is scratched to hell (not repairable without a repaint). Of course... "We didn't do that; it was like that when you dropped it off with us!"

Any time I leave my cars anywhere, I take pictures of the odometer at a minimum...trust no one unfortunately.

[timothy2001]

Glad it's not just me. Pictures all around and of the odometer. Super nice guys at the exhaust shop where I just took my car and they did not damage it but essentially trashed it with dirt on the door panels.

Then again, look how some people treat their cars, they probably think we are crazy.

[SYT_Shadow]

The dealer I go to for recalls.BMW of Westchester, takes pictures of every car that goes in

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by timothy2001

Then again, look how some people treat their cars, they probably think we are crazy.

For sure "ordinary" car owners thing we are which is understandable, but simply can't understand why the dealers "///M certified" people don't seem to appreciate that we're careful with our cars..!

[Tony B]

Yes - very wise words.

Since my dealer managed to screw up not 1, but 2 of the wheels on my E46 M3 a few years ago - and initially denied responsibility - I have always insisted on them coming out to my car, and inspecting the wheels for any damage. As I never kerb my wheels, I am very sensitive about this issue.

This normally works fine, but last November I took my current M3 in for its annual safety/emissions test. I asked the service advisor to check the car/wheels and he agreed that there was no kerbing or any other damage, and marked the paperwork accordingly.

At the end of the day, it was raining and I was in a rush to collect the car and get back home, so did not look closely at the wheels.

Next morning however I had time and looked - 6 inches of bad kerbing on one of the front wheels - livid!

I phoned the dealer to complain, and was told by the person who took the call that I had agreed the wheel was damaged and it shows this on the paperwork. I was really angry and asked her to send me a scan of the damage report. There - blindingly obvious, because of the different colour ink marking on the vehicle schematic - was the alleged damage on arrival.

I said "You can clearly see this report has been altered, the ink is different!"

She would have none of it.

I sent a picture to a BMW owning buddy of mine. He said "What are those red flecks of paint in the damaged area?".

I looked more closely and could just see red paint in the scarred surface.

So I took a look at my dash-cam footage, and eventually managed to track down the moment when the mechanic hit the folding (red) arms of the hydraulic lift in the service bay.

Yes! Dashcam was only installed in the car the previous week, and definitely paid for itself with this evidence.

I sent the video to the Dealer Principal (who knows me well, and how fastidious I am with my cars) and on the next business day had a call from the service manager apologising and agreeing to replace the wheel.

So - 2 lessons - get the paperwork to explicitly state "no damage" and take your own copy of this, so that they cannot subsequently alter it, when they have damaged the car.

And get a dash-cam. And take pictures.

Shouldn't be necessary, but sadly it is.....

[BOOF-M3]

Originally Posted by Tony B

Yes - very wise words.

Since my dealer managed to screw up not 1, but 2 of the wheels on my E46 M3 a few years ago - and initially denied responsibility - I have always insisted on them coming out to my car, and inspecting the wheels for any damage. As I never kerb my wheels, I am very sensitive about this issue.

This normally works fine, but last November I took my current M3 in for its annual safety/emissions test. I asked the service advisor to check the car/wheels and he agreed that there was no kerbing or any other damage, and marked the paperwork accordingly.

At the end of the day, it was raining and I was in a rush to collect the car and get back home, so did not look closely at the wheels.

Next morning however I had time and looked - 6 inches of bad kerbing on one of the front wheels - livid!

I phoned the dealer to complain, and was told by the person who took the call that I had agreed the wheel was damaged and it shows this on the paperwork. I was really angry and asked her to send me a scan of the damage report. There - blindingly obvious, because of the different colour ink marking on the vehicle schematic - was the alleged damage on arrival.

I said "You can clearly see this report has been altered, the ink is different!"

She would have none of it.

I sent a picture to a BMW owning buddy of mine. He said "What are those red flecks of paint in the damaged area?".

I looked more closely and could just see red paint in the scarred surface.

So I took a look at my dash-cam footage, and eventually managed to track down the moment when the mechanic hit the folding (red) arms of the hydraulic lift in the service bay.

Yes! Dashcam was only installed in the car the previous week, and definitely paid for itself with this evidence.

I sent the video to the Dealer Principal (who knows me well, and how fastidious I am with my cars) and on the next business day had a call from the service manager apologising and agreeing to replace the wheel.

So - 2 lessons - get the paperwork to explicitly state "no damage" and take your own copy of this, so that they cannot subsequently alter it, when they have damaged the car.

And get a dash-cam. And take pictures.

Shouldn't be necessary, but sadly it is.....

A police report was in order and filing with the states atty gen office. Of course you would never be able to use that dealership again but they should have been held accountable for fraud. In my opinion.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by BOOF-M3

A police report was in order and filing with the states atty gen office. Of course you would never be able to use that dealership again but they should have been held accountable for fraud. In my opinion.

....damn! Completely agree, now that takes it to a whole different level!

[BOOF-M3]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

....damn! Completely agree, now that takes it to a whole different level!

Who does that?

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by Tony B

Yes - very wise words.

Since my dealer managed to screw up not 1, but 2 of the wheels on my E46 M3 a few years ago - and initially denied responsibility - I have always insisted on them coming out to my car, and inspecting the wheels for any damage. As I never kerb my wheels, I am very sensitive about this issue.

This normally works fine, but last November I took my current M3 in for its annual safety/emissions test. I asked the service advisor to check the car/wheels and he agreed that there was no kerbing or any other damage, and marked the paperwork accordingly.

At the end of the day, it was raining and I was in a rush to collect the car and get back home, so did not look closely at the wheels.

Next morning however I had time and looked - 6 inches of bad kerbing on one of the front wheels - livid!

I phoned the dealer to complain, and was told by the person who took the call that I had agreed the wheel was damaged and it shows this on the paperwork. I was really angry and asked her to send me a scan of the damage report. There - blindingly obvious, because of the different colour ink marking on the vehicle schematic - was the alleged damage on arrival.

I said "You can clearly see this report has been altered, the ink is different!"

She would have none of it.

I sent a picture to a BMW owning buddy of mine. He said "What are those red flecks of paint in the damaged area?".

I looked more closely and could just see red paint in the scarred surface.

So I took a look at my dash-cam footage, and eventually managed to track down the moment when the mechanic hit the folding (red) arms of the hydraulic lift in the service bay.

Yes! Dashcam was only installed in the car the previous week, and definitely paid for itself with this evidence.

I sent the video to the Dealer Principal (who knows me well, and how fastidious I am with my cars) and on the next business day had a call from the service manager apologising and agreeing to replace the wheel.

So - 2 lessons - get the paperwork to explicitly state "no damage" and take your own copy of this, so that they cannot subsequently alter it, when they have damaged the car.

And get a dash-cam. And take pictures.

Shouldn't be necessary, but sadly it is.....

I need one too ASAP. Does it record audio?
What brand or model dash cam do you have?

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by BOOF-M3

I mean who does that? I'm leaving notes on strangers car doors 100 miles from my house if I tap them or open a door on their car. Hasn't happened with my M3's but it has in the past. Ran off a gravel road years ago and tapped a car that was parked at a closed business early in the morning before they had opened up many years ago in a rural area. Left a note. Got a call from a nice older gentleman and all he cared about was if I was ok. He never got upset and didn't want a dime to fix it. The alternative was for him to see it and curse the car gods not knowing what had happened. Maybe I'm old school and you too Helmsman but I guess stupid people do stupid things to protect themselves. My protection is do unto others... It hasn't failed me yet.

Good work bro. Reminds me about one time many years ago, finding a note on my car saying "I run into your car"...Ha, assumingly someone where looking and the guy felt he had to leave a note, which he did without a name or number...

The timing of this thread is bloody crazy. This very afternoon I went to the yearly car inspection. 20 min job, nice person (girl for a change) did the work while I had a coffee 5 meters away chatting. Thought I saw some marks on one rim when on the lift. Took a quick look around before leaving, seemed all good. Just to find a proper scrape leaving office later. With the stretched ZCP rims I simply didn't see the damage close to the tire when facing down. Went back but closed. Could see it must have happen in the brake rig. Nice people, no harm meant, will probably never accept anyway, damn...
THEN, I comes to my mind that this friggin' rim damage is my current main issue, what a lucky guy I am!

[Inluvwithastr1pper]

Originally Posted by BOOF-M3

Agreed, looks very fixable. I had a stereo guy do much worse once and my detailer said it was nothing. Dealer can obviously fix it. The question is will you allow them. Catch 22 as they say. Good luck and a good heads up to us.

Thanks

Originally Posted by IB M

Why is it so hard for these guys not to fuck up a nice car?

Originally Posted by ByeFelicia

I got my letter today and also not looking forward to leaving it with them. I may be paranoid but im gonna take photos of the odometer as well...

If you dont mind, what dealership was it?

Weatherford BMW in Berkeley

[ByeFelicia]

Wouldn't you know. That's where i'm going.....

I recently went there for the battery terminal recall thing.

This is half my fault.

I haven't/don't check the idrive of services due every time I get in the car. Nor did I take a photo of the odometer. But literally one day after I get the car back from them, my replace brake pads light comes on along with the service due light.

Maybe I watch too many movies but I just envision that scene in Ferris Buellers Day off where the attendants joyride the car. I dont have a dashcam, prior photos but what a coincidence I give my car to them and that light just comes on....

I realize I could be paranoid but yeah. Will take precautionary measures beforehand.
Ive read it only takes 30 mins or so, so sticking around is what I'll do this go around.

[thkfast]

[QUOTE=spazzyfry123;22222332]Yup. Picked up my E90 from the dealer and they scratched the leather on the steering wheel. Obviously someone getting in/out of the car.

A lot of people, me included, carry a clip knife in their front right pocket and it's real easy to accidentally contact the steering wheel at the 8 o'clock position.

I'm dreading getting my airbag recall work done.

[Sephiroth]

R E L A X haha

Mint condition is overrated

[Tony B]

Originally Posted by L4ces

I need one too ASAP. Does it record audio?
What brand or model dash cam do you have?

It is a Nextbase - not sure whether these are sold in the US.

And regarding audio - yes it does record that too. I could have had another beef with the dealer on this, as the mechanic who drove the car from dealership to workshop and back again turned off the audio - presumably so I could not hear how hard the car was being driven. There is no way that the audio would be off, it always defaults to "on" and it takes a deliberate action to turn it off.

Having had the major and provable misbehaviour with the wheel being damaged and paperwork altered after the event, I should have pursued this further, and queried why the mechanic was fiddling with the dashcam. I had too much other stuff going on at the time so let it slide.

I will not be using that dealership ever again, even though I do get on well with the DP. Bought 4 M3s from them, too.