I genuinely cannot remember the last time I experienced this level of disorganization, poor…read morecommunication, and unprofessionalism from a business, much less one representing a luxury brand like BMW.
Our experience started when we walked into the dealership and had to actively seek out a salesperson at their desk just to get someone to assist us. Not exactly the premium customer experience you'd expect, but unfortunately, that was the least of our problems.
Before doing anything else, we explicitly informed our salesperson that our trade-in had New Hampshire plates and that we had misplaced the title. We were immediately assured this would not be an issue.
With that understanding, we proceeded to select a vehicle, take a test drive, and negotiate a deal. During this time, the dealership evaluated our trade-in, fully aware of the registration and title situation.
We agreed to the numbers presented, only for the salesperson to return shortly afterward and inform us that the interest rate he had quoted was incorrect and would actually be higher. I explained that we had agreed to the original terms and would not move forward otherwise. Miraculously, they were then able to honor the original agreement.
At this point, things should have been straightforward.
Instead, they had us:
Complete a credit application and authorize a credit inquiry.
Obtain financing approval.
Add the new vehicle to our insurance policy.
Completely empty our trade-in.
Sign trade-in paperwork.
Continue through the purchase process under the impression that everything had been resolved.
Only after ALL of this did the finance department inform us that they could not complete the transaction without the physical title.
The very same issue we had disclosed before ever looking at a vehicle.
After more unnecessary back-and-forth, a manager finally appeared with a proposed solution: they could proceed with the transaction, but would withhold approximately $6,500 of our trade-in equity until we provided the title.
To be clear, I understand that dealerships have title requirements and procedures to protect themselves. I have absolutely no objection to that. What I object to is being explicitly told there was no issue, having my credit pulled, rearranging my insurance, completing paperwork, and spending hours working toward a deal that the dealership apparently wasn't prepared to honor as originally presented.
We declined the revised arrangement and decided to leave.
And somehow, the experience managed to get worse.
As we were leaving, my wife simply remarked that it would have been nice to know about the title issue two hours earlier. Rather than acknowledge the obvious failure in communication, our salesperson immediately responded defensively and began arguing with her.
Imagine mishandling a customer's transaction from beginning to end and then arguing with the customer's wife because she points it out.
To top everything off, after the deal fell apart, we discovered that the license plates had been removed from our trade-in and had not been put back on. My wife had to return inside to get that corrected, resulting in yet another unpleasant exchange.
This is a BMW dealership. The expectations shouldn't need explaining.
Mistakes happen. Policies exist. Deals sometimes fall apart. I understand all of that. What separates a reputable dealership from a poorly operated one is how it communicates, takes responsibility, and treats customers when things don't go according to plan.
This dealership failed on every one of those counts.
What should have been an exciting vehicle purchase became an exhausting, completely avoidable exercise in wasted time, shifting terms, and disrespectful customer service.
I walked in prepared to purchase a vehicle. I walked out questioning how a dealership operating under the BMW name could deliver an experience this poorly managed.
