This is an update to my original review of Edmonton BMW. I am now convinced the service department charges customers for work that is not performed on their vehicles. My justification for this is as follows:
2012 BMW X1
On May 13, 2016, I took my 2012 BMW X1 to Edmonton BMW for an oil change and a warranty recall on the "engine oil filter module". The vehicle had 73,392 km at that time. There was no charge for the warranty work and I paid $222.09 for the oil change. That summer, the vehicle reported the oil level within the engine was at the minimum level which was surprising as there neither any sign of oil leakage nor burning of oil. Additional oil was added to address the low level.
On April 7, 2017, the X1 was taken to Eurasia Automotive for an oil service. The vehicle had 89,763 km and had reached the 16,000 threshold between oil changes. Knowing that the engine had previously reached the minimum oil level, the technicians at Eurasia Automotive captured and measured the used engine oil to determine if the engine was actually low on oil or if the internal oil level measuring unit was faulty. They found only about four litres of oil despite the fact that the engine is supposed to take 5.5 litres. In addition, I was advised that the oil was possibly the dirtiest oil they had ever seen come out of an engine. The issue of low oil has not reoccurred which suggests that the oil change I had paid for in May, 2016 was not performed.
2012 BMW 328XI
On February 3, 2017, I took my 2012 BMW 328XI to Edmonton BMW to investigate a check engine light and perform an oil service. The vehicle had 60,703 km at that time. The check engine light was traced to a failed ignition coil. A new ignition coil was installed along with replacing all six spark plugs. The total cost including oil service was $941.62.
On March 22, 2018, this vehicle was taken to Eurasia Automotive for an oil service. The vehicle had 72,149 km which was well within the 16,000km travel distance between oil changes yet it had been more than a year so I considered it best that the car be serviced. Oddly, the vehicle reported the oil service was not due for another 18,000km or February 2019. Just days before the service, the car started generating a whining noise which emanated from the engine compartment. The technicians at Eurasia Automotive investigated the noise and found it was coming from the oil filter. Investigation found that the oil filter was so clogged that it had collapsed and the sound was oil being forced past the filter. The Eurasia technicians found the oil to be extremely dirty and given the low mileage between this and the previous oil change, it again appears that the previous oil service from Edmonton BMW was not performed.
At this time I have contacted both the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council and BMW Canada to share the story above along with copies of the relevant service records.
I would avoid Edmonton BMW at all costs. read more