If I could give BMW of Baton Rouge zero stars, I would. The level of incompetence, lack of…read morecommunication, and complete disregard for customer service I have experienced from this dealership is truly astounding. And the worst part? I was simply trying to have a manufacturer recall addressed.
On August 23rd, my 2020 BMW 330i notified me of a recall involving the starter. TWO days later, I contacted BMW of Baton Rouge and scheduled an appointment for September 14th, nearly THREE WEEKS in advance.
Days before my appointment, I received a text informing me that they did not actually have the necessary part to perform the repair, but I was more than welcome to keep my appointment for other services. I was assured someone would contact me when the part became available.
The day before my appointment, having received no updates, I logged into BMW's website to cancel it. To my surprise, I discovered that my appointment included approximately FIVE additional services I had NEVER requested, including oil changes, tire services, and fluid maintenance. I had scheduled a FREE recall repair, yet somehow my appointment was filled with services I had no intention of purchasing. Thankfully, I caught this before "missing" an appointment they couldn't even fulfill in the first place.
Since then, I have made repeated attempts to contact this dealership, leaving voicemails, my phone number, and requests for someone to PLEASE return my calls. Nothing. Absolutely no follow-up, no updates, and no apparent concern whatsoever. Meanwhile, my vehicle has developed serious starting issues and now requires a jump-start every single time I need to use it. As a college student commuting from Baton Rouge to Hammond, having a reliable vehicle is not optional for me. The fact that I am dealing with these issues while receiving absolutely no communication from an authorized BMW service center is beyond frustrating.
After getting nowhere with BMW of Baton Rouge, I finally contacted the BMW dealership in New Orleans. The difference in customer service is NIGHT AND DAY. They were courteous, helpful, and scheduled me for an appointment less than 48 hours after my call. They also expressed concern and embarrassment over how Baton Rouge had handled the situation, especially considering my vehicle was already experiencing starting issues.
So now, instead of receiving service in my own city, I am driving approximately an hour out of my way because BMW of Baton Rouge apparently cannot manage to successfully schedule a recall repair, communicate with a customer, or return a phone call. To put this all into perspective, I am willingly driving toward a hurricane making landfall on Friday rather than continuing to deal with BMW of Baton Rouge. That alone should tell you everything you need to know about their service department.
I have dreamed of owning a BMW for as long as I can remember. At 21 years old, after saving up my money, I was finally able to purchase the car I had always wanted. I worked hard for that car, and I have been incredibly proud to own it. It's disappointing that a brand I've admired my entire life is represented locally by a dealership that makes something as simple as addressing a manufacturer recall this unnecessarily difficult. I genuinely cannot understand how an authorized BMW dealership can operate with this egregious level of disregard for its customers (unless you're buying a vehicle from them, I'm sure). Owning a BMW should not mean having to beg an authorized service center to address a manufacturer recall. BMW is supposed to be "The Ultimate Driving Machine," but BMW of Baton Rouge has been nothing but the ultimate freaking headache.
If you value your time, your vehicle, or even the most basic level of customer service, I strongly recommend taking your business elsewhere.
