I waited a full week before writing this review because I didn't want to react out of anger…read more Unfortunately, even after having time to think about it, I still feel I need to share what happened. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend this dealership.
On July 31, 2026, we drove to Sterling BMW after confirming everything beforehand via email, text, and phone. They ran a hard credit inquiry, we finalized the numbers, got approved, and I signed and submitted a payment authorization form for the down payment so they could prepare the vehicle.
I was even willing to purchase the car without seeing it in person first, despite it being a used demo with around 2,000 miles. I tried to make the process as easy as possible and secure the deal while we were already on our way.
Then, literally about five minutes before arriving, I received a call saying the vehicle had just been sold because another customer had just been approved.
I asked how that was possible when we had already been approved before them, agreed on the deal, authorized the down payment, and were on our way. Our salesperson, Aaron Guzman, seemed frustrated as well. From what was explained to us, management allowed another salesperson to move forward with a customer who was physically at the dealership, despite knowing our deal was already approved and we were minutes away.
That alone was extremely frustrating. What made the experience significantly worse was how the manager, Adrian Contreras, handled it.
Instead of acknowledging what happened or trying to find a solution, his response in front of his colleagues was essentially: "It is what it is. What do you want me to do? Produce another car for you?"
Seriously?
Mistakes and miscommunications happen. But after a customer has gone through a hard credit inquiry, received approval, agreed to the numbers, authorized the down payment, and driven there specifically for that vehicle, I would at least expect a sincere apology and an effort to make things right.
Something as simple as, "I'm sorry, this should not have happened. Let me see what similar vehicles we have and what I can do for you," would have completely changed the situation.
Instead, I felt dismissed and embarrassed in front of others simply because I was understandably frustrated. In my opinion, the way management handled the situation was unprofessional, rude, and dismissive. There was no genuine apology or meaningful attempt from management to make things right.
I do want to make one thing VERY clear: our salesperson, Aaron Guzman, was NOT the problem.
Aaron was amazing. I'm sure the situation was uncomfortable for him as well, especially since the deal was effectively taken away from him too. He remained kind and professional and genuinely tried to help us.
He showed us another vehicle that we ended up liking and tried to work out a deal, even though it was more expensive than the vehicle we originally agreed to purchase. At that point, I was so disappointed that I didn't even want to go back inside the dealership. Aaron even offered to deliver the vehicle to our home so we could complete the paperwork there.
His effort is ultimately why I was still willing to complete a purchase with him. Thank you, Aaron. You handled a very uncomfortable situation the right way and did everything you could to save the experience.
We currently own a 2025 Mercedes G-Class, a 2025 BMW M4, and a 2026 Land Rover Defender, so we are not unfamiliar with purchasing luxury vehicles. We are generally easy and loyal customers when treated fairly, and we have never experienced this level of treatment during a vehicle purchase.
For a luxury brand like BMW, I expected a completely different level of professionalism and customer service from management.
As of today, a full week later, I still have not received an apology, explanation, or any kind of follow-up from management regarding what happened.
Unfortunately, one manager's handling of this situation completely changed my impression of the dealership. Despite Aaron doing everything he could to help us, I honestly don't know if I would put myself through another purchase here.
Unless management reaches out and properly addresses what happened, I will be escalating the matter to BMW Corporate and filing a formal complaint.
Based on how this situation was handled by management, I cannot recommend this dealership and would strongly suggest considering other BMW dealers in the area.