These people are no better than thieves! I was searching the Internet for a nice BMW Z4M model. I found several, but the one at Landmark Motors got my attention, especially in light of its low milage. So, I did a Carfax report on it, contacted the dealer through their sales manager, and after some back and forth, I bought it at $1,000 below their asking price. I really felt that they could have done better, but I agreed.
Next issue was getting the car to me. I told the sales manager that I'd arrange a truck to come for it, which I did. But, when my truck arrived, my car was gone! The sales manager had shipped it on a truck of his own choosing and now expected me to pay for it! I was extremely lucky that he company I hired let me of with only a $50 penalty! It was shipped on an open truck!! Had anything happened to the car during an unauthorized transport, I'd have sued them for as much as I could get! I was really angry about this, but it wasn't, and still isn't, the end.
When I arrived at the place designated for me to take delivery, the car was already parked next to the truck. I signed off on the paper work, paid the driver, got in the car, hit the starter, and nothing happened! But, I hit again, and the thing started, so I drove it home, thinking that it was just a glitch. The next day, I drove it to the DMV to register it. When I came back out, it refused to start. Didn't make a sound when I hit the starter switch, except for the solenoid clicking. I had to have it towed home. After spending well over $1,000.00, it now has a new starter and starts regularly. But, that still wasn't the end!
I noticed almost immediately that the sound system was dead silent. It powered up, and the radio changed stations. All appeared to be working fine, just no sound from the speakers, whatsoever, not even amp hiss. I contacted the sales manager, and he claimed that it had worked fine before. He said he went on the internet, and that I should check a couple of fuses. Well, it's not a fuse.
I had to put out for a scanner, optimized for BMW, to learn the truth. The Interior Electronic Control Module, also known as the ZKE module, is bad. And, when I contacted BMW, they couldn't supply one for it, as they have them back ordered and have had for quite some time. Maybe it's a good thing, as I was able to buy one for about $100 less elsewhere. But, it was still over $350.00, plus I had to buy the scanner. And, once it's been installed, I'll probably still need to take it to a local shop to have it coded for another $140.00. Hopefully it will solve one other issue, the side view mirrors can't be adjusted! And, all this still isn't the worst of it, at least not as far as how I judge them as a dealer.
When I saw these problems coming up, I decided to see if I could learn any more about the car. I put its VIN in a search bar and came up with several other sites, besides CarFax, that offer VIN checks. And, they offer them far cheaper than CarFax, like $19.95 at one site. And, that site found 3 instances where this car had had it's odometer rolled back! The car actually had 16,998 more miles on it than indicated on the odometer!
Now, it may not have been illegal not to disclose that fact, as the law says they don't need to report it on vehicles older than 10 years. But, that doesn't make it right, OR HONEST! In fact, I found the sales manager to be about as slippery as they come. When I mentioned to him the fact that the car had had 5 owners with only a bit over 50,000 miles on it, and that this made me suspect that people were buying it, driving it, and discovering electrical glitches that made them want to sell it, he tried to pass it off by telling me that up in Washington, with all its snow, people just didn't drive all that much. With that statement, he thoroughly insulted my intelligence and reinforced my opinion of him as a sleazy salesman! Did he not think I knew something of the car's history.
In the first place, his statement just doesn't add up on the surface. Folks just don't drive that much less in the snow country. And, did he not think I knew something of the car's history?! It was made in '08, and first sold in Texas. It's been a while since I saw the CarFax report, but as I recall, it spent most of its life in Texas, not Washington State. It had been there less than 2 years. The 2nd and 3rd owners only kept it for 2 months! And the 4th for 9 months. It had the following roll backs:
05/23/14 - 3276 miles
09/30/16 - 3457 Miles
02/26/19 - 10,265 Miles
I think the General Manager, Mr. Frank Hasslebach, needs to take a close look at how his salesmen, and especially his sales manager, are dealing with customers. If I managed the place, and I saw this report, I'd be seriously raking the sales manager over the coals, putting him on probation.
All I can say is, if you're considering buying from them, do as much research as you possibly can on the vehicle you're read more