Okay then, if you've not got time for this tale of woe, I'll break it down into a few simple words.
Incompetent technicians.
Shameful customer service.
Bribery.
Dishonesty.
If either that grabbed your attention or you wanted to read on anyway, here's the full sordid tale...
Remember the hottest day ever in LA? I was stuck in traffic on the I-5 in my BMW X5. The radiator blew. Sitting by the road in 112 degree heat, I was delighted that Pacific BMW was a mile away, would fix my car on the warranty (so only a $50 service charge), and would give me a free loaner until it was fixed. I live in San Diego.
So far so good you think. As did I. I picked it up three days later. Two miles down the 5 in rush hour traffic, the temperature hits critical, so I pull off the freeway in the middle of East LA. I call my service technician, who asked if I can come back in - er no, the car will blow. He says he'll look into it and call me back. I call back in an hour and he's gone home for the day. Thanks.
I try again, and get about two more miles down the 5. Same problem. I call back and speak to the head of customer service, who is extremely sorry and says she can get me towed back to Glendale. That doesn't help, as I'll be stuck there with no way of getting home. I want a ride home. She says she'll look into it.
Almost an hour later, she calls back and says the best they can do is tow me to Norwalk and, as by now the service dept has gone home, I can get a cab to LAX and then rent a car to drive to San Diego. Seriously? I grudgingly say OK, but after that, the traffic thins out, so I try my luck again on the 5 - after all even if it breaks down for good, I'm no worse off than with the solution they'd recommended. Fortunately I get home to SD without incident.
So the next day, I take the car into BMW of San Diego where they say that yes, the Pacific BMW techs fixed the radiator, but completely missed the root cause, a broken fan. A cursory check would have noticed that. Another $50 service charge. It's not a ton of money, but I feel pretty ticked that I have to pay it, is it really should have been picked up first time round.
So, on my return, I write a pretty scathing Yelp review. A day or so later, the Pacific BMW client service person (the same one who was the really-apologetic-but-I-can't-help-you person I dealt with before) calls again to say that she was really apologetic, and if I'd take down my Yelp post, she'd cut me a check for that $50 service charge "right away." Frankly they should have done so regardless, as it was their incompetent techs who made me have to go in a second time. I know that's a shady business practice from them - I think it's known as "bribery" - and is a bit naughty of me, but hey, $50 is $50.
So, I took down the post while were on the phone. That was two weeks ago. Have I seen a check from them? Not bloody likely. I'm sure I'll get a call saying that it was lost in the post or there was some administrative error, but frankly, it's tough.
Pacific BMW, you are a truly dreadful organization and I can't recommend enough to people to avoid you like the plague. Hopefully this post, added to the rest of the one star reviews, will make you change your business practices, but I'm guessing it won't. LA has too many BMW dealerships for you to keep screwing people like this. Hopefully there will soon be one fewer. read more