BMW of Alexandria, VA Damaged my Wheel

[rios0311]

I finally decided to bring my X6 ActiveHybrid in to BMW of Alexandria, VA to have a few small discrepancies remedied. Among them was an incredibly annoying rattle coming from inside the right rear door panel. I demonstrated the rattle to the technician by tapping/rapping on the panel. However, he insisted that he must drive the vehicle to replicate the sound in order to be able to take the panel apart.

I accompanied him on a drive of about 4 or 5 miles and we were able to get the panel to rattle a little, but nowhere as much as it rattles when it just me or me and my wife in the car. When I picked up the car, they had had it for a total of 8 days. I noticed several smudges on the oyster-white leather interiors, so I asked the person who brought the car out to provide me with a little all-purpose cleaner on a rag I provided. I can only speculate that due to his limited English, he didn't completely understand me and only offered glass cleaner.

I decided to forgo the glass cleaner and drove the vehicle about 1/4 mile down the road and stopped at a large parking lot to clean my car myself. I got around to spraying tire-shine on the tires and when I got to the front right tire, I was shocked to see three huge curb-rash gouges that were not there before I brought the car in and some additional scratches on the face of the rim.

I couldn't have been gone 15 minutes from the dealer, so I returned to complain. It took the service manager over an hour to come out to assess the damage. Moments later the girl who had received the car emerged and produced a check-in sheet that I had never seen. On the sheet, she had identified that rim as having a scratch on it the day I brought in the car for service. She never pointed the scratch out to me and I was never shown the check-in sheet, nor was I asked to sign it to establish that I am aware of the damage.

The service manager refused to accept liability and only after some discussion, did he acquiesce and offer to meet me half way. He rightfully contends that I may have caused the damage during the 15 minutes I was gone. But I contend the girl may have annotated the scratch only after I reported the damage. I realized that I had gotten as far as I would get with this person so I decided to leave. However, after I left I noticed that my fuel consumption average had plummeted from 17.6mpg to 17.1mpg (consumption over the last 5k miles). When I checked the mileage on the car against the service documents (in/out mileage), my car had 52 more miles on it than when I brought it in for service.

52 miles to diagnose a rattle that I had already pointed out and demonstrated by tapping on the door panel... really???... REALLY? (I had just had to throw that in there). So the only thing I can think is that someone had a nice joy ride in my car to "see what this hybrid baby can do", and possibly hit a curb somewhere while grabbing lunch or something. Maybe someone had it for the weekend? Maybe the damage was caused within the dealer's lot? Who knows?

Any attorneys here? I'm guessing that small claims court would get me no more than the 50% split the manager offered me (if any at all) because I left the premises without having reported the damage first. I hate being treated like a liar, but that's what he did by telling me that their business was not responsible for causing the damage. What would YOU do?

[d_v_o_1]

Wow, that's terrible, and probably my worst nightmare! I think this goes on more than we know as well. Sorry I can not be of much help, but I would go back and tell them they have one chance before you file a lawsuit. I'd even go above to the owner or the ownership group. Without your signature on the check in sheet, it's it worthless?? Something to think about....bad press goes a long way. Hope this gets resolved in your favor. Goodluck and keep us posted.

[X6 Black Edition]

wow that sucks, had kinda the same story, where dealer told me he'll fix all the scratches and what not, but ended up only waxing it (it was shining in the showroom), and i just trusted the dealer by not checking anything. When got back home and washed the car, noticed chips and scratches on all over the X6.

Good luck.

[doug_999]

1. Consider writing a letter to the dealer (find the owner). Point out that they put 52 miles on the car (to diagnose a rattle?) and most certainly the damage was done then. Also note that since you had to wait an hour, the service lady could have easily modified the paper work - in fact, for anything you might have complained about they could have noted it after the fact. So how does that paperwork help without your sig? (PS - my dealer does this as well and I suspect that if they found an issue, they would note it and show me - but since there are no issues, they don't show me the paperwork).

2. If you get nowhere, file a complaint with the BBB. Detail everything. Don't do this until #1 doesn't work. Stay calm and no threats in #1 - that will only make matters worse.

PS - point out that you would like the rim refinished at their expense in your letter/email to #1 (I find letters go a lot farther than emails - i.e. you took the time, so this matters to you)

[jspdr]

This sounds very familiar. I agreed with doug 999, just wanted to add. Email the GM of the dealer if you can prove your mileage in and out, details of 52 miles they put on, and why you were not informed and signed the checklist, it is invalid. My dealer do a checklist and have cust. sign on their loaners, i am not aware of the drop off. I just had similar situation here, contact GM, he assigned service director took care of the problem.

[rios0311]

Thanks for all your feedback and advice. I will pursue this. First with a letter to the GM, second with a complaint to BBB and will probably take it to small claims just out of principle. Here is my email to the service manager and his response I received from him when I questioned the need for driving my car 52 miles:

Mr. Winter,

I'm curious as to why my vehicle was returned to me with an additional 52 miles on the odometer. I first noticed because the car was returned to me with an uncharacteristically high fuel consumption average (I track it daily; that's why I drive a Hybrid). The vehicle would have had to be driven hard for those 52 miles to get the consumption rate to drop by such a magnitude. The current average is for the previous +5k miles. I know it was 52 miles because when I checked the paperwork Dena gave me (both sets), the in/out out mileage between the two jobs indicates that the vehicle was driven 52 miles during the eight days it was in for service (17,854 to 17,906).

I accompanied Dave on a drive on Friday, but we couldn't have driven more than 5 or 6 miles. I believe he may have driven the car on Monday to see if he could replicate the rattle that I had pointed out previously by tapping on the door panel, but I question the need to drive the car another 45 miles or so. Is this typical?

In the end, David did a good job in remedying the rattle that was aggravating me. Please thank him for me.

Thank you,


--
Fermaint Ríos


Thanks for the positive feedback about Dave.



I regards to your questions about mileage.. depending on the issue, some conditions, that cannot be duplicated or verified in the shop can be very difficult to repair.

If we are chasing a noise, the tech’ will have to drive the car for several miles from the dealership until the noise it replicated. Once heard, he either has to keep making “U-Turns” over the same spot or continue driving. Then return to the store, attempt a repair and start the process over again.



Please rest assured that if the tech’ and or the shop foreman could resolve this in one quick trip it would be much better for everyone involved. We have exposure to all the BMW vehicles all day, every day and spending more time in one particular car is counterproductive.



I hope this helps ease your concerns.

Thanks and have a great day.

Mike Winter.

Service director BMW of Alexandria.

[jspdr]

If i understand your letter correctly, you did not mentioned the scratch wheel anywhere in it. How do you plan to response to his letter, and needless to say how to claim the damaged wheel after your first contact. Before you file a complain with BBB, or take them to a small claims court, you need to have the evidence of the issue that you have attempted to resolved, but did not come to your satisfaction.

[rios0311]

Originally Posted by jspdr

If i understand your letter correctly, you did not mentioned the scratch wheel anywhere in it. How do you plan to response to his letter, and needless to say how to claim the damaged wheel after your first contact. Before you file a complain with BBB, or take them to a small claims court, you need to have the evidence of the issue that you have attempted to resolved, but did not come to your satisfaction.

The purpose of the letter was not to revisit the issue of the scratched rim. I had already argued that point in person with the service manager. The best he offered was to split the wheel repair with me, so I condidered the issue a moot point.

The purpose of the letter was to inquire why someone had driven my vehicle for such a long distance and I wanted to point out that the vehicle, based on the reduced average fuel consumption rate, semed to have been driven hard during the 50 or so miles it was driven.

[jspdr]

Ok. now i see where you were going. good for you, at least he committed to share their responsibility.