Anyone have the email address

[nugent]

Of the head of BMW North America? Thanks!

[Rob///M5]

For 3 mile joyride?

[nugent]

yep. heads will roll if I do not get proper response from service manager.

[medman2k1]

Get a life nugent!

[wdimagineer]

Why should he get a life? I kind of agree with him here. 3 miles seems a bit excessive for a repair concern that shouldn't have required a test drive at all.

Out of curiosity, what dealer was it?

[BC87]

Could be worse. A bmw service dept. somewhere in Texas wrecked a guy's e60 m5 and repaired it without telling him. Somehow he found out and stumbled upon the wreck site on a back road behind the dealer. Now that's crazy.

[wdimagineer]

Originally Posted by BC87

Could be worse. A bmw service dept. somewhere in Texas wrecked a guy's e60 m5 and repaired it without telling him. Somehow he found out and stumbled upon the wreck site on a back road behind the dealer. Now that's crazy.

I remember this. Autobahn was the dealer name. The owner sued and won.

[Bimmer6]

Originally Posted by nugent

Of the head of BMW North America? Thanks!

Go to the BMW site in the owners circle, and address it to the CEO. State your concern, and be professional and the head to BMWNA will respond because they do not want it elevated. Have you tried call the dealership owner? I agree I don't like joy rides because of the potential abuse, and it's not a freaking toy. Same reason I don't valet ...........(access to your car, and regestration bingo know where you live). It has worked for me several times, and especially with the oil pump debacle.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by medman2k1

Get a life nugent!

I don't agree with you. I think nugent is right.

These 3 mile test drives may seem innocuous but you don't know how the car was driven. Look at the guy in Texas whose M5 had been totaled by Autobahn BMW during an oil change visit. If that tech hasn't clipped the kerb, he would have abused the car and gotten away with it.

Further nugent's trip is to replace a piece of center console trim. It does not warrant a test drive by any reasonable logic.

Unless you don't mind there being a 5% chance your car gets totaled, and a higher probability of brake abuse, cold engine abuse, clutch abuse, launch control abuse, then don't complain.

I think he should get the guy fired.

Here's the email (assuming its the same format as everyone else's email in BMW NA):
Ludwig.willisch@bmwna.com

[///M Ryder]

Have you given the service manager or the GM a chance to address your concerns? If not BMW NA will more than likely send you that direction first. Again, if your car has no problem you are not going to get someone fired for a test drive. I understand your concern but it seems like you are trying to engage in a fight you can't win.......GL.........Phil

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by ///M Ryder

Have you given the service manager or the GM a chance to address your concerns? If not BMW NA will more than likely send you that direction first. Again, if your car has no problem you are not going to get someone fired for a test drive. I understand your concern but it seems like you are trying to engage in a fight you can't win.......GL.........Phil

Well if he can at least cause some damage to the test drivers reputation then that would be good. The real goal here is to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again to either nugent's or anyone else.

If people at dealerships want to test drive an M5 they should take an unsold new one.

[///M Ryder]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Well if he can at least cause some damage to the test drivers reputation then that would be good. The real goal here is to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again to either nugent's or anyone else.

If people at dealerships want to test drive an M5 they should take an unsold new one.

While I agree that the tech's or porters shouldn't joy ride, he needs to give the leadership at the dealership a chance to address his concerns. Maybe something was discovered while his car was being serviced......we don't have all the facts. I'm sure these tech's see M cars all day long. Now I don't know if the OP has a highly modded car or not, but the behavior of joy riding or "test driving" is more common on modified cars............Phil

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by ///M Ryder

While I agree that the tech's or porters shouldn't joy ride, he needs to give the leadership at the dealership a chance to address his concerns. Maybe something was discovered while his car was being serviced......we don't have all the facts. I'm sure these tech's see M cars all day long. Now I don't know if the OP has a highly modded car or not, but the behavior of joy riding or "test driving" is more common on modified cars............Phil

Fair enough. But if something else was discovered other than the job requested which was replacing the cup holder door cover, then shouldn't the service advisor inform the customer?

The issue here is also the lack of transparency. As I mentioned on the other thread, my Lexus dealer would always call me and ask for permission if they needed to test drive the vehicle, and they would also offer if I wanted to join in some cases. I also have 100% confidence that my BMW service advisor would do the same. She makes sure she is the only person who drives my car during a dealer trip including driving it into the service bay, and she is transparent too.

When dealers are not transparent, one fears they may be hiding something. Like this

http://jalopnik.com/5628903/bmw-deal...ner-out-of-27k

[///M Ryder]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Fair enough. But if something else was discovered other than the job requested which was replacing the cup holder door cover, then shouldn't the service advisor inform the customer?

The issue here is also the lack of transparency. As I mentioned on the other thread, my Lexus dealer would always call me and ask for permission if they needed to test drive the vehicle, and they would also offer if I wanted to join in some cases. I also have 100% confidence that my BMW service advisor would do the same. She makes sure she is the only person who drives my car during a dealer trip including driving it into the service bay, and she is transparent too.

When dealers are not transparent, one fears they may be hiding something. Like this

http://jalopnik.com/5628903/bmw-deal...ner-out-of-27k

I agree the SA should have made a call if this was in fact the situation......but if that's not dealership policy, whatcha' gone do? Now your SA does things for you because of an established relationship. My dealership does things for me because of very established relationship. OP was just another car on the service drive that needed to get in and out. BMW dealers have been known for sub-par service....Lexus dealerships are known for 5 star service. I think we sometimes expect certain things because we write such a large check.....but the reality is the dealership hires people that see your car as the next job. That's why it's really important to know your SA. Ask to meet the shop foreman. You have to let people know what you expect or you'll get that famous word "next"..........Phil

[nugent]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

I don't agree with you. I think nugent is right.

These 3 mile test drives may seem innocuous but you don't know how the car was driven. Look at the guy in Texas whose M5 had been totaled by Autobahn BMW during an oil change visit. If that tech hasn't clipped the kerb, he would have abused the car and gotten away with it.

Further nugent's trip is to replace a piece of center console trim. It does not warrant a test drive by any reasonable logic.

Unless you don't mind there being a 5% chance your car gets totaled, and a higher probability of brake abuse, cold engine abuse, clutch abuse, launch control abuse, then don't complain.

I think he should get the guy fired.

Here's the email (assuming its the same format as everyone else's email in BMW NA):
Ludwig.willisch@bmwna.com

thanks stealth for the the email address. that's also what my research told me was it. alternate address was bmwusa.com.

in regards to all the opinions expressed about what i should or shouldn't do, with all due respect, it's my decision. if some of you don't mind the idea of your $100K M5 being abused by someone other than you, then you are more tolerant men than me. i, however, detest the violation of my vehicle. and we all know it only takes 300 feet to do something bad, let alone 3 miles.

i will of course take it up with the dealership managers first before escalating it. however, just like when playing poker, i don't raise if i'm not ready to re-raise or go all in. hence, getting the email address.

cheers brothers.

[Rohardi]

Good Luck Nugent,

It's your property. End of story. They don't have the right to take your car out for a joy ride. How would you feel if you took your Armani suit to the dry cleaners, and the dry cleaner wore it to a party. Completely out of line, and a complete violation of trust. That's why I would be upset.

[boots]

Originally Posted by medman2k1

Get a life nugent!

They took my 550 off the lot and not came back with 5 extra miles but also scratched my aftermarket wheels. I cursed them out when they called me a liar. And yes I wrote to all of their supervisors. So medman2k1 maybe you don't mind your car being violated or lied too especially when you provide picture proof like I did before and after.

[NELSON.MLGB]

Dealer had my car for a joyride for 40kms, I was pissed, but too tired to fight with these assholes. I never went to dealer for service after that. OP keep us posted, wanna see how BMW NA reply.

[py0413]

I am glad that my dealer's service department has been very professional about issues like this so far. They always ask if they can do a short test drive to address some issues to be fixed and they won't leave the lot without my permission. I like it very much about them on this as they really show respect to customers' properties. Also their SA always ask if a car wash should be performance upon checking-in with them for any kind of services.

I worked at some dealerships before and it is true that whenever there are nice cars in the shop, most people want to drive them maybe even just for a bit. The truth is, when there are damages caused, they will do whatever they can to cover it up and hope you'd never find out.

A dealership carrying premium brand like BMW shouldn't allow this happen. Sadly, they are happening every single day.