rant: bmw loaners, only from your "home" dealership?

Average Jae · Oct 5, 2004

so walked into a local dealership's service desk (not the original purchasing dealership) to set up the routine 1 yr/ 15k mile oil change and maint. after getting all my data entered, i inquired about the bmw loaner, and the service rep told me that "the only way to get a BMW loaner is to go to the dealership of the original purchase"

i decided to use this dealership because it was closer, and my salesman sort of screwed me, so i wanted to change dealerships, but how it's more of a hassle.. (granted the oil change would only last about an hour or so, but i'd much rather drop it off/ pick up later, than wait around..)

has anyone else run into this? or did i just get the BS run around? or do you only get a loaner if you are doing warranty fix? and not scheduled maint work?

Tom · Oct 5, 2004

That's BS, the bottom line is it depends on the dealer. Most do it out of courtesy but it's not required. I've always received free rentals, even on oil changes.

tool fan · Oct 5, 2004

Yeah that is total BS. I would call the guy on it and ask to see a WRITTEN policy on the loaner cars. Just like with anything else....people are always going to say no at first assuming that you will not pursue it. I think the guy just didn't want to fill out the required paperwork.

///M SPEED · Oct 5, 2004

Tom said:

Very true Tom. I have a friend who bought a 02 M3 convert. from a Lexus dealer and I told him about my Service Action and that he should check it out. Come to find out he has to have the Actions done on his car too only more, because they need to treat the convert. top also. I told him to take the car the dealer I went to and he setup an appointment. He did not buy the car from them, but they are setting him up with a loaner while they have his car.

If I were you I would bring it to a different dealer. They sound lame in customer service dept.....

codex57 · Oct 5, 2004

I had a hard time finding a loaner too. I originally called one dealer known for good service and asked abotu a loaner for my oil change. They said they only gave it to people who bought from them. I've read on another board that other people have gotten it from that dealer who didn't buy their cars from them. Since it was just an oil change, I didn't push it. I called around, but it seems none of the other local dealers around me even offer loaners. [?|]

epj3 · Oct 5, 2004

Do keep in mind, it's not BMWNA who pays for loaners, its the dealer themselves who BUY the cars from BMW, and then use them as loaners.

Fielding Yost · Oct 5, 2004

I remember a number of threads mentioning that you can only get a bmw loaner from the dealership you bought your car from. This seems silly to me, because if anything, shouldn't it be opposite? Shouldn't a dealership fall all over itself getting you a bmw loaner to win your business away from another dealership when it's time for a new car? I know the bmw loaners are limited (I narrowly escaped a Ford Focus loaner once), but get a clue. A little pampering goes a looong way.

Ave Jae, which dealership was this? Just curious; I'm from Detroit too. FWIW, when my oil change came around, I had my dealership pick up and drop off my car at work (even though they are farther away than 2 other bmw dealerships). You should try it. It makes getting service a no brainer.

MrElussive · Oct 5, 2004

Fielding Yost, you make a good point, but it's not worth it to them. If you bought your car from another dealership, you're probably going to purchase your next vehicle from that same dealership. The dealership can try to be as pleasant as they can, but what if your original dealership is still even more pleasant? A lot of people use different dealerships to service their car simply because the different dealership is closer to their place of work or closer to their home. Also, if the dealership can't get you a loaner car, sometimes they offer to give you a ride (sometimes both ways, depending on the situation).
Take me for example. I got my car from Ramsey Infiniti in Ramsey, NJ simply because they had the only Black/Black G35C 6MT configured the way I wanted it coming in, but the dealership is 50 minutes away from me. I service my Coupe at Park Ave Infiniti in Englewood, NJ because it's only about 15 minutes away from me and during the summer they have a BBQ in the afternoon every Friday (free burgers and hot dugs...can't complain!!).

theBMWenthusiast · Oct 5, 2004

epj3 said:

ya for example IrvineBMW does not give loaners for free if you take your car in for a 1 day service, mainly for the reason of around 90 services a day, soon to be 180, so it would be logistically impossible to care for that many loaner cars, they do have a good number but what they do is if they dont give your car back to you on the promise day (usually the next day) you can stop back in and pick up a loaner for the remainder of the service...kind of cool cuz we have earned like 10 days when they would have given us the car and since we didn't need it our service advisor said that since we were such good customers (and know everyone) they will give us the loaner for the amount of days we have earned.... [fake]

codex57 · Oct 5, 2004

Fielding Yost said:

Unfortunately, many BMW dealerships have the same arrogant attitude BMW AG has. They give crappy value cuz they know their cars are very popular and people will pay up anyways. The dealers are the same. They don't have to play nice cuz they know you want their cars anyways and will take your car in to service at the dealer. Most people who buy them are busy working and will just go to the closest dealer. Captive audience.

What sucks is of the dealers around me that don't offer loaners (most), their shuttle service only extends so far. That forces me to use the two closest ones (which happen to be two of the worst BMW dealers in the state).

MrElussive · Oct 5, 2004

howcome you guys just don't wait it out for a maintenance deal? I have to take my car in for service every 3,750 miles and I have never bothered with a loaner car. Oil & filter change only takes a matter of minutes and for most service appointments, little more than that is required. I just chill out and wait....I think a time like that is when cell phone games come in handy the most, lol.

Average Jae · Oct 6, 2004

Fielding Yost: it was Bavarian BMW right by M-59 and Dequindre.

the whole reason for requesting a loaner was because of my cold start irregular idle issue also. (i figured i'd bundle the issues in at the same time to get it taken care of at once.) on that point the sales rep told me that they only give out loaners if the problem takes more than a day to fix..

having the vehicle picked up is another option that i can use, and may use it down the line.. i'm just a bit finiky about other people driving my car around..

Average Jae · Oct 6, 2004

MrElussive said:

correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought dealers made more money off of service and parts than selling cars. even if i get a free maint/ oil change, the dealership would charge bmwna for those services, right?

as for waiting out on services: it would depend on my schedule, but i'm at work during all the business hours, so it's tough for me. well i can take the car in in the morning, but i need that extra "5 mins" of sleep [:p]

codex57 · Oct 6, 2004

MrElussive said:

Oil and Filter took 2 hours for me. It was cause of the busyness of the dealership. I'd rather have a car so I can run errands or whatever.

theBMWenthusiast · Oct 6, 2004

MrElussive said:

that'd be cool, but usuallly when we take the car for service its for the breaks, or something so it needs to be there for a couple of hours, and i love to wander around the place for a while, having some complimentary starbucks, but my dad doesn't have the patience like me and just go drop it off one night and pick it up the next day [:)]

donmbmw · Oct 6, 2004

I hope the "home dealer" rule is not universal. I'll be moving to Florida soon and I would hate to have drive back to NY just for service! [chair]

theBMWenthusiast · Oct 6, 2004

donmbmw said:

lol, if you move i dont think they would care, as long its not another close dealership in the area

MrElussive · Oct 6, 2004

Good point guys. My dealesrhip is that I use to service my car is actually very quiet in the service department most of the time. This is how they get me in and out under an hour. The next time I bring the car in, I'll be spending my time in sales as the lease of the ML500 is almost over and the FX45 looks like a kickass whip (assuming I'll just be denied when I ask to replace it for the X5 4.8is).

NZL · Oct 7, 2004

I rate my local dealer pretty highly for service.
They come out to me, pick up my car, leave me a loaner, take it away for the service & bring it back to exchange again.
Granted the last loan car I got was only a BMW Compact (2003 model 1.8L) but that kind of service is pretty good innit?

theBMWenthusiast · Oct 7, 2004

NZL said:

ya the dealerhsip i go does that also, but i kinda like taking the occasional trip to the dealer, looking around, saying hi to the people i know, and they have pretty good service overall

rant: bmw loaners, only from your "home" dealership?

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