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Thread: Beware When Ordering Your New BMW

  1. #1
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    Beware When Ordering Your New BMW

    I have spent the last two and a half years looking for a nice, low mile BMW X5. Couldn't find anything in white with a tan interior that wasn't "well used."
    We kept our hopes up and even resorted to looking at the 2015 and low mile 2016s but nothing came in in the right color combination. So, we decided to order one to get exactly what we wanted. Sounds easy right?

    What a complete and total cluster dance.

    BMW has unilaterally decided for the X5 that you can have any carpet color you want, as long as it is black. That means, every door is black below the armrest, the kick panels are black up front, the carpet is black, the headliner is black, the A,B, and C pillars are black and the rear of the vehicle appears black with the seats down. There was only one option to get non-schwarz carpets: The Ivory White special interior option that runs another $1900. Its actually a tan/grey/taupe and looks awesome. In Phoenix where it hits 120 degrees in July, black just seems dumb to us. This may well be our last choice to get a car with anything but black, with a few colored leather swatches here and there.

    After a couple days of looking at every option we might want, I sit down with my customer support guy who is awesome. We meticulously go through the insanely complex order codes used by BMW. You would think we were using some weird computer coding to robotically assemble a charge-particle beam weapon. We are trusting the 2017 coding, newly provided to the big dealership in Phoenix, hoping if there is a conflict, the computer will highlight it. And, because the only visual reference we have for the option provided is the online "2016 Build Your Own BMW Configurator," we try and verify each option code as we go. Everything is a match! WHOO HOO! I am getting a new BMW!

    On July 19th, 2016, we launch the order to BMW USA for our Ultimate Driving Machine. The computer accepts the order and issues us a VIN! Our car is in production! After a couple weeks of delay, our car finally arrives at the dealership a months later. Except for the seats, the whole interior is black. My sales guy grabs the head of sales and they do a quick check of the coding for the order. Every code appears correct. So, the launch a call to the factory in South Carolina. Four work days pass. Finally, they get a message from BMW USA: "ZISS ISS HOW WE BEELT YUWER CAR UND YOU VIL LIKE IT!!" BMW USA completely washes their hands of what was clearly a change in coding. They kept a coding that meant all one color interior in 2016 but in 2017, it only meant a few parts would be that color. They should have completely changed the coding. And they still billed me the $1900 for my special interior that was just like the regular interiors. How nice of them.

    With the door slammed in their face, the dealership started looking at all options to resolve this problem for a customer. One option was to total up the number of parts that would have to be swapped to the 2016 color and see if BMW Warranty would cover the mistake. They stopped when the basic parts totaled $16,000. This was not a viable option. So now, I am waiting to hear if the last 2016 in my colors is still available from a dealer in Minnesota. If that vehicle is no longer available, I am left looking at 2017 Mercedes which still has delicious interior choices. The car is for my wife. Who am I to argue?

    What a great experience! What fantastic customer care by BMW USA. What a hose job on the local dealer who is now left with a car he thought was sold.

    BMW USA clearly dropped the ball on this years model change. They failed to correctly code what was a distinctly different interior option and chose to carry it over to the new model year. In a gross dereliction of customer and dealer support, the online configurator was still showing last years data. If you are only accepting orders for next years model, your online tool to help the dealer and the customer figure out what the hell all those random codes like ZDB, NAEW, and ZDI mean, should be correct and reflective of what those mean for that model year. This is basic Production Management 101 stuff. Perhaps the American production operation is actually Booger-eating Moron Werks (BMW).

    I have driven BMWs since 2000. The BMW operation today is nothing like the BMW operation I dealt with 20 years ago. There is no attention to detail on the part of BMW USA nor is there a true willingness to build you a custom vehicle. They love dealers to throw orders in but they evidently are not serious about meeting the needs of customers who order during a model year change.

    So, my suggestion to anyone thinking about ordering: Make sure you avoid the months of June through September. And, if you do order, keep a copy of the configuration pictures generated by the online configurator. My sales representative knew the colors were important to us and the pictures help him make his case to the General Manager at the dealership. But, as far as BMW USA was concerned, we got what they provided and that was the end of the discussion. I felt like I was ordering an early Model T. I could have any color I wanted as long as it was black.

    How is that a custom car?

    Good luck and safe motoring out there...

    Ray
    Last edited by CaptainStark; 08-26-2016 at 06:28 AM.

  2. #2
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    Booger-eating Moron Werks (BMW).


  3. #3
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    I'm dead dude.

    RIP BMW

    1920s-2016

  4. #4
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    Most BMWs are bought off the lot which is why they dont offer a lot of support for this kind of thing (anyone remember the Atlantis Blue M3 debocle?).

    And while I understand interior color is important, I also live in Phoenix and get by fine with my walnut interior Z3 - all black with deep tan door inserts and seats. Quality tint matters 5x more than interior color. And it seems BMW cant win here, people hate the interiors that are 90% tan, so they move it more upscale with black with tan accents... Unfortunate that the codes changed (certainly does seem odd) but it sounds like you ordered during a production change. People ordering a caramel interior for their m5 back in 2000 may have had a similar surprise. Bummer, but it happens (and is also why historically mosy americans buy off the lot)

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

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  5. #5
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    "Dis homey Don't Play Dat"

    I have worked with a very talented house designer on two major house remodels. Her rule of thumb is NO MORE THAN THREE SURFACES WITHIN VIEW!

    What that means is, from any given place, no more than three different types of material in view. You can have complimenting colors but more than three types of materials starts to render a large home "cluttered." She is right.

    When you go into a vehicle, which is a much smaller space, you are forced into many types of materials due to engineering concerns. A wooden dash is deadly and wooden seats are uncomfortable. The way to coordinate those disparate materials is to make them match in color. Otherwise, they stand out too much. Most of BMWs choices are black. The customer gets very little choice and whatever he chooses clashes with black unless it's... black.

    My wife's 2006 EOS had black Teutonic trim associated with the dash as a cost saver. All dashes were black no matter what. But the rest of the car was beautifully textured and rendered in a yummy tan. Multi-surfaces in two colors.

    The BMW X5 styling has gone "crack-head frenetic" with a black upper vinyl dash, wood or metal trims on the dash and doors, a leather seat color with a leather-colored splash on a black door, a similar vinyl console armrest, a black hole foot well of carpet and plastic , and now a black headliner with matching black pillars and carpet in the rear. Its whatever color leather you desire, jammed into a black interior. Its going to seriously affect sales because uni-color is not high end, nor is it custom. It screams "Some efficiency expert sold us on all black as a huge money-saver so here you go!"

    Screw that. I'll take my $75k and go elsewhere.

    And BB is correct. BMW is somewhere back in the early 80's when it comes to window tinting. My '99 4Runner has wonderful tint on the rear passenger and rear windows. With all the improvements in glazing technology, BMW is not even on the playing field, much less playing catch-up. The dealer's option was to put that nasty adhesive plastic "tint-o-matic" scratch-prone crap on the driver side windows. I quit doing that in the 80's! OOPS! That would require another part number!!! Gee, my 4Runner is sold all over the world and the window tinting wasn't even an option. It came with the car.

    I disagree that tan interiors are hated. They are still viable options at most other brands. The story my dealer gave me was, some owners complained their tan or camel carpets got dirty and the dealer changed them out under warranty claim. This beaked BMW USA so, they decided to avoid that by making all carpets schwarz. For the record, I detail my 2000 528 with the nice camel interior and the carpets look immaculate. Maybe they need a "hose out" floor option for lazy or cheap-assed pigs who can't bother to keep their cars clean. Meanwhile, the rest of us who actually take pride of ownership and maintain our vehicles to a like-new standard pay with less choices. What's the old saying? One guy sh*ts his pants and we all have to wear diapers.

    Sorry. Dis Homey Don't Play Dat.

    Ray
    Last edited by CaptainStark; 08-26-2016 at 07:52 AM.

  6. #6
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    Don't they still have the Individual program? It's expensive but it gives you hundreds of choices. If they do then that's the way to go. The dealer should take this car back and help you reorder. Or go to Porsche, where this kind of ordering has always been a point of pride for them.

  7. #7
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    They hired Henry Ford as chief interior designer.

    Rip

  8. #8
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    Nope. Even the factory Rep said, "We do not build custom cars."

    Well, there you have it from the horses mouth. BMW going the way of Acura and Lexus. Buy what you see or go elsewhere.

    :i

  9. #9
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    This is quite perturbing. The decision for them to make all carpeting black is irrelevant, but to knowingly and egregiously hose a new customer and a franchisee as a result of their own screw-up? That is what you'd expect at a Chevy dealer.

    You are obvioisly peeved, but this is a blessing. You can now take your business elsewhere. Audi would love to have you. It won't lower the eminence of BMW's arrogance, but it will create a new customer for a competitor. Incrementally, this will cost BMW customers. Slowly but surely.
    Former owner of many BMWs.

    2000 Viper RT/10
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    so many other cars....

    Currently in the market for a Z4M Roadster and a NA 1.8 Miata

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by CaptainStark View Post
    Nope. Even the factory Rep said, "We do not build custom cars."

    Well, there you have it from the horses mouth. BMW going the way of Acura and Lexus. Buy what you see or go elsewhere.

    :i
    BMW Individual does build "custom cars" for customers, but I think Individual only applies to BMW's built in Germany - X5's are made in the US (and a few other places, but I think all US market cars come out Spartanburg and no X5's are made in Germany).

    As much as I understand the "design" ideals you are talking about with minimal surfaces, the different colors don't really change the surface materials and all the interior options they choose are designed to compliment eachother.

    This looks nice to me:



    Whereas this looks pretty cheap to me TBH, more like an X3, or a early 00's camry...



    The black contrast is upscale and that is why BMW moved that way. The majority of the heat felt in hot interiors in Phoenix comes from the seats themselves, the steering wheel in any version is still black, upper dash is black, so the tan seats are the only thing you will actually "feel" that is different between the two. Yes it is unfortunate that they changed it to the style you don't like but IMO this is a style many more people will prefer and one that looks much nicer IMO without sacrificing anything.

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    this looks pretty cheap to me TBH, more like an X3, or a early 00's camry
    Obviously, you've never set foot in an early '00s Camry. This is the sex lounge in Mount Olympus compared to the Camry (I assume Greek gods had a sex lounge).
    Former owner of many BMWs.

    2000 Viper RT/10
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    Currently in the market for a Z4M Roadster and a NA 1.8 Miata

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by BavariaMotorist View Post
    Obviously, you've never set foot in an early '00s Camry. This is the sex lounge in Mount Olympus compared to the Camry (I assume Greek gods had a sex lounge).
    qfp

  13. #13
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    Yes it is unfortunate that they changed it to the style you don't like but IMO this is a style many more people will prefer and one that looks much nicer IMO without sacrificing anything.

    BB,

    What they sacrificed is personal choice. Make all the cars black with black interiors. Screw the customer, that is what we make! Are you a complete loon? That is the whole reason you have ordering codes for colors and materials! Why even allow the customer to make input prior to construction? Build them as you see fit and toss them on the lot. When you take those choices away and you have anything BUT a custom vehicle.

    BMWs business practices are epic. My brother leased BMWs for 16 years and then switched to another brand. You'd think BMW would touch base with him to see if he was interested in another BMW but no. He has never heard from them in the four years since he turned in his last 530. I guess business is good but, that may be about to change. I remember in the spring and summer of 2008, the dealers lots were flooded with early lease turn-ins and note cars people couldn't make the payments on. I was gonna pay cash for my 2017 but maybe I'll find a sweet deal in a used ride -in the right colors.

    At least I got my garage all tiled and ready for my new car. My old car doesn't look so bad in there now.

    House Garage Tile (Fin)-3-3.jpgHouse Garage Tile (Fin)-12.jpg



    Ray

    (SIGH)

  14. #14
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    Everyone in this thread realizes that BMW is a publicly held corporation that wants to make money, right?

    It's not about "screwing the customer", it's not personal.

    It's about the bottom line.
    Not so much a signature as a cry for help.

    Hold on, saw this in a cartoon once...think I can pull it off.

  15. #15
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    Their bottom line is one car short this month.

    GM made a lot of decisions designed to improve their bottom line. We know what happened to them. Same with a host of other companies. Tesla is hanging on by a thread.

    We'll see how this works out for them.



    Montailou: Nice scenery. Looks like AZ. Wherisit?
    Last edited by CaptainStark; 08-31-2016 at 02:46 AM.

  16. #16
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    The last time I tried to spec a brand new BMW was the last.

    I found it impossible to get the options with the packages with the models etc. and gave up.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by CaptainStark View Post
    Montailou: Nice scenery. Looks like AZ. Wherisit?
    The picture is looking at Granite Pass, Idaho, on the border to Utah. It was one of the passes used during the wagon train days. It's fairly high country, around 7000 feet. The hills to either side are 8000'.
    Not so much a signature as a cry for help.

    Hold on, saw this in a cartoon once...think I can pull it off.

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