Scheduled Maintenance and Autobahn BMW in Ft. Worth, Letter to Editor

[OLCHA@xxxxxxx]

Two years ago I moved from Chicago to the Ft. Worth area.  Reading the Lone=20
Star chapter BMW CCA newsletter, I see Autobahn BMW is near me in Ft. Worth,=
=20
and an advertiser and 10% parts discount provider to CCA members.  I don't=20
drive that much, and about 6 weeks after my '97 M3's  two year in-service=20
anniversary, I call to tell them my story and that I need the Inspection I.=20=
=20
My car had the free scheduled maintenance, so while I perform=20
extra-unscheduled engine/ transmission oil changes myself, I'm certainly=20
going to get the free service now that I'm down to one yellow SI Led and ove=
r=20
16,000 on the odometer.

While I'm there, I mention that according to the page in my warranty and=20
service manual, now that two years has elapsed, I need the brake fluid=20
flushed as stated.  The Service Advisor Pat, tells me that they never includ=
e=20
that for free.   We go to the Service Dept. Manager, and they (really)=20
reluctantly agree to do it as part of the free scheduled Maintenance.  Now=20
they did the whole Inspection I, brake fluid, washed the car, fixed some=20
other warranty problems, loaner car, so all was well.  10 Months now goes by=
.=20

Now it's today, November 19th.  I called for the appointment on Monday=20
November 15th.  My three-year, in-service anniversary and the termination of=
=20
my three-year lease were on November 12th.  So I made the appointment two=20
days before the three-year (1095 day) anniversary and brought it in 7 days=20
overdue on Nov. 19.  Now for the fun part.

My crank-sensor is shot and the car is running poorly, so it's great to get=20
everything done at once:  Bring the car in to fix the crank-sensor,  come=20
back to sign the paperwork to buy the M3 off the lease, bring my son and wif=
e=20
with me to (get this) compare 3-series and 5-series cars because we're going=
=20
to buy another BMW for her, and finally since it's the three-year anniversar=
y=20
get the coolant flushed as part of the scheduled maintenance.  When I brough=
t=20
the car in my exact words were:  "I'm at the end of the three-year free=20
scheduled maintenance, I might be a little past, so I need to get this done=20
now as part of the program."  So when I come back that evening to do all=20
these transactions, I'm hit with a charge for flushing the coolant! =20

Now why couldn't the Service Advisor have said "BMW won't let it go past, I=20
had to charge you, sorry=E2=80=A6." , when he called earlier and we spoke to=
=20
one-another and he informed me the car was finished and all the work was=20
done.  I followed all the right protocol and talked to the Service Manager,=20
and I must tell you all of their attitudes were like "Hey, it's past due,=20
what's your problem, we don't make up the rules, etc."=20

When I said to the Service Advisor that 7 days late for a time interval of=20
three years was over 99% on-time he stated:  "Before you get started, let me=
=20
tell you these are not my rules, and you can talk to my supervisor if it=20
makes you feel better, but you know you were past due anyway so why are you=20
acting surprised that you have to pay?"=20

Well, I would have felt better if they would have made BMW the" bad guy"=20
because they don't allow 2-7 days leeway over a three-year period, and=20
apologized, but it's as if I was trying to "pull something" over on all of=20
them.  So you see I have three problems:

1. Does anyone have good things to say about Autobahn in Ft. Worth?
2. Is BMW really that awful that they don't allow 7 days leeway on three=20
years?
3. Other dealers any better, better luck in Dallas?

So here I am arguing over this while I still need to sign the M3 paperwork=20
and my Wife and son are sitting in cars in the showroom having fun.  It took=
=20
so long, and I was so embarrassed I asked them to just leave with me.=20

- -Keith Olcha

P.S.  Now of course everyone has a story about how they got something solved=
=20
because they were rational, cerebral, calm, respectful, etc., and nothing =20
like the above has ever happened to them because of it.  Well that was me=20
until today.

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