Slow Guy

Actually, I do fault BMW (the factory) for not packing the 1st replacement top in such a way that it wouldn't be damaged during transit. Admittedly we were the first ones to go through this but that doesn't excuse them for not having the foresight to know that the top would be subject to the shaking and stresses of shipping, I'm sure they've shipped things like this before.

As for the 2nd top destroyed by FedEx, that I can't fault them for.

BMW is lucky they are not dealing with my wife. She just called and I told her the news. She is pissed and she's not even the one dealing with the car, she wants a new convertible in the garage waiting for her on Fri.

Edgy01

Sort of lucky for you the first replacement top was problematic (but mostly cosmetic). It gave the installers a chance to learn a bit about doing such a replacement in the field. Perhaps roof number two will go a lot better.

The problem with all these highly articulated roofs is that every little solenoid and gear has to function correctly in the right sequence everytime or something like this will happen. A friend of mine purchased a MB SL550 for his wife about 3 years ago with the same sort of roof,--and no problems yet.

Thanks for sharing. It's a testament to BMW doing the right thing. Good luck with it. I hope your wife doesn't become "roof shy" in the future!

Slow Guy

I seriously doubt my wife will be "roof shy". She'll hop in the car, put the top down/up a half-dozen times and if it so much as hiccups once she'll demand they give her a new car. It's in the dealer and BMW's best interest for them to deal with me and not her.

Boston911fan

Bill, best of luck with your wife's car. We have had BMWs for over 10 years, and they are amazing cars. I truly hope that BMW does the right thing for you two and that this doesn't taint your opinion on the brand (now I sound like I'm talking in BMW's best interest--doh!). I still have my late mother's 1995 5-series and it's a great daily driver. I love driving that car as much as I love my new Porsche even if the Bimmer is an automatic! Whatever ends up happening, I hope you two are satisfied with the outcome and that BMW steps up.

Slow Guy

As you can see from my signature I have a '97 M3 Sedan, it's on my scissor lift right now while the wheels are getting refinished and I'm getting ready to put on the repaired power steering hose. What you don't see there is my 2nd car was a '67 BMW 1600 (after my 1st, a '67 MGB), so I've had a few BMW's too.

I've requested a sit-down with the service manager, I'll see what comes from that.

I'm most pissed from the fact I was told when we bought the car we bought an extended warranty, I asked specifically if it covered the convertible top and was told it did, now I find out the only part of the top it covers is the motor! The ONLY reason I bought that warranty was for the top and I told them that at the time. I want to be made whole on that warranty $$$$. I think I have a big enough hammer to get what I want.

Boston911fan

So let me get this straight. Does the extended warranty only cover certain parts of the top or both the extended and regular warranty? My cousin bought a 335i Convertible last October and did the European delivery thing! I should warn her. What about the 128i? Yeah, it's smaller and over-priced, but it does have the same engine and has a soft top, which is less complicated (but yeah I know, it does not have the novelty and practicality of the hard top). I love the way it looks!

Slow Guy

As I read it now the Easy Care Total Care warranty ONLY covers the convertible top MOTOR, nothing else! That's why I'm so pissed. I was out and out lied to by the sales dept. If they don't make this right it will wipe out all the goodwill they've gained from their service dept.

chsu74

I have been following this thread because I am also a BMW owner. I decided to pick up a p car because my last service to the dealeraship was such a bad experience that I don't know if I will ever buy from BMW again. BMW service used to be so good when I first bought the car. It has just gone downhill since.

It looks like Audi and P cars for me going forward unless I find BMWs old enough for my indie to work on. It also means no M3/4(E90?) which I really like.

Slow Guy

I left a msg. with my SA that I wanted to meet with the Serv. Mgr., she called me back asking if the Sales Mgr. has been in contact with me yet. Apparently something is in the works. I will post nothing more on it until I have definitive information.

Reddy Kilowatt

You bought a Porsche to improve your service experience?

brucec59

Bill, you should let them deal with your wife. Why are you insulating them from her perfectly justifiable rage? (Perhaps you are protecting her from the frustration she'll experience, which is noble of you.)

chsu74

I like torturing myself. My 996 has been very reliable(knock on wood.) However, its about 10K miles past its engine blow up.

CP

Bill,

I would assume your 335i is still under OEM warranty, no?

But it is certainly a point to worry about for post-warranty ownership. If the extended warranty only covers the motor that is a bunch of BS.

I owned an E39 M5 past warranty coverage. The last 6 months of ownership was excruciating. With that experience, and the Bangal designs, turned me off of newer BMWs. The fact that BMW will not CPO the M5 and M6 (at least as of now) tells me how much faith they have in the long-term durability of their cars. They make most everything in the cars un-necessarily complex, to the point that the techs an SAs have a hard time servicing/repairing them. It started way back with the 8 series, became more evident with the new 7 series. The current 5 and 6 series cars are total nightmares for the service departments. The 3 series seems to be doing OK. This all from a very senior (and friendly) BMW master tech I befriended long ago. BTW, MB suffers from the same ills, so this is not a BMW bane alone.

Sorry to hear about your (and the Mrs's) frustrations. More conviction for me to stay with basic, simple cars, like my 993 and stripped base Cayman.

CP

Slow Guy

CP, It's my wife's car and she doesn't need the 335, it's a 328 (she's already gotten 1 ticket because she doesn't like radar detectors and pays more attention to the radio than where the cops may be hiding). The car is 11 mos. old (w/ just over 5k mi.) so it is well in the mfgr's warranty period.

Just a short while ago the Svc. Mgr. called to touch base w/ me. He confirmed that "things are being worked out right now to get a resolution to our problem" and that I would be getting a call later this afternoon from both him along with the sales manager. He (understandably) did not want to go into detail but said they are working with their BMWNA Rep. on a resolution and will be in contact later today.

I did give the Svc. Mgr. a heads-up on my feelings about the extended warranty issue and he said he would most certainly pass that along to the sales mgr.

We shall see.....

Mark Harris

New car New car New car

We have a E46 330 Convertible (pre-hardtop) and love it. Although I would envision us considering the retractable hardtop in the future for the obvious advantages while living in a 4 season climate.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I'm sure BMW took apart about a dozen of the time tested SL's during their own development.

You are obviously an easy and understanding customer. I, like you, would have been OK with a completely new top from Germany, but obviously the logistics of that option are not working.

I'm watching this closely, because the end result will speak volumes about BMW of North America. The local dealership has been taken out of the equation at this point. What every the local dealer ends up doing will be a direct result of BMW NA's decision.

I would guess and hope for you that somewhere there is a bunch of paperwork getting signed off by a bunch of levels of management to correct this.