[E91 Hoarder]

Posted in dealer review thread, but want to share in the local section as well.

My car started having loud squeaking noise in the rear. Previously I heard good things about BMW Seattle, so I took my car there. They told me that in order to diagnose the problem, they needed the car for a day. Later the SA called me saying they found the source of squeaking, which was caused by twisted sway bar bushings and recommended replacement. However, since it is a tear and wear part, it won't be covered under CPO. He gave me a quote for the job, which was obviously high.

I decided to repair the car in the local BMW certified indy shop. They did the repair according to the dealership diagnostics. However, the squeaking did not go away - Seattle BMW clearly misdiagnosed the problem. This misdiagnose cost me a couple hundred bucks for the repair I did not need...

So... I take the car back to Seattle and ask them to re-diagnose the car, and this time really find the source of the problem. Now surprise - I need to pay another couple hundreds $$ for them to look at it again! REALLY? WTF? %#$!!! BMW Seattle didn't want to stand up to their errors!

At this point I was frustrated enough and did not want to waste my time with them. Overall, I am very disappointed, they lost all the credibility and me as a customer.

[andybui82]

you should of went to bellevue to see my boy clif. hes the best SA there hands down

[Tim M]

I've heard nothing but bad things about them. I always have mine serviced at BMW Northwest. Everyone there is a delight to deal with, and I've always had my car back at a decent time, even when they were swamped. Never any problems when I got it back.

[Peertwelve]

Originally Posted by andybui82

you should of went to bellevue to see my boy clif. hes the best SA there hands down

I have been less-than-impressed with Clif twice. Do you have to bring him a cookie? Couldn't even get a return email on a quote for Performance Exhaust

[Tim M]

Dave Quinn. Call him up. He represents what BMW stands for.

[E91 Hoarder]

Could you guys PM me your SAs' contact info?

[atown88]

My few run ins with BMW Seattle have been more than pleasant. From my faulty door lock to my brakes. I forgot his name but my SA really took care of me. Unfortunately there will always be bad apples so sorry to hear OP.

[andybui82]

Originally Posted by Peertwelve

I have been less-than-impressed with Clif twice. Do you have to bring him a cookie? Couldn't even get a return email on a quote for Performance Exhaust

other than him bmw of bellevue is all bad. but idk clif seems really cool with me and my cousin everytime he goes in.

[E91 Hoarder]

Never been to Bellevue BMW, mostly because of negative feedback, but will give them a chance.

Too bad for BMW Seattle, I may be in the market for new F30/32 soon...

[lpphreakx06]

Clif is the biggest douche nozzle i have ever had the dis-pleasure to meet LOL. Dan is the best at Bellevue. I get my car serviced at Strictly now since I am out of warranty. They know their stuff.

[andybui82]

Originally Posted by lpphreakx06

Clif is the biggest douche nozzle i have ever had the dis-pleasure to meet LOL. Dan is the best at Bellevue. I get my car serviced at Strictly now since I am out of warranty. They know their stuff.

hahaha! he is kinda douchey. he told me he wants to party with us in belltown several times.

[DC_Oldboy]

I went to Seattle for the first time and I must say customer service is MUCH better and people are friendlier. For those of you that has the "ticking noise" I got my cylinder head replaced. I get my car back tomorrow so we'll see. They kept my car for 5 days. But don't get me started on Bellevue... Too much to rant about...

[atown88]

Originally Posted by BringsMoreWomen

I went to Seattle for the first time and I must say customer service is MUCH better and people are friendlier. For those of you that has the "ticking noise" I got my cylinder head replaced. I get my car back tomorrow so we'll see. They kept my car for 5 days. But don't get me started on Bellevue... Too much to rant about...

Yeah. I haven't been to Bellevue, and I haven't been to the one in Fife because they were booked for at least two weeks. Seattle has always been good. From the front desk people, to the parts desk. And we can't forget about those pastries!

[DC_Oldboy]

Originally Posted by atown88

Yeah. I haven't been to Bellevue, and I haven't been to the one in Fife because they were booked for at least two weeks. Seattle has always been good. From the front desk people, to the parts desk. And we can't forget about those pastries!

Lol at pastries. =) Yeah the only good thing going on for Bellevue is when drive up to the service department and your greeted. Once you walk through the doors of the SA offices, hell begins...

[hun77777]

well, first and foremost, i am sorry about your unpleasant experience but dealership charging for diagnose doesn't really make them bad.

if you repair the car at the dealership and the bushing wasn't the problem, indeed, you can re-argue for their mistake. but when mechanic saw the bushing was twisted, they would obviously blame on that and there's no way what the real source of the problem might've been until those bushings are getting fixed. from their point of view, those bushings could've also been a contributing factor for the noise as well.

i know it kinda sucks but sometimes you have to fix one thing to realize the other, something very common on electrical problems...

what you should've done is to re-diagnose for themselves so when they concluded that those bushings were the problem but indeed it wasn't, then you have a ground to argue. but from the dealership's point of view, you took your car, they found the problem, you took it elsewhere to repair it and came back to complain more, so they look and there's another problem and so they let you know again. if you take it elsewhere to fix it again and have that noise again, i'm sorry buddy but they'll do the same thing all over again because there's nothing dealership can do. i really don't think their intention was to screw you to begin with, it's just that rattle and squeaking is very hard to diagnose because there is usually more than one factor...

again, i'm sorry that your dealership experience is bad. i'm not representing any dealership, and i feel you on that because i've been trying to have dealership fix some of the interior rattles fixed in the past so i know what it is like. i honestly just think that it's the nature of the problem, rattle and squeaking... good luck on your repair...

[lopealle]

Originally Posted by Gunners_Mate

I've heard nothing but bad things about them. I always have mine serviced at BMW Northwest. Everyone there is a delight to deal with, and I've always had my car back at a decent time, even when they were swamped. Never any problems when I got it back.

Josh is my Dude up there

[Evelyn]

I agree!!!!! I took my X5 there and they told me my water pump was leaking. so I bought the Parts and when I got the front of the cooling system apart I looked and the pump was not leaking from anywhere, so I put it back together and looked at things a little closer, It was the vally pan leaking not the pump. if they had quality techs there they would have seen it when they pop the hood and looked down!!!! I will never go back there for service. That would have been $1300 dollors that didnt need be there. I now take the X5 and My 335 to Bellevue or Conaway in everett

[andybui82]

i just feel that Bellevue has a really mixed reaction there. Some people like em and some people dont. But then again, i feel that thats the same way for every place. Except BMW northwest, all i hear is great things about them.

[reddemon73]

I have taken my cars into Seattle twice and my dad car into BMW NW twice. The Seattle facility is more modern and a lot bigger. The NW is much smaller and sometime it is better. I didn't have to wait to get service at the NW vs. Seattle. I had to wait over 20 min for a shuttle ride back to work in Seattle.

[matrix76]

Originally Posted by reddemon73

I have taken my cars into Seattle twice and my dad car into BMW NW twice. The Seattle facility is more modern and a lot bigger. The NW is much smaller and sometime it is better. I didn't have to wait to get service at the NW vs. Seattle. I had to wait over 20 min for a shuttle ride back to work in Seattle.

Yes, bigger is not always better,

[Blackbird]

My experience with Tony Alongi at BMW Seattle has been positive. I also do a fair amount of research and can usually give him an idea of what issues I'm having before I go in. I've heard good things about BMW Northwest, and generally poor review of Bellevue.

What was the eventual diagnosis? There's a SIB (service bulletin) out there for rear brake squeal. If that's what it ended up being then shame on them for not checking that first.

--------

SI B 34 08 08
Brakes October 2008
Technical Service

This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B34 08 08 dated October 2008.

designates changes to this revision

SUBJECT
Brake Squeal from Pad Wear Sensor

MODEL
E90, E91, E92, E93 (3 Series)

SITUATION
Depending on the driving conditions, the occasional brake squeak and/or squeal is normal. The condition listed in this bulletin occurs during all light to moderate brake applications and is caused by contact between the brake pad wear sensor and the brake rotor/disc. This situation can occur on the front or rear axle brakes.

CAUSE
The geometry of the brake wear sensor, combined with individual driving habits, can result in a particular wear pattern which causes a squeaking and/or squealing noise whenever the brakes are applied with light to moderate force.

CORRECTION
In the case of a customer complaint, road test the vehicle to determine the source of the noise. If the noise is coming from the brake system, inspect the brake pad wear sensor of the affected axle. If the sensor is in contact with the rotor/disc, remove the sensor and drive the vehicle.

If the noise is not eliminated, further diagnosis is required to determine the cause of the noise.

If the noise is eliminated, replace the brake pads and wear sensor of the affected axle.

Measure and record the thickness of each of the brake pads which will be replaced. Refer to the Warranty section of this bulletin for important information regarding the correct usage of warranty defect codes based on brake pad thickness.

Refer to the appropriate Repair Instructions:

RA 34 11 000 "Removing and installing/replacing brake linings on both front disc brakes"

RA 34 21 200 "Removing and installing/replacing brake linings on both rear brake discs"

Whenever the brake pads are replaced, the CBS data must be reset accordingly.

PARTS INFORMATION
For the part numbers of brake components, please refer to EPC/ETK. Only replace parts on the affected axle as listed under CORRECTION in this bulletin.

WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty or the BMW Maintenance Program.

Please refer to the following defect codes listed below, based on remaining brake pad thickness, to ensure proper coding of the claim.

Claims which are submitted using incorrect coding information will be subject to either a refusal or debit.

Brake pad thickness which measures between 7.5 mm and 3.8 mm should be claimed using the defect code below for the brake pad wear sensor noise .

Defect Code:
34 11 04 39 00
Front brake pad wear sensor unpleasant noises

Labor Operation:
Labor Allowance:
Description:

Refer to KSD

Defect Code:
34 21 19 39 00
Rear brake pad wear sensor unpleasant noises

Labor Operation:
Labor Allowance:
Description:

Refer to KSD

Brake pad thickness which measures 3.7 mm or less must be claimed using the following applicable BMW Maintenance Program defect code.

Defect Code:
34 11 00 77 MP
Replacing brake pads, front

Labor Operation:
Labor Allowance:
Description:

Refer to KSD

Defect Code:
34 21 00 77 MP
Replacing brake pads, rear

Labor Operation:
Labor Allowance:
Description:

Refer to KSD

Brake pad thickness which measures greater than 7.5 mm will not have a brake pad wear sensor that contacts the brake disc.

If these vehicles have a brake noise complaint, further diagnosis is required to determine the root cause. If diagnosis determines that all the brake components are performing adequately, but the vehicle still exhibits a brake noise which is constant (not intermittent) and reproducible, then the appropriate defect codes to use are listed below.

Defect Code:
34 00 01 39 00
Front axle brakes squeaking

Labor Operation:
Labor Allowance:
Description:

Refer to KSD

Defect Code:
34 00 11 39 00
Rear axle brakes squeaking

Labor Operation:
Labor Allowance:
Description:

Refer to KSD

If the brake discs require replacement (as outlined to the Repair Manual Instructions), claim with the repair defect codes listed here for applicable warranty repairs or the appropriate BMW Maintenance Program defect code.

[Bunkei]

I went to the BMW of Bellevue, and ask about replacing the LED taillamp assembly per the TSB. The tech asked if I had a warranty, and I said 'no'. He told me that the BMW standard hourly rate for diagnosis/repair is $153.

The guy gave me the impression that he didn't want to deal with the issue, as he didn't invite me to schedule an appointment. It will definitely be the last time I visit there.