[Bluewater335D]

Just called a BMW Main Dealer in the South of the UK - the one nearest to me - to book in the recall for fitting the repair cable for the positive battery terminal.

"we are now booking these in for next MAY, Sir" - next MAY I said - yes the lady said - it took some time to get the parts in from BMW

How long will it take, I said ........... "90 minutes Sir" was the reply

Can I have the part so that I can fit it myself - silence

I ask you, is next MAY, in almost 6 months time acceptable for booking in a recall that BMW have specified.

Shocking!!! - another reason why I would never use a Main Dealer

[rasa bmw]

yeh what if it catches fire,,or stall on middle lane of motorway.i would phone again and say im frigtened to drive it, as i have family and dont want them getting fried alive,,lay it on thick

[Dann]

It's not the dealers fault though.
When I had mine done last week the guy was telling me they have 7 mechanics dedicated to the recall who are currently working 7 days a week on it. They do about 100 cars a week.

Unfortunately there is just so many cars to get through.

[Bluewater335D]

Originally Posted by Dann

It's not the dealers fault though.
When I had mine done last week the guy was telling me they have 7 mechanics dedicated to the recall who are currently working 7 days a week on it. They do about 100 cars a week.

Unfortunately there is just so many cars to get through.

a 6 month wait is in no way good customer service and does very little to encourage me to use this Main Dealer for routine servicing etc.......and presumably other Main Dealers are the same.

Presumably this recall is a low profit margin job for them and so takes no priority over other work

[Dann]

Originally Posted by Bluewater335D

a 6 month wait is in no way good customer service and does very little to encourage me to use this Main Dealer for routine servicing etc.......and presumably other Main Dealers are the same.

Presumably this recall is a low profit margin job for them and so takes no priority over other work

I was waiting for over 6 months as they had no parts available.
Yes it's not good customer service, but they are working as hard as possible to sort them. There is only a finite amount of hours in a day and a massive amount of cars to fix. It's just bad luck that you are where you are on that list. It's quite simply too many cars need fixing and not enough time in a day/week to get them done.

Recall work will be at a loss. They are paying to rectify a safety issue. BMW are footing the bill for everyone's cars, the hire cars, taxis etc.

[The0pportunist]

MY friend's little brother is temping at sytner bmw - he said the back log is around 2 months which is crazy, 6 months is unacceptable!

Obviously BMW are trying to do this the most efficient way for them when really if the safety aspect meant anything to them, they would do it much quickly.

[748adam]

To be fair, if we are talking about priority jobs, warranty work will be at the bottom of the list, and if you rarely if ever visit that dealer why should they prioritise you over a regular customer that puts a lot of money their way? As said above, there are a hell of a lot of cars needing to have the recall carried out, everyone kicking off left right and centre about their local dealer not having a loan car for them to use and abuse.
6 months is a long time, I waited 5 for the parts to arrive but before they arrived I started getting symptoms of impending failure, rang bmw assist and they put me on priority booking and came to my place of work to carry it out.
Not having a go here mearly looking at it from a dealership point of view.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Yeah the wait time is kind of dumb, you should mention if my car catches fire I don't pay anything? Lol

BUT them not giving you the part so you can install it I can agree to. If a car is cleared of the recall and the part isn't actually done or installed properly they won't know. That may be sold afterwards to someone else you never know.

[Bluewater335D]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Yeah the wait time is kind of dumb, you should mention if my car catches fire I don't pay anything? Lol

BUT them not giving you the part so you can install it I can agree to. If a car is cleared of the recall and the part isn't actually done or installed properly they won't know. That may be sold afterwards to someone else you never know.

I agree it would have been stupid for them to give me the part - but I have to wait for the car to be fixed and guess what, they said that it would take 90 minutes to fit the new battery cable - so I wait until mid May to get an appointment - then I have a 90 minute wait while they fit the new part

[rasa bmw]

Originally Posted by 748adam

To be fair, if we are talking about priority jobs, warranty work will be at the bottom of the list, and if you rarely if ever visit that dealer why should they prioritise you over a regular customer that puts a lot of money their way? As said above, there are a hell of a lot of cars needing to have the recall carried out, everyone kicking off left right and centre about their local dealer not having a loan car for them to use and abuse.
6 months is a long time, I waited 5 for the parts to arrive but before they arrived I started getting symptoms of impending failure, rang bmw assist and they put me on priority booking and came to my place of work to carry it out.
Not having a go here mearly looking at it from a dealership point of view.

because they can stall on motorway and catch fire,,,if thats not prioritising than i dont know what is

[748adam]

But that is a BMW problem, not the dealer problem. I am not saying this is ethically/morally right. Dealer can't get parts what is that dealer supposed to do, use magic? Some dealers do sometimes have stock of the parts, if the OP is genuinely concerned that his car may burst into flames then ring BMW UK, or try a few other dealers to see if they have stock.

[Bluewater335D]

Originally Posted by 748adam

But that is a BMW problem, not the dealer problem. I am not saying this is ethically/morally right. Dealer can't get parts what is that dealer supposed to do, use magic? Some dealers do sometimes have stock of the parts, if the OP is genuinely concerned that his car may burst into flames then ring BMW UK, or try a few other dealers to see if they have stock.

I got the impression that the dealer had stock, just that there was a waiting list until next May ........ maybe as you suggest I should call a few other dealers?

[rasa bmw]

some folk have gotten them to check car over,,then if they find summoit wrong with the recall items,,they take the car and you get a courtesy car,,someone had one for over 3 months ha ha

[748adam]

Originally Posted by Bluewater335D

I got the impression that the dealer had stock, just that there was a waiting list until next May ........ maybe as you suggest I should call a few other dealers?

I'd call another dealer to check their availabilty, if you are genuinley concerned about fire ring BMW assist, I was getting starting problems and they put me on prioity booking and came to my place of work to carry out both recalls. In the end my starting issues turned out to be a goosed battery.

[MattOz]

Was in at Rybrook BMW in Warwick this morning, booking mine in for the 2 recalls. It's being done next Wednesday. They have replacement parts in stock, so perhaps worth investigating?

[Bluewater335D]

Originally Posted by MattOz

Was in at Rybrook BMW in Warwick this morning, booking mine in for the 2 recalls. It's being done next Wednesday. They have replacement parts in stock, so perhaps worth investigating?

tried another dealer in Hampshire - they are booking for March - "so many recalls at the present time"

[MattOz]

Originally Posted by Bluewater335D

tried another dealer in Hampshire - they are booking for March - "so many recalls at the present time"

Sounds like you need a day out in the Midlands!

[m_star01]

I am in the same boat except I am
Waiting 3 months same reason no parts

[Hayes]

Mines being done now, booked about a month ago. Got an X2 courtesy car too.