They steal money and have no accountability. The following story bothers me not because of the money (it's a trivial amount), but the principal of it is incredibly angering.

Let me start by saying I am as big a BMW fan as you will find. My last three cars were an E46 M3, an E60 M5, and currently an E63 M6 Convertible (the MOST EXPENSIVE cars they sell). I also trade in and out of cars often so I am a dealership's best friend.

My M5 was on a two year lease. With two months left, I decided that I'd get an M6 for my next car so I went to the dealership to make a deal. We agreed on a deal for my new $117,000 MSRP M6 that included terminating my M5 lease two months early. Simple deal, leave the M5, drive off in the M6. All sides were happy.

6 months later I get a call from an unknown number in Atlanta. It's a collections agency that has been given a debt of $255 resulting from the lease disposition of my M5. Obviously there is some mistake but there is no use arguing with a collections agency, you have to just pay the money and then argue with whomever sent the debt to collections in the first place. So I paid the $255 + a $12 service charge immediately and figured Century West would easily refund my money since it obviously arose from their mistake.

Yesterday I go in to talk to them about it and spoke with the manager, I believe his name is Jimmy who rudely tells me, "oh yeah that's from the sales tax on the two remaining payments. we don't pay the sales tax." Instead of just terminating the lease early, they paid the $1500+ payment for two months but not the $127 of sales tax on it. Since the car was no longer registered to my address, I got no notification of any delinquency until it was sent to collections.

Obviously the deal we made did not include me paying $255 of sales tax for two payments I wasn't making. If they had even suggested such a thing when I was about to buy a $117,000 car from them would have made me walk out and leave the dealership.

One would think that at this point Jimmy would simply cut me a check for the nominal amount resulting from their error, retain a valuable client, and call it a day. Instead, he first gives me a line about not having the authority to refund my money because he doesn't know how to account for it. Then he offers to cut me a check for $130 and "split it with me". What? You have the authority to refund $130 of your screw up but not the other $130?? He finally left it at "I'll talk to the owner as soon as he gets off the phone and get authorization." Not surprisingly, 24 hours later I have not received a call back.

I am SHOCKED at how little regard for its customers this dealer has shown. To alienate any customer over a $260 mistake that was clearly the dealership's is simply idiotic, let alone a customer who has on numerous occasions bought the most expensive car on the floor. I really don't care about the $260, but I will certainly let everyone know what kind of business these people are running.

 

I hear you. It isn't the money, it is the principle of not taking care of your customers.

I have a similar story about a gas station I have been going to for over 8 years.

I asked them to turn the air pump on and they asked if I had just gotten gas. I had got gas a few days ago, but not that specific day. So they wouldn't turn the air on for me, even for a customer of 8+ years. I didn't have 75 cents on me, and wasn't going to break a 20 to do so. I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars at their gas station, and they won't push a button so I can fill up a low tire?

Needless to say, I have not gone back to that gas station even though it is the closest to my residence.

SoCal

 

I hear you, I have been having troubles with Century West too (and so have my friends) Alot of the people that are employed at Century West lack customer service among other things. I say you dont give up and you get your money!


By any chance did you pick up the White on Black fully loaded E63 that they had

 

i have never really found dealerships help you out after buying a car...but when you're buying one they "bend over backwards" to get you into the car...

 

dealerships typically dont help once they have your money..

 

My wife brought her BMW there for service once.

She ended up with a huge dent on her hood. Century West BMW refused to pay for the damage. It was the most expensive oil change I have ever had.

If you bring your car there, make sure you get them to inspect your car when you drop it off AND when you pick it up.

 

let's get Jimmy fired

 

Thanks for the post. I will take your advice if I'm ever in the market for a BMW.

 

Did your credit go bad because of that? I think someone's *** will probably get raped if that happens. Might want to get your annual government Credit Report now.

 

I agree thats grounds for a suit that collection went on your credit so they owe you more then $260 as far as I'm concerned.

 

things have been so good for so long, i think these dealers have forgotten how bad things can get. maybe our next president will actually raise taxes, increase regulation and implement protectionist trade policies so we can have a redo of the 1930's. a good ten year drought should bring back customer service.

i'd actually sue century in small claims court.

 

Ha! Obviously they don't know or care that in CA it's the LAW that they CAN'T charge a paying customer for air/water....it's true...Most stations I walk into ....I just say.........I need it turned on and they don't even blink....just push the button behind the counter and I'm on my way.....