Complaint Review: BMW NORTH AMERICA - Nationwide

 I first started having problems with my 2012 BMW X6 50i. I bought the vehicle used and certified and immediately noticed it was burning oil. I was putting on average 4 quarts of oil a month in the vehicle. My BMW service representative told me that this was perfectly normal in high performance vehicles made by BMW. Over the course of the two years I owned the it was constantly in the shop. Nearly 6 months of the two years owning the vehicle it was being repaired. At no point did anyone advise me of my rights with respect to the lemon law.

Finally I started doing some research online and discovered that there were some very strong laws enacted to protect people like me from lemon vehicles.

I contacted BMW North America and spoke with Alexa Buffalino. When she asked for the VIN number I heard her say "We have a lot of problems with this engine" then quickly said "Wait you didn't hear me say that.

Within a week BMW authorized to buy back my vehicle and I was presented with a form to sign to receive my check. This was good news but why did I have to suffer for two years? Why didn't BMW tell me I had a lemon? 

​I quickly noticed on the buyback form there was $4500 missing in equity on the vehicle. After investigating it was discovered that in the section stating the down payment which was $5,000 instead $500 was written. I brought this to the attention of Ms. Buffalino and she corrected it. I had the distinct feeling it was not a mistake.

I quickly invested my money into a another BMW vehicle. This time a certified 2014 BMW X5 50i with M sport package. I was not home from the Ontario dealership when the "ADD OIL ALERT" came on. I contacted service and they told me to add oil which I did. Approximately 400 miles later the oil alert again came on. I contacted service and they again instructed me to add oil. About 500 miles later when the oil light came on again I brought the vehicle into service and learned that I could save the $10 per quart of synthetic and they would top it off for me.

​After about 2500 miles of this drama I brought the vehicle in and said something must be wrong I can't just keep putting oil oil in this vehicle. Over the course of the next 7 months the vehicle was in the shop for over 2 months. BMW could not fix the problem. I started contacting other people who had the same vehicle and learned they were having the same problem. Some people were not bothered by adding oil they felt it was a home mechanic kind of hobby. I however do not enjoy adding oil to my vehicle.

I contacted Nancy McDonald at BMW north America, apparently Alexa Buffalino no longer worked there. Again they immediately offered to buy back my vehicle. I explained the problem started from the day I bought the vehicle and that no deductions for milage usage should apply. Nancy McDonald agreed. While submitting photos of my title and registration I again reminded her that there should be no milage deduction via E-mail. Yet when I received my buyback worksheet it had deductions for 9,786 miles which resulted in a $4,422.00 reduction in my refund check. My instinct again was this was not a mistake. I confronted Nancy McDonald and she partially corrected the number adding another $3,222 to my refund check. Nancy said the remaining $1200 deduction remaining from the original $4,422.00 was being withheld because BMW only considers the miles on the oddometer from the first time the vehicle was left with service. 

I told Nancy that I thought it was strange that through the process of two Lemon car buybacks both times BMW tried to defraud me out of thousands of dollars and only after I investigated and brought the errors to their attention was the dollar amounts corrected.

​Since then I have found several other people with similar errors on their buyback worksheets. None of which benefited the customer of course.

​Next comes the retaliation from the Palm Springs BMW dealership. They were holding a 2014 BMW x5 50i for me. After I received the buyback check i was $575 short from buying the car outright. The sales man refused to release the vehicle to me. I did not have my wallet with me and no credit cards. I was forced to walk home.

I contacted the sales manager the day before Easter and told him what happened he said they were closing and would also be closed the following day. I continued to communicate with Blake Fitzgerald by text. we agreed I would come purchase the vehicle by end of day after Easter. I texted him at 10AM the morning after Easter and told him I was on my way. I called a freind to pick me up. As we were pulling in the driveway of the dealership I received a text that said call me as soon as you can. I called Blake and he told me the vehicle was sold and I could not buy it and to not bother coming into the dealership. I told him I felt I was being retaliated against for some reason.

​I was shocked I headed home and contacted the GM Frank E Pierce Jr. I told him what had happened offered to show him my text communications of the promise to hold the vehicle for me. He said there was nothing he could do the car was sold and hung up the phone.

I deposited the check in my Wells Fargo account and was informed that the money will not be released for 10 days. Chase bank representatives state that BMW of North America specifically elected to place a $10,000 cash limit on there checks. This means you must deposit the check and wait for it to clear.

Both of these wesites tell about the fraud BMW is commiting on customers. They also offer help to people who have lemon vehicles.

bmwbuybackfraud.com

bmwoilconsumption.com