I visited BMW South while I was visiting other car dealerships in the area searching for a new vehicle. I test drove and began negotiations with Carlos Dieseldorff, Sales Representative, for the purchase of a 128 series. After negotiating, I advised Mr. Dieseldorff that I still was not sure if I wanted to take the car. He then suggested I take the car for the day as a loaner. There would be no cost and I can return the next day without any obligation. I agreed to take the car and signed a Borrowed Vehicle agreement and provided them with my credit card and insurance, in case of any damages. At this point, Mr. Dieseldorff had been polite, courteous, and very professional.
The next day I decided to visit Braman BMW who is located only 5 minutes from my home. Braman gave me a better deal on the car so I decided to make the purchase through them. They also offered to have the loaner returned to South BMW on their flatbed tow truck. I appreciated the extra service since BMW South was about 40 minutes away. I later spoke with Mr. Dieseldorff and advised them I decided to purchase the vehicle through Braman the car was enroute to their dealership. While, understandably Mr. Dieseldorff was not happy I did not close the deal with him he was not rude or out of line. He was concerned because the car had his dealer tag on it and he said he could get in trouble. I told him I would be happy to contact Braman so they can provide him with an exact time the car will arrive and proceeded to call Braman. While I was on the phone with Braman, I received a call from a gentleman that identified himself as Marco Ruiz, Directory of Security for BMW South (I later came to find out no such position exists and in fact this was the Sales Manager), advising (or better said screaming) at me that if the car was not there in 1 hour he would report the call stolen and charge $3000 to my credit card. Literally this man was talking to me like a common day thief at which point I told him he can speak with Braman directly because I would not allow for him to speak to me that way.
The car was delivered as promised but two days later I was charged $500 on my credit card by BMW South. American Express has been investigating the incident and BMW South is now stating the charge is because the car was returned without floor mats. #1) The car NEVER had floor mats---it had paper mats like the ones used after your car has been washedInteresting note that they did not state the car was damaged because obviously they would need to show photos and actually proof, instead they opt to state things are missing that were never there. #2) There are NO floormats on bmw.com for $500!! The most expensive on the whole site are $245. #3) They are accusing me of STEALING and basically committing FRAUD to try and get whatever money they can. This is the most blatant non-ethical and unprofessional behavior I have ever been involved in a sales transaction. I work in sales so I COMPLETELY understand how it feels to lose a deal but NEVER would I resort to such disgusting and ludicrous behavior.
I had stopped by BMW South just because I was in the area looking at other cars or I would have gone to BMW Braman to begin with. Especially ironic, is that my sister bought her first BMW with BMW South three years ago and had a similar situation. She was sold the car which supposedly had the Bluetooth feature where you can control your IPOD through the radio of the car. After she purchased the car and tried to use the feature, it would not workshe later found out it in fact did NOT have the feature. When she complained to the sales manager (dont know if it is the same one), he offered her free floor mats instead of properly installing the feature she was promised. Its ironic that in this whole process I believed I received better treatment from the sales representative than the Sales Manager. But unfortunately if crooks are running the management of the establishment, it will ruin it for all parties involved. I HIGHLY SUGGEST NEVER PURCHASING A VEHICLE FROM BMW SOUTH!!!
Robert
Irvine,#2Consumer Comment
Tue, June 29, 2010
Sorry I did misread the posting about the return and charging of the card. But as I mentioned before even if it was late that does not give them the right to charge things that are not legitimate. So if they are charging you $500 for "floormats" that were not there, then that is not a vaild charge and should be disputed.
I am not justifying their actions, but you probably should have returned the car first before you started looking around at other dealers. The agreement to "borrow" the car was signed by you not that dealer, and it did have their dealer tags on the car.
Ken
Clinton,#3General Comment
Tue, June 29, 2010
I really shouldn't reply to things I read on-line at 4AM...
AdriS
Miami,#4Author of original report
Tue, June 29, 2010
I am sorry if I was not clear on my original posting but the car was delivered on time to South BMW within 24 hours as agreed (my credit card was billed 2 days later). I decided to go to Braman prior to returning to BMW South because if I purchased from South BMW I would need to go South BMW to get serviced because only the dealer where you purchase the car will provide you with a loaner. South BMW is 40 minutes away from my home, as opposed to Braman whom is 5 minutes (I only happpened to stop at South BMW because I was in the area that day). Regardless, Braman provided me with a better deal and I don't beleive there is absolutely anything wrong with getting a cost comparison when you are purchasing a $34,000 car.
Additionally, South BMW is not contesting that I did not deliver the car to them on time--hence I would understand getting charged a rental fee if that was the case. They are FALSELY claiming that the car had floor mats and it was not returned with the car. The car never had floor mats and obviously they know this is a situation where it is there word against mine---unlike if they claim damage to the car where proof would have to provided by pictures, etc. Additionally, the floor mats for my car cost $139 so I again, where is the claim for $500 coming from??
I advised Braman that I needed to leave to return the car and THEY offered to deliver the car for me as a service. Even if I did deliver the car myself, they could of come up with the same story and I would be in the same predicament. What is upsetting about this, at the end, is not the $500 but the unethical behavior. I run a publishing company and have been involved in sales for 10 years. Losing a deal is part of the job but never have I ever treated a customer who turned down by deal in this fashion. On the contrary, I have gained new clients that in the past have turned me down but appreciate my professionalism.
Ken
Clinton,#5General Comment
Tue, June 29, 2010
The lesson is NOT to avoid buying from BMW South. The lesson is to not rent you anything for a day, knowing it may take three to get it back.
Robert
Irvine,#6Consumer Comment
Mon, June 28, 2010
Am I reading this right...
He then suggested I take the car for the day as a loaner. There would be no cost and I can return the next day without any obligation.....The car was delivered as promised but two days later.
So you took the car on a 1-Day loaner with the promise to return it the next day. But instead of going to that dealer first and returning the loaner car you decide to look at other cars. Then when you made a deal with the other dealer they said they would return the car, even though you had it for a day they returned it two days later. Yet you are complaining about the dealer you borrowed the car from for 1 day(oh sorry 3 days).
By the way how did you get to the other dealer in the first place, and how did you expect to get back after you dropped off the car?
Now, this does not justify them charging your card if the charges are not legitimate. However, it sounds as if they would have had every right to charge you a "rental" fee if you went over the agreed upon time. As I am sure that there were clauses in the agreement that stated all of the fees for a "late" return. I could easily see a "high end" rental being in the neighborhood of $150 per day.