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      11-06-2019, 11:04 AM   #1
crzy4bimmers
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Drives: G63, GLS63, X7M50 (inbound)
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M5 35 Jahre | Is this dealer vandalism?

Here are the facts:

1. I order the 2020 M5 35 Jahre from the BMW NA website. This is my 5th M car over the years (2011 M3, 2011 M3, 2015 M3, 2016 M5) and the 7th BMW in our family over the years. I've done both ED and Performance Center deliveries. Lately I've switched to a Merc (AMG S550) and a Tesla Model S (don't judge me) but the inner child and M fan in me wanted a long term M keeper in my stable. Realizing the sad fact that internal combustion engines are going to go the way of the electric car, this was the car I wanted my kids to enjoy as they grow up. My plan was to drive it a little each year, maintain it, and essentially store it for the long term.

2. I get confirmation from BMW NA that I'm one of the 35 people who are going to get this car in North America. Yay!

3. I pick a local dealer as I thought this was essentially going to be a pick up point where BMW NA white gloves this to me. I knew I was going to pay sticker on this and frankly, I didn't care. Sales guy contacts me, and is pleasant throughout the entire process. There are no options on this car so there's not much to do other than not F up the delivery process.

4. I fall into the usual Bimmerpost fanboy mode of checking production status daily, trying to figure out which ship this is going to be on — you guys know the drill. Luckily the car didn't end up on a Wallenius ship, so I couldn't track it and that saved me some madness for two weeks ;-)

5. I get the call that the car is here. I am giddy!

6. My family shows up to the dealership with me so excited to see this car. I get in, and I am in love. The gold trim isn't gaudy — it's muted and classy! The frozen grey looks fantastic. It's dark outside so I don't notice the small details on the car.

7. I go to the Finance guy to sign my papers. I've been through this drill so many times, I know what to watch out for. I don't want extended blah, insurance this that. I want to sign and get out of there with my new car. I did groan a bit at the 700 dollar doc and prep fee (highest I've ever seen) but whatever. Then comes the interesting twist. I get asked to sign the 'Royal Guard Window Etching' paperwork. My antenna is up.

8. I ask — "Is this an add on that you added without my permission?" I am told this is now done on all cars to deter theft and you get insurance discounts. I ask if this is mandated by law (I know it isn't) and I get another waffly answer. By this time, I know this dealership wants to make an additional 199 dollars on this sale. I think that in the worst case, they just take off the charge but hopefully there's no chance in f^%$$ hell they mutilated this special car without my permission.

9. I dash out to the lot and I see a pretty conspicuous code with a toll free number underneath etched on every window and on the windshields. What's worse, the etching isn't even aligned and looks like it was plastered on hastily. Then it sinks in. If this is a security etching, for it to be effective, it must be permanent. My heart sinks. It looks hideous and given it includes a toll free number, now my 140k car looks like a Hertz rental with a toll free number plastered on all sides. Actually, rentals only have the drivers side plastered, this is much worse.

10. The sales rep promises me he's going to get this removed and drives off to the back. I don't have the heart to tell him that if they're able to remove it, I should be mad at them for just trying to sell me indelible etching a few moments ago. I think that's a leap of logic I'm unwilling to subject these guys to at that moment.

11. The dealership tries to convince me that they are going to get their best techs to work on the car to remove this or find a way to add tints to the car. I've had enough at this point. My special car has just been vandalized by this dealership in a surreptitious attempt to sell a 200 dollar add on. I walk around the lot and notice that every car has these markings. This means they will add this charge to every single sale and only if an informed customer notices this spurious add-on on their order sheet, and protests, will they take off the charge. The markings, on the other hand, are permanent. A daily, in your face, reminder of just what a chump you are for getting lassoed into this arrangement.

12. I speak with my insurance guy — a total pro — and ask if there is any insurance benefit to this 'theft deterrent'. He laughs and informs me that if the car has an alarm system, one already qualifies for the discount of a grand 5 dollars a year and no additional benefit is afforded to the car owner as a result of this etching.

13. I could tell my sales guy was genuinely sorry that this happened. The lead sales guy on the other hand first tried to convince me this is done on all BMWs, then backed off to all BMWs at their dealership to some other non sequitur line of reasoning that led me to become increasingly exasperated. I exercised every ounce of self control to politely refuse any further engagement with them and walked away without my car and back home.

14. The next day I am feeling worse and I inform the dealership that I will not be buying this car. I contact BMW NA to let them know what happened. They are equally puzzled and assign me a case advisor. Follow up pending — so BMW NA, if you're reading this, get your $hit together and stop this scammy behavior and get a handle on the delivery process of your special edition cars.

15. Now that my M5 Jahre looks like a rental with toll free numbers plastered everywhere, what do I decide to do? Well, there's only one thing to do! Call the damn number. No one picks up. I look up the number and it's registered to some guy in Clifton, NJ. I'll leave the rest of the details for BMW NA. Two more minutes of google research leads me to a lawsuit filed by NY state against dealers in NY for engaging in similar behavior.

16. The end.

The car is stunning; everything else was comedy. I would laugh if I could — I can't muster the indifference to do so.

Here are some photos.
Attached Images
    

Last edited by crzy4bimmers; 11-06-2019 at 03:32 PM..
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