[greentrbo95gst]

I apologize for this picture heavy and emotional post, but I feel that I need to express what we have recently experienced and give a bit of my background and history with BMW. My love with BMW's started 20 years ago when I went to purchase a Lexus GS430 after conducting a 6 month review and decided to take an e39 540i (spotted at the dealer's parking lot) for a test drive even though I did not really like the BMW brand. 30 minutes later I was going home with my first Ultimate Driving Machine and my love affair began. Since then I have owned 19 different BMW's, attended hundreds of BMW related events, been a member of BMW CCA for many years, completed European Delivery, Performance center deliveries, used our Euro Delivery car as our wedding car and many more. We have supported the lifestyle by representing the brand via multiple forums, social media channels and wearing the BMW attire everywhere we went. You name it and I have it, suitcases, bags, umbrellas, hats, ties, kids clothing, kids toys, mugs, kitchen ware, chairs, etc. We have met amazing people and friends throughout the process and are now able to share life time long experiences with them. BMW has been the glue for relationships, we have lived and breathed the brand 24/7 and have gone above and beyond to pass it on to our kids. We have introduced the brand to many other people that we have met along the way and have brought them into the BMW family because that is what we considered what BMW has done for us personally. Fast forward......

About 10 days ago BMW released a statement that they will be cancelling European Delivery for NA customers and the last day to place the order in was on May 18th with July-Sept Munich deliveries. I was about to turn 40 and my wife said as a gift we should go get my F90 Competition and take the kids around Europe for two weeks. We built the car on BMW NA website and sent to build code to Jon Shafer to put the order in and placed a deposit. I received my production number, started tracking the car and planning the trip with the hope that Covid-19 will not affect our travel in 3.5 months. The whole family was excited and spent countless hours showing the kids where we were going to stay and what they were going to experience.
Last Thursday I received a call from the dealer stating the BMW pulled of their allocations for Euro Deliveries and our hearts dropped. This was the last chance to visit the Welt, pick up our own car and zoom around the Alps in the very car that we will enjoy and cherish back home. In addition, to help BMW with sales and support the brand that we have loved for many years, my wife started building her x5M order for PCD as her car's lease was maturing shortly after mine.
We received no explanation, no communication and nothing that would help save this relationship. I feel betrayed and used by a corporate giant that we thought cared about us for all these years. Where do we go from here?
Below are some of our experiences and cars that we shared together and made our lives so much better. Sorry for a lot of pictures, but this is only about 2% of all the photos of our cars and events.

[A Need For Speed]

Sorry for your luck but this definitely a First World problem. Especially now. Go buy the car locally and send the difference to a local food bank. Win/Win.

[greentrbo95gst]

Originally Posted by A Need For Speed

Sorry for your luck but this definitely a First World problem. Especially now. Go buy the car locally and send the difference to a local food bank. Win/Win.

It's about how it was handled with loyal long term customers.
I do make often donations to those that are need. Thanks

[TrevorM3]

need for speed is too nice.


op, you're in your 40's now, time to grow up. People are dying, people are have lost their livelihoods and you're crying about not being able to pick up your 100k sedan in Europe? Cry me a river.

[RPiM5]

First they announce they're ending ED, then they just rip out the rug from under you like that? Never mind the fact, that BMW has been going down hill for a while. What punch in the gut by BMW NA and BMW Group. Yeah it's a First World problem, but it's things like these that are diminishing the brand for people like the OP. I mean, to me all these moves are just unacceptable for long time customers of BMW, cancelling ED: cancelling peoples orders for the last ever ED's for Americans, no more manual transmissions in anything but the M2, M3, and M4 for the rest of time, only offering the M5 and M8 with Automatic transmissions, heck even putting an "Automatic" Transmission in an M5 is sacrilege, designing a car labeled as a "sedan" based off the chassis of an X1, Front Wheel Drive BMW's, and the worst offense of all, the "Grilles" that are yet to come. I don't think I even recognize this company anymore. At least give those willing to pay, the ability to do one last ED before it gets cancelled forever. C'mon BMW!!

[greentrbo95gst]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

need for speed is too nice.


op, you're in your 40's now, time to grow up. People are dying, people are have lost their livelihoods and you're crying about not being able to pick up your 100k sedan in Europe? Cry me a river.

Don't want to use up all my kleenex since people are hoarding them.

[ZZZZMD1991]

I agree that you were slighted, but I would surmise that ED became a logistical nightmare with travelers from "hot-zones" requiring quarantine before being allowed into the country. Try not to take it personally....And, of course, there are alternative brands to obsess over.

[greentrbo95gst]

Originally Posted by ZZZZMD1991

I agree that you were slighted, but I would surmise that ED became a logistical nightmare with travelers from "hot-zones" requiring quarantine before being allowed into the country. Try not to take it personally....And, of course, there are alternative brands to obsess over.

I agree and there are plenty of 2020 Comps in local inventories and I could get a better deal locally, but it was about communication or the lack of as well as us confirming with BMW that it would be possible prior to placing the order. Yes, there are plenty of other bigger problems in the world and I recognize all of them. I guess we treated BMW more as a family for so many years and when they say "yes" a week before and then pull the production number with no explanation I start wondering about the principles of business-client relationship. It should not be complicated at all.

Here is what we received prior to placing the order 10 days ago.

Hello,

Any order for European Delivery does have to be in by May 18th, we are booking July and later, up until September. There will not be any deliveries after September, so a March 2021 pick-up unfortunately would not be possible.

If you were looking to go in August or September of this year, that would be a possibility.

Thank you,
BMW Group

Raven Cooper
European Delivery Specialist
C4-US-V-20
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677-7731
Mail: BMWEuropeanDelivery@bmwna.com

[Jon Shafer]

Originally Posted by greentrbo95gst

I apologize for this picture heavy and emotional post, but I feel that I need to express what we have recently experienced and give a bit of my background and history with BMW. My love with BMW's started 20 years ago when I went to purchase a Lexus GS430 after conducting a 6 month review and decided to take an e39 540i (spotted at the dealer's parking lot) for a test drive even though I did not really like the BMW brand. 30 minutes later I was going home with my first Ultimate Driving Machine and my love affair began. Since then I have owned 19 different BMW's, attended hundreds of BMW related events, been a member of BMW CCA for many years, completed European Delivery, Performance center deliveries, used our Euro Delivery car as our wedding car and many more. We have supported the lifestyle by representing the brand via multiple forums, social media channels and wearing the BMW attire everywhere we went. You name it and I have it, suitcases, bags, umbrellas, hats, ties, kids clothing, kids toys, mugs, kitchen ware, chairs, etc. We have met amazing people and friends throughout the process and are now able to share life time long experiences with them. BMW has been the glue for relationships, we have lived and breathed the brand 24/7 and have gone above and beyond to pass it on to our kids. We have introduced the brand to many other people that we have met along the way and have brought them into the BMW family because that is what we considered what BMW has done for us personally. Fast forward......

About 10 days ago BMW released a statement that they will be cancelling European Delivery for NA customers and the last day to place the order in was on May 18th with July-Sept Munich deliveries. I was about to turn 40 and my wife said as a gift we should go get my F90 Competition and take the kids around Europe for two weeks. We built the car on BMW NA website and sent to build code to Jon Shafer to put the order in and placed a deposit. I received my production number, started tracking the car and planning the trip with the hope that Covid-19 will not affect our travel in 3.5 months. The whole family was excited and spent countless hours showing the kids where we were going to stay and what they were going to experience.
Last Thursday I received a call from the dealer stating the BMW pulled of their allocations for Euro Deliveries and our hearts dropped. This was the last chance to visit the Welt, pick up our own car and zoom around the Alps in the very car that we will enjoy and cherish back home. In addition, to help BMW with sales and support the brand that we have loved for many years, my wife started building her x5M order for PCD as her car's lease was maturing shortly after mine.
We received no explanation, no communication and nothing that would help save this relationship. I feel betrayed and used by a corporate giant that we thought cared about us for all these years. Where do we go from here?
Below are some of our experiences and cars that we shared together and made our lives so much better. Sorry for a lot of pictures, but this is only about 2% of all the photos of our cars and events.

It just simply breaks my heart to read this post. Not only have I been involved with selling BMWs since 1987, I have been involved with BMW forums and their enthusiast members seemingly forever (my first post on www.Bimmer.org was in 1997). Never over the past 33 years have I ever seen a situation where action was taken like this. Of course this is a third-world problem. No question about it. We should all be grateful that we not only still have our health but also our jobs, our homes, and our automobiles..

I feel so bad for my customers. While I am not a physician, I don't need to wear "ppe", nothing I do is "life or death", everyone (BMW drivers included) has been through, is still navigating through an incredible stressfull life event.

The one shining light, the one saving grace (for me) has been to deliver a few sold-order BMWs to customers remotely/on a truck, and then watch and see their exuberance, their sheer joy that at least one thing in their lives could still bring.

When this "ED Sunset" was announced I thought to myself, now wouldn't this be great. I CAN bring at least a modicum of joy to a few lives. The incredibly-narrow 2-week window to orchestrate a BMW European Delivery from start to finish (at least in terms of ordering a vehicle and reserving a date at The Welt) seemed a bit extreme given all of the hurdles and waypoints needed to pass, but I gladly accepted the challenge, as at least I now had something that I could do in order to make a true difference in someones life in the midst of COVID-19 craziness..

Well, I went to work, got down, and got busy, only to find that everything was going to be ripped right out from underneath us.

I am holding out hope for a miracle, but there is just one business day remaining, and nobody from BMWNA has responded to my personal pleas for assistance. Though my own personal efforts and through Bimmerfest I have sent literally thousands of American BMW buyers to the Welt. This is really going to be a bummer if something is not done to make things right in time for the "Sunset" close.

These customers ARE the quintessential "true BMW enthusiasts".

I really would hate to see them let down...

[TrevorM3]

Originally Posted by greentrbo95gst

Don't want to use up all my kleenex since people are hoarding them.

interesting response for a 40 year old.



Fingers crossed you get a lemoned M5. I hope to see a post about it in the future.

[Jakerx]

Dude, seriously?

It's a car. You sound like you're whining that your grand European vacation won't go as planned. Your situation sounds far less dire than (as an example) all the military members whose lives were put in limbo with PCSs put on hold or deployment returns indefinitely postponed.

Yeah, your situation sucks but are you really looking for sympathy here with a pandemic claiming so many lives around the world? Bodies in NY were being stored in non-refrigerated UHAUL trucks for crying out loud because mortuaries were overwhelmed.

[gblansten]

I’ve canceled all my overseas vacations this year and two in the US. It’s a once in a lifetime black swan event with a deadly virus. Stay well and it will pass.

[marcvtec]

wow, poor you chap, please delete this thread.
Just cause my lambo is getting delivered 4 weeks later, do you think I care ?
There is a Pandemic happening, LOL.

[floating.spirit]

Well, I enjoyed the pictures anyway. Tnx.

[RPiM5]

If BMW NA's decision to cancel all of the ED orders based on the threat of the virus, I find it's unwarranted as things are looking up in Germany even as of today, and things are projected to look better in the coming months. Yes, I can understand not wanting a bunch of Americans to go over there and possibly spread the disease, but most of these ED orders are months away. We don't know what the situation will be like in August or September. What they really should do is let everyone get their order in, set a delivery date at the Welt, and if the situation is still not well enough in Germany to travel there, have all the customers sign agreements to 1: pay for the difference of the car for shipping costs and 2: agree to still take delivery of the vehicle no matter what but in the U.S. This at least gives everyone a fair chance. BMW NA has handled the situation very poorly, but as I know from personal experience, they really don't give a care about customer brand loyalty of the diehards. I'm sure this is the last straw for many.

https://www.businessinsider.com/germ...reopens-2020-5

[euro*]

Damn, this thread seems like a fail. We are all here huge enthusiasts, and I love BMW as a brand too and did ED's also. But you reacting like baby to your ED being cancelled. The whole world is on its knees due to this virus and so many people got screwed left right and centre....

BMW appreciates you, and how much you are a fan of this brand. But being so negative and reacting this way to these unprecedented times is just ridiculous.

[greentrbo95gst]

Again, it's not so much about the car or the vacation. Those come and go. It's about how the company we supported for many years handled the situation. We live in different times and we decided to take advantage of something that was offered three months from now only to find out it was pulled back with no explanation. Jon Shafer handled the situation well and he can comment on my reaction being as "it is what it is." I plan on supporting him in his role as a representative of the brand because he has been nothing but the best.

[greentrbo95gst]

Originally Posted by floating.spirit

Well, I enjoyed the pictures anyway. Tnx.

I am making some popcorn as we speak too.

[LexProf]

Seriously, you should ask the mods to delete this whole thread. To say it makes you look bad would be an understatement.

[euro*]

Originally Posted by greentrbo95gst

Again, it's not so much about the car or the vacation. Those come and go. It's about how the company we supported for many years handled the situation. We live in different times and we decided to take advantage of something that was offered three months from now only to find out it was pulled back with no explanation. Jon Shafer handled the situation well and he can comment on my reaction being as "it is what it is." I plan on supporting him in his role as a representative of the brand because he has been nothing but the best.

What further explanation do you need exactly?? BMW doesn't need to engage itself into this whole ED situation with this COVID right now. Why should they be wanting people coming to the Welt from all over North America and doing all these deliveries?? when this will just bring further and unnecessary people there.

Plus everything in Europe is also screwed up right now, all borders are under question. Many European counties are requiring all visitors to their countries to quarantine for 14 days once you cross the borders. I have family all over Europe and it's not a fun situation over there at this time.
People need to look at the big picture. You think BMW needs to deal with the BS right now?? I just imagine you getting inside your ED car, and starting to travel across Europe. Trust me, you will be looked at as the biggest fool. This is not the right time for that.... and you won't be able to travel openly like before at this time.

Somebody above mentioned about doing those deliveries few month later this year. Why should they? It's stupid. They need to wait until all of this blows over.

Just start planing a trip for next year, 2020 is a write off.

[greentrbo95gst]

Originally Posted by euro*

What further explanation do you need exactly?? BMW doesn't need to engage itself into this whole ED situation with this COVID right now. Why should they be wanting people coming to the Welt from all over North America and doing all these deliveries?? when this will just bring further and unnecessary people there.

Plus everything in Europe is also screwed up right now, all borders are under question. Many European counties are requiring all visitors to their countries to quarantine for 14 days once you cross the borders. I have family all over Europe and it's not a fun situation over there at this time.
People need to look at the big picture. You think BMW needs to deal with the BS right now?? I just imagine you getting inside your ED car, and starting to travel across Europe. Trust me, you will be looked at as the biggest fool. This is not the right time for that.... and you won't be able to travel openly like before at this time.

Somebody above mentioned about doing those deliveries few month later this year. Why should they? It's stupid. They need to wait until all of this blows over.

Just start planing a trip for next year, 2020 is a write off.

I totally get it. Trust me. They released the info of ED post Covid-19 and post factory reopening. That's my issue. I don't have to go and I don't have to get another car, I have plenty. It's the process that was broken and overall communication to the customers. I am not the only one.

[greentrbo95gst]

Originally Posted by LexProf

Seriously, you should ask the mods to delete this whole thread. To say it makes you look bad would be an understatement.

It's ok. It doesn't bother me. It is what it is.