Horrible BMW Ownership Experience... please read this

Dear Sir/ Madam,

 

I purchased a BMW 520d from Navnit Motors, Andheri, Mumbai, on 5th Jan 2013.

The Car is now 6 months old, and is driven around 1500 Kms.

My ownership experience has been utterly miserable and would like to share it with you all.

 

List of problems:

1> Within three weeks of ownership, the car developed a cracking noise from its suspension. Upon complaining, BMW acknowledged that it was a "faulty suspension" and hence replaced it.

 

2> Within 1.5 months, the car remotes started acting up! All of a sudden, both remotes would completely refuse to work. At times the car would just not unlock. Even if I used the manual key to unlock it, the engine would refuse to start. Upon being left alone for a couple of days, they would start working again. It reached a point where, every time I approached my car, I would pray in my mind, "God, I hope it starts"! Upon complaining several times, BMW Service centre repaired it.

 

3> Around mid May, the brakes of the car started making some weird noise. The car was sent  to the service centre and they repaired it.

 

4> NOW THE NIGHTMARE. The car came back from Navnit motors service centre on around 22nd may, after brakes problem got sorted. THAT NIGHT I TOOK THE CAR FOR A SPIN WITH MY WIFE AND ANOTHER COUPLE. I WAS ON THE BANDRA WORLI SEA LINK (LONG OPEN STRETCH OF ROAD), AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES FAILED!!! A MSG CAME ON THE SCREEN SAYING “LOW OIL PRESSURE, BRAKES COMPROMISED (OR SO)”. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE AT A HIGH SPEED. THE BRAKES WERE BARELY WORKING AT 10% OF THEIR ACTUAL STRENGTH. FORTUNATELY, THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR SO I HAD AMPLE TIME TO STOP THE CAR. I DROVE MY CAR BACK HOME AT CRAWLING SPEED, WITH ALL FOUR OF US IN THE CAR THANKING OUR STARS THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE!

 

The next day, I called up Navnit BMW, and got my car towed back.

They took about 3 days to respond with what had actually gone wrong with the car.

 

Their reply was that THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE ENGINE, AND SO THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THE ENGINE HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM GERMANY AND SO IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS, AND SO THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR TO BE USED IN THE MEANTIME.

 

THEY TOOK 50 DAYS (FIFTY!!!) to return back my car.

 

During all this time, I wrote several times to BMW India as well as BMW Germany, saying that BMW should accept their moral responsibility, and acknowledge that they have given me a FAULTY car, and hence not just replace my engine but REPLACE THE CAR INSTEAD!!!

 

But all my letters fell to deaf ears and the only response I got from either of them was to have patience.

 

50 days!!! Seriously! BMW thinks they can take people for a royal ride.

In those days, two of my EMIs have gone through! Imagine paying for a car that you cant even see around you!

 

In none of my letters did I ask BMW for any sort of monetary compensation. All that I wanted was something that I paid for! A reliable high quality product! I guess I was asking for too much from BMW.

 

After all the ordeal I faced with the car, after putting my and my families life to risk, after making me wait agonizingly for 50 days for my car to come back, after making me pay two EMIs for a car that is lying in BMW garage, all they did was leave me with no choice but to accept my car back. As a good will gesture, they offered me dvd screens for the back seats, which I really am not at all interested in and hope they take it back!!!! Aah, and free door mats. I think that’s what BMW thinks of Indian customers. I am sure if all this happened in Europe or US, BMW would have to shell out a lot as compensation. But here in India, they think the can dump their faulty products and simply get away with it!

 

If that’s not the case, then WHY WAS I GIVEN A CAR WITH A FAULTY SUSPENSION, FAULTY BRAKES, FAULTY ENGINE, FAULTY REMOTES???

 

No answers from them, just kept asking me to have patience!

 

I was promised, in writing and orally by BMW CRMs from western region as well as all India, that the car, after being repaired, will be thoroughly tested and will be fault free. So much so that, one of them even said, “I will resign if there is any other fault in your car!”

 

The car was delivered to my place two days back. At first, I didn’t know how to relate to the car, but with a heavy heart I thought lets move on.

 

The VERY NEXT DAY, I REALISED, THE USB PORT IS NO LONGER WORKING.

 

This is HOW DISGUSTING BMW INDIA IS!!!

 

I AM COMPLETELY ASHAMED OF BUYING THIS CAR, AND AM SO SO DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF FOR MAKING THIS CHOICE!!!

 

I feel so CHEATED!!!!

 

HAVE COMPLAINED TO BMW AND THEY SAID THEY ARE SENDING THEIR STAFF TO MY PLACE TOMORROW TO “REPAIR” IT.

 

I hope by sharing this with you all I make you aware of the “standards” of BMW INDIA (or the lack of it)!

 

Every detail mentioned above is true and is documented with both, BMW and myself.

 

If there is any way you can help me get justice, I would be eager to know that.

 

Car Chassis No: WBAFW75020C474795.

Dealer: BMW Navnit, Andheri, Mumbai.

People Incharge (and constantly contacted):

Mr Laukik (Service Advisor, BMW Navnit)

Ms Sonali Bandivadekar(Service CRM, BMW Navnit)

Mr Ravi Bhagwat (BMW NAVNIT CRM)

Mr Sameer Jain (BMW Western India CRM)

Mr Karan Seth (BMW India Customer Support)

Mr Stephan Rausch (BMW India Director – After Sales).

 

My Contact Details:

Name: Bharat Acharya

Email: @hotmail.com       

Mobile: 

 

Beautiful carhorrible aftersales, truly disgusting!