jerrykdc
12-30-2003, 08:21 AM
I took European delivery of a 330 CIC in August and I love the car and I had a great vacation with my family. When I was ordering the car I was really concerned with whether I should order the rear side impact airbags as my 7 and 9 year old boys would be riding in the back of the car and what were the dangers of airbags for kids in the back seat versus the benefits if we were hit from the side. I asked my CA and he really didn't have an answer so I called BMW customer assistance. I asked them if they had any written materials on the subject and they said they did not and it is a decision I had to make and perhaps I should try and see what NHTSA had to say about it.
It turns out that their answer was not true. When I picked up the car there were warning stickers on the door posts concerning the side impact bags and the danger they pose if the kids fell asleep in the car. The owner's manual states that BMW does not recommend that rear side impact bags be activated if children are going to be riding in the back of the car. Finally, the rear side impact bags do not come activated from the factory and they must be activated by the dealer and the dealer will only activate them after you sign a waiver and attached to the waiver is a document prepared by BMW which states that they do not recommend that the airbags be activated if children will be riding in the back of the car.
I called BMWNA about the written information on the subject and the fact that they gave me the wrong information when I was ordering the car and they told me it was a decision I made and they were not going to do anything about it. They even made the ridiculous statement that I will see a return of my money when I sell the car. I told them that I asked for help when I was making the decision and had they given me the written materials or pointed out where I could get them that I would have never paid for the rear airbags. We are not talking about alot of money($350) in comparison to the overall price of the car but I think that if their representative gave me incorrect information and I relied on it then they should stand behind it. I recognize that I still didn't have to order the airbags but if you look at the materials you would realize that no one with children would ever order them and I am a consumer and they are the experts. This isn't like deciding whether to buy an automatic or manual transmission where you can try it before you buy it, or any other option for that matter.
I guess what I am upset about more than the money is that the people who are supposed to answer your questions at BMW don't know the answers and BMW will not admit when they are wrong. My wife and I are both attorneys and we are lucky that we can afford German luxury cars so when they treat me like this it may be that they are cutting off their nose to spite their face.
It turns out that their answer was not true. When I picked up the car there were warning stickers on the door posts concerning the side impact bags and the danger they pose if the kids fell asleep in the car. The owner's manual states that BMW does not recommend that rear side impact bags be activated if children are going to be riding in the back of the car. Finally, the rear side impact bags do not come activated from the factory and they must be activated by the dealer and the dealer will only activate them after you sign a waiver and attached to the waiver is a document prepared by BMW which states that they do not recommend that the airbags be activated if children will be riding in the back of the car.
I called BMWNA about the written information on the subject and the fact that they gave me the wrong information when I was ordering the car and they told me it was a decision I made and they were not going to do anything about it. They even made the ridiculous statement that I will see a return of my money when I sell the car. I told them that I asked for help when I was making the decision and had they given me the written materials or pointed out where I could get them that I would have never paid for the rear airbags. We are not talking about alot of money($350) in comparison to the overall price of the car but I think that if their representative gave me incorrect information and I relied on it then they should stand behind it. I recognize that I still didn't have to order the airbags but if you look at the materials you would realize that no one with children would ever order them and I am a consumer and they are the experts. This isn't like deciding whether to buy an automatic or manual transmission where you can try it before you buy it, or any other option for that matter.
I guess what I am upset about more than the money is that the people who are supposed to answer your questions at BMW don't know the answers and BMW will not admit when they are wrong. My wife and I are both attorneys and we are lucky that we can afford German luxury cars so when they treat me like this it may be that they are cutting off their nose to spite their face.