WSJ article: BMW Rewards Particularly Loyal Customers

In yesterday's WSJ there is an article in Section D titled "How Auto Makers Keep You Coming Back" about how various auto manufacturers promote brand loyalty.

Regarding BMW, their 4-year/50,000 mile free maintenance is mentioned, saying that "before BMW offered their free maintenance program only 42% of customers got service at the dealership. Now, close to 100% do during the first four years." (Well that's kind of a no-brainer!)

It goes on to say:

"Beyond that, BMW and its dealers reward particularly loyal customers with invitations to golf tournaments, racing events or access to BMW's performance driving track near its U.S. factory in South Carolina."

Now I'm pretty sure that Bimmerfesters are probably among the most loyal BMW customers on the planet. Many 'Festers have a list of the BMWs that they have owned as long as their arm. Some have done European Delivery at least once a year (or more) and some have done ED more than a dozen times.

So if you are one of those "particularly loyal" BMW customers, what has BMW or it's dealers done for YOU to repay you for that loyalty? I'm not talking about free floor mats, key chains, pens, mugs, or other little gifts at the time of delivery, or the 1/2/3 year anniversary gifts direct from BMW, I'm talking about privileges above and beyond the ordinary perks that a lot of us see. Has anybody been comped for golf tournaments, race events, or given access to BMW's South Carolina track either with their own car or maybe even a free or heavily discounted ///M School?

I got a $165 piece of BMW luggage when I took my 135i to the dealer the first time for them to replace a piece of trim that had a small scuff mark on it when I took delivery at the Performance Center.

Pre screening of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol for my wife and I. Dealership covered tickets and concessions. It was a nice treat and fun to be with a theater full of like minded folks.

The other part of that WSJ article was the chart showing customer loyalty vs resale value after 3 years. Although BMW has high owner loyalty, the resale value was near the bottom of the chart (44% if I remember correctly). Reinforces the idea of buying a lightly used BMW rather than a new one; you get the factors that drive owner loyalty (in my mind, a lot more than "free" stuff, it's the driving satisfaction that makes me come back!) without paying the depreciation penalty.

The other surprise to me was the Porsche resale value. I think it was the worst of all of the brands charted! Might be my next new (used) car!!!

Keith

fun article here.thanks

Sent from my XT557 using Bimmer App

I live in Charlotte and I have NOT gotten an offer to hit the track. I would love to go for sure. I got some swag when i fist bought the car, but nothing since.
They do have BMW meet ups at the dealership

I used to get early invites to their comparison tests (like when the 335i came out they had a driving day against the G35) and some other driving events.

I was offered free tickets to the BMW Invitational PGA TOUR event at Cog Hill one year.

Haven't been offered anything like that in a while. They might not do those driving events any more, I have no idea. I have received periodically, artist concept sketches of the vehicle that we purchased, but we haven't gotten anything like that in a while, either.

We're on our 8th BMW now.

-MrB

We have owned 6 BMWs since 1979. We have been offered nothing, nada, zilch.

I'm my my 9th BMW, 6th from this dealer and............nothing, nada but a free car wash when it's in their shop.

I have a feeling that the people getting the swag are those who have been walking into the dealership and buying a car at full price. They have been repeating this every few years and I think we're talking 7 Series and M5-type customers; the type of person who is not going to do a web search for "best BMW deal" or "How much over invoice do I pay for BMW European Delivery?". I don't think the swag is reserved for the X3, 535i, or even Z4 owner who has combed the internet for the best deal, has paid only $500 over ED invoice for their last 9 ED's, uses every possible option credit/holidaycredit/stupidcredit to make a 750i payment $600/mo, or has swindled their way into a good deal some other way. Not all BMW owners were created equally, but I'm pretty sure everybody on this forum who has taken pride in making BMW ownership a little less painful to the wallet is just a little bit smarter than the 1%.

So does what is BMW loyalty program?

Originally Posted by cha777

I have a feeling that the people getting the swag are those who have been walking into the dealership and buying a car at full price.

Not us. We bought our e46 at a discount and paid $1000 over invoice for our ED X3.

On both cars we received the $500 BMW CCA rebate. On the X3, we took advantage of the security deposit waiver offered to returning lease customers. We also used a lease acquisition fee waiver. Both cars also had heavily subvented leases. Both cars were surprisingly inexpensive to lease. Lease payment on the X3 were lower than most quotes we had for economy cars.

From Dealer:

On the e46, we got a full tank of fuel, a BMW key ring and a set of BMW floor mats. While we got a decent deal, I think I left too much on the table.
On the X3, we got a tank of fuel when we stopped in to pick up our tag (plate).

Here is what we got from BMW NA:

4 driving events. 3 included autocross time with an instructor.
A Pokey clock. I still have the clock and it still works.
1 lb. of coffee. I've been told they have stopped giving coffee to PCD customers.
Free breakfast in Munich
Free floor mats in the X3. (an ED perk)
Two BMW travel mugs.
1/2 day of driving instruction at performance center.
Free breakfast and dinner at Marriot in South Carolina.
Free lunch at performance center. (not very good, but it was food)
Free factory tour
A few advertising DVDs. (yawn)

Things are different in the UK:

We leased our Z4 at a dealer's advertised special. Couldn't get a penny better. Salesperson told us we should go somewhere else if we though we could save more money. Sales Advisers here don't get much commission. They are mostly on salary. We got about £8000 off the car. A dealer in Scotland was offering close to £9000 off, but we would have to go to Scotland to get the car.
Lease payments on our Z4 are surprisingly low. Less than a VW Golf, for example.

No finance loyalty from BMW UK even though our previous UK MINI was financed through them. Our finance experience with BMW FS in the US doesn't count for anything. Nothing on our US credit history shows up over here.

Freebies:

A folder to hold our paperwork from BMW UK.
One (and only one) dealer key chain that broke in about a week.

=====

I'm on the waiting list for a new electric car from Renault.

Renault UK has given me:

One pair of French designer trainers (what everyone used to call sneakers)
One plastic model of the car I'm on the waiting list for
Several post cards

Originally Posted by cha777

I have a feeling that the people getting the swag are those who have been walking into the dealership and buying a car at full price. They have been repeating this every few years and I think we're talking 7 Series and M5-type customers; the type of person who is not going to do a web search for "best BMW deal" or "How much over invoice do I pay for BMW European Delivery?". I don't think the swag is reserved for the X3, 535i, or even Z4 owner who has combed the internet for the best deal, has paid only $500 over ED invoice for their last 9 ED's, uses every possible option credit/holidaycredit/stupidcredit to make a 750i payment $600/mo, or has swindled their way into a good deal some other way. Not all BMW owners were created equally, but I'm pretty sure everybody on this forum who has taken pride in making BMW ownership a little less painful to the wallet is just a little bit smarter than the 1%.

Wrong We got a beautiful sketch that could be framed of the X3. European delivery. + 2 BMW key rings, 2 BMW umbrellas and a X3 all weather poncho, BMW Gumby Clock, BMW wheel locks,BMW rubber floor matt's. I could go on with what we got from BMWNA for the other BMW's we purchased but the post would be to long. Point being if you don't know what your talking about its better to stay quite. Good luck
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by mrbelk

I was offered free tickets to the BMW Invitational PGA TOUR event at Cog Hill one year.

Originally Posted by Andrew*Debbie

Here is what we got from BMW NA:

4 driving events. 3 included autocross time with an instructor.

With all due respect to what everyone else posted these are the only two things that seem to be what the WSJ article was talking about. The driving events only count if this wasn't part of a Performance Center Delivery.

The luggage was compensation for a piece of scratched trim. If the luggage was offered for no reason it might qualify.

MI:GP screening is something that many dealers did. A local dealer did this and it was fun, but it wasn't above and beyond, and there were a lot of people there.

Keychains are just trinkets and all ED customers get one. Mugs and umbrellas are just more trinkets and are not extraordinary. Free floor mats are a common courtesy and anyone who does ED got them (before they were offered as standard equipment). Sketches are common at your 1-year anniversary. Free breakfast in the Premium Lounge (or lunch, or dinner, or anything you want throughout the day) is standard. Free breakfast at the Marriott for a PCD is the norm. Factory tours are available to anyone doing ED or PCD, or anyone who wants to pay the price of admission, or at any other BMW factory in Germany just for making a reservation.

I even mentioned most of this stuff in my OP and said that this stuff doesn't count.

Read the article and tell us what BMW did for you that's really above and beyond this ordinary stuff and really is a privilege.

Originally Posted by SD Z4MR

With all due respect to what everyone else posted these are the only two things that seem to be what the WSJ article was talking about. The driving events only count if this wasn't part of a Performance Center Delivery.

The luggage was compensation for a piece of scratched trim. If the luggage was offered for no reason it might qualify.

MI:GP screening is something that many dealers did. A local dealer did this and it was fun, but it wasn't above and beyond, and there were a lot of people there.

Keychains are just trinkets and all ED customers get one. Mugs and umbrellas are just more trinkets and are not extraordinary. Free floor mats are a common courtesy and anyone who does ED got them (before they were offered as standard equipment). Sketches are common at your 1-year anniversary. Free breakfast in the Premium Lounge (or lunch, or dinner, or anything you want throughout the day) is standard. Free breakfast at the Marriott for a PCD is the norm. Factory tours are available to anyone doing ED or PCD, or anyone who wants to pay the price of admission, or at any other BMW factory in Germany just for making a reservation.

I even mentioned most of this stuff in my OP and said that this stuff doesn't count.

Read the article and tell us what BMW did for you that's really above and beyond this ordinary stuff and really is a privilege.

In your mind they might be "trinkets" and you are entitle to your opinion. IMHO whether they are" trinkets" or what ever, BMW didn't have to give them but they did if they were small or large "trinkets" they still gave them to you. Good luck PS do you consider the "all weather poncho" a 'trinket" ? LOL
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by vern

In your mind they might be "trinkets" and you are entitle to your opinion. IMHO whether they are" trinkets" or what ever, BMW didn't have to give them but they did if they were small or large "trinkets" they still gave them to you. PS do you consider the "all weather poncho" a 'trinket" ?

Yup.

I'm interested in seeing if any 'Festers have been given anything above and beyond, like the WSJ article suggests. Anybody can get trinkets, that's not what I'm asking about. My thread, I'll call them trinkets if i want!

Originally Posted by vern

Wrong We got a beautiful sketch that could be framed of the X3. European delivery. + 2 BMW key rings, 2 BMW umbrellas and a X3 all weather poncho, BMW Gumby Clock, BMW wheel locks,BMW rubber floor matt's. I could go on with what we got from BMWNA for the other BMW's we purchased but the post would be to long. Point being if you don't know what your talking about its better to stay quite. Good luck
cheers
vern

Not sure how to "stay quite."

Fair use excerpt from the WSJ article:

"Beyond that, BMW and its dealers reward particularly loyal customers with invitations to golf tournaments, racing events or access to BMW's performance driving track near its U.S. factory in South Carolina."

I got the same sketch, the key ring at the Welt, the Gumby clock, and carbon fiber pen. What was the total cost of the "trinkets" you or I got? The article is mentioning gifts in the hundreds to (potentially) thousands of dollars range. I bet the cost of the freebies you got from BMW was more like $100, less for mine. As a matter of fact, none of it was "free." We paid for it in the price of our car. My point was we're not getting uber-expensive gifts because we're shopping around for deals and having done ED's, BMW already has us by the cojones. In the spirit of the forum, I ask that if you haven't properly read the thread and the WSJ article and you don't know what you're talking about, please stay "quite" as well.

Originally Posted by SD Z4MR

With all due respect to what everyone else posted these are the only two things that seem to be what the WSJ article was talking about. The driving events only count if this wasn't part of a Performance Center Delivery.

We've only done PC delivery once. We were invited to the other events.

Why doesn't PC delivery count?

==========

We've been in the UK since 2008. I've done my best to get BMW's attention here. I even had an article published in Straight Six, The BMW Car Club of Great Britain magazine.

No invites. I don't think BMW UK do events.

No Munich Pickup, even for a fee. No UK Performance Centre. Maybe they don't need to. BMWs sell very well here.


Other manufacturers do offer those programs here. Mercedes has Mercedes-Benz Word. It is sort of the Performance Center on Steroids. MB also have a factory pickup program for UK customers. Their program for UK customers includes a night in a hotel near the pickup location.

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/cont...skipintro.html



Jaguar-LandRover also have drive experience centres. Plural. As in 10.

http://www.landrover.com/gb/en/lr/ex...ions/overview/

Originally Posted by cha777

Not sure how to "stay quite."

Fair use excerpt from the WSJ article:

"Beyond that, BMW and its dealers reward particularly loyal customers with invitations to golf tournaments, racing events or access to BMW's performance driving track near its U.S. factory in South Carolina."

I got the same sketch, the key ring at the Welt, the Gumby clock, and carbon fiber pen. What was the total cost of the "trinkets" you or I got? The article is mentioning gifts in the hundreds to (potentially) thousands of dollars range. I bet the cost of the freebies you got from BMW was more like $100, less for mine. As a matter of fact, none of it was "free." We paid for it in the price of our car. My point was we're not getting uber-expensive gifts because we're shopping around for deals and having done ED's, BMW already has us by the cojones. In the spirit of the forum, I ask that if you haven't properly read the thread and the WSJ article and you don't know what you're talking about, please stay "quite" as well.

You're right. But even if we paid for the items mentioned in with the price of the car if they are large or small they still didn't have to give them to you and you will always have people whining about them and wanting more. By the way I was offered all expenses paid to go to the PDC for 3 days for 2 people and go to there driving school. Does that count? LOL
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by cha777

Not sure how to "stay quite."

Fair use excerpt from the WSJ article:

"Beyond that, BMW and its dealers reward particularly loyal customers with invitations to golf tournaments, racing events or access to BMW's performance driving track near its U.S. factory in South Carolina."

I got the same sketch, the key ring at the Welt, the Gumby clock, and carbon fiber pen. What was the total cost of the "trinkets" you or I got? The article is mentioning gifts in the hundreds to (potentially) thousands of dollars range. I bet the cost of the freebies you got from BMW was more like $100, less for mine. As a matter of fact, none of it was "free." We paid for it in the price of our car. My point was we're not getting uber-expensive gifts because we're shopping around for deals and having done ED's, BMW already has us by the cojones. In the spirit of the forum, I ask that if you haven't properly read the thread and the WSJ article and you don't know what you're talking about, please stay "quite" as well.

cha777 gets it.

Originally Posted by vern

You're right. But even if we paid for the items mentioned in with the price of the car if they are large or small they still didn't have to give them to you and you will always have people whining about them and wanting more. By the way I was offered all expenses paid to go to the PDC for 3 days for 2 people and go to there driving school. Does that count?

vern didn't get it, now he does!

Originally Posted by SD Z4MR

cha777 gets it.



vern didn't get it, now he does!

Woopee. I still stick to my point.they don't have to give you anything large or small.
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by Andrew*Debbie

Here is what we got from BMW NA:

4 driving events. 3 included autocross time with an instructor.
A Pokey clock. I still have the clock and it still works. - used to be included with ED
1 lb. of coffee. I've been told they have stopped giving coffee to PCD customers.
Free breakfast in Munich - included with ED (in fact the Premium Lounge is an all-day, all you can eat buffet)
Free floor mats in the X3. (an ED perk) - All ED customers got this before they were included as standard equipment
Two BMW travel mugs. - I get these anytime I do any test drive event
1/2 day of driving instruction at performance center.
Free breakfast and dinner at Marriot in South Carolina. - included with PCD
Free lunch at performance center. (not very good, but it was food) - included with PCD
Free factory tour - included with PCD and ED

Originally Posted by Andrew*Debbie

We've only done PC delivery once. We were invited to the other events.

Why doesn't PC delivery count?

Anything you got "free" as part of your PCD, such as the free dinner the night before, free night at the Marriott, free breakfast, free shuttle to the PCD, free lunch, and any trinkets are all part of the PCD experience. Nothing out of the ordinary, available to anyone who does it, no special invitation required. Same with all ED perks, such as free luggage tags (currently), free admission to the BMW Museum, free factory tour, free keychain, free all-you-can-eat buffet, etc. are also part of the ED experience. I've underlined all the things that are included as part of those experiences.

If the bold items weren't normally included as part of your PCD, then they would count, particularly if these were invitation only events. I suspect that the second one was part of PCD.

BMW held a "driving event" at a local motorsports event this past summer. At the Coronado Speed Festival, a two-day series of historic auto races at the Naval Air Station Coronado, BMW set up a very small, tight autocross course in one of the parking lots, maybe 20-30 seconds max. Anyone could walk up, sign a waiver, answer some marketing questions, and then take their choice of BMW through the course, with a BMW rep in the car. I think that you also got a BMW hat, maybe a t-shirt and/or commuter cup. Other manufacturers did this as well, including GM, Ford, and Mazda. But again, no special invitation required, so of course, this wouldn't count.

I just remembered the best perk that I've personally gotten, although it still doesn't count because anyone had the opportunity. A local BMW dealer held a test drive event for the new F30. The invitation that I got said that I could pick from a choice of trinkets after the test drive, including some "designer" sun glasses. When I went to pick my prize, it was also mentioned that I could get a $100 gift card good for any BMW merchandise at the dealership. I had been eyeing the BMW ///M jacket, but it's a thin, nylon windbreaker, hard to justify at $100, or even $85 including the BMW CCA 15% discount. Given the choice, I chose the gift card and then promptly went over to the rack, found one in my size and walked away with my "free" BMW ///M jacket. BMW apparently no longer sells this jacket, but you can find one at Amazon sold by BMW of Towson, for $115:

Originally Posted by vern

Woopie. I still stick to my point.they don't have to give you anything large or small.

Yes, you are stubbornly sticking to your point, which is completely different from my point, the whole point of this thread. But if these little trinkets that BMW gives you makes you feel privileged, and make you think that you stand apart from the thousands of other BMW owners who get these same trinkets, who am I to say that you're not?

Originally Posted by SD Z4MR

Yes, you are stubbornly sticking to your point, which is completely different from my point, the whole point of this thread. But if these little trinkets that BMW gives you makes you feel privileged, and make you think that you stand apart from the thousands of other BMW owners who get these same trinkets, who am I to say that you're not?

How ever way you feel, its a nice gesture IMHO. The nicest "perk" I got was the all weather poncho it was really done up in a professional way.
cheers
vern

I've received most of the trinkets most are talking about. Best was a certificate for the 1-day car control school and hotel night stay for free. Not talking the performance center delivery service. This was in addition to that.