BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

Do you maintain a relationship with one SA at your dealership?

  • Yes, I always try to get the one SA who knows me and my car.

    Votes: 22 51.2%
  • No, anyone can handle my service needs

    Votes: 21 48.8%

Do you have a relationship with your BMW Service Advisor (SA)?

2K views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  M FUNF 
#1 ·
I'm curious how folks manage their dealerships...

Going back to 2003 I've spent considerable effort in managing my relationship with the dealer- It took me 3 SAs to settle on the first one. Then when he left I actually moved to another dealership, following him. Ultimately he moved on and I went back to the original dealer.

The Lead Tech I am now working with is super-competent, AND very open and communicative. He was working on my car back in 2005, and now has a different SA he 'works with'. (This dealer 'teams' the SA up in the front office, with a specific team of techs in the back.)

So, how many people have "their SA"? Do you only speak to them?

How many people know who works on their car?

Is this valuable? Or is this just my 'Type A' disease?

Lets keep in simple, I'll make it a short poll-

A
 
See less See more
#4 · (Edited)
Yep, I only talk to one SA, and it's actually not the SA I initially placed my X5 order with. My SA stepped in when I took delivery because my original SA was moving and couldn't be there the day I went to the dealership.

We struck a chord, he was about my age, just had his first kid too, we had a lot in similar. Every month or so he'll shoot me an email to see how things are going. I ping questions off him and he's prompt to reply.
 
#5 ·
I would like to have one SA but haven't even been in for a service yet (first one next week).

I did stop by the office of one of them (picked randomly, I admit) and chatted him up when I signed the purchase contract, so my appt is with him by my request.


I think it helps simply to chat and find common ground (like hsindogg said). It's likely that every human on this blue marble has something in common with every other one. Just may take a little while to find it sometimes.
 
#6 ·
I will only work 1 SA and we have become friends. I refer everyone to him and always give great reviews. He always gets me the new/best loaners and always gets any and all items fixed. Having a good SA is important especially when you have 2 BMW's because you may be at the dealer quite a bit
 
#8 ·
I try to deal with a specific SA when possible. However, living out of town my trips in to the dealership are limited and often unplanned. Unfortunately, my guy doesn't work all day, all night so I have had to deal with a couple other SA's as well. :rofl: They have all been excellent and very professional, but my regular guy is who I'm most comfortable dealing with.

I also developed a good relationship with my sales guy (who also sold my father his X6) and he continues to keep in touch to make sure I'm happy with the vehicle and to assist if I have any issues with service. Guess that also may be because I want a look at the F10 M5 as soon as it comes out. :dunno:
 
#9 · (Edited)
I dealt with the same SA for 3 years with my 335i, but he left to be the service manager at the Mini dealership next door (all under the same dealership). He would always get me a loaner, even though I didn't purchase through that dealership - was always prompt, always remembered that my car was a "no wash", and when the car had a random turbo fault, and needed an update, he was quick to respond. I just had the car serviced, and complained of slightly reduced power (no indicator lights though). Turbo fault happened a week or so later, and I needed a loaner car for the weekend (left Thursday, back Saturday night) and he was on top of it, had me in for service the same day, with a loaner ready. I always gave him 5's for service, and he took care of me - so I would def. recommend establishing a relationship with your SA, it could pay dividends later on.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Have not been in for service yet. With my P cars I know the service manager personally. Every time I pick up my 996 after service, the technician comes out to greet me and explains in detail the work he performed on my car. This started years ago when I took in a bag of fresh bagels with all the trimmings after my first service. I'll do the same with the X5. It's a personal touch they always remember. It helps that Porsche and M Benz dealerships are same ownership and essentially under one roof. Ditto for servicing the E350.
 
#11 ·
I probably hold some sort of record - I first started working with my SA in 1981.

He was the service manager at a Porsche+Audi dealership when I had my Audi Coupe, then Quattro, then 911SC. Was the service manager at the Mercedes dealership when I had my 190 E 2.3-16, C280 and C43 AMG. Lost track of him for a while when I moved to BMW (bought from the dealer closest to my home), but then reconnected when I got my 550 in 2006.

He's a diabetic, so gifts are pretty much limited to Starbucks gift cards and the like, but I make sure I give him all 5's on the CSI. I've also let the dealer principal know he's a major reason I keep using their service department. For major service (or when I am trying to get something borderline fixed under warranty), I let the SA know there's a case of Sam Adams in the trunk for the techs.

Needless to say, the relationship is working.
 
#12 ·
Nope..met him to buy/hammer out the price and never talk after.

If I decide to get another bmw I'll buy it from him because too much effort going somewhere else.


Does not really matter on my part, although I went to someone who sold a good amount. I am sure I could have gotten 1-2k extra off on one of the slower SA's.


Time is money can't be bothered being friendly! haha J/k
 
#13 ·
I am sure I could have gotten 1-2k extra off on one of the slower SA's.
Probably not. SA = service advisor. Maybe you could have saved some $$ with a different CA (Client Advisor), but not with an SA.
 
#15 ·
I was actually assigned an SA at the dealership where I bought my 35d. I had called in to ask a question shortly after taking delivery and the service department woman said that my service adviser was so and so. He turned out to be a good guy. I have never dealt with anyone else but I have only dealt with him three or four times mostly on random/minor issues. I also keep in touch with the sales manager who sold me the car. I enjoy dropping by once in a while and checking out the latest stock!
 
#17 ·
I have a much better relationship with the Master Technician than the SA. He is the only one I trust to work on my car, from the days of my E39 M5 to my E90 335i to my new X5d. He always calls me using his cell phone with updates and so far he has been a straight shooter with no BS...the SA is there to only greed me and take my $$$ ;-). I take care of the Master Tech with glowing survey results and the occasional gift cards to restaurants.
 
#18 ·
Yes I know both The Master Tech and the junior technician that work on my cars very well, I also have a good working relationship with the SA and the Dealership Service Manager and General Manager. I pretty much have free range of the rear of the dealership, parts, service, sales.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top