WSJ article: BMW Rewards Particularly Loyal Customers

I have only driven BMW's since 1985, having owned three 3series, one 5 series, and one 7 series and a Mini Cooper, and I have never been offered anything.

Originally Posted by energetik9

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.

Now this is what I'm talking about! energetik9 also gets it!

The last two cars I bought I got the "two nights hotel and 1 day car control school" offer. I upgraded the car control school to M School this time, so they took $700 off the price, but I lost the hotel when I upgraded. Not sure why that happened. I am going in March. Both offers came in the mail, "if you buy another car, you get the school."

Doesn't this kind of stuff belong in Off-Topic

I have had so many M cars, and BMW has never even phoned me to say thank you. Lets see:

1) 325i
2) E36 M3
3) E46 M3
4) E46 M3
5) E46 M3
6) 2001 M5
7) E63 M6
8) E92 M3
9) F13 M6
10) Also have a 135i

Thank you would be great.

Personally, I haven't received anything free from BMW - either dealer or BMW N.A. I have three currently, but I have only purchased one new. That being the X3, but it was one year after it arrived on the lot and for used car value of the time in late 2008. I only gave them one negotiation position - used car value, but I had my check book for a cash sale. That purchase was from our local dealer who is my backyard neighbor. I know he sold the original owner the ///M Rdster I bought used 3 years later, but the e39 was purchased used in another state. When the first two were purchased the dealer sales team wasn't interested in negotiating and other locations were. Perhaps these were the early years of internet car sales.

I can understand that the local dealer doesn't feel the need to incent me to purchase from him, I likely won't if there isn't a discount and he knows it. The discount is my incentive. Besides the BMW CCA loyalty rebate, I might expect BMW N.A. to perhaps do more, but I do not.

That said, I have been given the opportunity to register for a drawing for the golf tournament attendence and for an opportunity to play in the Pro-Am. Cynically, I think this opportunity to register or play and the fact that they did give some tickets away as well as at least one spot in the Pro-Am is what they are being given credit for by the WSJ. Really? It isn't that much when you think about it. Any company that is the title sponsor for a golf tournament provides these previliges for a select population of its customers and/or employees (BTW: "select" may be customers that actually pay for the previliges).

Incidentally, the day after I made my initial post, I got an offer from the dealership that I bought my X3 from to go to a local American Heart Association Heart Ball. Smart of the AHA to offer premium car dealerships "tickets" to a fundraiser. Already giving through Jump Rope for Heart so my wife and I decided to pass....but it got me to wonder if the local dealership has a bimmerfest troll.

dealers def watch the forum here

Sent from my XT557 using Bimmer App

Originally Posted by cha777

Incidentally, the day after I made my initial post, I got an offer from the dealership that I bought my X3 from to go to a local American Heart Association Heart Ball. Smart of the AHA to offer premium car dealerships "tickets" to a fundraiser. Already giving through Jump Rope for Heart so my wife and I decided to pass....but it got me to wonder if the local dealership has a bimmerfest troll.

Originally Posted by mr29

dealers def watch the forum here

Likely merely a coincidence. I can't imagine any dealership having the time and personnel to monitor all of the BMW forums. And how would they know which screen names belong to their customers? Because of my location and our cars and the fact that I don't go to any lengths to hide my identity the selling BMW dealer and the dealers where I go for parts and warranty service probably wouldn't have a hard time identifying me if they wanted, but I've never been contacted by any them for any reason, including both the glowing praise that I have posted for some of them and the negative comments that I've posted for others.

I have been driving Bimmers since 1986, and I think that BMW does not really care that much. For a couple of last years, I have not even received any invitations to events, which I used to get when I was younger and fresher BMW owner/leaser. Unfortunately, I find about the events through my friends, who bought their Bimmers because I told them that these are the Ultimate Driving Machines. Although I still believe that Bimmers are among the best, the BMW's lack of loyalty rewards has turned me off, so my next car will be likely a Caddy ATS. The only penalty of my switch will be that I will pay the disposition fee, which I have not been paying in my previous leases. Oh well...

I honestly dont beleive there is any more a loyalty program befond a coffee mug.

I think BMW Germany should keep record of all an individuals purchases and reward them accordingly. I myself have driven 12 M cars since the E36 M3 up to the current M6 (2013). Would be great if they send you a day at the track invite or offer you a discount on your next M purchase or whatever.. Anything actually. Ive never even had a call from BMW to say thank you for being such a loyal customer.. Nothing.. BLEH!

they probably have certain requirements that decides who gets what can't see BMW randomly sending things without an motive behind it

Sent from my XT557 using Bimmer App

Good to gwar

The more I think about it, the point of this whole thread is useless. We buy the cars we buy because they fit a specific requirement, not because MAYBE we'll get a gumby clock, a sketch, golf tournament invites, or diamond rings. We buy the cars because we have done our homework, have a budget, and we pull the trigger. BMW may (or may not) reward loyalty but whatever formula they are applying seems to be working. My experience has been that the most loyal customers actually WILL NOT get rewarded because the company is in bed with you anyway. The airline industry is notorious for this; offering upgrades and miles perks to some of their lower tier members to get them to fly more; they already know that the people who fly 100k miles/year (and who've bought 10 M cars) are already theirs for the keeping.

The point of this thread was to follow up on an article in the WSJ claiming that "BMW Rewards Particularly Loyal Customers". Read my original post. I'm not asking why people buy their BMWs I'm was just trying to find out how valid this article was. I know lots of people that have bought lots of BMWs over several decades. None of them have mentioned the types of rewards that are mentioned in the WSJ article.

So far there have been only 2-3 posts which I think qualify as "rewards" that the average BMW owner doesn't get.