BMW will not replace wrong interior trim

BMW in Encinitas CA ordered my 2013 128i back in Sept. 2012 from Germany. When I got my window sticker it said white interior trim and I had ordered black. I immediately told dealer it was wrong. I did take delivery, expecting dealer to install correct trim. One of their representativesa told me they would do either all new trim or applique. One salesman told me all new trim "might rattle". Now after BMW of No. America has stepped in, they have refused new trim, offering only applique, sticking black over the white. I have refused. Now it's time for me to advise my attorney.

The BMW of North America "Resolution Expert" has not helped me, has only told me that the decision is that the "most ideal for all parties is applique."

Any ideas other than to see my attorney next? I will certainly never return to BMW of Encinitas.

Helen McKenna
San Diego, CA

Most likely is going to come down to you taking delivery of the car with the wrong trim, unless the dealer put it in writing, I do t see much you can do.

I took delivery of the car in November 2012. If I ordered black trim and was promised it could be changed, why can't I have it? First I do not believe that factory ran out of black and substituted white. That defies logic.
Helen

Originally Posted by HelenfromJersey

BMW in Encinitas CA ordered my 2013 128i back in Sept. 2012 from Germany. When I got my window sticker it said white interior trim and I had ordered black. I immediately told dealer it was wrong. I did take delivery, expecting dealer to install correct trim. One of their representativesa told me they would do either all new trim or applique. One salesman told me all new trim "might rattle". Now after BMW of No. America has stepped in, they have refused new trim, offering only applique, sticking black over the white. I have refused. Now it's time for me to advise my attorney.

The BMW of North America "Resolution Expert" has not helped me, has only told me that the decision is that the "most ideal for all parties is applique."

Any ideas other than to see my attorney next? I will certainly never return to BMW of Encinitas.

Helen McKenna
San Diego, CA

So rather than have them supply applique you want to wait for a new manufacture from Germany? If you want to do that, go ahead. I think I would keep the car and accept the applique. YMMV.

I have already waited since November 2012 for correct trim. Why should I accept inferior applique? It is not what I ordered. Would you like that on your BMW? Does anybody seriously believe factory ran out of black trim and gave me white instead? That is baloney.
Helen

Originally Posted by HelenfromJersey

I have already waited since November 2012 for correct trim. Why should I accept inferior applique? It is not what I ordered. Would you like that on your BMW? Does anybody seriously believe factory ran out of black trim and gave me white instead? That is baloney.
Helen

dealer probably screwed up do you have a copy of what it should have been? or emails or etc i would think if you have something that plainly shows what it should have been you could have a case.though i usually threaten to go to a newspaper or tv station with my story and that fixed an issue i had with one dealer they ended up buying the car back from me anf paying off the balance .sometimes you gotta play hard ball

Sent from my XT557 using Bimmer App

I did not get a copy of all options I ordered until the car was being assembled in Germany. That put me at a disadvantage. I have many complaining emails when I finally got a window sticker, showing wrong color trim. I immediately notified dealer who reacted with a yawning manner. I am now waiting to hear from my attorney. I was raised to think people should fix their mistakes.
Helen

Originally Posted by HelenfromJersey

I did not get a copy of all options I ordered until the car was being assembled in Germany. That put me at a disadvantage. I have many complaining emails when I finally got a window sticker, showing wrong color trim. I immediately notified dealer who reacted with a yawning manner. I am now waiting to hear from my attorney. I was raised to think people should fix their mistakes.
Helen

wow that sucks hopefully your attorney can find a loophole sucks the dealer is being cheap you would think they'd fix the mess up rather than have the bad pr which will cost them more and a customer as well

Sent from my XT557 using Bimmer App

Helen-I hate to say this but this was a dealer error and BMWNA has made no mistake. I am so willing to bet they..meaning dealer... just selected the wrong color when ordering.

Lesson here...never trust a word any one at a dealer tells, always have things in writing, and refuse delivery if it isn't right unless you get resolution before you leave and sign for car.

Here's the good part...this isn't an expensive mistake. The door trim is only $58 a piece. This is maybe $400 in parts and labor....most likely about the same price as wrapping. Use the link below to get part numbers. Just fixing will be cheaper than a useless lawyer.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...44&hg=51&fg=50

Or...just remember what I learned from my grandma...you get more bees with honey than vinegar....it's amazing what you can get from dealers when your nice, have the part numbers and costs in front of you. They don't want to loose a customer....especially over $400 or $500. When federal cases are made management assumes significant expense will be required for resolution and won't budge.

Brian: This is not only "door trim". It's on dash, steering wheel and below dash as well. I don't know the cost of these parts. More importantly, why should I pay for a mistake a dealer made? Do I ask them to pay for my debts? Then why should I pay for theirs?

You think BMWNA has done no wrong? They call themselves "resolution experts." They encourage and enable dishonest behavior. They never asked me for all my evidence and never revealed what lies the dealer told them. That's pretty wrong. And I'm willing to bet the dealer made the mistake on colors. Saying the Germans did it is ludicrous, petty and childish. Wanting me to pay for their mistake was an even dumber mistake.
Helen

It's between 900-1100 for the trim depending on which one it is and if you have the ash tray cover or not. BMWNA should be able to pressure the dealer, but most likely it's the dealers screw up with the order. It's very rare that it's a factory mistake/issue although I did have that happen before. I'd push them to replace it with the carbon fiber trim, it's a dealer installed option anyway.

http://www.shopbmwusa.com/ProductDet...ProductId=2911

.

Nd-I am aware of what is involved. The parts required are roughly $419 for satin black without labor but these are not complex replacement jobs. Carbon fiber and wood grains are more money...but she said she wanted black.



Helen-My point is solely this....this isn't an expensive problem...with the right approach the dealer will fix it. If you look at this as an outsider you might see a different path to get what you want might be by changing your approach.

I really do wish you the best of luck to get this resolved.

Originally Posted by HelenfromJersey

I did not get a copy of all options I ordered until the car was being assembled in Germany. That put me at a disadvantage. I have many complaining emails when I finally got a window sticker, showing wrong color trim. I immediately notified dealer who reacted with a yawning manner. I am now waiting to hear from my attorney. I was raised to think people should fix their mistakes.
Helen

Why the hell did you take delivery then. Should have played your cards right in the beginning - i wont take this car unless you change the trim. Or order at a different dealer since they seemed incompetent. White doesnt look that bad does it?

Sweep the leg, Johnny.


Something ain't adding up here. If you ordered a black car and it was white when you went to pick up, what would you have done?


Did you really order (build) this car? If so, you would have proof of the error. My guess here is that you requested a specific color combo and this was the closest they could locate from another dealer and then they played a little three card monte with you.

^^^^^ I never thought of this....I think you could be into something. Interesting theory.

If you've got it black-on-white (the order) like someone else pointed out, there should be no issue at all. They've just failed to live up to the agreement, but that's not the case here as I understand. There has to be a document with your specific order on it, right?

Ordered car Sept. 11 and was not given written statement. I kept asking for it. In fact I told salesperson I did not want "any surprises." A few days later she sent me statement, production number, VIN and window sticker and there was the surprise, white interior trim, not black. The trim includes door handles, dash, steering wheel, few other places, is not the seats. Am still trying to deal with BMW in New Jersey. Brian, yes, I could have refused delivery of car in November, but I had waited two months to get it from Germany. Didn't want to wait another two months. Also, I was trying not to be hard-nosed like dealer was, but trying to be trusting and better than they were. At the time I didn't know dealer would not want to do the right thing. Ha ha. Naive and dumb, yes I know.
Helen

It sounds like they were tricking you into it. Anyways, the dealer is an official BMW dealership I assume? With that in mind I refuse to believe BMW (in general) would like a bad rep in case of this delivery. I'd see what your lawyer has to say, but I would also let your dealer know that this is unacceptable and that, if they do not want to damage their reputation they will need to live up to the agreement. That is in best interest of both parties.
They try to reach out with wrapping the interior trim, if I understand correctly. It might save you alot of effort if you agree to it, but in return you get a full refund of the price paid for the black trim.
Either way it still doesn't justify their breach of contract, which it in fact is. And your trust, that's not misplaced, you can expect that of a BMW dealer, they have responsibility.
Always make sure you talk to the big guys.
Hope they live up to the agreement, good luck!

Either way wrap or new parts its about $400 to $500 to the dealer.

There are site sponsors that do wraps and IMHO they do a great job!

Here is an example of a sponsor in Seattle:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=659579

I know there is one in so cal too and if I recall his last name is Nguyen.

Either way here is what I would do...

Go to real oem, get each part number and use ecstuning.com to get costs.

Then I would contact wu wraps or the so cal guy and get wrap cost.

Take the spreadsheet and use that as the conversation with BMW of Encinitas. If they are within a few $s of each other you have a solid argument to get what you want.

I know you don't want to do the legwork but in my experience with BMW that had been the only way I have gotten my way.