[flintdragon]

Anyone know the reputation of John Roberts BMW in Austin, Texas? Specifically their service department. I'm taking my car in in a couple of days for a stall problem during startup. I'm also getting it tinted at the same time.

Has anyone had problems with them?
Thanks!

 

[Mr. The Edge]

JR does not have a very good reputation I'm afraid. Unfortunately, the next closest dealership is in Temple (Garlyn Shelton--which everyone agrees is great.) Unfortunately, that would be nearly a 90 minute trip for me, so I'm forced to go to JR.

 

[JetBlack330i]

JR does not have a very good reputation I'm afraid.

I heard JR will be no more... very soon.
They sold the (Austin) franchise and it will probably change name.
The service staff will remain the same, but hopefully their policies will change. I'm sick of getting Huyndays and Cavaliers for loaners. They advertised BMW loaners when I bought the car, but they are not honoring their words...

 

[Mr. The Edge]

I heard JR will be no more... very soon.
They sold the (Austin) franchise and it will probably change name.
The service staff will remain the same, but hopefully their policies will change. I'm sick of getting Huyndays and Cavaliers for loaners. They advertised BMW loaners when I bought the car, but they are not honoring their words...

Really? I hadn't heard that!

Tell me about the loaners--My first visit was great; got an X5 loaner no problem. My last visit they stuck me with a Daewoo and didn't even do the service right.

They got a "1" on their report.

 

[flintdragon]

Can I specifically request for a specific loaner? I'd hate to have to drive a $10k car for a few days if the repair takes a long time.

I wonder why JR is selling the place. That dealer has cornered the BMW market in Austin and every BMW on the road is sold through them. With the young crazy crowd in Austin, there are a LOT of new bimmers running around town. I almost didn't buy one because there were so many of them on the roads where I live.

 

[JetBlack330i]

Really? I hadn't heard that!

Tell me about the loaners--My first visit was great; got an X5 loaner no problem. My last visit they stuck me with a Daewoo and didn't even do the service right.

They got a "1" on their report.

Basically, they have 17 loaners. They do about 100 cars a day.
So, a lot of people will get el-cheapos.
I don't expect them to have 100 loaners, it's just that they used the loaners as a sales tool, but they have no way to honor that.
I consider that a lie.

About service quality, it all depends on the advisor.
To give you an idea, when I inquired about the steering retrofit, the service guy told me he had never heard of it, even though I was already on the waiting list. Then I show up with the BMWNA letter authorizing the retrofit (which includes detailed instructions on what to do), and he still managed to order the wrong parts.
Needless to say, I switched advisor.
The service manager is essentially useless.
Like another poster said, I only go there because I have no choice. Austin is a captive market.

 

[JetBlack330i]

Can I specifically request for a specific loaner? I'd hate to have to drive a $10k car for a few days if the repair takes a long time.

I wonder why JR is selling the place. That dealer has cornered the BMW market in Austin and every BMW on the road is sold through them. With the young crazy crowd in Austin, there are a LOT of new bimmers running around town. I almost didn't buy one because there were so many of them on the roads where I live.

I was told they reserve those few loaners they have to critical situations, like when a car will be in for a while. I hope that's true, and not what I suspect, that they reserve to their VIP customers (7-series and such).

The sale was a surprise to me too. Especially since they just moved to their new and much larger location.
But don't feel sorry for them. I bet they are making a lot of money on the sale.

 

[Mr. The Edge]

Basically, they have 17 loaners. They do about 100 cars a day.
So, a lot of people will get el-cheapos.
I don't expect them to have 100 loaners, it's just that they used the loaners as a sales tool, but they have no way to honor that.
I consider that a lie.
.

True--but I got there at 7:00am SPECIFICALLY so I would get a BMW loaner, and they didn't have one to give me.

Who's your service advisor now, and are you happy with him?

 

[Mr. The Edge]

I was told they reserve those few loaners they have to critical situations, like when a car will be in for a while. I hope that's true, and not what I suspect, that they reserve to their VIP customers (7-series and such).

Well, I guess it is true, unless they don't consider an M3 driver one of their VIP customers. :dunno:

PS--If that really is their policy, I'm fine with it--not trying to sound like I "deserve" one.

 

[flintdragon]

Here's an idea...maybe they only have a few cars as loaners, BMWs and non-BMWs. Instead of getting to the dealer early to hope for a bimmer, get there late.

If you get there early, there is still a good chance to get a crappy car because if they are out of bimmers, they are out.

Now if you get there late and they may have run out of BOTH bimmers and non-bimmers, they have to give you a loaner from maybe the lot, so you get a bimmer.

I'm probably way off... :thumb:

btw, I talked to "John" over the phone to set up the appointment. Is he the bad person to talk to?

 

[Mr. The Edge]

btw, I talked to "John" over the phone to set up the appointment. Is he the bad person to talk to?

Haven't talked to him, so not sure. (rather not name names for bad experiences though)

 

[JetBlack330i]

Well, I guess it is true, unless they don't consider an M3 driver one of their VIP customers. :dunno:

PS--If that really is their policy, I'm fine with it--not trying to sound like I "deserve" one.

It's not a matter of deserving or not. I just wish JR came clean and clear on their policies, instead of lying. I don't give a damn if they classify me as a VIP or not. For example, airlines have VIP rooms and I don't get upset for not qualifying to get in. The policy is very clear on who is a VIP.
If JR said "only 7-series and M3 customers will get BMW loaners, all other will get rentals" I wouldn't be upset, as long as I know that before signing the check. Of course, without the loaners as an incentive, they'd have to beat Houston dealers on price. I've gone as far as Corpus Christi for a previous BMW, and would have no problems with Houston.
JR overused their loaners as an extra sales aid. They created a problem for themselves by raising customer expectations to a level they can't satisfy.

 

[ayn]

Anyone know the reputation of John Roberts BMW in Austin, Texas? Specifically their service department. I'm taking my car in in a couple of days for a stall problem during startup. I'm also getting it tinted at the same time.

Has anyone had problems with them?
Thanks!

DO NOT BUY FROM JR AUSTIN! Go to Garlyn Shelton in Temple, they are GREAT! I go there for all my scheduled maintenance. I won't go into the details on how bad JR is, email me if you want to know... But I personally would not buy another car from there again. I go there maybe for test drives, and that will be it.

about the loaners, I've gotten BMW and cheapo loaners. If you want a loaner (any make), u pretty much have to schedule an appt at least a month before. And if you want a BMW loaner, u have to get there as early as possible. Most of their BMW loaners are crap anyway... (dirty and stinky).

Garlyn Shelton gives Mazda Protege loaners, but I don't care as long as they do a good job on my car. I've been going to GS for about a year now, they've been really really good. Bart and Larry in the service dept are awesome.

--Andrew

 

[glaws]

Second the motion about Garlyn Shelton in Temple. Good people and good service. Live in the DFW area, but bought my M3 there. Debating whether or not to drive down for an oil change even though Mortiz (in Arlington) is about ten minutes from me. BTW John Roberts in Dallas has about the same rep as the one in Austin.

 

[JetBlack330i]

Wow, I didn't know there were so many people from Austin on this board.
Nice to meet all y'all.

(For no-Texans: Y'all is singular. Plural is All Y'all)