ComplaintsforBMW of Owings Mills

**** ************ ** ****** ****** ** *****


Dear Marshall ******:


In the interest of time and good customer relations, please provide BBB with written verification of your position in this matter within 7 calendar days.   

We encourage you to use our ONLINE COMPLAINT system to respond to this complaint. If you received this complaint via email, the fastest and easiest way to view and respond is to the simply click on the “Respond to this Complaint”, link located on the left, when you are ready to answer. 
  

 

We look forward to your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Lisa ****
Dispute Resolution Team Leader
***********************
Phone: ###-###-####

 

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE INFORMATION

Customer Information:
Craig *****

** ** *****
Daytime Phone: ###-###-####
E-mail: **********************


The details of this matter are as follows:

Complaint Involves:
Service Issues

Customer’s Statement of the Problem:
On 10/18/2023 I contacted BMW of Owings Mills about the availability on model X6 on their website. I talked with sales associate Howard *** about the availability on New 2024 BMW X6 xDrive40i AWD Sport Utility VIN: *****************, STOCK: ********* The car was available to purchase. The sales associate sent me the link to fill out a credit application and dealers purchase price worksheet. My wife signed the purchase price worksheet and filled out the application and submitted for approval on 10/18/2023. On the morning of 10/19/2023 The sales associate contacted me and said that my wife was qualified for the purchase amount. The sales associate asked for me to put down a deposit of $1,000 to hold the car until we could get there on Monday 10/20/2023. I thought we had the details finalized on 10/19/2023. I called the sales associate late afternoon on 10/19/2023 to validate that he didn’t need anything more from us and that we’re set to pick the car up on Monday 10/20/2023 prior to selling my wife’s car. The sales associate said everything is a go and see us on Monday morning. My wife sold her car that evening. During the selling of her car the sales associate texted me and said that they have sold the car that I put down a $1,000 deposit to hold. He said that it was Tom ******,the General Sales Managers decision and they will have more X6’s coming in 2 to 4 weeks. We live 10 hours from this dealership and have planned vacation for Monday to pick up the car. Now we only have one car between my wife and I. This is an inconvenience and don’t know when we can get another car. I contacted Tom ****** after the sales associate told me the car was sold. Tom ****** told me that they are in the business to sell cars and that they are not obligated to hold a even with my deposit. Now my wife has a hard credit check on her record and no car. Plus we only have one car between us to travel for work. The dealership needs to make this problem that they created right immediately.

 

Desired Settlement:
Other (requires explanation)
Deliver me a car compatible to the one that that we were going to purchas immediately.
 
Additional Comments from Consumer:

 

BBB has received a formal response from BMW of Owings Mills. We ask that you review the response and understand that BBB is here to assist both parties in reaching a fair and reasonable resolution.

Please review their response to your complaint and advise us of your position in the matter within 5 calendar days. If we do not hear back from you, BBB will assume you are satisfied and will close your complaint as answered.

Please be sure to indicate whether the business' response is satisfactory or not and how you would like to proceed in this matter.

Sincerely,

Lisa ****
Dispute Resolution Team Leader
***********************
Phone: ###-###-####

MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:

Ms. ****,

Here is the recap of our interaction with Mr. ***** (whose wife Tara ****** was the actual client looking to purchase/lease the vehicle in question).

On 10/18 at 7:07pm, a proposal was sent to the client, based on average store credit for leases and Howard *** (client advisor) requested that the client fill out the credit application so we could adjust the payments accordingly.

At 8:54pm on 10/18 (after we had closed for the day), the client submitted the application. 

At approx. 9:30am on 10/19, we sent over an updated worksheet along with a request for that worksheet to be signed and returned along with items needed by the lender for an actual approval.

At 11:12am on 10/19, another client was physically at the dealership looking at the same car. At that time, Howard informed me that his client from out of state was still working to find out when they could pick up the vehicle.  I reminded him that our policy is to not hold cars that are in-stock until the night before a client is arriving with clear travel information from them as well as a deposit.  This is our policy because we have had clients in the past that have placed a deposit on a vehicle only to cancel several days later, resulting in lost sales and poor customer treatment.  Howard stated he would relay this to the client.  The client had attempted to give his credit card over the phone and was told by Howard that the credit card deposit had to be placed via our secure link to prevent CC theft and ID theft.  He told Howard he was unwilling to do this – therefore no deposit was taken on the car.

By 1:12pm, the other client had agreed to purchase the vehicle, pending bank approval (which took an additional 2 hours due to a supervisor and the bank needing to review the credit history).

Around 4pm, after Mr. ***** was told by Howard that the vehicle had been sold to another client, he was transferred to me.  I explained to him our policy on deposits and further explained that the deposit had not been taken.  He was verbally abusive, cursing and telling me I had better find him another vehicle just like it and threatened that he was going after my job.  I explained why our policy was in place and apologized if that had not been made clear to him by his client advisor.  He refused to answer whether or not it had been explained to him.  I checked the locater system and told him we would have to order a vehicle for him.  He said that he was in the middle of selling his wife’s car and again repeated that I had better find him another EXPLETIVE car just like the one that had been sold.

The customer found another vehicle in Atlanta and purchased it on Saturday 10/20.

The key points that I would like to further clarify is that the original proposal was not accepted (or signed) by the dealership because it was not approved by the lender.  The second proposal was not accepted (or signed) by the dealership because the car was still for sale in accordance with our policies.  We did not collect a deposit from the client because the car was still for sale in accordance with our policies.

Any questions regarding this matter may be addressed to me at the phone number below.

Respectfully,

Tom ******
General Sales Manager
BMW of Owings Mills
###-###-####

 

 

In the event the consumer contacts BBB again regarding this issue, we may reach out to you to review any new or additional information we've received from the consumer. 

Sincerely,

Lisa ****
Dispute Resolution Team Leader
***********************
Phone: ###-###-####