Santa Monica BMW - Service Center

We had difficulty resolving a fuel problem with another dealership and an independant BMW mechanic. Brought to SMBMW - at first a little rough with the Service Writer Rey, but once we were on the same pa dealership and an independant BMW mechanic. Brought to SMBMW - at first a little rough with the Service Writer Rey, but once we were on the same page Rey has been a godsend concerning our car and having maintenance completed right the first time. Sure a delay in timing of service - but you have to remember a lot of dealerships don't hold complete inventory of all parts for all cars and you have to expect a delay for non stocked parts to be transferred to them. I say that dealing with service through Rey was awesome, the receptionist, weekend service manager, and some of the lot attendants leave a lot to be desired. Most of our service scheduling has been during the week and Rey was available to answer any questions and actually allow us to speak to both Chris and Hans the two mechanics that resolved our cars issues. I have no hesitation scheduling my maintenance for my BMW 5-series wagon through Rey, knowing that he will oversee the maintenance to my car as if it was his own. One comment I can make concerning Sales, they are slow to respond to request - we were considering purchasing a new BMW, but the service department reasonably repaired our wagon so we are going to run in it for a while longer. More

I bought my car used from a Mercedes dealer, so when it was time to get it serviced I used SM BMW since they were the closest dealer. Everything was horrible from start to finish for my first service. Wh was time to get it serviced I used SM BMW since they were the closest dealer. Everything was horrible from start to finish for my first service. When my car was making a strange noise, I tried to give them another chance, but again, they tried to rip me off and were so unbelievably rude! I will never use them again. In fact, my boyfriend lived in Orange County at the time and took my car to Shelly BMW instead. They were so helpful and kind that i am now willing to drive 45 miles to get my car taken care of (my warranty requires a dealer) instead of put up with that awful Santa Monica BMW anymore. BEWARE!!!!! IT"S NO WONDER THEY TRIED TO GET ON THIS SITE TO SEND FAKE POSITIVE REVIEWS!!! THEY ARE COMPLETELY UNETHICAL!!!! More

Do yourself a favor and stay as far away from Santa Monica BMW as possible. You might be lured to do business with them since their on the Westside but you'll be RIPPED OFF in more ways than one. Che Monica BMW as possible. You might be lured to do business with them since their on the Westside but you'll be RIPPED OFF in more ways than one. Check the Better Business Bureau website bbb.org., they have an "F" !!! From sales to the service, the experience is a total nightmare. Everyone is rude patronizing, and incompetent!!!! After I bought a CPO 530i I was told that the car had new tires placed on it, as well as the car not having any accidents. After I took delivery and saw the repair records none of it was true!! Their sales and service staff are "Ultimately Rude" After having this car for 5 months with it still being under the "new car warranty" SM BMW won't honor work to be completed under the terms of the CPO contract, which were told to me at the time of the sale. They are deceptive beyond belief.... You're left with such a bad experience you don't even want to own much less drive a BMW.. More

I live down the street yet I drive 45 minutes away because I want to stay away from them!<br><br>Lets summarize: Rude, dont care about you if you didnt by your car there, no responses to inquiries, sc because I want to stay away from them!<br><br>Lets summarize: Rude, dont care about you if you didnt by your car there, no responses to inquiries, scheduling, unprofessional, shady.<br><br>They wouldnt program my key (takes 3 minutes!) when I first bought my car at another dealer even! More

Service manager (Bill) was very curt & rude to me when I was trying to find out about warranty options for my car, which was nearing the end of its warranty period (50k miles). Of the 6 problems I'v when I was trying to find out about warranty options for my car, which was nearing the end of its warranty period (50k miles). Of the 6 problems I've brought the car in for, roughly 1/3 of the work was not done, or done incorrectly. I'm going to take my car to Century West to get it done right, the first time. More

The service dept gave me a hard time because I did not have an appointment this morning, and did not care that the new 2005 745I stopped running with a major malfunction and they did not know if they coul have an appointment this morning, and did not care that the new 2005 745I stopped running with a major malfunction and they did not know if they could help...I felt that I was not wanted there so was my vehicle, and the dealer did not have a loaner for me to drive, so here I'm having paid $85.000 for a vehicle and getting stuck at Santa Monica BMW. More

over the years, i have worked basically with everyone at the dealership. they are condescending, rude, and patronizing. they cannot get work done in a reasonable amount of time - or, in many cases, in the a the dealership. they are condescending, rude, and patronizing. they cannot get work done in a reasonable amount of time - or, in many cases, in the amount of time promised. they treat you like a second-class citizen if you buy your car at another dealership and have gone so far as to say that if i want the warranty work done on my car in a timely fashion, i should go back to new century where i bought my car. they only give loaners to people who buy from them and will only give you a ride one-way. after waiting a week, each time, for an appointment, it's ridiculous to have to wait an entire day for them to hook up the computer to your car to check error codes (a 5-minute job, literally). sort of defeats the purpose of a warranty when you can't get anything fixed in a timely fashion and have to pay for the rental car in the meantime. if it weren't for the warranty, i'd never step foot in the dealership again. rude, horrible people who will NEVER return a phone call... More

This dealership is full of incompetent fools. My property has been stolen from my car on two different occassions and the Service Manager stated, "my guys don't steal." I told him I wanted to see t property has been stolen from my car on two different occassions and the Service Manager stated, "my guys don't steal." I told him I wanted to see the video surveylance and he refused. If he was so confident about this then why was he so unwilling? Obviously doubt. In any case a pair of $400 sun glasses and a $1000 camera were stolen. <br><br>There IS NO CUSTOMER SERVICE, RESPECT, OR COMPETENCE at this dealership. They make you wait and wait before you get helped, make you wait even more for an appt., and then tell you there is nothing wrong with your car when something obviosuly is wrong. I had issues with my fan for months and months and they kept on replacing it and the same noise occurred, until they finally gave up and said "some fans are louder than others." Well I doubt some fans sound like air blowers and jet engines. <br><br>On top of all this I have a 540ia with 53k miles and the reverse gear on the transmission is gone and now the dealer wants $5,400 to replace it, saying the entire transmission is gone, when in fact the car drives beautifully in 1-5. Please tell me how the transmission can not be fixed?<br><br>It seems BMW dealerships are the pits, especially the jerks in service. I will never buy a BMW (after 3 owned) I will go back to Mercedes where the cars are more reliable and the customer service is great. More

Where to begin... I just got back from having a $1,200 brake job done on a 2001 530 with 37,000 miles on it. I was told the brakes usually last about 25,000 miles, and that I was lucky. I've had 2 new 4-r brake job done on a 2001 530 with 37,000 miles on it. I was told the brakes usually last about 25,000 miles, and that I was lucky. I've had 2 new 4-runners, 1 new Ford SHO, and a new Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4. They all cost less, two of them had higher horsepower, one was about the same (220HP on the SHO, 300HP on the Mitsu, 260HP on the 4-runner with a blower). NONE failed as often or required brakes, turn signal service, or engine shutdown repair as early.<br><br>I asked them to fix a rattling sunroof, it rattled all the way home. Probably because it was still under warranty.<br><br>When I bought the car from this dealership I was PROMISED I would get a loaner BMW every time I came in for service. Del promised me that. Lying comes easy for some. I've never gotten a loaner. Even after bitching and moaning.<br><br>Here's a list of some fun things they've done in the last three years:<br><br>Were asked to patch a small hole in driver-side leather seat. They said the good news is I don't have to pay for the "fix," the bad news is that the seat has what looks to be a nickel sized tar patch on it.<br><br>After having the car for two months I noticed that the odometer and speedometer were 7% fast. This means my warranty runs out 7% fast. I verified this with mile markers, a properly calibrated vehicle driven by my wife, and a GPS. I had a screaming match with the service manager about it. He told me there was no way to calibrate the odo, and that I was safer if I thought I was going faster than I was actually going.<br><br>EVERY time I bring the car in I need to be sure to call them by the end of the day to see if the car is ready. If not, they will not call me and I'll need to catch a ride home. Yesterday I read my number to the service rep. He said "yep, that's what I have, we'll call you when the car's ready." They had my number wrong in the computer. After three years of getting the wrong number when (if) they tried to call me, wouldn't they think to correct it?<br><br>The rear deck factory speaker blew twice. Each time it happened I lost the car for two days to service. How long does it take to put a speaker in? Why do they keep blowing? I put an after-market system in after the second time.<br><br>Several times I've taken the car in for service and had something else go wonky as a result of their service. One example is the $4K sound system I had installed at Al and Ed's. It sounded great until I brought the car in for the malfunction of the month. When I got the car back the left/front speaker wasn't working. "It's not factory intsalled, we're not responsible for it." Yea, but you broke it ya jerks. I also love the big grease smear on my sun visor.<br><br>I'm too angry to recount any more of my experiences. These guys are incompetent crooks. Steer clear of them. I'll be test driving the C55 AMG this weekend.<br> More

After reading the other post, I feel like I am not the only one that after making an appointment a WEEK ahead that somehow that appointment was not in the system. Maybe, they are just saying it for the he only one that after making an appointment a WEEK ahead that somehow that appointment was not in the system. Maybe, they are just saying it for the hell of it. I have had Many BMW's in the past, went to SM BMW for the first time in 04/2004 with a car still under warranty. They kept me for about 45 min. before they even talked to me, then comes all this issue with not the appointment being set up. After a heated argument they tried to make me feel good by "arranging" the next available slot. Pissed as hell, I took off that place never to return. I have been to Beverly Hills BMW and Pacific BMW (Glendale) who have treated me and my wife wonderfully. So why take my car to place where none cares ? Everytime I pass by the dealer, it gives me the shiver! More