BMW of Sterling

New to the area and therefore this dealership but an experienced BMW owner, I was quite surprised when all day I got voicemail boxes. This is not acceptable from a basic customer service standpoint as i experienced BMW owner, I was quite surprised when all day I got voicemail boxes. This is not acceptable from a basic customer service standpoint as it puts the customer at the convenience of the provider. Finally after repeated calls I spoke with a service rep who could not guarantee me that my wipers could be changed out in time for a 0930 appt if I arrived at 0700 and she referred me to her manager. ANOTHER voice mail box. Then I contacted the facility main receptionist and insisted to speak with a manager. After diligent, repeated attempts to contact a manager, she took my information for a callback. When I finally received a callback nearly an hour later, the manager attempted to make things right by service at my residence but was unable because BMW requires the key read. BMW of Fairfax was able to accomodate the same service request appointment in approximately two minutes, versus the better part of the day for Sterling. This sloppiness and unprofessional conduct is absolutely unacceptable and unprecedented in my BMW experience. More

New to the area and therefore this dealership but an experienced BMW owner, I was quite surprised when all day I got voicemail boxes. This is not acceptable from a basic customer service standpoint as i experienced BMW owner, I was quite surprised when all day I got voicemail boxes. This is not acceptable from a basic customer service standpoint as it puts the customer at the convenience of the provider. Finally after repeated calls I spoke with a service rep who could not guarantee me that my wipers could be changed out in time for a 0930 appt if I arrived at 0700 and she referred me to her manager. ANOTHER voice mail box. Then I contacted the facility main receptionist and insisted to speak with a manager. After diligent, repeated attempts to contact a manager, she took my information for a callback. When I finally received a callback nearly an hour later, the manager attempted to make things right by service at my residence but was unable because BMW requires the key read. BMW of Fairfax was able to accomodate the same service request appointment in approximately two minutes, versus the better part of the day for Sterling. This sloppiness and unprofessional conduct is absolutely unacceptable and unprecedented in my BMW experience. More

I've had service through this service mill just because it is the closest to home but they are truly the worst BMW service dealership I've ever dealt with. Today I called and they hung up on me twice and I it is the closest to home but they are truly the worst BMW service dealership I've ever dealt with. Today I called and they hung up on me twice and I finally told them forget it. The service experience has been similar almost everytime. I had to call BMWNA to get my car fixed properly after 6 attempts with a transmission problem. One time I had to reassemble part of the console myself because they left a knob off after delivery and some type of white grease was all over the center console. There is more but I won't bore you with more of the same. I hate to have to drive twice the distance to the next dealership but unless it is basic service like an oil change I'm going to avoid them and I recommend you do also. This dealership has potential but the manager needs to be replaced with someone that cares more about the customer. More

Poor service experiences with them. They seem to be a high volume "service mill" - just turning over as many cars as possible to maximize revenue. Every service experience has been a pain, from start to high volume "service mill" - just turning over as many cars as possible to maximize revenue. Every service experience has been a pain, from start to finish. Every service visit seems to take days, not hours. I have never got my car back on time. Sometimes it has sat there for over a week - no techs were available or were working on it for very short intervals. The quality of the work is suspect and, given the amount they charge, the work itself is shoddy. The techs do not seem veyr knowledgeable or to even be paying attention to what they are doing. I had to point out a number of options and configurations on my car to the tech - after he'd had it for days! Things are either overtightened or not tightened enough. Some of the wheels may as well have been welded to the car. Work isn't careful. For example, they replaced some suspension parts and never reconnected the brake wear sensors. A handle mysteriously broke while the car was with them. Various items seem to keep failing - even after I have asked them (and paid them) to check/replace common failures. I can only imagine this is because it is more profitable to have me come back again and again and again than fix everything the first time. The car is never clean when returned. Some of the charges are ridiculously high, particularly given they have special tools to fix the cars. This might seem fussy, but their shop rate is over $120/hour and their overall charges are very high. I would expect good service at a minimum! In addition, while waiting I have heard their service advisers use the classic "fear" tactic. "Well, these are not BMW-approved wipers. What would you like us to do ?" Um, you do NOT need BMW "approved" wipers on your BMW. They told me I needed to have the head gasket replaced and a bunch of engine work done. NOT! I knew enough to politely decline, but someone else may not have. Finally, they are not very responsive and it seems to take forever to get someone on the line. Overall, an F. More

I have purchased a BMW and a Mini from them over the years - both new vehicles. The sales experience has been pretty good. The service experience has been terrible and it's got worse over the years. Thi years - both new vehicles. The sales experience has been pretty good. The service experience has been terrible and it's got worse over the years. This dealership has obviously had a lot of success as a result of BMWs & Minis being very popular in the area. They have not invested in service capabilities and qualified staff to service the volume of cars that they've sold. They have a local monopoly and so they have no economic incentive to invest in good service. The result is a crappy experience where you feel ripped-off and abused most times you need service and it's difficult to exercise any consumer choice because there is no where else to go locally. This dealership needs competition!! BMWNA and Mini if you're listening, you should allow another dealership to open-up in the Reston/Herndon area. I'm sure you'd sell more vehicles, because I for one am putting off buying another car because I don't want to deal with these service clowns. The battery on my wife's mini was flat - it's a new vehicle but we've only driven a few miles on it, so it's understandable that the battery has gone flat. The dealership took over a week to set an appointment, they required that we just "leave it with them" and it's been four days and they've finally come back and said that it will cost $290 to simply replace the battery. $290 for a battery on a new vehicle and it takes more than 4 days to do it, with a prior appointment. This unfortunately, seems typical of this dealership. More

We just had a tremendously nice experience with Felix Bigham at this dealership. Felix was very knowledgeable and kind. We have not decided to buy a BMW just yet even then Felix was not very pushy and un Bigham at this dealership. Felix was very knowledgeable and kind. We have not decided to buy a BMW just yet even then Felix was not very pushy and understood our reasoning. I would recommend any one who is looking for purchasing a BMW to go talk to Felix Bigham at this dealer. We had a very very pleasant experience. More

I just bought a 2009 335xi from Nancy Brown at BMW of Sterling. She is AMAZING. Not only was she courteous, knowledgeable, and accommodating, she looked after me on all aspects of the sale. She negotiate Sterling. She is AMAZING. Not only was she courteous, knowledgeable, and accommodating, she looked after me on all aspects of the sale. She negotiated the price without me asking, and was very concise in her demo of all the car functions. She found the best finance deals and worked out the numbers for each scenario and made it easy for me to decide on what I wanted to do. In addition, the finance guy, Ary was also the most pleasant person to wrap up my deal. He worked his magic and I ended up only putting down half of the amount of the down payment, and still walked away with a descent monthly payment. Go see Nancy, she will hook you up. More

I am professional female who has worked hard to get to current exec. position in Federal govt. A perk I enjoy is a nice car for the hour+ daily ride to/from Capitol Hill. I trusted BMW due to earlier ex current exec. position in Federal govt. A perk I enjoy is a nice car for the hour+ daily ride to/from Capitol Hill. I trusted BMW due to earlier experience with Arlington dealer and BMW corporate HQ. Sterling BMW has serviced my second-purchase BMW several times. My last experience left me angry and with a feeling of being "taken" by the client service rep., a foreign national. I needed to replace my windshield which had a hole nicked into it via a stone on the Beltway. I asked client service rep. cost....was advised around $1500; my male asst. at work hit the roof and said check the web as they have companies who will come to your home and do it for $250-$350 and he downloaded proof as we spoke. I wanted to keep my car in excellent condition hence my decision to go with BMW's 2nd price quote on it at around $900+. Another service problem (on same visit) involved a 2-inch piece of chrome which had come off the window chrome framework during the winter months...be careful with ice scrapers. I figured "how much could that cost to replace?" - a few dollars? Think again! I was shocked when I went to pickup my car and found out that ALL the chrome around every car window was taken off and replaced with black plastic trim at a cost of several hundred dollars. My rep. was not available. He called back next day to remind me that BMW customer service would be calling me about my service experience and the only score I should give is a "5" (high score). I advised him immediately that I would not be giving BMW score of 5 and I also explained that I felt that I had been "taken". BMW customer service never did call me to follow up on the service score. I learned tonight when talking to another dealer about a prospective new car buy that my correct phone number was probably not provided to BMW customer service for follow-up. I read a few reviews on this site and another customer mentions a similar experience. Customer/Buyer beware! There is a new service company in Loudoun County offering service on BMWs - I think they will make a killing if my experience equates to what others have experienced. I did speak to BMW service manager, I will NEVER use that client service rep. again - whatever his commission, he is killing BMW business & he lost a potential "customer for life". I want a BMW dealer I can first of all trust and perhaps one that may one day win the Malcolm Baldridge Award for superior service. I am expected to render such in my position in Govt. I expect no less from a service provider like BMW. In speaking with a MD dealer tonight I learned that 6-7 Sterling BMW staff left and went elsewhere due to problems at dealership. He also confirmed that "customer service probably were even not given my correct phone number for the survey and that has happened many times previously." Management at Sterling BMW need to shake things up and provide the level of service that I know BMW corporate demands of its staff and the customers whom they serve. Thank you for this opportunity for comment - the "no contact followup" from customer service really made matters even worse. --Govt. staffer, Sterling, VA More

These guys are pathetic. I've owned 3 different 7 series BMWs since 1994. I’m a member of the BMW Car Club of America, the BMW Sauber Race Team, and have done most of my own service on all my BMWs (Includin BMWs since 1994. I’m a member of the BMW Car Club of America, the BMW Sauber Race Team, and have done most of my own service on all my BMWs (Including major stuff like whole brake and suspension rebuilds and transmissions), anyway. I made an appointment a week ahead of time for routine service, and to have a few items checked out under warranty on my 2005 745Li (if it wasn’t for being under warranty I wouldn’t even bother). I dropped the car off at 7am on the day of the appointment, and told them, “I need it by 3pm so I can do my 55 mile commute home”. At noon I called to get a status update, no return call. At 1:30, I called again, they took a message, no return call. At 3pm I called again, and finally got to talk to Shawn, the service advisor. I got some song and dance about how he couldn’t say when it would be done because he wasn’t sure what parts may be needed, or their availability, or what software may need updating. So I naturally asked, “Gee, what did you guys find wrong that requires parts, and software upgrades”? To which he answered, “Oh, nothing, I mean I don’t know, we haven’t actually looked at it yet”!!! They had an appointment a week ahead of time, had the car for 6 hours, and hadn’t even looked at it yet!!! I called him on it and said, “what exactly was the point of my making an appointment, if you weren’t going to look at it”? He says, “The 745 is a very specialized car, and only specially trained service mechanics can work on them, and one wasn’t available today”. Uh, yeah, right. I happen to probably know more about BMWs than most of their mechanics do and that line was just pure BS, also, if it were true, why again, would you make an appointment if this superstar 7 series mechanic was overbooked? They gave me a “loaner BMW” to get me home and back to work again this morning. With the admonishment that I must bring it back full of gas. Guys, if it weren’t for your bad planning, and obviously screwed up service department, I wouldn’t need a loaner car, so guess what YOU can fill the gas tank! So here it is, 9am the next day. Still no call, I don’t know if they will get to it today, don’t have high hopes that when they do get to it they will actually look at, or solve any of the issues I brought it in for. But, I do know that if I call at noon, and it’s still not been looked at, I’m simply going and picking it up, and doing business elsewhere. They are arrogant, obnoxious, poor planners, and lie to cover their foul ups. Never again! More

Jeeze... where do I start? Every time I have to go to Jeeze... where do I start? Every time I have to go to BMW Sterling to get my car serviced, it seems as if I have to call and call just to get an a Jeeze... where do I start? Every time I have to go to BMW Sterling to get my car serviced, it seems as if I have to call and call just to get an appointment to have my car looked at. When they finally call me back, I still have to wait a minimum of two weeks to get my car in there. When I first started taking my car there, I had to get some work done that is covered by a warranty that I bought with my car (I bought my car in a different state). They informed me that they will not accept my Fidelity warranty. Well... turns out that, after paying quite a bit to get service done, that they DO accept Fidelity warranties... in fact, that's they only one they accept! On two seperate occasions they have lost my key so I have had to sit and wait an extra hour or so for them to find my key. I always have to call them to get an update on my car, they never return my calls. When they tell me that it's ready, I go out at the time specified in the conversation to pick up my car and I still have to sit and wait. I don't think i've ever gotten out of that dealership in less than 2 hours. The (i'm guessing) manager came up to talk to me when I was standing outside waiting for my car (they had lost my keys...) and asked me what I was driving. When i told him it was a MINI, he looked at me, said "ohh", walked away and started talking to someone else. I once took my car there to get serviced... when I left and was driving home, I took the tag hanging from my rearivew mirror off and noticed a HUGE crack in my windshield. I turned around and went back. When I told them what happened, the manager basically accused me of lying... they did end up replacing it. When i finally was able to pick up my car A WEEK LATER, the service consultant told me that my tires were bald... the tires were pretty new and nowhere near bald and told me that the tires are $300 each... right... they're much cheaper elsewhere. All in all, they are horrible... don't go to them!!! More