Santa Monica BMW

I bought a 1972 3.0CS at the predecessor to this dealership - Ocean View Motors. Had great experiences, but over the years things deteriorated. Went back several times as the dealership changed na dealership - Ocean View Motors. Had great experiences, but over the years things deteriorated. Went back several times as the dealership changed names and owners and moved (3 times). But the nadir of my relationship came in 2003 when I went in to buy a new Z8. The sales staff had no interest in serving me even though I was seeking to buy a car worth over $100,000. (And I drove there in my new Mercedes CL55, so they knew I could afford it.). It appeared that the dealership was just a hobby for the current owner, a way for him to get new cars he could drive, and that everything else was done in a lackluster fashion just to keep up appearances. Perhaps the worst run delaership in the history of the automobile. A joke. More

I stopped off at this dealership (as it is closest to home) to see about ordering an M3. A few minutes after I walked into the dealership I asked the receptionist to get me a salesperson. She looks up f home) to see about ordering an M3. A few minutes after I walked into the dealership I asked the receptionist to get me a salesperson. She looks up form her desk and tells me that it Sundays are their busiest days and most people make appointments. No other comments. Was I to wait, make an appointment to just leave? Again I asked, and this time she said she would try. 20 minutes later I went back again to politely inquire about a salesman and the receptionist looked at me and gave me a nasty look. She let me know very firmly that there are other customers there, ahead of me and to just be patient. Well I figured I can take my hard earned money somewhere else. I don't need to be lectured by a 20 year old. I used to have my other BMW serviced at this place. I should have known that some things don't change. 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

I've purchased 3-new BMWs from this dealership over the past 3 years (and 2 other new BMWs from other SoCal dealerships over the past 5 years) and have had good/bad experiences will almost all of the BMW s past 3 years (and 2 other new BMWs from other SoCal dealerships over the past 5 years) and have had good/bad experiences will almost all of the BMW service departments throughout SoCal. Santa Monica has certainly been NO WORSE than other BMW dealers in the LA/Orange County areas, and in some cases was much better. A few of my observations<br><br>1) They are a small dealership and therefore don't have a high sales volume as compared to SouthBay, Crevier or New Century. Their stock of new 3's, and 5's is usually nowhere near that of the other dealerships. Even though they're willing to get a vehicle from another dealer, pricing will generally not be as competitive given the much lower volume. However, they've really stood heads and shoulders above other dealers for me whenever I've been looking for a hard-to-find model (e.g., an M5, M3 Cabrio, and a Z8). When the other dealers have had maybe 0-1 of them in stock in most cases, SantaMonica must've l had at least 5 of each "hidden" in a warehouse someplace.<br><br>2) There were substantial dealer markups posted on those M's and Z8's, and I did get the "if the sales managers in a good mood today" line when trying to negotiate with them. However, I was able to negotiate down those substantial markups AND I was able to drive out of the dealership in a new M or Z8 within an hour or two. It sure beat the special order, or waiting-list process I was being offered by some of the other larger dealers<br><br>3) SMBMW seems to have a fairly large percentage of high-profile celebrity clientele and as a result the place can seem a bit snooty at times (particularly if they don't "know" you). I've been in there on several occasions when there has only been MAYBE 2-3 sales people (on a weekday afternoon or early-evening), and a famous celebrity (or even 2!) buying cars. Fair or not, it was a little difficult getting some attention - even when planning to spend $75-100K all at once - with that sort of competition. <br><br>4) I know a lot of people that buy their BMWs elsewhere and then end up bringing them into Santa Monica for service because of the location. As a result the service department is way overloaded with customers and they can be difficult to deal with (difficult make appts & get return calls, abrupt & inflexible at times, etc.). I've also received some of that famous "take it or leave it" attitude BMW service departments seem to be able to dish out around Southern California (no more so than from others). In spite of that, whenever I've had a problem the dealership has always recognized that I was one of the customers that actually bought my cars from SantaMonica and have then actually gone out of their way to make things right when asked. <br><br>5) A good sales person has been invaluable in assisting me at this delearship. Every time I've been in the dealership - for service, parts, or whatever - my sales person has never failed to stop and find out if there is anything he can do to improve my ownership experience. He has even interceded on my behalf when I've not been there to resolve issues with say obtaining a service appointment, or resolving a difficult service issue. My Lexus and MBZ sales people have NEVER done that.<br> 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