[Bharat Acharya]

Hey Guys,
I purchased a BMW 520d from Navnit Motors, Andheri, Mumbai, on 5th Jan 2013.

The Car is now 6 months old, and is driven around 1500 kms.

My ownership experience has been utterly miserable and would like to share it with you all.

List of problems:

1. Within three weeks of ownership, the car developed a cracking noise from its suspension. Upon complaining, BMW acknowledged that it was a "faulty suspension" and hence replaced it.
   
2. Within 1.5 months, the car remotes started acting up! All of a sudden, both remotes would completely refuse to work. At times the car would just not unlock. Even if I used the manual key to unlock it, the engine would refuse to start. Upon being left alone for a couple of days, they would start working again. It reached a point where, every time I approached my car, I would pray in my mind, "God, I hope it starts"! Upon complaining several times, BMW Service centre repaired it.
   
3. Around mid May, the brakes of the car started making some weird noise. The car was sent to the service centre and they repaired it.

NOW THE NIGHTMARE. The car came back from Navnit motors service centre on around 22nd may, after brakes problem got sorted. THAT NIGHT I TOOK THE CAR FOR A SPIN WITH MY WIFE AND ANOTHER COUPLE. I WAS ON THE BANDRA WORLI SEA LINK (LONG OPEN STRETCH OF ROAD), AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES FAILED!!! A MSG CAME ON THE SCREEN SAYING “LOW OIL PRESSURE, BRAKES COMPROMISED (OR SO)”. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE AT A HIGH SPEED. THE BRAKES WERE BARELY WORKING AT 10% OF THEIR ACTUAL STRENGTH. FORTUNATELY, THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR SO I HAD AMPLE TIME TO STOP THE CAR. I DROVE MY CAR BACK HOME AT CRAWLING SPEED, WITH ALL FOUR OF US IN THE CAR THANKING OUR STARS THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE!

The next day, I called up Navnit BMW, and got my car towed back.
They took about 3 days to respond with what had actually gone wrong with the car.

Their reply was that THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE ENGINE, AND SO THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THE ENGINE HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM GERMANY AND SO IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS, AND SO THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR TO BE USED IN THE MEANTIME.

THEY TOOK 50 DAYS (FIFTY!!!) to return back my car.

During all this time, I wrote several times to BMW India as well as BMW Germany, saying that BMW should accept their moral responsibility, and acknowledge that they have given me a FAULTY car, and hence not just replace my engine but REPLACE THE CAR INSTEAD!!!

But all my letters fell to deaf ears and the only response I got from either of them was to have patience.

50 days!!! Seriously! BMW thinks they can take people for a royal ride.
In those days, two of my EMIs have gone through! Imagine paying for a car that you cant even see around you!

In none of my letters did I ask BMW for any sort of monetary compensation. All that I wanted was something that I paid for! A reliable high quality product! I guess I was asking for too much from BMW.

After all the ordeal I faced with the car, after putting my and my families life to risk, after making me wait agonizingly for 50 days for my car to come back, after making me pay two EMIs for a car that is lying in BMW garage, all they did was leave me with no choice but to accept my car back. As a good will gesture, they offered me dvd screens for the back seats, which I really am not at all interested in and hope they take it back!!!! Aah, and free door mats. I think that’s what BMW thinks of Indian customers. I am sure if all this happened in Europe or US, BMW would have to shell out a lot as compensation. But here in India, they think the can dump their faulty products and simply get away with it!

If that’s not the case, then WHY WAS I GIVEN A CAR WITH A FAULTY SUSPENSION, FAULTY BRAKES, FAULTY ENGINE, FAULTY REMOTES???

No answers from them, just kept asking me to have patience!

I was promised, in writing and orally by BMW CRMs from western region as well as all India, that the car, after being repaired, will be thoroughly tested and will be fault free. So much so that, one of them even said, “I will resign if there is any other fault in your car!”

The car was delivered to my place two days back. At first, I didn’t know how to relate to the car, but with a heavy heart I thought lets move on.

The VERY NEXT DAY, I REALISED, THE USB PORT IS NO LONGER WORKING.

GOD DAMN IT! This is HOW DISGUSTING BMW INDIA IS!!!

I AM COMPLETELY ASHAMED OF BUYING THIS CAR, AND AM SO SO DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF FOR MAKING THIS CHOICE!!!

I feel so CHEATED!!!!

HAVE COMPLAINED TO BMW AND THEY SAID THEY ARE SENDING THEIR STAFF TO MY PLACE TOMORROW TO “REPAIR” IT.

I hope by sharing this with you all I make you aware of the “standards” of BMW INDIA (or the lack of it)!

Every detail mentioned above is true and is documented with both, BMW and myself.

If there is any way you can help me get justice, I would be eager to know that.

Car Chassis No: WBAFW75020C474795.
Dealer: BMW Navnit, Andheri, Mumbai.
People Incharge (and constantly contacted):
Mr Laukik (Service Advisor, BMW Navnit)
Ms Sonali Bandivadekar(Service CRM, BMW Navnit)
Mr Ravi Bhagwat (BMW NAVNIT CRM)
Mr Sameer Jain (BMW Western India CRM)
Mr Karan Seth (BMW India Customer Support)
Mr Stephan Rausch (BMW India Director – After Sales).

[sandeep108]

Not to defend BMW or anything - but from what you say, they are replacing any/all major components that failed rather than repair. Further they also gave you a loaner car. That is far more than what other car manufacturers do. In any event, the technology is so complicated, they are unable to 'repair' their components over here, therefore the replacement. Plus due to our crazy laws and duties, they cannot keep major components lying around and have to import as required.

Yes, it is sad that so called great german technology is unreliable for Indian conditions, I feel it is simply too complicated for our conditions. I shudder to think what would happen after warranty (extended or not) periods end.

But still the three germans are continuing to sell, one sees ever more 520d/320d on the roads.

Hopefully once they now fix it, you will get many smiles out of your car. I am saying this because a friend of mine had a similar experience, but still says he will buy another BMW!!!

[2000rpm]

I think BMW here has matched Skoda, if not worse!

We get better service and reliability from products which are 10 to 15 times cheaper (read Alto). I totally understand your plight and emotions as I have suffered similar experiences with Fiat in recent past!

However, the BMW Brand value certainly must stand for much more!

With respect to replacements of parts, I think its unacceptable. With such experiences the entire car ownership experience is spoilt. Will you be able to love a car which has spent more time at the service station than at your home? Will you have the confidence in the car to do high speeds (sealink experience), or take the car for long journeys (where BMW service stations will be hundreds of miles away)

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by Bharat Acharya

Hey Guys,
I purchased a BMW 520d from Navnit Motors, Andheri, Mumbai, on 5th Jan 2013.

If there is any way you can help me get justice, I would be eager to know that.

Seriously, BMW? This is hard and I can understand how you must be feeling.

If you are not happy with the actions taken and mitigations provided by BMW, you can approach the court. Not just Consumer Forum. Hire a seriously good lawyer (one with a reputation - a big name) and have her/him advice you.

I am sure you can get a recourse.

[asr245]

Originally Posted by sandeep108

Not to defend BMW or anything - but from what you say, they are replacing any/all major components that failed rather than repair. Further they also gave you a loaner car. That is far more than what other car manufacturers do.

Sorry, but that's the attitude why we are dealt this way.

They are only doing the least possible thing they could have done after someone plonked 30L-40L with their product. I would have raised as much stink as I could over this.

Gives me another reason to feel that the Germans are highly over-rated when it comes to cars.

[Sahil]

Really unfortunate, seems like you have been given a lemon. You should have perhaps demanded a replacement of the car when the brake failure happened. An engine change at the dealership level is not the best thing one hopes for, the car perhaps will never be upto the mark of a factory assembled engine. A legal notice at that point would have helped. But I guess you did the best you could at the time. For now I don't think there is much you can do since you accepted the car back, the USB port issue is a minor one, don't fret on it much even though it's annoying at this point. At this point I would however ask them for a free BSI package of 5 years to ensure you are secure until the time you retain the car.

[Mr.Beat]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Seriously, BMW? This is hard and I can understand how you must be feeling.

If you are not happy with the actions taken and mitigations provided by BMW, you can approach the court. Not just Consumer Forum. Hire a seriously good lawyer (one with a reputation - a big name) and have her/him advice you.

I am sure you can get a recourse.

Firstly, it is not recommended to take this route as of now if the person needs any peace of mind. The court will not penalize the company as much as the person would pay to the lawyer till the case is settled. The components have been replaced and i assume are working fine. I do acknowledge that it was incorrect on part of the company which has such high QA standards to have this go through (esp the engine /brakes).

You may rather follow proper channel and follow up with the company officials and work on getting a common solution to end this misery. Good luck

[chaunfa]

Something is seriously wrong with BMW India. My friend's car kept blowing its tyres even when stationary. Then one day it stopped while he was on his way to attend a marriage. Imagine his plight when he had to get off the BMW and take an auto?
It took a lot of strongly worded letters to BMW Germany to get the money that he had spent on repairs refunded. He had almost torn his hair out with frustration and was thinking of selling the car off at half price.
Luckily BMW finally responded and made good on the tyres and the repair work.

[Rahulkool]

I don't think here the question is if they repaired the car or not. But brake failure in their flagship sedan is really shameful. I don't think after this serious incident they should have taken 50days to replace the car. any other country and they have to replace the car with proper compensation. IMO its mistake of the dealership(while repairing the brakes) and some other story is fed to BMW india from the them.

[Octane_Power]

This is really pathetic from a company which is said to the best amongst the 3 German biggies (Audi,Merc,BMW) in terms of service backup and satisfaction.

And what was that? "Sir, we will have to replace the engine" Ya right!!I would accept nothing less than a complete replacement of the vehicle from a company of this stature.

Bharat Sir, you have spent your hard earned money trusting the brand, so I'd be very happy if you go that extra mile, take those efforts and get your car replaced and not get a part or two replaced or repaired when a problem crops up.
First the suspension, then the remotes, then the brakes and then the ENGINE?!! Seriously horrendous.

-Bhargav

[superbhikari]

I think you must file a case in consumer court for getting replacement of your car with a new one. Recently, read a news where consumer court ordered an Indian Auto manufacturer to replace the faulty car along with granting compensation. Nothing other than that will help you. All people involved whether the dealer or BMW will keep their best to convince to keep their junk being repaired with you and pay for hefty after-warranty bills. They sold you lemon, that's a fact. I remember M&M replaced an XUV in the intital year of launch with a new one immediately after it recognised a major problem in a customers car. It must be available here in T-bhp for sure.

[mac187]

Its sad that you are facing these issues with your car. Looks like BMW is doing the bare minimum on the service front. I would suggest you to raise this issue on their FB page and other social networking sites. That is the only way you will get their attention.

If I were you I would demand my money back, I wouldn't want to take a replacement car from the same brand.

[Dodge_Viper]

Hello Bharat "microprocessor" sir. Good to know that you are on tbhp. Regarding the issue, these are serious concerns. Maybe consumer court can help. There is one teambhpian also who might be of help. Can't PM you his name. I ll send him a PM on your behalf.

[cpbopanna]

Originally Posted by Bharat Acharya

Hey Guys,
I purchased a BMW 520d from Navnit Motors, Andheri, Mumbai, on 5th Jan 2013....

Their reply was that THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE ENGINE, AND SO THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THE ENGINE HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM GERMANY AND SO IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS, AND SO THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR TO BE USED IN THE MEANTIME.

THEY TOOK 50 DAYS (FIFTY!!!) to return back my car.

How are you so sure that the engine has been replaced? Has the Engine Number changed? If so, has the new number been incorporated in the Vehicle Registration documents? I doubt if two engines can have the same Engine No.!

[black12rr]

Its sad to see the whole escalation mechanism failed in them.

Point 4 would itself is enough to lodge a complaint against them . "Selling a unreliable car and endangering lives of 4 people ". I am not a lawyer , but you should lodge a complaint against BMW navnit and BMW India for compromising you life with that car .

Did you take a video or photo of the warning message on 4 point ?