BMW South Africa

I am writing this letter on behalf of our family. My sister and I were raised in the Helderberg area.

We emigrated to Canada in 1988 and 1990, marrying Canadian and Ukranian (now Canadian) citizens respectively. We have a holiday house in Gordons Bay and purchased a used BMW Mini Cooper S Countryman A/T 2015 with 78,000 km. The car was purchased at a private local dealer at the end of 2022. We did purchase additional engine insurance on the car at the time.

We had two issues occur that completely undermine any confidence one might have had in a BMW car dealership.

Problems started to show up with the car in March 2023.

My sister and her husband were on a road trip to Aquila Game Reserve. They had almost arrived when the car had a sudden pop and the engine went into limp mode. They slowly made their way to the game reserve and arranged for it to be towed to the nearest dealership, which happened to be Paarl BMW. One of the many issues I would like to raise here is upon phoning the dealership they seemed ill equipped to even suggest a tow truck to us, to get the car to their dealership.

In the end one of the mechanics at the dealership said he had a friend who would come and tow the car. If this had happened to a foreigner it would not have left a very good impression of BMW South Africa. In Canada, if we call a BMW dealer, they would have arranged a tow truck for us in two minutes allowing us to further enjoy our holiday. We speak from experience.

Once the technician at Paarl BMW had inspected the car he noted that the timing belt had slipped.

We authorized the work and it was done while they were still at the game reserve. Due to us having grown up in the country we were able to call on a friend to collect them from the game reserve, and take them back to Gordons Bay, as the car was not ready by the time they checked out of the game reserve. We then had to make further arrangements to get to Paarl to pick up the vehicle when it was ready, so once the dealership fixed the problem, we collected the car. My sister, and her husband, left South Africa within two weeks of getting the car back from the service.

This was incident number one.

Fast forward to my wife and I coming over to South Africa in December 2023, when incident number two occurred.

Our car appeared to break down while we were on a road trip - interestingly, we were also on our way to Aquila. There was an oil pressure warning, a sudden drop in power (went into a form of safemode), and I noticed that braking became quite difficult. We stopped the car, checked the oil (which looked good), and limped home.

I eventually got the car to Helderberg BMW, where they had the car for a few days before I was called with the diagnosis. The diagnosis was not good.

There were plenty of things listed that were wrong with the car, the most serious of which required that the engine be replaced.

The quote for this came to R234,793.52. Since this was a second hand car that we had recently bought, that had been through all the tests at that time, and had also been through BMW Paarl where there was a problem with the camshaft and timing chain which set us back R47,231.49, we were frankly surprised that no issues had been picked up at that time since there were only a few days of actual driving between the two issues. I therefore asked for, and received, the BMW Helderberg Technicians notes.

Clearly this warranted a second opinion. I called insurance companies and the company that provided the warranty on the car, and from them I received a list of accredited workshops, with a few that got recommended.

I eventually, after a number of interviews, settled on a mechanic. He checked the diagnostics, reviewed the symptoms, took a look at the engine, and resolved the issue simply by replacing the vaccum pump. Once he had done that he ran through a number of tests running hot, running cold, and found no further issues with the car.

By going to an actual mechanic, we got someone who understood engines, and could problem solve, saving us R217,866.85. The sad thing is that if we had followed the advice of BMW Helderberg, we would have replaced the engine (amongst the other things we would have been charged for), and we would STILL have had the problem.

A vaccum pump is NOT part of the engine. So we would have not only have paid R234,793.52 for NOTHING, but would still have had to pay more to actually fix the original issue. This kind of mistake is unforgivable.

This whole process took 34 days, which meant that visiting from Canada, I had that period where I had to borrow cars (and pay friends for the privilege) as well as rent a car for 8 days (for R5,810.00) as well as pay R1,200.00 for towing. This doesnt account for all the hassle of having to reschedule most of the plans and events that I had scheduled for our trip to South Africa during that time.

I have a real suspicion that what happened in the first incident was directly related to the pump being seized and causing the timing belt to slip.

I believe BMW Paarl did not consider the idea that the vacuum pump could have been seized as part of their inspection and subsequently put the new belt on after they did a top end inspection and sent us on our way. Ultimately doomed to seize completely and end up at a BMW dealership again, once again to be misdiagnosed as a complete engine failure.

We already know that BMW dont have mechanics, they only seem to have installers.

Somehow people who actually understand the engines that they are working on, dont seem work for your dealerships. So I believe that this is information that has to be shared with the general population as a cautionary note to be very careful when dealing with BMW, especially in the Helderberg area.

I took my car to BMW Ermelo because the anti-freeze coolant didn't last; I would fill it every two to three days. I was told to leave it.

They phoned and said they needed to replace the oil filter housing and that's why it was leaking. I paid R16584.18. A day after it came back, I realized that the car was jerking. I checked and saw that the water coolant had petrol.

So, it was mixing. I had to raise enough money and hire a breakdown service to take it back to Ermelo. They said they had no idea what had happened. After a month, I was told that the car was ready for collection.

I am from Eswatini, by the way. When I got there, I was told to pay again, R18805.34. We went for a test drive with the mechanic and the issue was still there, but it was better. He said the car might stop in the long run and he thinks he tried his best.

I am not fine at all. The car is parked because it's worse. I am so stressed.

Kindly assist. Engine number: WBAHS120405F02464 BMW X1.

Good Day!
I stated a case which was never solved.
0. I booked a service and workshop with BMW Bedfordview on 16 Junuary 2023.

They couldn´t manage to solve the problem of a noise coming from suspension. After many hours trying to solve the problem they ended up giving up and decided to remove all parts that they have replaced in the car and refund me the amount paid
1. The amount refunded was not complete. they transferred R 31.720,73 while we have agreed an amount of R 33.088,17 in a letter signed and stamped by Bedfordview.
2.

After receiving the incomplete amount i emailed Mr. Andre with customer care copied to understand why i´m not receiving the agreed amount and they didn´t answer.
3. After some days the customer care called to check the case, i told the Lady that I don´t agree with the amount transferred and she made a conference call with Bedfordview where they tried to explain that they have deducted the amount sped on wheel alignment.
4. I asked them why this cost is coming only now?

the man said that they forgot to charge. I just told them that this is not my fault and they are not supposed to charge me this cost because actually they have removed the control arms that they put in the car. so the wheel alignment that they did had no effect in the car. Even though the question is why they did´t include the cost in the final invoice?

why they didn´t inform before that there was additional cost to the invoice? why i have to be penalized by their mistake? I definitely don´t assume this cost because by this time i no longer trust them. They were definitely not serious.
5.

Why i say they are not serious? Fist they mistreat me from the first moment i complaint about their service. They did not want to assume that they didn´t solve my problem.
6. After complain and long hours of discussing they decided to remove the parts (the control arms) what was totally a stupid decision because after that my car got even worse.

It was a big failler in the diagnose of my report on the car. First they said the problem were with the control arms and when i complain about the noise that was still there they changed and said it comes from the chocks and the control arms are ok after removing them. is it possible to happen? and they decided to remove the control arms because i said they should find a solution with no additional cost to me.

I would never expect such a mistake from an agent.
7. I paid full the invoice and they said would refund me the parts that they have removed. i had to wait more than a month to have my money back. They told me a lot of stories.

First they said they can only refund to a south african account i did gave them but at the end they sent to my account in Mozambique. I did´t understand this.
8. So I do not agree with the amount discounted and i want to be refunded the difference of R 1.367.44.
9. Secondly they charged me VAT even after showing them the document from the border that says that i´m exempt of paying VAT as a foreign citizen.

I showed them the documents, tried to explain them that i should not pay VAT but they insisted that i should pay that VAT and get refunded by the border. I couldn´t argue much because all of them stick in the same point and were thinking i don´t have money to pay. I just paid and after arriving at the border they said exactly what i have said. They should not have included the VAT in the invoice and they said I should go back to Bedfordview and ask for my VAT refund.
10.

I paid a VAT of R 6.805,06. Considering the refund of part of the service not done it means that i spend R. 16.594,72 including VAT. So i have to be refunded R 2.489,21 of total VAT paid unduly.
11.

Finally i have to be refunded R 1.367,44 of difference from what they transferred and what we have agreed and the amount of R 2.489,21 of VAT paid unduly which amounts R 3.856.65 that they have to pay me back.
12.

From the last conference call with the lady from customer care and the Gentleman of Bedfordview we discusses about this two things and as i noticed they were not clear about VAT procedures for not south African citizens I told them they should go and check what the Law says about or maybe consult the revenue authority to assist them. It has been more than a week and i did not receive any feedback from them.
Regards
Chilundo
Phone:+258 846* ***4 4
Email:akino.chilundo@***.com

Vehicle unethical sale from BMW to 3rd Part after the contract was done, 45min before picking up a vehicle.
1st of all you were stunning with your support and effort and the whole experience was fantastic in the way it came together from the banks side.
As I am going through the whole timeline from 09:40 when BMW contacted me until 12:55 when Standard bank sent me a SMS congratulating me on my new set of wheels, I have all the emails and Whatsapp to support this ordeal with the dealership
The problem that I have or actually questions and problems.
1st of all I am struggling to understand how a dealership of BMW can don 2 deals at the same time for a vehicle, surely there's some conflict of interest that comes to mind. It was the dealership that sent all the paperwork to Standard bank they initiated the deal from there side, since the X4 was there already and ready for the trade in as was stipulated by the agreement from the dealership
Secondly after the finance was done from our side, approved while working hand in hand with the dealership, they knew exactly what was going on and where the process was.

They were fully aware that everything was done in accordance with the SMS and emails between both parties (Standard Bank and BMW) that the vehicle was supposed to be picked up by myself at 17:00 and that I would Sign the papers at the dealership,
Thirdly - The person responsible for the deal from BMW phoned me at 16:16 on Thursday about 45 minutes before I was scheduled to pick up the vehicle just to inform me that that wouldn't be possible since a 3rd party placed a "cash hold" on the Vehicle for the full amount @ 13:00 and that he was interested in the vehicle,
So according to the paper trail we "Standard Bank" did everything before 13:00. Everything was approved and done, so I feel that the 3rd party was informed by BMW that we were taking the car in the afternoon and that it was sold all that was outstanding was the signature at 17:00.
So, in short, I feel used and that they used us to place pressure on a 3rd party because, and why was the amount paid just after all the Email confirmations was done that the contract is finalised, why a couple of minutes later was it paid to the dealer, I feel my contract was used to put pressure on the 3rd party. for all the years that I have had my BMW's and used their services departments, this was the 1st time that they out of the blue contact me and offer to do a value appreciation on my car. And furthermore, the speed that Standard Bank were moving around the paperwork to make everything possible in under 3 hours.

And then amazingly there is all of a sudden, a block on the sale from the dealership,
The sad part is the funds where transferred to them on Thursday at 13:00 as I mentioned, but NO paperwork was issued or signed by the 3rd party, it was only cash lying in waiting, the 3rd Part only had a look or was scheduled to go and see the vehicle on Saturday the 9th to determine if he will take the vehicle and then decide if they will take it, I waited till late Saturday afternoon to confirm with the agent if they have taken the vehicle, the response I received He like it but they will have to wait for his wife that will come to look at the Vehicle only on the next Thursday so yet again there was no paperwork done yet and the sale was not finalized, Again I contacted the dealership on Thursday the 14th Dec to try and determine if the Vehicle was still available or have it been sold, The dealer confirmed that they signed for it on Wednesday the 13th.
So, you see the issues with the unethical and double dealings that went on with this car.
So as far as my knowledge go I haven't received any notice of cancelation of the deal from Standard Bank so the deal is still active, so my thinking is that this is one of the reasons that the dealership hasn't Informed you in writing that sorry the deal can happen because they have sold it, technically it is still not sold and part of their inventory and that, we just didn't hand them an offer to purchase, put a fully completed sale.

And that the vehicle could have been collected by me and they would have been paid for the vehicle last week Thursday already. So am I correct that in the eyes of Standard Bank I do have the 6X and just waiting to collect and send the final signed documents to them.
After the phone call BMW did not even inform the Bank that sorry the deal was not going to happen and that they can cancel the deal and that they had put in place that day, I had to inform the bank that the deal was not going to happen because it was sold to a third party after we had done all the paperwork,

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing to you to raise an issue about: Cars

The issue that I have experienced was: I am an African who is in love with the car you make and dreamed of them since i was little kid u can say that I am abscessed by the car you manufacture and it would be the best thing that happen to me in my life if you read this and give away a car to me because i couldn't afford it but can do some thing as an advertisement for example and the person reading this please let you feel my sorrow and feel it by your heart an be in my place and assume one who is in love with this machine and can't even touch it. The last thing I could say is please a man kind by his power at the most can only say please and thank you even for reading it

It occurred on: 04/11/2021

This meant that it made me feel my morale and mentality incomplete

give away please

I look forward to your prompt response on this matter. As recommended by Trading Standards, I would like to keep a complete record of my case, so please reply to this email address.

Yours faithfully,

new thing

The dealership Dear bmw

093802****,

Addis Ababa Ethiopia

11838

Good evening sir/madam

It is regretably to write this email

During 2021 May 30th my bmw 520d G30 was booked in for repairs at bmw montana Arc for repairing front left magrim ,left front conrner lower bumper, left front suspension .on 25 june i received my vehicle with the following hooter,not functioning as tge tone was very bad ,front lights were focus is not correct ,front number plate was not pop riverted or not proerly affixed ,my windscreen has paint particles from spraypainting, in driver side seatadjust machanism plastic cover broken.

The front knocking noise as the car drives can be heard due to poor suspension repairs. All this i reported to Bmw montana ARC on28th june as i received vehicle on friday 25th june 2021 , i was promised that i will be called to bring vehicle in to fix al those problems i have relised that its been now 6th july 2021 no call from bmw montana ARC really i cannot understand why the vehicle was checked before was handed to me after repairs .it really unprofessional to repair vehicle from company like bmw and follow all procedures before its handed over to the customer

I need my vehicke in good state of road fitness.i cannot drive vehicle with warning device(hooter)as well as lights that are not properly focusing .

I need BMW SA to intervine in this matter

I thank

Regards

yours truly

AO MOTEPE