[CarsAndGuitars]

I am trying to find an open allocation at dealers within a few hour drive and a couple of them just know how to turn a potential customer away.

I contacted each of them through the dealership "Contact Us" page, which among other things asks for your preferred method of communication and your message to the sales dept. I sent each of them a quick note with a link to my build and asked 1) do you have any available allocations for an M240 and 2) asking price as configured in my build.

Rules of the game: Answer 2 questions favorably, and on your way to an easy sale !?!?

Here are the responses I got -

DEALER #1:
Hello _____,
Welcome to _____ BMW and thank you for considering us for your next vehicle.

If you don't mind can you answer the questions below so I can go ahead and get this over to my manager for numbers!

1. How many months?
2. How many miles will you drive per year?
3. How much money do you want to put down?
4. Do you or anyone in your home currently own a BMW?
5. What is your zip code?
Thank you for the opportunity and we look forward to working with you!

ME: Can you please advise me the timeframe for when you would have an available allocation for the M240 and what your pricing is on the build I sent?

THEM: I have to send over the information to my manager I figured since it will be some time I can send over the leasing information as well.

... and a few more volleys. Who said anything about leasing? They never answered my questions, even after I forwarded the thread to the Sales Manager and Asst Sales Manager. I guess this is their culture

DEALER #2:
Hello _____,

Let me start by saying I intend to make this the easiest car buying experience for you. I see that your(sic) interested in the new M240i. At this time, we continue to offer our in-showroom sales appointments in addition to our No-Contact sales experience that includes no-contact test drives, 100% online purchase and delivery. What is the best form of communication for you (email, phone, or text)? If phone, what is the best number to reach you on?

What time today will be a good time to schedule a visit to our store?

I have tried to reach you by phone and text, however I was unsuccessful in connecting with you today. Is there a better time to connect with you by phone?

My name is ____ and I look forward to being your point of contact through this amazing experience.




Again, two simple questions. And if you don't want to talk price right off, I get that. But why so hard to just get someone who is willing to respond to my inquiry without first rolling out their whole sales agenda?

</rant>

[Burrcold]

Don't bother with emails. Call and ask to speak with a sales person, or if it's close enough just pop in and see them.

[Germanauto]

I had a mixed experience last year. Most dealers were very willing to discuss numbers over email, but some were purposely vague, and one straight up refused to talk unless I came in.

In my experience, physically going to the dealership is a total waste of time. But some want you to come to show you're serious.

[BMWCCA1]

As you've probably already figured, most dealerships route all communication through a "customer response" center, meaning an offsite call and email center, which intercepts all communications and where the "customer response team" gets paid by the appointments they make. And your message may never have reached a human and simply triggers a canned reply since everyone assumes Millennials have such short attention spans that you have to provide a response—no matter how vapid—immediately. And we all know Millennials and their behavior is what drives any form of commerce these days—or at least that's what BMW thinks.

Our Customer Response Center is hours away and they are so incompetent they can't route a call to my desk even if the customer asks for me by name. That's just the way it is these days. You won't see an excuse from me for that kind of response, since I don't like it, either.

As an aside, few dealers have "extra" allocations not already spoken for. It's just that difficult to get anything from BMW these days. And, even if you got hold of a human, they assume (correctly) that you're bombing all dealerships just looking for the best price on a car they can sell as soon as they get it for likely well-above MSRP.

I still take orders for M240i's (at MSRP) even though it takes forever to get them—even after they are "in production". I honestly can't tell customers in good conscience when to expect to see their car. It actually takes longer to get a built car from Mexico than it does from Germany. And nothing seems to be being built as-scheduled other than the cars from BMW Manufacturing Spartanburg. These are strange times!

[CarsAndGuitars]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

As you've probably already figured, most dealerships route all communication through a "customer response" center, meaning an offsite call and email center, which intercepts all communications and where the "customer response team" gets paid by the appointments they make. And your message may never have reached a human and simply triggers a canned reply since everyone assumes Millennials have such short attention spans that you have to provide a response—no matter how vapid—immediately. And we all know Millennials and their behavior is what drives any form of commerce these days—or at least that's what BMW thinks.

Our Customer Response Center is hours away and they are so incompetent they can't route a call to my desk even if the customer asks for me by name. That's just the way it is these days. You won't see an excuse from me for that kind of response, since I don't like it, either.

As an aside, few dealers have "extra" allocations not already spoken for. It's just that difficult to get anything from BMW these days. And, even if you got hold of a human, they assume (correctly) that you're bombing all dealerships just looking for the best price on a car they can sell as soon as they get it for likely well-above MSRP.

I still take orders for M240i's (at MSRP) even though it takes forever to get them—even after they are "in production". I honestly can't tell customers in good conscience when to expect to see their car. It actually takes longer to get a built car from Mexico than it does from Germany. And nothing seems to be being built as-scheduled other than the cars from BMW Manufacturing Spartanburg. These are strange times!

Thanks for sharing your insights. Yes, I did realize there was some kind of a front end "team" fielding the communications. But as my title says, I was surprised by the complete disregard toward my specific inquiry and asking me for information I had already provided.

I was not shopping price - I was shopping availability. A responsive salesperson would have simply said, "we have nothing right now and should be getting allocations in the near future. I have xxx people ahead of you if you want me to call you when I know anything more I'd be happy to." Easy. I don't want to waste my time or theirs.

How many potential customers a day are these poorly trained parrots losing?

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by CarsAndGuitars

How many potential customers a day are these poorly trained parrots losing?

The real question is how many are they even getting a chance to help? If the "lead" ever gets past the call-center, it gets distributed to any sales droid based on an equitable distribution that has nothing to do with their competence. There might even be some "under-the-table" payola or favoritism between the call center droids and the sales-floor droids.

If I were you (and you may have already done this) make an in-person visit to your choice of dealerships within driving distance. If you can't get a reference from a friend (or a forum member), audition the sales people, and establish as much rapport as you can to determine if you need to go any further with them or their store. I'd even suggest going for the messiest desk with the most arcane BMW memorabilia on display. Ask what they drive. Ask how long they've worked there. You're not looking for a friend but it can help if the person is at least honest with you and sincere in their desire to get you what you want. You already know you'll be paying MSRP, you might as well have a choice in who you deal with.

Good Luck!

[P1]

Can't wait for this all to blow over. Car buying used to be bearable. Now it's just downright unpleasant.

[CarsAndGuitars]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

The real question is how many are they even getting a chance to help? If the "lead" ever gets past the call-center, it gets distributed to any sales droid based on an equitable distribution that has nothing to do with their competence. There might even be some "under-the-table" payola or favoritism between the call center droids and the sales-floor droids.

If I were you (and you may have already done this) make an in-person visit to your choice of dealerships within driving distance. If you can't get a reference from a friend (or a forum member), audition the sales people, and establish as much rapport as you can to determine if you need to go any further with them or their store. I'd even suggest going for the messiest desk with the most arcane BMW memorabilia on display. Ask what they drive. Ask how long they've worked there. You're not looking for a friend but it can help if the person is at least honest with you and sincere in their desire to get you what you want. You already know you'll be paying MSRP, you might as well have a choice in who you deal with.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the sound advice. Yes, I did find one through this same email outreach who I have established a rapport. Another is a referral. I am hoping that one can come through with one of their next available allocations.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by CarsAndGuitars

I did find one through this same email outreach who I have established a rapport. Another is a referral. I am hoping that one can come through with one of their next available allocations.

Again, good luck. It will be worth it!

To show solidarity to your interests, I have one of these:


And dozens of these:

[P1]

BMWCCA1 you have dozens of BMWs? Let's see some pics.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by P1

BMWCCA1 you have dozens of BMWs? Let's see some pics.

Well, there are seven in that photo, not including the Toyota truck, and five more in the garage behind (two cars, three motorcycles). Three more bikes in the drive-in basement, and several more cars at my other house down the street. Isettas, 700 Convertibles, 1600 Cabriolets, 2002s, 2002tiis, E28 535i stick, 535is stick, E34 535i stick, E39 530i Sport stick, 128i Sport, 128i M-sport 6-sp, 328i xDrive Sport (wife's car). I've owned BMWs for over 50-years so it's pretty easy to have a lot of them if you just keep most of them!

No questions about the guitar??

[snareman]

I recently more or less disowned my dealer of 15 years and 6 new BMWs (including 3 M's) because so many people in the dealer were suddenly so horrible, including my long time CA. I've been really blindly loyal to them for 15 years but ended up going elsewhere for my M8 order and there's a good chance I'll also go elsewhere for my X3 M40 purchase. Unfortunately so many companies these days forget that customers are the source of their income...

[alex2364]

Stop wasting time with these generic emails to a glorified customer service rep. You need to talk directly to the sales manager. Easiest way to let them know you’re serious is to call and ask for the sales manager by name. Ask if they have an allocation available and how much over/under MSRP it will be. You can also email the sales manager directly if you don’t want to call.

[chowser51]

When I look I email three different dealerships with exactly what I want and specifically state I work night shift and do not call me. Email me. This is what I want on your lot, what are you numbers. Of course two end up calling and I told them they didn’t even read my message and tell them not to call me again. I go with who reads my instructions.

But that’s not what you’re doing. You want to know about allocation. Call/email the sales manager direct. Don’t use their website contact us.

[zstoja]

The same here. It seems we have to pay tham to talk with us. Garbage company.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by zstoja

The same here. It seems we have to pay tham to talk with us. Garbage company.

It all depends on the dealer. Mine is very friendly and easy to deal with.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by DanG

It all depends on the dealer. Mine is very friendly and easy to deal with.

+1

My salesman and the GM of my dealership are both very friendly and super easy to deal with.

[RPM33]

You need to build a relationship with a particular salesperson and then contact them when you want a new car. Go in to the dealership and get someone’s business card.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by RPM33

You need to build a relationship with a particular salesperson and then contact them when you want a new car. Go in to the dealership and get someone’s business card.

You'd think that would make sense and it should. Except my CA of 15 years and 6 cars started treating me like crap during covid. I've pretty much disowned the dealer and my new dealer is several states away and treats me great. I tried to go back to my old dealer for my recent X5, but they couldn't match the price of my new dealer.

[thebmw]

Times have changed for sure. I can't even get through to the dealership I've been doing business with for 20 years, one of the many reasons why I don't go to dealerships for anything anymore. When I call them, it goes to an automated system that then goes to an inept call center, like @BMWCCA1 said, then goes to an operator at the dealership who can never find the advisor and never has the answers that I'm looking for.

In the past we could buy a new BMW from whatever salesman we wanted to in the country and the car could be picked up via European delivery, Spartanburg, or any dealership we wanted the car delivered. Is that still possible? If so, we should all be buying from @BMWCCA1. I've never met him, but he seems like the old school salesman that we are looking for (honest, complete sentences, appreciates cars that you actually have to drive versus cars that drive themselves, and doesn't use bro or bra to refer to people).

[DaveDBD]

Originally Posted by RPM33

You need to build a relationship with a particular salesperson and then contact them when you want a new car. Go in to the dealership and get someone’s business card.

I’ve bought 5 cars from the same salesman at my local dealer since 2016 but since covid time they are giving no to 1% discounts. Obviously no reward for being a past customer.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by DaveDBD

I’ve bought 5 cars from the same salesman at my local dealer since 2016 but since covid time they are giving no to 1% discounts. Obviously no reward for being a past customer.

Many dealers take part in the BMW LOYALTY PROGRAM and offer discounts to current and past owners on certain models. Have you inquired about this?