I leased this vehicle in August 2015. From the very beginning I have had various and frequent electrical malfunctions with this car. The vehicle is now in BMW service and has been for the past month. In total the car has been in service at BMW’s garage for over four months, longer than it has been in my garage!
I was promised by Joe Adams the manager of Coggins BMW he would get me out of the car and make me a happy customer once again. That was about three repairs ago. When I picked up the car he then said they were sure they took care of the problem and to “give it one more chanceâ€, which I did. Shortly after I had several more electrical malfunctions. When I asked him to follow up on his promise he then told me BMW had stepped back from their buy back policy but "he would do everything he could to make me happyâ€. On the phone recently he denied ever saying any of the above.
I then called BMW US in New Jersey and told them the problem. Mike Pigoncelli of BMW customer service said he would send a technician down to inspect the car. Not trusting anything they said or said they would do at this point I filed a Notice of Defect under the FL Lemon Law. Coggins called me and said my car was fixed to come pick it up. I called NJ to find out what they found and who fixed it. Mike Pigoncelli said he had cancelled the technician because I filed the Notice. He and Coggins were willing for me to take the risk of of driving that car that was brought in for among other things a sudden acceleration problem without that inspection and repair being done. The Notice of Defect gives them ten days to do the final fix. They received that notice on April 14, 2016. It has yet to be looked at.
In addition to the continuous electrical problems with that car it also has unexpected and sudden acceleration and on two occasions, here on Federal Hwy and on the FL Turnpike took off without me touching the gas or cruise control. Both times the car was hard to get control and bring it to a stop.Having Mike and Coggins say it was ok to pick up the car without the inspection being preformed seemed ludicrous to me. I asked Mike if I pick up the car will he then sign off for BMW to take responsibly if the car injures or kills someone or myself? He declined and thought he should reschedule the inspection. That inspection has yet to happen. They say it is scheduled for May 3.
I am now dealing with Veronica Santillo of Customer Relations and Service. I explained to her that this car is at the very least a liability to me and BMW at this point. It is mostly useless for me to drive due to the electrical and sudden acceleration issues. Every time with out fail I left town and drove more that 30 or so miles I would have and electrical malfunction. Now I feel the car is downright dangerous to drive. I explained to Veronica I really don’t want to ever drive it or see it again. I told the Dealership I would be willing to get into a new lease even if it meant even extending the lease the terms of the current lease. I was more than flexible to try and get this issue resolved. I really liked the car and enjoyed driving it for the short time it was in my possession. I would be open to a new one that actually works. There offer was to me to purchase one they had on sale. I asked them why would I ever “buy†one after all this.
At this point I want to be put in a car that works, reimbursed for all my expenses associated with this fiasco and not have to drive and put gas in there uncomfortable loaner. I got the i3 because the seats were very good and did not bother my back much. I have had four back surgeries, a plate in my neck, and seven screws in my foot. Safety was a major factor in purchasing this specific model. It does not take much to aggravate and set off either or any of my physical issues. That is also the reason I do not want to drive a car that accelerates by itself. I can not take that risk.
I have owned BMW’s in the past and really am surprised and disappointed at the treatment I have received thus far. I found the Dealer specifically Joe Adams to be less than truthful at the initial sale and out right lied ,denied conversations, and evasive when I tried to discuss this problem. That is one of the reason I requested that all communications in this matter be handled by email so there is a record of what has been said. I have copied several people at BMW and the dealership. I found emails for executives at Customer Service but I am unsure who is still working there who is not. I called and tried to get the head of Customer Service to escalate this but no one seemed to have a clue who that would be.
I have really tried to settle this matter cooperating with their requests, giving them second third and fourth chances to make things right. Even threatened legal action. All to no avail. They really acted like they could care less. At this point in time I would like to pursue any and all legal remedies with Dealer and BMW US to bring this matter to a swift and equitable conclusion.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I leased this vehicle in August 2015. From the very beginning I have had various and frequent electrical malfunctions with this car. The vehicle is now in BMW service and has been for the past month. In total the car has been in service at BMW’s garage for over four months, longer than it has been in my garage!
I was promised by Joe Adams the manager of Coggins BMW he would get me out of the car and make me a happy customer once again. That was about three repairs ago. When I picked up the car he then said they were sure they took care of the problem and to “give it one more chanceâ€, which I did. Shortly after I had several more electrical malfunctions. When I asked him to follow up on his promise he then told me BMW had stepped back from their buy back policy but "he would do everything he could to make me happyâ€. On the phone recently he denied ever saying any of the above.
I then called BMW US in New Jersey and told them the problem. Mike Pigoncelli of BMW customer service said he would send a technician down to inspect the car. Not trusting anything they said or said they would do at this point I filed a Notice of Defect under the FL Lemon Law. Coggins called me and said my car was fixed to come pick it up. I called NJ to find out what they found and who fixed it. Mike Pigoncelli said he had cancelled the technician because I filed the Notice. He and Coggins were willing for me to take the risk of of driving that car that was brought in for among other things a sudden acceleration problem without that inspection and repair being done. The Notice of Defect gives them ten days to do the final fix. They received that notice on April 14, 2016. It has yet to be looked at.
In addition to the continuous electrical problems with that car it also has unexpected and sudden acceleration and on two occasions, here on Federal Hwy and on the FL Turnpike took off without me touching the gas or cruise control. Both times the car was hard to get control and bring it to a stop.Having Mike and Coggins say it was ok to pick up the car without the inspection being preformed seemed ludicrous to me. I asked Mike if I pick up the car will he then sign off for BMW to take responsibly if the car injures or kills someone or myself? He declined and thought he should reschedule the inspection. That inspection has yet to happen. They say it is scheduled for May 3.
I am now dealing with Veronica Santillo of Customer Relations and Service. I explained to her that this car is at the very least a liability to me and BMW at this point. It is mostly useless for me to drive due to the electrical and sudden acceleration issues. Every time with out fail I left town and drove more that 30 or so miles I would have and electrical malfunction. Now I feel the car is downright dangerous to drive. I explained to Veronica I really don’t want to ever drive it or see it again. I told the Dealership I would be willing to get into a new lease even if it meant even extending the lease the terms of the current lease. I was more than flexible to try and get this issue resolved. I really liked the car and enjoyed driving it for the short time it was in my possession. I would be open to a new one that actually works. There offer was to me to purchase one they had on sale. I asked them why would I ever “buy†one after all this.
At this point I want to be put in a car that works, reimbursed for all my expenses associated with this fiasco and not have to drive and put gas in there uncomfortable loaner. I got the i3 because the seats were very good and did not bother my back much. I have had four back surgeries, a plate in my neck, and seven screws in my foot. Safety was a major factor in purchasing this specific model. It does not take much to aggravate and set off either or any of my physical issues. That is also the reason I do not want to drive a car that accelerates by itself. I can not take that risk.
I have owned BMW’s in the past and really am surprised and disappointed at the treatment I have received thus far. I found the Dealer specifically Joe Adams to be less than truthful at the initial sale and out right lied ,denied conversations, and evasive when I tried to discuss this problem. That is one of the reason I requested that all communications in this matter be handled by email so there is a record of what has been said. I have copied several people at BMW and the dealership. I found emails for executives at Customer Service but I am unsure who is still working there who is not. I called and tried to get the head of Customer Service to escalate this but no one seemed to have a clue who that would be.
I have really tried to settle this matter cooperating with their requests, giving them second third and fourth chances to make things right. Even threatened legal action. All to no avail. They really acted like they could care less. At this point in time I would like to pursue any and all legal remedies with Dealer and BMW US to bring this matter to a swift and equitable conclusion.
- carldas, Stuart, FL, US