Re:BMWs in Service E36 M3 blues( long )

[DEVIOUSM3@xxxxxxx]

Sorry for the last post I hit the send key by accident.
       I am going to share a similar experience with the group on one 
particular dealership in the local new york area that supposedly is reputable 
dealership and has been around for years. I am the owner of over 5 BMW's in 
the past 5 years and I have grown to love them very much for various reasons 
and so when I bought my first 325ic M Technic I bought the car from 
Isringhausen Imports and drove it all the way back to New York and was 
extremely happy with the car but when I left the chicago area I noticed some 
problems with the car. Since the car was a 1992 model I had purchased an 
extended service contract through Isringhausen which the local New york city 
delaership would not honor but did as a favor that once. I figured great once 
they honored it but on the future visits I had problems with the convertible 
top breaking and they replaced various parts out of my pocket(supposedly 
warranty did not cover). 
       I figured great  nice warranty company and then I figured when I 
bought my 1998 M3 cabriolet I would go to them. If any repair work that was 
necessary on the car I would go to them since I had a manufacturers warranty 
on the car. I thought nearby dealership their honest and I was happy but then 
one day I took the car in for a simple oil change. I figured new BMW let them 
do the first 2-3 oil changes and then I will change them personally 
afterwards. The first time I changed the oils at 700 miles (since I am from 
the old school mentality that believes that metal shavings are in the motor 
from break in period) and was shocked at the price of a regular oil change( 
non synthetic oil used) which came out to $86 . Now I am literate about cars 
and what prices go for on repairsor maintenance. I didnt say a word and 
figured I will change the oils from now on personally. 
       Next time I brought the car I brought it in for some warranty work and 
my shifter was vibrating in second gear only and I told them that I think its 
a bad synchro in the transmission. I explained to them in detail and showed 
them that it vibrates alot when i step on the accelerator only and that when 
I take my foot off the acclerator it stops vibrating.  They told me to bring 
it in( besides the fact that they didnt give me a loaner car). They called me 
up on my cellular and told me that the engine has suffered valve damage due 
to overreving and that warranty will not cover this damage and they refused 
to fix the car under any circumstance with warranty or on Good Will. They 
told me that my car jumped the rev limiter and that my valves were bent and 
that this is whats casuing the vibration in my shifterin second gear only. I 
was like ok what will it take to reinstate my warranty on the car? I asked 
them if they fix the car how much would it be and would the warranty be 
reinstated and they were promising me that it would be warrantied by them. 
Now I am a person with alot of knowledge on the little does and donts in 
repair work at the dealership so what I did was ask how much and what kind of 
break they would give me for the repair work. They did not want to help me 
out in anyway and wanted to charge me 4-5 grand for the work. 
       There excuse for diagnosing this problem was low idle and that was the 
suspect. I was tired of hearing all the B.S. from this dealership that I said 
you know what give me back the car and dont touch it and I took the car into 
Park Avenue BMW in maywood New Jersey and they diagnosed the car as a bad 
synchro and I told them to check out the whole car including the supposedly 
bent valves. A service tech at Park avenue said in mild terms that they 
wanted to F*** me over on warranty repairs and also it was a bad synchro and 
that they replaced the transmission  in the car from a unit sent from germany 
and even gave me a loaner car until the car was ready. I suspected one thing 
all along that the dealership in the nyc area was not being honest with me 
and I had my doubts and so I tried out Park Avenue and will continue with 
them as long as I own BMW's. Funny thing is that my supposed friend was 
working at dealership X ( not mentioning any names) and he said he could not 
help me out and that his hands were tied. Well I have heard from other people 
that had bought and serviced their cars at dealership X they were satisfied 
customers including people who had damaged the head due to overrev  and were 
covering it under BMW warranty. Could this be a sly way into coaxing people 
to buy cars from a dealership and servicing them at the place of purchase? I 
dont know but I was disgusted with the way I was treated that I never will 
recommend them for either on purchase or service of a BMW. shame on you 
dealers for putting us fanatics or the last of a dying breed of car 
enthusiasts that take prdie in our cars and the way they are maintained.

Harry G. 
98 M3 cabrio
88 M3 
88 M3 project car

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