Dealers pulling back on offering loaners?

[cmyx6go]

I have been going to the same dealer for 24 years (8 vehicles). They have always given me a loaner, regardless of the type of service I was in for. I ordered a 2016 X6 50i from them and hated it. Four months later, I found a 2016 X6M at another dealer and switched out. Although they normally only offer loaners to those that purchase from them, they still gave me loaners for the M.

I called yesterday to schedule a service appointment with a loaner. I was informed that they don't give loaners for oil and brake services, I should wait for it. It's not a big deal but....?

Anyone else experience this?

[Soylent]

Oil changes no longer at the dealer near me. For a brake service with pad replacement I pushed for the loaner and got it. I buy from the dealer 40 min away and they always offer a loaner.

[oneofew]

BMW is still pretty good about offering a loaner compare to Land Rover.
$160K Range Rover, getting a loner is like pulling teeth out of them, doesn't matter if it's a LA based or Miami dealership, same crap. Plain old poor service for a car that fails often.
With BMW getting a loaner is hit and miss depending on the dealership, my local dealer will provide a loaner if need to, dealer I purchase my cars from will actually flatbed a loaner as they pick mine up.

[BMWCCA1]

Over my nearly-50-years working at a BMW dealership I can remember:

1. Cars coming back with so much cigarette ash in the ashtray and dash you would not believe. Yes, we have no-smoking tags on the keys.

2. Cars coming back with many, many miles put on them. Checking the NAV system shows locations in and around Disney World in Florida. Our dealership is in Virginia.

3. On some occasions I've asked Service to track down a specific loaner for a potential sale (yes, they all eventually are sold) and was told the customer with her clapped-out E60 couldn't come and pick up her car until Friday when she got paid. So she was just going to continue to driver her "free" car.

4. One loaner went to West Virginia where the customer lost the key. We overnighted the spare but they refused to pay for the overnight or the key replacement. When we got the car back the floor mats were missing. When we called to ask about the mats we were told the ones in her car were old and dirty so they just took the ones out of the new car.

So just count your blessings that your dealership offers loaners at all. There are other BMW owners out there trying their best to ruin your experience.

Sheesh!

[MoeTE87]

Never had an issue getting a loaner when requesting service.

True story though..I bought a 2008 135i in 2011 and was driving home and suddenly had a loss of power (at the time, I had about 45k miles on it). I was able to make it to the BMW dealer close by. We were leaving for Destin, FL the next day. My advisor at the time and service manager were awesome. I told them I was leaving for FL the next day and that I was planning on taking my 1er with me. They gave me a loaner and said I could drive it down and back but try to keep it as clean as possible. I did and got it detailed for them. I am sure today, that would never happen.

[pz619]

The last few times I was given an option for a "lyft". Which is sort of fine with me as I'll drive one of my other cars. The last few loaners I got were absolutely disgusting.

[DocL]

I only request a loaner if my car is going to be in the shop for more than a day. I also pass on a loaner if they try to give me the Honda 240i lol. The 2 series is such a POS that I'd rather ride my Schwinn.

[loochy]

Our dealer here would probably give one for an oil change or a single day service if I pressed for it, but they have several dedicated driver that will take me to work and pick me up from work. That's just fine with me. I drop it off at the dealer early, let the guy take me to work, and have him pick me up at a designated time.

Now if something was actually broken on my car, then yeah, they'd for sure offer a loaner. I've had some nicer loaners (a 435 convertible, an X5) and a shitty loaner (a 2 series sedan - worst BMW car ever).

[xlover]

Saw this same thing, dealer in suburban MA. Used to book oil change with a loaner, drop off in the am, grab loaner and come back end of day.

Now no more loaners for oil change.

I wonder if this is a change on BMWs end, did they subsidize the loaner fleet?

[NBTT]

Been dealing with the same dealer and more importantly, same service advisor, probably 20 years. I have been still able to get loaners but they are definitely cutting back. I can't definitely say I wouldn't get another bimmer if no loaners, but it would be a factor that I would consider. Quality of service accommodation is a high priority for me.

[ppointer]

Normally they do not offer me a loaner for anything. However, when one of the computers on my ‘22 G30 died, they gave me a 7-series as a loaner. I had to ask for help to get it out of the parking lot, but that is probably better for another thread.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by oneofew

BMW is still pretty good about offering a loaner compare to Land Rover.
$160K Range Rover, getting a loner is like pulling teeth out of them, doesn't matter if it's a LA based or Miami dealership, same crap. Plain old poor service for a car that fails often.
With BMW getting a loaner is hit and miss depending on the dealership, my local dealer will provide a loaner if need to, dealer I purchase my cars from will actually flatbed a loaner as they pick mine up.

Weird, the LR dealer in Charlotte would literally drive my friend out a loaner Range Rover to where she lived an hour away when her RR was in need of service. This ended up being all the fucking time, and she traded it for an Infinity after 8 months or so, and like under 1000 miles because she kept driving the loaners. She literally put more miles on loaners than her actual RR.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Every time I went to the dealer I always wanted to get a loaner for the jobs I did there and they never gave me one.

As for my indy, they wanted to charge for it. Fuck that.

[Bruuuce]

never been offered a loner.

I have gotten the uber home and usually back, but not always back. To be honest I would rather stay and wait, then pay to uber back. Sounds cheap, but a couple hours at the dealer with free food and drink is better than paying for the uber.

[Mach550]

No issues here, I wouldn't try to push for a loaner for an oil change though. Would take me longer to drive home or to work than just sitting in the waiting room for the work to finish. I never have to ask since one is always offered when I won't get my car back the same day or until later in the evening.

I definitely can tell the difference from the times I was first to drive a loaner or later in its life. Can't imagine loading up on perfume/cologne or spilling something that smelled like spoiled milk in a car that wasn't mine...

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Mach550

No issues here, I wouldn't try to push for a loaner for an oil change though. Would take me longer to drive home or to work than just sitting in the waiting room for the work to finish. I never have to ask since one is always offered when I won't get my car back the same day or until later in the evening.

I totally agree, for any fluid change I would simply wait at the dealer.

[Pauly Wauly]

The BMW dealership that I go to does not give you a BMW loaner. They use an Enterprise rent a car across the street for their loaner vehicles. And they will not give you a loaner if they are not keeping the car for more than one day.

I have never gotten a loaner for an oil change. You've been spoiled

[unluky]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

Over my nearly-50-years working at a BMW dealership I can remember:

1. Cars coming back with so much cigarette ash in the ashtray and dash you would not believe. Yes, we have no-smoking tags on the keys.

2. Cars coming back with many, many miles put on them. Checking the NAV system shows locations in and around Disney World in Florida. Our dealership is in Virginia.

3. On some occasions I've asked Service to track down a specific loaner for a potential sale (yes, they all eventually are sold) and was told the customer with her clapped-out E60 couldn't come and pick up her car until Friday when she got paid. So she was just going to continue to driver her "free" car.

4. One loaner went to West Virginia where the customer lost the key. We overnighted the spare but they refused to pay for the overnight or the key replacement. When we got the car back the floor mats were missing. When we called to ask about the mats we were told the ones in her car were old and dirty so they just took the ones out of the new car.

So just count your blessings that your dealership offers loaners at all. There are other BMW owners out there trying their best to ruin your experience.

Sheesh!

In other words - people Fing suck and ruin everything for everyone else - what's new?

Ain't nothing worse than people.

[RockCrusher]

Can't remember the last time I got a loaner.

For years I had a dealer just a mile or two away from me. And I had two cars. So I'd take the car that needed service and leave it and get a shuttle ride back to my house.

For out of schedule oil/filter services I just wait. Takes an hour or so. Waited when I had my M2 in for a tire repair (two different times). And when my 230 needed a new rear tire due to a non repairable puncture.

When/if a car needs servicing that takes longer I'll just leave it and arrange to get a ride home and use my 2nd car.

[oneofew]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

Weird, the LR dealer in Charlotte would literally drive my friend out a loaner Range Rover to where she lived an hour away when her RR was in need of service. This ended up being all the fucking time, and she traded it for an Infinity after 8 months or so, and like under 1000 miles because she kept driving the loaners. She literally put more miles on loaners than her actual RR.

Same here, having owned Rovers over 30yrs, at least back in the day service experience was great, sadly after Tata took ownership , service drastically declined.
As I mentioned on my earlier post, BMW is a hit and miss, I have 4 authorized dealers within 10mi radius of my residance, some are extremely accommodating, some aren't.
IMHO Porsche service seems to be the best in the business, hope BMW can rise up to Porsche level service and not fall to bottom like LR .

[NickyC]

If they can offer you less for more money, BMW will find a way.

[cmyx6go]

Thanks for all the comments. I'm kind of surprised. I thought most BMW dealers provided loaners. As Pauly Wauly said, I guess I have been spoiled. The dealer is about 6 miles from my office, so I usually drop off in the morning, get my loaner and pick up on the way home. .

UnluckySaxon and BMWCCA1 I treat a loaner the same way I treat my own ride. I even use super when I top it off and have ran loaners through the car wash. Unfortunately, not everyone is like that.

Again, it's no big deal, just a change. Like I said, I've been using the same dealer for almost 24 years. I used to deal with the SA for everything. He'd make my appointments, choose the loaner I would get, squeeze me in if needed. Now, the SAs are removed from the process. I can't even get the SA of my choosing. It's a next up kind of thing. Not happy about that. Maybe they changed it to avoid favoritism

Oh well. First world problems.