Anyone ever price an interior light bulb at BMW?

[delatlanta1281]

Probably the worst sales pitch ever: A bimmer salesman asked me how often my car broke down and why I haven't stepped up to a newer model. There were about five other salesmen standing around my car at the point I simply told him to get his head out of his ass, hopped in my car and left them standing there. I don't go up there any more. What is worse is the president of the peachtree cca chapter owns that dealership and he races an e30.

[D6 DPH]

Well some of us do, But the amount of times I have been asked "couldn't you afford an E36?" or "Why didn't you buy a newer one" is unreal.

A lot of the guys over here just see them as "the cheap BMW's", Which is not true at all. Early E36's are going for a weeks wages over here now!

Some of us have style and class hence drive an E30 8-)

[CleanAzzE30z]

Yeah but you English, from what I see in your magazines, appreciate a nicely sorted older BMW.

Mariano

[D6 DPH]

The guys at my local dealership are great, they love the older cars and are always helpful and polite. If I call them rather than going in, they know who it is with out me explaining, not many E30's around here that still buy OE parts so that narrows it down.

My mate is also one of the technicians there so all of my work gets done by a trained technician but in his home workshop so none of that dealer hourly rate. He has such an eye for detail too and acts like it's his car.

[fporro]

I... um. I can't... understand... I uhhh... ummm... what?

Are you drunk or something?

schomething like that ;~)

90265 is Malibu, or at least part of it.

Hey fporro, I just clicked your parts bin link for the heck of it, but did you notice that your feedback rating is the same number of the year of your e30s? Pretty cool. Just something I noticed...

yeap, noticed that today. probably gone by weeks end.

just moved from there this summer, too inconvenient at times.
never mind getting quoted $ 500 to repair our spare $ 350 fridge. hahaha.

But to get back on topic, it should not matter what year car you drive, a true professional would treat any customer with the same amount of respect.
heck, they better if they expect to keep their job or work for moi.

the guys at Santa Monica's BMW are great, Thousand Oaks guy it's cool and Calabasas Bob Smith BMW has great deals too., in all I only shop for almost impossible to find items like brand new MT2 cabrio side skirts and alike.

Discounts ? sure, just be honest, courteous and it all comes right back.

[e304me]

my parts department treats me like a 19 year old king. i walk in and

Mr. xxxxx nice to see you agian, what can i do for you today?

and walk out with everything at wholesale

[Justin B]

90365 is Malibu, or at least part of it.

Hey fporro, I just clicked your parts bin link for the heck of it, but did you notice that your feedback rating is the same number of the year of your e30s? Pretty cool. Just something I noticed...

[Justin B]

if im still alive in 20 years which is doubtful i will sell parts to e30 owners. but right now they are 1500 dollar cars that broke ass kids own. in 20 years people will be restoring these and willing to invest a dime to keep them on the road. the way it is now you offer a part at a price cheaper than any online distributor and half the emails you get are "can you do better? im a broke college kid eating ramen noodles"
fuck that. 02,e9 owners are older with a couple dollars to spend and dont try to chisel you everytime you turn around.

Isnt that the truth. I'm not an older guy, shit, I'm only 24, but I'll spend the money I have to on my 2002 to make it nice. Its not going to be yours or Keith's or anything, but nice. Screw the dealerships direct without any hookup. Speaking of parts though, if you look back here can you send me your parts list again with any updated prices that you might have had to change? I think I deleted my older copy accidentally.

[browntown]

yeah its the city mel gibson owns.

[Jean]

Is 90265 some awesome area code or something?

lol must be

I also order most of the parts from BMA or if I need something sooner then I swing by a local bmw dealer in my 06 audi (since my e30 is broken) with RealOem.com print outs. They have no problems with helping me, but if I call and get an older guy on the phone he acts like he never heard of things like "foot rest" or "lsd"... he is just one grumpy dude there, rest are cool.

[Jand3rson]

that it's call professionalism,something seldom found at any establishment with monopolistic mentality.

I love it, rolling on my 87 cab,
parking right up front,
jumping off in my pj's,
walking with head held high through floor and into parts counter,
get what I won't buy used and pay up,

stares ? who cares !!!,

flip my CC and ID with sweet 90265 zip code,
let them eat that for lunch . hahaha.
had one sales lady wanting to check the place out, now they wave and wink., too late sweets.

you should have seen the model quality babe at a Hawaiian restaurant, I pulled up after a junk yard dive adventure, oh the snob, she would not even wanted to get near the counter, talking to her boyfriends if i was not even there.

ordered, pulled the card, shes asked for id, sure thing. here ya go.
SNAP ! Oh ooohh,

made me get up at least 4 or 5 times to repeat my order, she could have not flirted anymore with me even if her BF wasn't there.
darn sweet peaches she sported on a 5.9" frame with a to die for Japanese face, hence I bemused her.
my number ?, oh babe, dream on. hahaha. poor thing. hahaha.

I... um. I can't... understand... I uhhh... ummm... what?

Are you drunk or something?

[SykoBMW]

Is 90265 some awesome area code or something?

[fporro]

...

You should treat EVERY customer that walks through the door as equals, whether they's spending $1100 on a headlight or $100...

that it's call professionalism,something seldom found at any establishment with monopolistic mentality.

I love it, rolling on my 87 cab,
parking right up front,
jumping off in my pj's,
walking with head held high through floor and into parts counter,
get what I won't buy used and pay up,

stares ? who cares !!!,

flip my CC and ID with sweet 90265 zip code,
let them eat that for lunch . hahaha.
had one sales lady wanting to check the place out, now they wave and wink., too late sweets.

you should have seen the model quality babe at a Hawaiian restaurant, I pulled up after a junk yard dive adventure, oh the snob, she would not even wanted to get near the counter, talking to her boyfriends if i was not even there.

ordered, pulled the card, shes asked for id, sure thing. here ya go.
SNAP ! Oh ooohh,

made me get up at least 4 or 5 times to repeat my order, she could have not flirted anymore with me even if her BF wasn't there.
darn sweet peaches she sported on a 5.9" frame with a to die for Japanese face, hence I bemused her.
my number ?, oh babe, dream on. hahaha. poor thing. hahaha.

[Jand3rson]

I never said it was right the way things go, but it is how they do. Why are you guys getting your panties in a bunch that some guys selling 07 BMWs don't get on their knees and blow you when you roll up in your hooptie? Like I said... they are people who only care if you can make them money, and if you won't likely, they look down their noses at you. Get over it, or go buy a Saturn.

You're completely missing the point of what everyone is saying. No one (including me) is asking for special treatment when they go to the parts department in our "hoopties". The only thing I want is the same courtesy that the 40-something standing in front of me getting his oil changed in his 760 is getting. They treat him and everyone else like him like royalty, and when I walk up there, part numbers and/or printout from RealOEM (like Dave said) in hand, practically having done their EXTREMELY simple job for them, I get treated like common trash. It's insulting, and "getting over it and buying a Saturn" isn't going to change anything. I am over it, that's why I don't go there anymore. That doesn't mean I'm not still entitled to my reasons as to WHY I don't go there anymore. What blunt said is absolutely true:

anyone who runs a business or service dept or parts counter like that is a fucking idiot. you cant tell much at all about people by how they dress or what they drive. you should treat everyone who walks in like they have a million dollars in their pocket. i remember when my youngest son would go into the dealership and drool all over the new m3's with his buddies when they were 15. the salesmen treated them like shit and chased them out. someday these kids may have enough money to buy and sell these peon salesmen and those kids wont forget the treatment they received when they were punks. they will go down the street to buy their new bmw. if i was in charge of any dept like that all my employees would treat everyone with respect regardless of age or appearance

You should treat EVERY customer that walks through the door as equals, whether they's spending $1100 on a headlight or $100. I think it would be quite interesting to roll up to the dealership in my E30 and then go in and tell them I need a new water pump for my E46 M3 that's at home undriveable, and watch how quickly they do a complete 180 and DO drop down to their knees and blow me. I bet the flip would be so fast you'd have to go to the replay to see it. But I know it's not going to change, and that's the stigma and the price that comes with cars like these (BMW, Audi, Porsche, anything expensive, really.) So what else can you do but deal with it, say fuck it, and buy your parts online from people like Patrick at BMA, who actually appreciate your business, even if it is just nuts, bolts and clips for my "hooptie".

[Dave]

I don't know, Lance. At my local dealer, the parts counter is separate from the service counter. The guys who come in for parts are either from shops, or DIY guys like me. And even with the newer cars, there are quite a few DIY guys. A paddock-mate at the last DE I was at does his own work on his fully Dinan modded e36 M3.

None of those stuffed shirts who refuse to or can't turn a wrench are going to the parts counter anyway.

Maybe I am just spoiled because our dealer has been in business for decades and knows how to cater to all of its clientele. My parts guy loves that I come in with part numbers or even a print out from the ETK. Unless the dealership in your 'hood is the only game in town (not so, here) then they know that they will lose the business to the other BMW dealer across town.