Hi there, I’m looking to purchase my first BMW in the next couple weeks, and have found some nice models but the dealers are pretty far from me. If I were to purchase a car from a dealer far away, but take it for services at my local dealers, would I still get access to the closer dealers service benefits, such as loaner cars and other perks? Or would this only be accessible at the original purchasing dealership?
Thanks!
Sales and Service at most if not all dealerships are separate income sources.
In fact most dealerships make way more money with service than sales.
They have no reason to discriminate vehicles purchased at other dealerships.
They can actually deny service loaners to customers if the car wasn’t purchased there.
Best advice would be to contact your local dealer service manager and ask them if they would be willing to work with you on loaner cars if you bring it to them for service. Tell them their dealership doesn’t have the car you’re looking for thus you’re looking elsewhere but live in town and would service the car there.
As for the perks, if you’re talking about first service free, free oil changes, etc. that probably won’t pan out.
We never deny a loaner or free pickup when someone just buys a car somewhere else. It doesn’t matter to us, we need the service business and I doubt our service writers even notice. I will say that we will often move things around to accommodate our sales and repeat customers, I am sure you can understand.
Whenever we deny these services we have had reason. Now… I have in the past done it a couple of times to be spiteful. But only bc the customer was just such a jerk, I don’t really think they should be in our car anyway.
Technically it’s up to each individual dealership as to the service department loaner policies, however on a mainstream brand like BMW you shouldn’t have any problem buying the car elsewhere but getting it serviced locally (and receiving a loaner car).
There was a time years ago when some dealers would use free service loaners as a sales tactic, however as the luxury makes like BMW, MB, Lexus, Audi, etc. have evolved and had to compete this has largely gone by the wayside. Not to mention all the customers that move to and from where purchasing locally isn’t always an option.
I haven’t purchased a car locally in years but have had zero issues or any other pushback from the local service departments (this is with BMW, Porsche and Audi).
No need to call the dealership or get into the song and dance with the service department about why you didn’t buy the car from them, they don’t care.
Thanks all, for the most part this is echoing what I was thinking. I’m wanting to give my business to the service department, not sure why I’d get turned away from the perks if I’m still paying them for the service.
Is there only one dealership around you? If there are more than one I’m sure one of them can give you a loaner. You can give your business to that dealer.
The reality is you’ll only be taking the new car in every 10k miles for service (aka oil changes). So what 3 times during the lease and if it isn’t busy they’ll have you out in an hour.