BMW Of Charlottesville

Reviews 3

TA

taegher

This past summer I was looking through various classified ads and foreign auto dealerships within the Central Virginia area for a pre-owned BMW M3. I became chagrined to find that my options were few indeed and that the likelihood of finding a car within the parameters and price I wanted were slim. Ive purchased my share of new and used autos from dealerships over the past 30 years and never enjoyed the process. In fact this time I was purposely looking to avoid the hovering car sales person, the back and forth price game with the sales manager or "pit boss", and finally the invariable financing snafu in which the car was now mysteriously priced slightly more than the original agreement. So when I headed into BMW of Charlottesville I it was not only because the M3 that I had in mind was hard to find online but that when they were available from private parties I was at a distinct disadvantage in not knowing exactly what I would be buying without the benefit of expert mechanics. A salesman, ( Phil Marx ), asked if he could be of help as I strolled around the C-Ville dealership and to my pleasant surprise did not try manipulating my desire for one car over another but instead simply asked specific and intelligent questions regarding my reason for being there. It so happened that the Charlottesville dealership had not one but two used M3s at the time and that is a rarity. Both cars had just come in and were not even available to be test driven until the dealership was assured by the mechanics that they were in tip top condition throughout. In the meantime I had business in Richmond the following day and my dealings with the extremely knowledgeable Mr. Marx had actually left me disarmed enough so that I was quite comfortable in perusing the 2 Richmond VA dealerships while there. Neither of those BMW stores had quite what I was looking for and after test drives I was ready to make an offer on one of the M3s. I did say to Phil that I wasnt going to play any games, and Phil simply wanted to know if I were serious about purchasing at that time. I said yes, and there were a few easy negotiations. I knew through experience that the BMW M3 was harder to find than many other models and this reality was acknowledged and entered into the negotiating between myself, Phil and Gary the sales manager. The process was the easiest and as pressure free as one could ever expect and after a price was agreed to by both sides a short while later I found myself sitting with Josh the finance manager who thoroughly covered the paperwork and patiently and pleasantly answered all my questions. There were no unexpected and unwanted surprises awaiting me this time. - Phil and Hillary, the General manager have since promptly answered any questions or concerns since the purchase . It probably sounds here like Im working for these guys with this review but in my estimation if I get treated this well and end up with a terrific car at a very fair price I feel comfortable in letting other people know my experience. - A very good team and and a big thumbs up from me.

DA

Daniel Luo

EDIT: Take note of the spelling of my name in the response. I write this post to warn innocent consumers of the headache and frank disregard that this dealership has shown me. They misrepresent BMW; I expect this sort of behavior from budget franchises, but not a luxury dealership! Here is my story. I came in for a diagnostic check on my cooling system. I was receiving low coolant warnings periodically and suspected a leak. After a long wait (absolutely excusable given the number of people before me) I was told my water pump was leaking, but I would be able to drive for the time being. In any case, I was only going two miles away to an indie shop to get a comparable quote as my vehicle is off warranty. That was fine, and my service representative was professional and courteous throughout. However, two minutes out onto highway 250 my engine overheats. Here I am, having been reassured I could drive and that my coolant was topped off, with iDrive telling me if I dont pull over immediately I risk catastrophic damage! This is while Im going highway speeds! I find an exit and call BMW, expecting the same level of courtesy Ive been shown not only previously at this dealership but at businesses of all sorts. It was very clear to me something happened during the inspection, I suspect either with the water pump or the coolant, but who knows? I expected their involvement to be undebatable, and simply requested a tow or someone to head over as this was only two minutes out. Instead, the receptionist was irritable, uncompromising, and insistent that while she was "only a receptionist," that I was unable to speak to anyone else. The manager was on vacation, with no available emergency contact. The technicians, the service representatives all apparently ceased to exist. I would have to call a towing service, on my own dime, for them to inspect the car they just assured me was in fine working order. I ended up trying to make the journey after twenty or so minutes, and the resulting repeated engine overheating message assured me this was no fluke. I had to get towed, on my dime, to another shop. I found I was treated at this dealership not as a customer of a luxury brand that prides itself on service, but as a client. The moment I left the lot, it seemed they insisted I was no longer their problem. This is not the proper behavior of any business, let alone a premium brand. Obviously, not everyone who goes to this dealership is treated with engine failure. I have gone previously and was treated very nicely. However, the behavior of my last experience is shared with several others who have been to this dealership. If youre new to the city and youre considering visiting this dealership (as I am–I am from Houston), I highly recommend researching other dealerships able to do the same repair with more consistent courtesy and professionalism. I suggest researching the numerous indie shops and other repair shops, all of which I have been in contact with being extremely nice, professional, and knowledgable. There are many–take your time.

ED

Edward Kocis

I STRONGLY recommend BMW of Charlottesville. I live in the Washington DC area and I purchased a new 2-series from this dealership. It was a truly exceptional experience. Much of the negotiating and planning for the purchase was conducted via the internet. I worked with Gary Hawthorne. Gary does an excellent job at answering internet inquiries. In my experience, most dealers don’t even read emails. They just immediately start calling you repeatedly, begging you to visit. Gary doesn’t do that. He actually reads your emails and responds with thoughtful and thorough answers. Once purchase date came, I went down to Charlottesville feeling confident, but still cautious. Dealers are known to bait you in with false promises. Gary doesn’t do that either. Gary and team had all the paperwork filled out with the exact numbers I was expecting. Further, the car had already been completely prepared for delivery—detailed inside and out, temporary tags ready to go, shining bright in the showroom. I looked things over, took the car for a quick drive, and got to signing. The entire team was incredibly friendly. Really, genuinely nice and professional people. In addition to Gary, I worked with Hillary (the GM), Ned (another manager), and Neal (finance guy). Hillary and Neal even worked with me to make an additional warranty coverage fit into my budget. Lastly, a special note to fellow DC-area shoppers. This dealership is a bit smaller than some in the DC-area, but it was very clean and organized. I also think the smaller size presents a much more personal experience. I did not feel like just another “deal.” And you do NOT sacrifice price for quality of service. This dealership has very competitive prices relative to the larger, less personal DC-area dealerships. In summary, if you are considering a BMW, I strongly recommend heading out to BMW of Charlottesville. Even if it is not your closest dealership, I honestly think it is worth the trip. Ask for Gary.

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