Vista BMW

Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
I took my 2001 740iL to Vista BMW for its 60,000 mile service II and key memory re-programming. There were no problems with the vehicle at the time of drop-off. I received a call the next day informing me that the alternator light was on and the A/C is leaking refrigerant from a high pressure line and would I like these items repaired at a cost of approximately $4,000. If there really had been a leak in a high pressure A/C line, the refrigerant would have escaped in a matter of minutes/hours and been immediately apparent. Keep in mind, this is a BLACK vehicle in South Florida still covered by warranty, any problem with the A/C would have been the first thing it was taken in to be serviced for. Now the A/C is inoperative and the battery light remains on. After 17 days, Vista BMW’s service department states “they cannot find the cause of the problem, have no estimate on a time frame for repair completion, no repair cost estimate, and have come up with no plan for a resolution to this situation”. Daily phone calls to Vista BMW’s General Manager, and/or service department requesting status updates have gone un-returned.

At this point, I've notified the extended warranty company that any repair work submitted by Vista BMW is likely fraudulent and should be investigated. Now I have been forced to escalate this situation to BMWNA requesting their assistance with Vista BMW’s questionable business/service practices. If BMWNA is unable to help, litigation is the last step. Unbelievable as it sounds, all of this was brought on by my dropping the vehicle off for its $976.00 oil change. The 60,000 mile inspection II service was paid in cash ($976.00) at the end of week one.

Yesterday, during a visit to the dealership the vehicle could not be located on-site; it would appear they have loaned the vehicle out, wrecked and/or damaged the vehicle, or removed ‘hard to acquire repair parts’ to repair another vehicle. At this point, whatever the resolution I have no confidence in the quality of the work performed and have reason to believe the service work supposedly performed, billed, and paid for was ever really performed or necessary.

It is of no surprise after reading the comments on this site and my experiences with Vista BMW that the shop appears to have very few, if any other service jobs being performed and a completely empty customer lounge/waiting room. This has been the most frustrating automobile experience I have had in nearly thirty years of driving and dealing with vehicles.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
Blatantly tried to scam me out of $1,250 for service that was not necessary... They are CROOKS!!!!! (Pompano location, but other location is also deteriorating)

I had a right front clicking sound when turning left, in the wheel area. My mechanic told me it was most likely a CV-joint; take it to BMW to have CPO warranty cover it.

Dropped car of in Pompano (eerily had no other customers); after 2 days of unreturned phone calls I dropped in to find out what was going on... They told me my CV-joints were bad & they had an entire axle on order… 2 more days of unreturned phone calls & I finally get a call saying that the axle was not replaced; my “control arms” are bad; it will be $1,250, please!... To which I reply go fly a kite & nervously rush to get my car back from this den of thieves.

I took the car back to my local grease monkey (15 years senior technician for BMW in Europe) who assures me that there is nothing wrong with my control arms… When taking off the wheels he notices that the right front bolts are loose enough to remove with his fingers!!!! (a little background: the wheels had last come off at the other Vista location a few months prior to replace the CV boots) Yes, that was the problem, so I wonder, was it:

A) They were too incompetent to even take the wheel off in their thorough diagnostic work, thereby explaining that the wheel bolts were loose going in as well as out of the shop?

B) They figured out the problem (loose bolts), figured they could scam me out of $1,250, when I did not fall for it, they replaced the bolts loosely so as to appear as though the problem was still there?

Option A = incompetent, option B = thieves… You make the decision.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
Stay clear of Vista BMW in Pompano Beach. They have the absolute worst service department I have ever encountered. Completely rude and idiotic service advisors, the manager could care less, and their technicians are complete morons who aren't in it to help people and are lazy. I had a terrible experience where they tried to screw me out of hundreds of dollars and deny me of warranty-covered repairs. Blaming my angel eyes for a dead control unit in my headlights. I sell these lights for a living and know it has absolutely NOTHING to do with it. But the service advisor (Ari) and his team of mindless technicians all refused to believe me, told me I was wrong, and refused to prove it to me even though I demanded proof about 10 times. After I had it repaired problem free at Braman BMW in Miami, I emailed the service manager and called several times with no response. Vista BMW <br><br>If you're an enthusiast, steer clear of them. They'll blame every little problem on aftermarket parts and refuse to prove it to you.<br><br>Link to my thread ranting about it:<br>http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=273281<br><br>-Ken

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
Last year I took my BMW in for scheduled service and a detailing. Nothing unusual, and I was generally pretty satisfied with Vista at that point. When I got my car back I immediately noticed two large dents on the hood of an otherwise spotless vehicle. I raised bloody hell and lost my temper, can you blame me? My car was less than two years old and kept immaculate, not a single dent or scratch, and now this! <br><br>They proceded to calm me down and explain to me that they thought the dents were there before, but because they neglected to do a spot check for dents on the vehicle beforehand, that they would take responsibility for the damages and make the repairs themselves through a local body shop, and give me a loaner in the meantime. <br><br>They assured me that they would make the best repairs, and that I would never be able to tell anything had happened to the car. I did not believe them, and wanted to know the name of the body shop and they refused, saying that it would violate their agreement with them as a contractor or some baloney like that. Regardless, I specifically requested that they don't use a high-speed buffer, and that I didn't want to see any streak marks. Sure enough, when I went to pick up my car they had used one of these buffers and my hood, although looking fine at most angles, in bright sunlight looks like a swirly vision of Van Gogh's Starry Night. <br><br>I exploded once again, but Marty Ellison told me that was the best I was going to get, and I should just be happy that they fixed it, implying that the dents were there prior and that I was being dishonest, even though he didn't come out and say it outright. <br><br>I have spread the word about Vista BMW in Pompano, and many of my friends have steered clear. Apparently this happened to someone else at Vista, and she never thought to say anything, thinking the damage was there before. We are all going to the new Vista off Sample Road, and so far we are more satisfied.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: Yes

My Review of Vista BMW:
Well this morning after a long night last night I had to get up at 8:30 to take my car to the dealership just for a minor problem. I was kinda worried about taking my car to the dealer down here because I have had a lot of trouble with them in the past, but thanks to a freindhe reccomended me a good service advisor (Dino) at Vista BMW in Coconut Creek. <br><br>I purchased my car in Arlington,VA and now live down here in south florida, so I thought it would be unlikely to get a loaner car while they worked on my car, and probably take a few weeks to get an appointment. Well after calling Dino yesterday he said he could squeeze me in today and give me a loaner car! I was totally shocked totally diffrent service then I have received in the past at that dealer.<br><br>So the main problem with my car was the seatbelt he wasnt retracting like it should when you slam on the brakes. I had a close call about a week ago on I-95 south in Ft Lauderdale and my head almost went through the windshield.<br><br>So, I mentioned there was this problem and my brakes were squeeking a little bit, but I figured they needed some brake cleaner or lubcricant because my car had been not driven or started for 6 months until a month ago when I got back to the United States and now Ive been driving it daily. <br><br>Well I just got a call a little while ago from Dino and he said they put a brand new seat belt assembly in, and had it picked up from Lauderdale Imports...then he said that they replaced the front arm bushings...They werent under warrenty, but they replaced them anyways free of cost. The last thing they replaced was the front window regulator they said it looked bad and was probably going to break soon...<br><br>So overall Im very satsifed they said I could come pick my car up at 3:30 and it only took them a few hours to actually work on the car, so its the first time I havent really had a big ordeal or go around with a dealer besides the one I used to goto in VA...So to Vista BMW! a total change in service!<br><br>

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
Well beyond incompetent. This dealership has attempted to repair our '03 BMW 325i over seven times in the car's first 14 months of use--on a car with less than 9,000 miles. It has left my mom stranded by the side of the road twice. Even the BMW NA zone service representative reported the car &quot;unsafe to drive on the streets&quot; after we'd nursed it back to Vista for its latest visit. Needless to say, she's not driving it any longer--it's left her too fearful of being killed or left stranded.<br><br>Avoid this service department--better yet, unless you're &quot;car technology-smart&quot; avoid BMWs in general. Furthermore, at the HQ level, BMW NA's customer support policies are stunningly atrocious. I have been lied to three times in the past four weeks by BMW NA representatives and am contemplating legal action against BMW NA and Vista BMW.<br><br>I'll add a full description of this car's problems, along with Vista's &quot;repairs,&quot; later, but here's a short summary of just _some_ of this BMW's problems:<br><br>1. Engine stalls, sputters, runs roughly on multiple occasions--has serious trouble reaching 45 mph (engine RPM reaches, and stays at, 5k+ with no upshift; &quot;Service Engine Soon&quot; light on; severe engine missing).<br><br>&quot;Fixes&quot; thus far: 6 new spark plugs, new fuel pumps, new fuel filter, 6 new coils, re-program DME, told to &quot;buy better gas,&quot; new Mass Air Flow sensor, etc.<br><br>2. Engine would not turn over.<br><br>&quot;Fix:&quot; Charge &quot;low&quot; battery, replace alternator, replace starter . . .<br><br>3. Wiper &quot;auto&quot; function erratic/inop.<br><br>&quot;Fix:&quot; Replace windshield(!)<br><br>Just when you think it can't get any worse . . . after they'd had the car for two weeks on one visit, my mom called to inquire when they'd be done. They couldn't find the car, telling her &quot;It's been picked up already.&quot; Then they report that it must be &quot;stolen--call the police because we don't have it.&quot; Just stunning, considering it was found sitting in their lot . . . .<br><br>If you know of a good product defect lawyer in So. Florida, please contact me at 817.937.9696. Thanks.

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Reason for Visit: Sales

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
Never again would I even enter their doors. <br>I was looking for a 323 convertible for my wife, but all of the sales people were &quot;busy&quot; .<br>Finally went to Fort Lauderdale BMW and had a &quot;fair&quot; experience.<br>Buying a car is one of the most frustrating things we do.<br>Why do I get the impression that they are not doing things above board. Give me the final price up front...I don't need 2 days of phone calls back and forth to get to the &quot;best price&quot; .<br>Hopefull it will not need service work other than maintenance, that will give me a headache all over again.

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Reason for Visit: Sales

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Vista BMW:
Service issue:<br><br>At 2.05pm I give the guy my name and no one comes around till at least 2.30. Fine, this is expected. <br><br>I offer the service guy the TSB# for the second time to make sure he understands what I'm talking about, and he assures me "We are BMW...we can find it in the computer." Whereas my whole motivation was to get him to once again state "This is covered, we'll do it for free" <br><br>He tells me to take a seat, it'll be 30-45 minutes and they'll bring my car back around. Well, an hour or so later he comes out and tells me "This isn't covered under warrenty," pressing the printed SB in my face. <br><br>Fine, I'm furious at wasting all this time being told it would be free and he understood etc, but I have to leave and take care of things elsewhere. <br><br>I wait outside and watch my car be brought around, only to have the tech park it in a spot and scrape the front facia all to hell. Now this kid...granted probably no more then 5 years older then me drives 10 of these a day...other people's cars. He rams mine into the concrete hedge bed (there is no stop bar)! <br><br>Vista has promised to fix it tomorrow...ie provide a new bottom lip, or repaint mine, free of charge, loaner, etc. Now my question is, what would have happened if I wasn't outside to hear it? <br><br>I'm pretty much over dealing with vista...guess I'll take it to Fort Laud BMW (2 miles from my house) and forget loyalty.<br><br>I went back two days later...after drivng a VW Golf around...to find they had done the same thing, scraped up the entirely new, freshly painted TiSilver facia...in the exact same spot.<br><br>The service writer thought I was joking when I brought him out. They really, really, really did the same damage to the same car, again...in 2 days. <br><br>So they're gave me a brand new 330iA as a loaner (I screamed, screamed, screamed) (noticing any repetative thought here...) that I wouldn't drive a "Golf" next time I brought my car in...and then i saw the new fresh paint on the ground and my scraped up front bumper.

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