SMG BMW Tygervalley - ********* Business Practice

It is with disappointment that I write to BMW S.A to inform of my experience at BMW SMG Dealership in Tygervalley this afternoon. My BMW X3 2.0D came out of motor plan in February 2022, and since my relocation to Cape Town in 2020, my BMW X3 has only been serviced at the Tygervalley BMW SMG Dealership, with Ms.Ricki Larson as my Service Advisor. My vehicle service indicator alerted me to my vehicle requiring an oil service recently, with my vehicle coming out of the motor plan and having to pay for my future vehicle servicing, I called Ricki Larson on Monday 12th September 2022 for a quote on an oil service for my BMW X3. Ms. Larson requested for either my vehicle vin number or registration number, and informed me that she will call me back with the costs for service. Ms. Larson called me back a short while later and confirmed the service cost as R1727, at that stage I did not confirm a vehicle booking with her. I received a call the following day from a representative of BMW SMG Dealership enquiring if I would like to make a service booking for my vehicle, which I confirmed for Friday 16th September 2022 at 15h00. I also confirmed with the lady if my vehicle could be washed after the servicing, and she confirmed an additional cost R120 for the wash that could be paid together with the oil service.

I arrived at the BMW SMG Dealership in Tygervally at approximately 14H30, and made my way to Ms. Larson's office to book my vehicle in. We greeted each other and I then requested for confirmation of the quote (as attached). Ms Larson then provided me with the written quote, and explained further, should I take the oil service plan that included 3 services it will cost R4199, or else R1727 per service that will equal to R5181.36 and further wrote it on my quote (as attached).

I then requested Ms Larson if my vehicle could be washed, however Ms Larson informed that she will not be able to wash my vehicle, as my vehicle was booked on an express service, and the washing service closes at 16h00, but the lady that facilitated the service booking for my vehicle indicated that my vehicle needs to be at the dealership at 15h00 if needs to be washed, noting I was at the dealership at 14h30. I am sure that the dealership calls are recorded, and therefore my statement can be verified accordingly.

I waited for my vehicle until 16h10, when Ms Larson came to the waiting area to inform me that my vehicle was ready and I proceeded to take me to the cashier directly. When I got to the Cashier I thought my eyes were deceiving me, and had to take a second look at my invoice as the amount on the invoice was R5472.44 and not the quoted amount R1727.12.

Upon enquiring with Ms Larson about the difference in cost, Ms. Larson stated that this was a costly service. My concern and disappointment with Ms Larson is that at no point in time upon enquiring for the quote or even whilst I was seated at the dealership did Ms Larson confirm with me that quoted price of R1727.12, will no longer be valid, as additional work will have to be carried out on my vehicle, resulting in a revised cost of R5472.44 (meaning an additional cost of R3745.32). The dealership has cameras to verify my entire statement, and that at no point in time was I ever consulted by Ms. Larson or anyone from the dealership on the additional work to my vehicle, resulting in revised costs to my original service. I must state that at no point in time did I authorise the additional work to be carried out on my vehicle, and I only got to learn of the revised costs when I was about to pay at the Cashier, which I find unacceptable.

I consider my entire experience at the SMG BMW Tygervalley dealership to be ethically and morally incorrect business practice, to have a consumer provided with a quote for one amount and then provided with a revised cost at the Cashier, which is substantially higher than the quoted cost. Being a professional I firmly believe in ethical business practice, and that no consumer should be provided with service of this kind, yet alone from a reputed BMW dealership.