XSeries-forum

Found my car on the Internet at Harry Fairbairn Bmw Inverness. As we are in central Scotland I didn't fancy a four hour drive up to get the car when there's a Glasgow branch less than an hour away. We go to the giffnock branch of harry fairbairn and do the deal to order our car without even seeing it properly which I never do and we are told everything is in great order on the car and all documentation is with it anyway we get the deal worked out and I say to the salesman it will need to be good when I see it and also pre warn him in one of the fussiest people he will meet when it comes to my car. Having ordered the car on the Saturday we had to wait till the following Friday for the car to arrive in Glasgow just for us to inspect it. Having had to do all the chasing myself on the phone the car eventually arrives at the giffnock branch. I take the retention certificate for my reg with me to be told oh they forgot to put the v5 in the car they'll post it down tomorrow. We wonder why they wouldn't have this with the car but don't get overly worried as it will be in the post and be there quick enough or so we are led to believe. We then go outside to see our new purchase to be greeted with a car in a terrible state. Not even washed so the outside is a mess with all sorts of road grime over it. Then we open the doors to find the inside is completely covered in grass stains on the leather and the two rear door cards are badly damaged. Not quite the bmw standards we were promised the car would be in. By this point I'm actually devastated at how they could have a car in that state for a customer to see. However we look past this as a good clean and it will still be a nice car. We agree on getting the car spotless along with wheels to be refurbed and four new tyres to be fitted. It's then arranged we will
Collect the car on Thursday October 30th. It gets to the Tuesday before and I receive a phone call to tell me that we won't be able to collect the car then as contrary to what we had been told about the paperwork being with the car it is in actual fact back in the previous owners possession following the plate transfer of their old plate. At this point we are not happy that we were mislead but then we get more annoyed when we are told the previous owner is now also on holiday till the Sunday and will then have to post the v5 to Glasgow. I call on the Monday to find out what is happening now to be assured again the docs are in the post first class. I assume this means I will get my car tomorrow then? They are 90% sure this will be the case and have it on their list to valet the car again for collection on Tuesday. Tuesday comes and surprise surprise document haven't arrived. We then tell them ok we either collect the car tomorrow or we cancel the whole deal as we have been badly mislead from them. Come wednesday and I get the phonecall to let me know that the documents have indeed arrived then there's a pause in their voice. I say to the salesman I sense there's a but here? He tells me eh yes we do have the documents but we have actually scratched your car and it's a large scratch on the quarter panel. By this point I'm fuming. I hang the phone up and say I'll call them when I decide what I'm going to do. They send me a picture of the scratch and I head straight for my friends bodyshop for a quote. We quote for a couple of chips I had seen on the car along with the quarter panel and add in the cost of a hire car. I then call fairbairns up and tell them I will still
Take the car only if it goes to my mates body shop nowhere else and you foot the bill for it including the extra work and hire car for the inconvenience. They then try countering his quote with one of their own for the quarter panel repair only. Needless to say a few words were exchanged before they agree to give the money off the cost of the car to cover the quote. We went through to collect the car and it was a frosty atmosphere to say the least between myself my wife and the salesman. We were then only given an apology by the sales manager. The actual salesman never at any point apologised for the hassles we had and even took offence when I pointed out we were lied to with regards the documents being with the car. Needless to say although I have the car now I will never be buying from Harry fairbairn Glasgow ever again.

On a more positive note we are absolutely loving the car. Space gray msport 40d such a pleasure to drive. I thought my old 745 was smooth but nothing compared with the x5. If I can work out how I'll pop up a couple of pictures I have albeit in the dark of when I got the car home and I'll put up one of the damage done before I collected it.

The scratch. Look not too bad in a picture but it's a properly deep one when its up close. Needs the complete
Quarter painted and the door will have to be blended in as well

Terrible customer service i am sorry to hear 
On the other hand your car does look very nice indeed, picked up a X5 40d last week for my wife. She loves it to bits !

Yeah car is absolutely great. Customer service was terrible to say the least. Hope your wife enjoys here as much as me and my wife are enjoying ours

That's Arnold Clark for you!  Car looks lovely though.

It sounds like, aside from the stuffing around with the documents, that they have made it right though?

Now you can get the car in A1 condition and to a standard you're happy with, remember you're getting the other blemishes fixed on their dime. I reckon, aside from the psychological issue of the next owner knowing it's had paint on that panel, that it's a pretty good outcome.

Not to 'story top' but your experience doesn't even hold a candle to what I'm going through right now.

Between placing a deposit on the car and actually receiving the keys took 1 month....mainly because I insisted on a PPI which identified a leaking turbo, caster bushes flogged, leaking front strut and power steering leak. By the time that was all fixed - I got the car - complete with a deep scratch on the rear 1/4 panel from transport that nobody wants to take responsibility for - to having the car on the road for less than 48hours in my possession before it's in the shop with a loud engine knock.......

Car sounds like a right old nail....I reckon you should do a straight swap for my 2002 E53.

[quote="SMOKEY"]
It sounds like, aside from the stuffing around with the documents, that they have made it right though?

Now you can get the car in A1 condition and to a standard you're happy with, remember you're getting the other blemishes fixed on their dime. I reckon, aside from the psychological issue of the next owner knowing it's had paint on that panel, that it's a pretty good outcome.

Not to 'story top' but your experience doesn't even hold a candle to what I'm going through right now.

Between placing a deposit on the car and actually receiving the keys took 1 month....mainly because I insisted on a PPI which identified a leaking turbo, caster bushes flogged, leaking front strut and power steering leak. By the time that was all fixed - I got the car - complete with a deep scratch on the rear 1/4 panel from transport that nobody wants to take responsibility for - to having the car on the road for less than 48hours in my possession before it's in the shop with a loud engine knock.......
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Yeah it's getting sorted so that is the main thing. Hassle just shouldn't happen along the lines of what we had just to collect a car. When I phoned with the quote they even tried to bargain the price down with me by £16

[quote="AW8"]
Car sounds like a right old nail....I reckon you should do a straight swap for my 2002 E53.
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How about a swap for my old 745 instead

Sorry but my eyes can't quite adjust to that much bangle 

It's in great condition  :blink:

I actually think the cars original lines have been improved.

is your new m sport really as smooth as your old 7 series  O:-) O:-) or is it an se model with lots of extra's ? just wondering as im thinking my next X5 will be like similar to yours. don't get me wrong, I love my 3.0d m sport but it can be a bit bumpy at times  :'(

[quote="mark hamster 28"]
is your new m sport really as smooth as your old 7 series  O:-) O:-) or is it an se model with lots of extra's ? just wondering as im thinking my next X5 will be like similar to yours. don't get me wrong, I love my 3.0d m sport but it can be a bit bumpy at times  :'(
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It may be slightly more bumpy on a rough road but under throttle and during gearchange a it's a lot smoother I'd say.