Car Problems
Around two weeks ago I took my BMW to European Center (markaz oropee) in Shuwaikh to service my car. I figured I would save a whole bundle of money by not taking it to the dealer plus they would fix it quicker. I dropped my car in the morning, the guy told me the car would be fixed by noon, I told him I would be at work so I would pick it up at 6. At 6:30 I pass by and they were still working on the car. All they had to do was replace brake pads, gas filter, air filter and fan belts, I was really pissed but there wasn’t anything I could do. Anyway I ended up leaving from them at 7:30 and turned out the wipers has suddenly stopped working and I just felt they did a lousy quick ass job. Anyway forward to yesterday, I start the car and I hear this crackling popping sound and the engine revs were jumping. I opened the hood and the sound was coming from the engine so I guessed one of the spark plugs was acting up. So I was like fuck it, I am taking the car to the dealer, I had some other minor problems in the car and I figured I would get them fixed once and for all at BMW.
I woke up early today and drove the car to the BMW dealer. I get there and they were extremely friendly and professional. I sit down and start talking to the guy about my car troubles and he took notes down like a psychiatrist. He then went out checked the car himself and we came back and sat down again. He told me for them to “check” on the problems I have listed he estimates it would cost me KD200. Not to fix the problems, just to check the problems. I told him how about you skip the checking part and just go straight to fixing the problems because I know what they are. He is like to fix a problem they need to check it first. I was like fine, we started going down the list of problems I had given him and I marked off 3 superficial problems and that managed to bring down the estimate to KD100. He then told me they needed 4 to 5 days to check the car and then get back to me on how much it will cost to fix the problems.
I then asked about renting a car from them since I do that when I drop the Wrangler off at the Jeep dealer for the full service. Turns out they do rent cars but they were completely out of my league. The cheapest car they had was for KD40 a day while I usually pay KD7 when I rent from the Jeep dealer.
So in conclusion I think I am going to get raped with the price.. but psychologically I will at least feel that these guys know what they are doing and they will fix things right… I hope.
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21 Comments, add your own...
1. Lolo | April 14th, 2007 at 10:02 am
I hear you Mark!! every time I take my car to the dealer I cry.. and from personal experience never take it to the normal garage.. you will be visiting them more often then the dealer and paying more in the end!
2. Marzouq | April 14th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Hopefully they will work things out! For such a big garage, I don’t know why it takes them so damn long! They really aren’t efficient from experience!
3. KtheKuwaiti | April 14th, 2007 at 11:13 am
I just do all the minor stuff (pads, filters, belts) at home .. don’t trust most mechanics in Kuwait.
4. Evil Knievel | April 14th, 2007 at 11:15 am
I wish you good luck with them !! really … i do !!!
never heard anything good from the BMW dealer…
5. Evil Knievel | April 14th, 2007 at 11:15 am
I wish you good luck with them !! really … i do !!!
never heard anything good from the BMW dealer…
6. Rayboy | April 14th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
mark … the best thing to do .. is find a mechanic who works there.. tie up a freelance deal . it helps both cost wise and have a personal mechanic at all times.
7. Rayboy | April 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
if you need .. i think i could find someone….
8. Carlsb3rg | April 14th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
so it will cost you like what? two weeks of ad space?
9. Jafar | April 14th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Mark,
I would not take Rayboy’s advice.It is un-ethical but most importantly you will have no documents to support you in case he really missed up with something major,,,,plus the work done on a vehicle is not just mechnics work ! many other profesionals are envolved.Most cars now ,,,specially the suffisticated ones like BMW you can’t even touch them without the Factory diagnostic System,,,,to aviod a mechanic’s trial & error approach will at the end will cost you much more !
Good Luck
10. steve_leb | April 14th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
What BMW do you have..?
11. Rayboy | April 14th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Jafar , i will need to disagree with you.
Firstly if you need to deal with a setup like this , has to be perfectly planned. For example . for my cars. the guy i deal with doesnt end up doing al lthe things him self.
1. If its a job in his specialisation , he would do it .
2. he would end up buying parts from the car dealer. usually employees gets discounts , these discounts are passed to you.
3. For items which require tools which he doesnt have . he would refer it back to the company…
But i dont think paying KD 100 is worth for small tasks. Unless it pleases to be ‘raped’ as mark mentioned.
12. Talal | April 14th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
And this is why you should’ve bought a Lexus. Or an Infiniti. Anything from Japan, basically.
13. TanGo | April 14th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I second Talal - I do not understand this LOVE relationship between >Lebanese - BMWs & Range Rovers
14. Mark | April 14th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
you wouldn’t unless you drive in Lebanon or europe. the roads there are different then kuwait, here its all about straight lines there its all about curves so european cars handle better on those roads. so we all grow up wanting european cars and the german ones like bmw and mercedes are the ones we strive to get.
15. Faisal | April 14th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Your estimate was KD100 ! thank your god mine was 700, and it ended up paying 900.
16. Weld El-ma6aba | April 15th, 2007 at 1:35 am
mark, i feel you.. my 325Ci needs some work done but i’m not taking it to the dealer no matter what!!
btw if u r interested i have a Remus exhaust that i’m planning to sell if i find the exhaust i’m looking for.. email me
17. Mark | April 15th, 2007 at 9:28 am
umm Faisal my estimate to have my car CHECKED is KD100 not the repair fee. They will check my car for KD100 and then call me and tell me how much my car will cost to fix…
18. ananyah | April 15th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
just get another advertiser on board to pay for your cars repairs lol
19. Mark | April 15th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
i need to get BMW on board thats for sure!
20. roro | April 15th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I hope it all turns out alright. Not having your car is a downer, garage charges are another. Just one of them things. Good luck w everything.
21. ananyah | April 16th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
you should do mark! tell bmw about ur site and how you always say how good they are, get them to advertise on your site for free until they fix ur car, then charge them afterwards :P
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