[TheGr8Swami]

I've owned my 2011 550i w/XDrive since June and I'm having a few issues! Two weeks after purchasing the car the driver's and passenger's restraint system had a failure. I waited 3 weeks for BMW to send a replacement wiring harness from Germany and it temporarily fixed the issue. For the next 3 months the airbag warnings would pop up and I would return the car to the dealership for repair. It's the 5th dealership visit and BMW is sending out a 2nd wiring harness plus additional parts in an attempt to repair this issue. (Another 3 weeks in the shop!!) In total my car has been at a BMW Dealership for 49 days and I'm starting to become frustrated with this vehicle. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the sunroof controls not working correctly, and the car has burned 4L's of oil with less than 5000 miles on the odometer.

I've contacted BMW Customer Relations and waiting to hear a response from Corporate. I love my car, but this one is starting to look like a real lemon. Any advice from the BMW Massive?

Thanks,

Will aka The Swami

p.s. I'm really starting to miss my Audi..

[TheGr8Swami]

Well, after having a talk with BMW Corporate we've decided to Lemon the car. I'm in the process of ordering a 2012 replacement. It says so much about a company that's willing to stand behind their products and keep customers happy.

Thank you so much BMW.....

[elias]

Good to hear BMW taking a stand and doing the right thing for you, what are your plans for a new car , are sticking with BMW or looking elsewhere?

[Grover432]

Sounds like he is happy with BMW's treatment of his case and he is replacing the car with another.

[TheGr8Swami]

Originally Posted by elias

Good to hear BMW taking a stand and doing the right thing for you, what are your plans for a new car , are sticking with BMW or looking elsewhere?

I'm sticking with the brand and building another 550i xDrive sedan! I understand that anything made from man can have flaws, and hopefully this was just a fluke!

[radarguy]

Originally Posted by TheGr8Swami

Well, after having a talk with BMW Corporate we've decided to Lemon the car. I'm in the process of ordering a 2012 replacement. It says so much about a company that's willing to stand behind their products and keep customers happy.

Thank you so much BMW.....

+2

[CJ]

Hang in there, I had a sunroof mechanism replaced, a shorted traction control button replaced but but no other issues in 24000 miles on my early model 550i I bought July 2010. Great choice on xdrive, you'll really enjoy the torque of the TT V8 when you get a chance to break the new car in.

[TheGr8Swami]

Originally Posted by CJ

Hang in there, I had a sunroof mechanism replaced, a shorted traction control button replaced but but no other issues in 24000 miles on my early model 550i I bought July 2010. Great choice on xdrive, you'll really enjoy the torque of the TT V8 when you get a chance to break the new car in.

Yes indeed, this car is slightly quicker than my RS4 at the low end and I love the engine note in Sport Mode. I'm glad my wife converted me from Audi!

[ObiWanSpain]

Originally Posted by TheGr8Swami

Well, after having a talk with BMW Corporate we've decided to Lemon the car. I'm in the process of ordering a 2012 replacement. It says so much about a company that's willing to stand behind their products and keep customers happy.

Thank you so much BMW.....

Congratulations!

BMW wants to keep US customers happy. In Spain, or any country over Europe, you wouldn't have taken a replacement unit from Corporate with the errors your car shows. Again, congratulations!

[radarguy]

Originally Posted by ObiWanSpain

Congratulations!

BMW wants to keep US customers happy. In Spain, or any country over Europe, you wouldn't have taken a replacement unit from Corporate with the errors your car shows. Again, congratulations!

Although I'm sure the BMW wants to keep customers happy, a more likely reason is avoidance of the "lemon laws" that individual states have. Typically if a new car is in the shop for more than 30 days or the same problem was "repaired" four times without success you can have the car declared a lemon and receive a full refund less an allowance for mileage. Once a car is declared a lemon, that fact shows up on the title paper and the value of the car depreciates by a huge amount. BMW was avoiding a lemon title for the car by buying it back and can now fix it up and sell it as a used car for more than they could if it had a lemon title. Details vary from state to state, but that is essentially how it works.