THE BREAKDOWN OF MY BRAND NEW BMW FROM BURSA TEKNİK OTO
Summary: Despite extended discussions with Teknik Oto and Borusan, issues with the driveshaft and steering box of my brand-new BMW remain unresolved. My trust in the brand has diminished due to the depreciation of the car and my overall experience. This process has led me to reevaluate my expectations of premium service quality.
Sharing my personal experience: I thought it was time to purchase a new vehicle and transition to a premium car. After some online research, I disregarded the negative comments I encountered, thinking they were isolated incidents, and ordered a brand-new 3.20i MSPORT BMW directly from their website.
A few days after picking up the car, I noticed a clicking noise when shifting from Drive to Reverse or vice versa while parked. I immediately made an appointment with BMW Teknik Oto. They inspected the car, recorded the issue, and informed me that they would report it to BMW Turkey and wait for instructions from Borusan.
This service request was my first surprise, as I thought I had purchased a premium vehicle. A few days later, BMW Turkey responded, suggesting that the issue might stem from the driveshaft and proposed removing the driveshaft from a test car to install in my vehicle for testing. If it resolved the issue, they would order a new driveshaft; otherwise, they would check other parts. I, of course, declined this offer to test my brand-new car with parts from another vehicle. I requested a replacement, which BMW Turkey did not accept.
They assured me that the driveshaft wasn’t a critical component and wouldn’t affect the car’s value, emphasizing that BMW is a premium brand that always stands by its customers.
During this time, I also experienced road-holding issues and found it difficult to control the car at high speeds and on wet surfaces. When I took the car back to Teknik Oto, they told me this was normal due to road conditions in Turkey. Later, I learned of a solution from another BMW owner and contacted Teknik Oto again. They inspected the car, ordered a replacement driveshaft, and informed me it would be changed once the part arrived. After patiently waiting 45 days, the driveshaft was finally replaced.
In forums like Bimmerpost, I read about users experiencing similar issues with the ESP, noting they had to constantly adjust the steering.
After the driveshaft was replaced, I began to feel more resistance in the steering, especially at high speeds. I visited a different service center, where they told me the steering box needed replacement. Meanwhile, I found other people online with similar issues with Goodyear Eagle Sport 2 tires. Although my car had accumulated some mileage, I contacted BMW, wondering if they had issued a service bulletin for this issue. They advised me to take the car to Teknik Oto for a tire inspection. Teknik Oto took photos, measured the wear, and sent the data to Borusan, who would make the final decision. After waiting for several days without a response, I called BMW again, only to be told that Teknik Oto had reported no issues with the tires, so no further action would be taken.
I then reached out to BMW Bursa Teknik Oto 2, requesting a buyback or an exchange for a new car with an additional payment if necessary. The offer I received was below market value. Discussions with alternative brands and dealers revealed that the value was affected by the driveshaft change. Teknik Oto 2 stated they couldn't adjust the price as a commercial entity and suggested that Teknik Oto 3 raise a request with Borusan for a possible discount or exchange. I reopened my request in good faith, hoping for resolution. The final response conveyed regret for the situation but offered no solution.
Reflecting on my experience, I am rethinking my future preferences. The issues I encountered remain unresolved, causing me time and financial stress. Based on this experience, I am concerned about reaching a permanent solution and have little hope for a positive outcome.