[LU]

I personally would accept a dealer retrofit. Cannot comment on Ford situation, it may compare apple to orange. Replacing a touchscreen is a risk worth taking in my opinion. A lot of other stuff were done at the dealer, like replace air suspension, software update, etc. The key is whether and why BMW treat customer order differently, some with and some without touch screens.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by LU

The key is whether and why BMW treat customer order differently, some with and some without touch screens.

From everything we have seen posted here, as well as the email from BMW, all orders where affected and treated the same way. When there were no touchscreens available then vehicles were built without them, when they were available then they were used. It all depended on when the vehicle was built.

We also should keep in mind that next week they may go back to touchless screens, it all depends on the supply available.

[Mckelvie37]

Originally Posted by omasou

I understand that everyone is upset b/c BMW substituted non-touchscreens for a period of time and though it may appear to be over, I'm not sure that it is.

For argument's sake, let's call it a week and that there isn't any future constraints. What are your proposed alternative(s)?

1. Shutdown the plant for 1 week until touch screen become available?
2. Retrofit?
3. ?

Let's pretend this graphic is current and up to date. This means that

1. Spartanburg, would layoff 11,000 employees for 1 week and 7,500 vehicles would not be produced and all customer would have their deliveries pushed back by 1 week forever. This is then multiplied by all the other affected models and plants. Probably a big number.

2. If they only produce 1,500 vehicles / day for 5 days that's 7,500 vehicles * the number of affected models and plants. Perhaps a manageable number of vehicles? BMW should probably then ship and hold all vehicles at the VPCs around the world provided there is space, if not rent additional space and retrofit screens when they become available. Probably also a big number with similar delays.

Are these the options you would present to your management?

Or here's another route:

A. Tell customers upfront that there are issues they're working to address.
B. Hold the car on site and correct as needed.
C. Notify us of when they're expected back in service so that we can make an educated decision.
D. Not describe it as standard equipment on their website.
E. Be transparent in regards to what the complete changes were. No one knows seems to know why the backup assistant was also removed.
F. Hold the cars at the dealership until a corrected one could be installed. I just picked mine up Monday and it's already back. I'd have waited a week.
G. Offer a reasonable amount for the customer to replace with an aftermarket piece. $500 is nowhere near the value.
H. Not put the dealers in the middle of the problem. Even the genius doing my delivery kept touching the screen.
I. Allow us to pick up the car in Spartanburg. Can't imagine why they didn't want that to happen.

Instead they took the route guaranteed to tick off the maximum number of customers. I think most would've been more than happy to wait a week or two to figure it out.

[juancasala]

Originally Posted by Luminor513

All due respect to the OP, but if not having a touchscreen is so appalling that he felt the need to go this route, I would say you have a choice, and the choice is to purchase a car from a different brand. I don't think the lack of touch screen warrants the time and energy to write formal letters expressing dissatisfaction. For those of us lucky to be able to afford and enjoy 70-80-90k cars, this really isn't an issue. This is all just my opinion of course, and good luck to the OP for a satisfactory remedy to his problem.

Exactly - your post is just an opinion. Perhaps if you aren’t affected, and since it sounds like you don’t have the time to write letters, then this post probably doesn’t warrant the time and energy for you to jump in here and reply.

I got my car. I have no touchsreen. Yes, it was a choice to buy or not. Still - I WANT the f’n touchscreen that other owners will get for $500.

Got it, bro?

[juancasala]

Originally Posted by allinon72

Seems like this whole discussion is centered around it being BMW's choice to delete the touchscreen option. As if it's their preference to remove a feature, develop new software on the fly, issue a stop sale, develop a form and procedure for customer acknowledgment, install said software at the dealer, etc. While I understand it's frustrating for those with current orders, I don't think BMW would take these costly steps if they had another option. I say that observing BMW Group navigating these supply chain issues far better than other manufacturers.

The post is centered about BMW’s choice not to communicate appropriately through the methods they have set up for us to do so (i.e. portal)

I’m sure they’re doing their best - but I still expect a little more from BMW - they can afford to get us affected ones a touchscreen at no cost for the hassle, even if “when supplies are available.”

[juancasala]

Originally Posted by hulu

Hi juancasala

Have you heard back from BMW?

Knowing the touchscreen is just a short time(two weeks) issue has finnaly pissed me off.

I'm writing a letter to them.

Yes, a person supposedly tried to call me last week - it’s impossible to pick up the phone in this world of back-to-back Zooms - and I really only got one ring from a “Spam Risk” line,

They sent an email that seemed more to cover their butts that they followed up. I have replied, called, left v/m, and I haven’t heard back since last week.

I was about to share screenshot - and then realized they have some legal jargon at the bottom preventing me from doing so.

I may go blast some more letters during a little downtime over Thanksgiving.

I do agree the more voices they hear from, the more possible BMW NA reconsiders their initial approach.

[juancasala]

Originally Posted by hulu

OK this is what I got:


Hi ***:

Thanks for contacting the BMW Genius Team.
We are currently experiencing some temporary restrictions on the availability of some select optional equipment. While every effort is being made to fulfill customer orders as requested, some vehicle orders may be adjusted to include similar replacement options.

We encourage you to contact your local dealer to discuss individual situations as needed. Should you need to access a list of our authorized BMW centers, please visit our website at: www.bmwusa.com, and select “Dealer Locator.” We apologize for any inconvenience.

I hope this information is helpful. Thanks again for your inquiry.

For your convenience, BMW Genius Team members can also be reached via the BMW Genius Hotline Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-844-4GENIUS (443-6487).

Bernadette
BMW Genius Representative

Make a BMW product expert your new co-pilot.

That sounds like a weak, canned response on their part - did you email the executives?

I can share the reply I got with you, if you want to PM me your email address….

[juancasala]

Originally Posted by omasou

I understand that everyone is upset b/c BMW substituted non-touchscreens for a period of time and though it may appear to be over, I'm not sure that it is.

For argument's sake, let's call it a week and that there isn't any future constraints. What are your proposed alternative(s)?

1. Shutdown the plant for 1 week until touch screen become available?
2. Retrofit?
3. ?

Let's pretend this graphic is current and up to date. This means that

1. Spartanburg, would layoff 11,000 employees for 1 week and 7,500 vehicles would not be produced and all customer would have their deliveries pushed back by 1 week forever. This is then multiplied by all the other affected models and plants. Probably a big number.

2. If they only produce 1,500 vehicles / day for 5 days that's 7,500 vehicles * the number of affected models and plants. Perhaps a manageable number of vehicles? BMW should probably then ship and hold all vehicles at the VPCs around the world provided there is space, if not rent additional space and retrofit screens when they become available. Probably also a big number with similar delays.

Are these the options you would present to your management?

#2 - Retrofit.

No sense to stop production nor lay-off people.

VW Group tried to save $300/car when they realized they had a diesel emissions issue - when they were caught it turned out to be a $25B problem.

Do the right thing, is all we are asking after spending a cool $80K.

W for WTF, BMW!

[juancasala]

Originally Posted by omasou

You want your cake and eat it too. There was a stop sale for a reason, assuming it was related to safety. So minimum you'd have to wait for the software fix before getting the car.

Dealers retrofitting would be more expensive and less controlled/standardized than using the VPC.

Didn't Ford do something similar where they kept producing F150s and parking them for months?

Heck yeah, I want my $80K cake!

[S_McTowelie]

Might be a moot point, but I'll contribute to the cause!! I sent emails to the individuals listed on this site: https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/bmw/

[LU]

I sent an email with subject line: BMW is out of touch on touch screen

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by S_McTowelie

Might be a moot point, but I'll contribute to the cause!! I sent emails to the individuals listed on this site: https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/bmw/

I will say that a group of us did the same for an issue with the F8x when it came out and we got some really good results.

[hulu]

I did email the ceo and vps but haven't heard back from them.
So you mean they actually will read the email?

Originally Posted by juancasala

That sounds like a weak, canned response on their part - did you email the executives?

I can share the reply I got with you, if you want to PM me your email address….

[hulu]

I'm interested in how did you do that and what's the outcome if you could share with us.
TIA!

Originally Posted by GrussGott

I will say that a group of us did the same for an issue with the F8x when it came out and we got some really good results.

[MadameLV85]

Originally Posted by GrussGott

I will say that a group of us did the same for an issue with the F8x when it came out and we got some really good results.

Thank you for saying this. I just sent an email as well. I hope BMW will live up to its standards and fix the issues for those caught up in this shortage.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by hulu

I'm interested in how did you do that and what's the outcome if you could share with us.
TIA!

ha, well, I can say we got together as a group and all emailed the same letter to the same person as well as contacted a specific person at BMWNA by phone. Once contact was made then one of us took over as the point person, and eventually BMWNA offered our group compensation or retrofit (not both).

Maybe if one of you offers to collect names, VINs, etc and is able to communicate with the same person, maybe it works ... didn't tnutt19 have a BMWNA contact and/or figure out something?

[bastula]

Just sent my letter to BMWNA executive team.

[hulu]

Thank you so much for the info! Really appreciate.

And sorry for more questions:
1. Was an attorney envolved in the whole process?
2. Did BMW compensate all affected owners OR just the those who writed letters?

Thank you again. I will try to connect with tnutt19.

Originally Posted by GrussGott

ha, well, I can say we got together as a group and all emailed the same letter to the same person as well as contacted a specific person at BMWNA by phone. Once contact was made then one of us took over as the point person, and eventually BMWNA offered our group compensation or retrofit (not both).

Maybe if one of you offers to collect names, VINs, etc and is able to communicate with the same person, maybe it works ... didn't tnutt19 have a BMWNA contact and/or figure out something?

[juancasala]

All - the letter worked.

To respect the way BMW handled this with me, I won’t provide the specifics.

I will not have a touchscreen, but let’s just say they have heard our voices, and they also took into account my loyalty to the brand, with this being my 4th car from them.

I treaded lightly and respectfully, and they reciprocated with kindness.

This all, thanks to you guys here at the Forum!

Hope each of you is also taken care of!


P/s: I’m back to fully loving BMW!

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by hulu

Thank you so much for the info! Really appreciate.

And sorry for more questions:
1. Was an attorney envolved in the whole process?
2. Did BMW compensate all affected owners OR just the those who writed letters?

Thank you again. I will try to connect with tnutt19.

No attorneys, just worked through the BMWNA contact who was very helpful, the 2nd part ... after our group's resolution, a similar broader resolution was made available to all however I preferred our group's resolution

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by juancasala

I treaded lightly and respectfully, and they reciprocated with kindness.

P/s: I’m back to fully loving BMW!

hey, nice! That's exactly what happened in my case too. Nice job!

[cooldude1]

Originally Posted by juancasala

All - the letter worked.

To respect the way BMW handled this with me, I won’t provide the specifics.

I will not have a touchscreen, but let’s just say they have heard our voices, and they also took into account my loyalty to the brand, with this being my 4th car from them.

I treaded lightly and respectfully, and they reciprocated with kindness.

This all, thanks to you guys here at the Forum!

Hope each of you is also taken care of!


P/s: I’m back to fully loving BMW!

Since you said you will not get a touch screen, is retrofit now completely out of the question? I’m also a brand new customer like many and disappointed with the missing touchscreen, especially the part about feeling left out in that 2 week window. In whichever way they assisted you, can the rest of us expect that as well? Or should we send individual emails out as well and hope for the best?

I’m happy for you, but this is not the type of brand introductory experience I was looking for when I decided to go with BMW.