[midwestbmwguy]

Does it concern owners when you read some of the stories about body parts not being available for 30 to 60 days after a vehicle accident?
Should that be an issue that BMW addresses since vehicles like the X5 are built and assembled in the United States. Should they give us assurance the parts will be readily available in the event of a mishap.

Just curious what everybody thinks on this issue. What is a reasonable amount of time to allow for parts.

[biterror]

Originally Posted by midwestbmwguy

Does it concern owners when you read some of the stories about body parts not being available for 30 to 60 days after a vehicle accident?
Should that be an issue that BMW addresses since vehicles like the X5 are built and assembled in the United States. Should they give us assurance the parts will be readily available in the event of a mishap.

Just curious what everybody thinks on this issue. What is a reasonable amount of time to allow for parts.

I think a reasonable time is 3 days or less ;-)

[BMWBear]

Lol .. I’ve waited 5 months for a interior panel and BMW support was no help. Worst brand experience I’ve ever had. I’m seriously considering going back to Audi.

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by BYEIL

Lol .. I’ve waited 5 months for a interior panel and BMW support was no help. Worst brand experience I’ve ever had. I’m seriously considering going back to Audi.

having been on the forum for a while, I can say I haven't heard of these absurd wait times before covid.

[BMWBear]

Originally Posted by thereef510

having been on the forum for a while, I can say I haven't heard of these absurd wait times before covid.

Well here’s the first. I had two calls with BMW executive support and the second is where they told me they couldn’t help and I’d need to wait for the part to be manufactured for stock.
Meanwhile they were using it on the East coast to manufacture X7’s everyday.

[TXSchnee]

Originally Posted by thereef510

having been on the forum for a while, I can say I haven't heard of these absurd wait times before covid.

Wait times on parts has been documented since the G05 was released (rear bumpers taking 4+ months prior to covid). All the G Series models seem to have parts supply issues, years into being sold.

[thereef510]

interesting, i didn't know that.

[Paladin1]

It's as if someone corporately at BMW (or "someones") decided that "just in time" was a great model for US production, ignoring or blissfully unaware that dealerships need parts for repairs. Just in time worked and works - originally - for Toyota as a business model (Toyota Production System, TPS), because suppliers were cranked up and ready for contingencies and were basically on the same block. Just in time does not a good mix make for US production and German suppliers, 5,000 miles away, absent some modification. JIT saves money on inventory and storage, and potentially shortens production time; it has the great potential to piss off loyal customers if and when it fails, apologies to Demming. Covid has made it worse of course, and loyal customers harder to come by.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by thereef510

having been on the forum for a while, I can say I haven't heard of these absurd wait times before covid.

Clearly not long enough on the forum. These range of timelines appear to be the rule rather than the exception. Lack of repair inventory in NA is one big f$&@up by BMW and they don't appear to have fixed it even yet.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by Paladin1

It's as if someone corporately at BMW (or "someones") decided that "just in time" was a great model for US production, ignoring or blissfully unaware that dealerships need parts for repairs. Just in time worked and works - originally- for Toyota as a business model (Toyota Production System, TPS), because suppliers were cranked up and ready for contingencies and were basically on the same block. Just in time does not a good mix make for US production and German suppliers, 5,000 miles away, absent some modification. JIT saves money on inventory and storage, and potentially shortens production time; it has the great potential to piss off loyal customers if and when it fails, apologies to Demming. Covid has made it worse of course, and loyal customers harder to come by.

JIT for *production* may still be a generally valid approach with all the caveats you mention. This is *repair* inventory, JIT for that is plain idiotic. MIN inventory level with in/out hysteresis is the only rational approach.

[sygazelle]

It definitely concerns me. My wife's G05 got sideswiped while parked with $29k in damage. It took over two months to get parts "from Europe" all the while they are using those same parts to assemble new G05s in Spartanburg. Nowhere in the realm of common sense does that fit.

I was polite but firm with the BMW Collision center and BMW NA. Between them, I got 2 months of car rental paid and BMW NA surprisingly made one month of car payments for me.

I still scratch my head about BMW's parts inventory strategy, but they did their best to take care of me.

Why in the world would they want to knowingly piss off their higher end customers by not having the infrastructure in place for repairing the cars they sell? Very short-term thinking.

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

JIT for *production* may still be a generally valid approach with all the caveats you mention. This is *repair* inventory, JIT for that is plain idiotic. MIN inventory level with in/out hysteresis is the only rational approach.

Hearing and understanding. You need to be on the board in Munich.

[rmorin1249]

What happens if I need a part just before my lease is up? Is it my fault or will BMW step up and allow me to turn the car in without the needed part?