[ezatnova]

I wasn't going to comment on my experience, but this last communication I just had with Bimmian sent me over the edge. I've heard of other customer service nightmares with these fools, and my order with them only confirms what I've read.

On January 12 I placed an order for the reflector-delete painted pieces for a space gray E92, along with the two-bulb kit for the license plate to make them more of the xenon look. Simple enough so far.

I then receive an email that they are backordered on the reflectors. While they were kind enough to CHARGE MY CARD for the full amount, they told me I wouldn't get my order until late February. Nice...selling products you don't have.

Late February comes and I get an update that they will still be out of stock until March.

Mid-March comes and I get a notice that my order has shipped - woohoo!

Box arrives and inside is (drumroll) RED PAINTED reflectors and an ENTIRE INTERIOR bulb kit. Wow, those red ones would look pimp on my space gray car! I call them and explain that they clearly gave me the wrong order, and I'm told to write an email. I'll summarize what happened with the email, but let me tell you that it took NO LESS THAN SIX EMAILS of repeatedly explaining the apparently difficult-to-grasp-concept that my car is gray and they sent me red, and that the builb kit is more than what I ordered.

After they finally understand, I am told that (get this!) have to PAY $70 MORE right then for them to ship me the actual reflectors I ordered, and to ship the incorrect ones back to Canada, so I'll need to fill out a customs form, etc etc, basically mandating a solid half hour of Post Office wasted time. I'm told I will apparently get this second $70 charge back when they recieve my return. They are treating me like this is MY FAULT somehow.

She then tells me to "take the two P-style - peanut light bulbs out of the interior kit since those are the ones you need." Seems like they should have just said "keep it and use what you want" but no, they wanted the rest shipped back. I'm an honest person so I didn't complain about that. I didn't have my 335 yet, so I took her word that the two little 194 peanut style bulbs were the correct ones. I removed them and sent the rest back with the stupid red reflectors.

Correct space gray ones arrive a week later. Charge is refunded for my shipping and the extra $70. Am I out of the water finally? NO!

I finally get my 335 last weekend and go to install the license plate bulbs. As anyone who's seen those bulbs in person knows by now, they are NOT 194 peanuts! They are the longer cylinder kind with the pointy connection tips. I write them back explaining that I still have an issue and that they told me to keep the WRONG bulbs. In addition, IN TWO SEPARATE PLACES in this email I gave them their OWN part # for the 2-bulb license plate kit! How much more simple can I make this!?

The email reply I just got is what prompted me to vent and write about this. I am going to copy and paste it so it is unchanged in any way. Enjoy:
------------------------------------------
Hi there,
I need to know where the bulbs go in the car. Let me know. Then I can
figure out what bulbs to send you.

Thanks,
XXXXX Customer Service Manager
Bimmian.com
----------------------------------------
ARE YOU SERIOUS!? ARE YOU SERIOUS!? My email, as I said, TWICE gave her her OWN part # for the kit with the correct bulbs, and in addition, had the whole string of prior emails attached below where she can clearly see the past communications where she told me to incorrectly use the peanut bulbs for the license plate (and this is the same person here. so she knows the history of the order).

AVOID BIMMIAN LIKE THE PLAGUE.

At this point, I'm just considering disputing the charge on my card and calling it a day. 3 months of aggravation over a simple order is a little too much. I'm waiting for them to tell me to ship the two peanut bulbs back to friggin Canada now and that I should pay another $12 for the correct bulbs.

[slickvince]

That sucks buddy!! I would dispute the charges and send it back into their corner.
I've personally ordered from Bimmian and had great customer service. Actually I ordered the space grey reflectors! maybe I got yours.

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by slickvince

That sucks buddy!! I would dispute the charges and send it back into their corner.
I've personally ordered from Bimmian and had great customer service. Actually I ordered the space grey reflectors! maybe I got yours.

Ha! Gimme my reflectors! Do you ahve my bulbs too!?

[jfulcher]

Just the fact that they are in Canada would cause me to avoid them. I've always had problems with Canadian orders, customs, all kinds of stuff.

[TahoeOG]

I hear you bro. I've had a problem with bimmiam a long time ago. My first order i placed with them and the last. They charged my card and didn't ship the product untill 1 week later.... THEN, they ship it to my address but WRONG STATE AND ZIP CODE. surely it could be my fault, but when i check the email and order reciept it has no signe of incorrection. Then i had to wait untill that was shipped back to them...and then they shipped it to me on the 3rd week. BTW they were the interior bulbs... THen i was frustriated and heard about the bad quality or their interior bulbs so i sold it 50% off to a friend... Melted the housing and then he was pissed... I stayed away from bimmian. On e46fanatics, many will tell you they have had problems with that company as well... If you really must get something from bimmian, i suggest **********s. They are good with shipped and replying emails. I ordered my ecis from them got it 1 day earlier than they said, and i also ordered something else (long time ago) and got it early as well.

Sorry to hear. Take it as a lesson learned i guess. GOod luck

[scottp999]

For everyone reading this, order your painted reflectors through **********s.com. They are still bimmian but **********s seems to get the colors right when they fill the order and their customer service is great:

http://www.**********s.com/product.a...lectors_e92_PR

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by jfulcher

Just the fact that they are in Canada would cause me to avoid them. I've always had problems with Canadian orders, customs, all kinds of stuff.

Actually, they ship FROM New York and make you ship BACK to Canada! VERY ODD!

[LEDZEP]

Do you know why they have parts departments at BMW dealerships?


Because not everyone is qualified to flip hamburgers.

[ukthunderace]

Bimmian won't make reflectors for the Deep Green because it is a "rare" color. I know it isn't like they are going to sell thousands, but c'mon!

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Do you know why they have parts departments at BMW dealerships?


Because not everyone is qualified to flip hamburgers.

Hey let's stick to bashing Bimmian here, not BMW parts departments, lol!

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by ukthunderace

Bimmian won't make reflectors for the Deep Green because it is a "rare" color. I know it isn't like they are going to sell thousands, but c'mon!

I bet they'll send you some sweet Crimson red ones! "It's Christmas time in the city..."

[ezatnova]

Dear Lord. They just notified me that new bulbs (possibly the correct ones?!?!) shipped today. They are sending them by snails apparently. Rather than Fedex, it says "untrackable - allow 1-3 weeks for delivery".
Christ, a little Fedex is too much to ask for after a JANUARY 12 order was placed that still isn't right.

[RichP]

Bimmian has sucked from day one. I thought they were getting better, I guess not.

Sorry to hear about your situation. It amazes me these places are still in business.

[uabimmer]

Sorry to hear about that bro

but thanks for looking out for the rest of us -- without this forum i would have ended up pretty frusterated and probably half way to Canada by now

[TahoeOG]

:rocks: OFF WITH THEIR HEADS :rocks:

[TTG]

-IF you paid enough attention while you were ordering your reflectors you would of clealy seen that Space Gray ones are not yet available! Go through their color charts and you will clearly see (How do I know this???? Bec my car is SG as well). I have been waiting on bumper plugs & reflectors to become avail......I did not jump the gun and ordered something that is not avail.

--They messed up by sending you a red one and corrected their error!

-License Plate Bulbs..... I have these from Bimmian as well.... IF you would of done some research on this site and others you would of clearly know what the heck they look like..... They have nothing to do with a peanut shaped bulb.... yes, you were misinformed and they are sending you a replacement.....

My Experience with them is quite the opposite.....

One of the True match Foglight bulbs I bought from them burned out short time after I installed it.... I emailed Ian and he immediately sent me a pair at no charge and I had the new bulbs in my posession in 3 business days....

I am sorry for your troubles but I would take a step back and take some responsibility as well!

[uhaulball]

Originally Posted by TTG

-IF you paid enough attention while you were ordering your reflectors you would of clealy seen that Space Gray ones are not yet available! Go through their color charts and you will clearly see (How do I know this???? Bec my car is SG as well). I have been waiting on bumper plugs & reflectors to become avail......I did not jump the gun and ordered something that is not avail.

--They messed up by sending you a red one and corrected their error!

-License Plate Bulbs..... I have these from Bimmian as well.... IF you would of done some research on this site and others you would of clearly know what the heck they look like..... They have nothing to do with a peanut shaped bulb.... yes, you were misinformed and they are sending you a replacement.....

My Experience with them is quite the opposite.....

One of the True match Foglight bulbs I bought from them burned out short time after I installed it.... I emailed Ian and he immediately sent me a pair at no charge and I had the new bulbs in my posession in 3 business days....

I am sorry for your troubles but I would take a step back and take some responsibility as well!

he didnt do enough research or else he wouldve avoided bimmian completely to begin with. u can get the reflectors from Longtran and the bulbs are cheap bulbs u can get anywhere bimmian just overcharges for that./

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by TTG

-IF you paid enough attention while you were ordering your reflectors you would of clealy seen that Space Gray ones are not yet available! Go through their color charts and you will clearly see (How do I know this???? Bec my car is SG as well). I have been waiting on bumper plugs & reflectors to become avail......I did not jump the gun and ordered something that is not avail.

--They messed up by sending you a red one and corrected their error!

-License Plate Bulbs..... I have these from Bimmian as well.... IF you would of done some research on this site and others you would of clearly know what the heck they look like..... They have nothing to do with a peanut shaped bulb.... yes, you were misinformed and they are sending you a replacement.....

My Experience with them is quite the opposite.....

One of the True match Foglight bulbs I bought from them burned out short time after I installed it.... I emailed Ian and he immediately sent me a pair at no charge and I had the new bulbs in my posession in 3 business days....

I am sorry for your troubles but I would take a step back and take some responsibility as well!

Yeah wow, I didn't do enough research in expecting a company to know THEIR OWN FRIGGIN PRODUCTS. You must get kickbacks for marketing for Bimmian! Tell me any business where it's up to the BUYER to double check and research an order to make sure the seller is giving them what they ordered in the first place. MAKES NO SENSE. And on your first comment about the backordering, no kidding, but it's wrong to CHARGE MY CARD before they have them. Any NORMAL company reserves the order and then charges once they ship. Again, you have this dilusion of what is acceptable for a business. Hold on, let me go tell Shiv he should have charged everyone for their Procedes months ago when they ordered them, rather than charging as they shipped. I'm SURE he would have loved the extra hundred grand in his account.

Oh, forgot to add that you apparently didn't find it odd that they charged me AGAIN to ship me the right reflectors. No other company does that. Unacceptable.

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by uhaulball

he didnt do enough research or else he wouldve avoided bimmian completely to begin with. u can get the reflectors from Longtran and the bulbs are cheap bulbs u can get anywhere bimmian just overcharges for that./

Well, at the time it looked like Bimmian were decently less $ than Longtran's. In retrospect, it would have been well worth the little extra $.
As far as bulbs, it's hard to find a QUALITY bulb, which Bimmians are now supposed to be. I've only really seen theirs and Hoen's be regarded as any good, and Hoen is the same price.

[TTG]

Originally Posted by ezatnova

Yeah wow, I didn't do enough research in expecting a company to know THEIR OWN FRIGGIN PRODUCTS. You must get kickbacks for marketing for Bimmian! Tell me any business where it's up to the BUYER to double check and research an order to make sure the seller is giving them what they ordered in the first place. MAKES NO SENSE. And on your first comment about the backordering, no kidding, but it's wrong to CHARGE MY CARD before they have them. Any NORMAL company reserves the order and then charges once they ship. Again, you have this dilusion of what is acceptable for a business. Hold on, let me go tell Shiv he should have charged everyone for their Procedes months ago when they ordered them, rather than charging as they shipped. I'm SURE he would have loved the extra hundred grand in his account.

Oh, forgot to add that you apparently didn't find it odd that they charged me AGAIN to ship me the right reflectors. No other company does that. Unacceptable.

There are many many many online companies who will charge you and let you know that a certain product is back ordered (Just browse through some ebay stores!!!!). However, to your defence most of them will allow you to cancel your order..... I am not quite sure if that was an option for you! You have ordered something that was clearly not available....again still your fault for not checking....

As far as shipping.....some online companies do ask you to return / ship products at your expense and some do not same for the replacement products (I had to pay S&H for the replacement fog light bulbs as well)..... Is sounds like you have very limited online buying experience....

I have no affiliation w/ Bimmian or any other related company....

[ezatnova]

Originally Posted by TTG

There are many many many online companies who will charge you and let you know that a certain product is back ordered (Just browse through some ebay stores!!!!). However, to your defence most of them will allow you to cancel your order..... I am not quite sure if that was an option for you! You have ordered something that was clearly not available....again still your fault for not checking....

As far as shipping.....some online companies do ask you to return / ship products at your expense and some do not same for the replacement products (I had to pay S&H for the replacement fog light bulbs as well)..... Is sounds like you have very limited online buying experience....

I have no affiliation w/ Bimmian or any other related company....

I've probably bought upwards of 1000 things online. That actually makes me more critical of BS companies like Bimmian because I very very rarely have such poor experiences.

B- "Keep the two P bulbs those are the ones you need"
me - "Got my car, the P bulbs aren't right at all, I needed them for the license plate. They are the longer tube style"
B- "I need to know where the bulbs are for on your car to know if they are the right ones"

[RokX]

Yeah, I definitely won't be purchasing anything from bimmian anytime soon again either. My little story definitely isn't as bad though. I ordered a painted front plate holder since CO requires one unfortunately. First, FedEx didn't know where the hell to send it because bimmian didn't label the whole address on the box. Kinda important, I thought anyways . That took a few days to correct, but turns out they sent me a painted frame instead. Luckily all I had to do was email them that they sent the wrong part. I got my plate holder today and all is well. And I got a free frame in the process. They haven't charged my card. YET. So it wasn't too bad in the end. I'll just choose a more reliable company for these little things in the future.