Wholly negative experience buying parts from Partridge BMW.
Previously I have purchased my parts from Harwoods BMW in Basingstoke who have been excellent but as I've since moved to the south of the county I need to find someone more local - even then Partridge is 30 mins drive away but it is my nearest.
I phoned up to order a part (coupe boot handle) - nobody answering the parts lines but I left a message on the answerphone to say I wanted to order a part and they called me back pretty promptly. Part needed to come from Germany so I'm advised it will take a week & they need payment upfront over the phone by credit card (£177) - no problem, made payment, all went through fine. I ask will they call me when it's in? "No Sir we don't do that". OK and do I get a copy of my payment via email "No sir we don't do that either". I offered to give them my mobile number & email address so they could keep me updated but they told me they didn't want my details....
1 week goes by - and I want to be sure the part is in before I travel - as it's a fair distance. So I ring the parts department - straight to answerphone and leave a message asking someone to call me back to let me know if the part is in. 3 days later - no call back so I call again - and leave another voice mail. Another 2 days I leave another voice mail. Then I call their reception and explain I've been trying to contact parts for over a week & need to know if the part has arrived before I travel - the receptionist says "Oh they're a nightmare - they don't answer their phones and they delete their messages without listening to them - you'll have to just keep trying" << sorry not good enough.
3 more attempts over the next week (including another conversation with the receptionist who told me what a nightmare the parts dept are) and yesterday I just gave up and went down there.
Nice swanky showroom - no corners cut there. Go to the parts counter & press the doorbell - wait 5 mins for someone to come to the desk - then a lady appears - I explain I'm here to collect a part & she barks at me "Where are you from?"
Me> "sorry? what's that got to do with anything?"
Her> visible SIGH... then very slowly she says "What.. Company... Are.. You.. From?"
Me> "I'm not from any company - i'm here to pick up a part I ordered"
Her> "What name?"
No apology for the condescending tones - she just struts off into the back room. I wait for about 5 more mins then she reappears with no part but a pad & pen -
Her> "Have you actually ordered a part?"
Me> "Yes"
Her> "Where's your receipt?"
Me> "I ordered if over the phone and apparently you don't send receipts"
Her> "Without the Receipt I can't help you"
Me> "I specifically asked for a receipt when I ordered & was told you don't send them out"
I then got up my credit card transactions on my phone and showed her the debit for the £177 to them taken 2 weeks earlier.
She huffed and went off again for another 3 mins - returning with my part & a printed receipt.
No apology.
Unbelievable - they were SO quick to take my money and then totally obstructive in allowing me to pick up the part I'd already paid for.
I will be putting in a complaint to BMW & leaving a suitable google review - but for anyone else in Southampton area - just a warning not to buy your parts from these jokers!
Previously I have purchased my parts from Harwoods BMW in Basingstoke who have been excellent but as I've since moved to the south of the county I need to find someone more local - even then Partridge is 30 mins drive away but it is my nearest.
I phoned up to order a part (coupe boot handle) - nobody answering the parts lines but I left a message on the answerphone to say I wanted to order a part and they called me back pretty promptly. Part needed to come from Germany so I'm advised it will take a week & they need payment upfront over the phone by credit card (£177) - no problem, made payment, all went through fine. I ask will they call me when it's in? "No Sir we don't do that". OK and do I get a copy of my payment via email "No sir we don't do that either". I offered to give them my mobile number & email address so they could keep me updated but they told me they didn't want my details....
1 week goes by - and I want to be sure the part is in before I travel - as it's a fair distance. So I ring the parts department - straight to answerphone and leave a message asking someone to call me back to let me know if the part is in. 3 days later - no call back so I call again - and leave another voice mail. Another 2 days I leave another voice mail. Then I call their reception and explain I've been trying to contact parts for over a week & need to know if the part has arrived before I travel - the receptionist says "Oh they're a nightmare - they don't answer their phones and they delete their messages without listening to them - you'll have to just keep trying" << sorry not good enough.
3 more attempts over the next week (including another conversation with the receptionist who told me what a nightmare the parts dept are) and yesterday I just gave up and went down there.
Nice swanky showroom - no corners cut there. Go to the parts counter & press the doorbell - wait 5 mins for someone to come to the desk - then a lady appears - I explain I'm here to collect a part & she barks at me "Where are you from?"
Me> "sorry? what's that got to do with anything?"
Her> visible SIGH... then very slowly she says "What.. Company... Are.. You.. From?"
Me> "I'm not from any company - i'm here to pick up a part I ordered"
Her> "What name?"
No apology for the condescending tones - she just struts off into the back room. I wait for about 5 more mins then she reappears with no part but a pad & pen -
Her> "Have you actually ordered a part?"
Me> "Yes"
Her> "Where's your receipt?"
Me> "I ordered if over the phone and apparently you don't send receipts"
Her> "Without the Receipt I can't help you"
Me> "I specifically asked for a receipt when I ordered & was told you don't send them out"
I then got up my credit card transactions on my phone and showed her the debit for the £177 to them taken 2 weeks earlier.
She huffed and went off again for another 3 mins - returning with my part & a printed receipt.
No apology.
Unbelievable - they were SO quick to take my money and then totally obstructive in allowing me to pick up the part I'd already paid for.
I will be putting in a complaint to BMW & leaving a suitable google review - but for anyone else in Southampton area - just a warning not to buy your parts from these jokers!
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