BMW Reviews

Half the time I start driving and can't listen to my favored channel on Sirius Radio because it takes an act of war to figure out why the system is quietly confused when both my wife and I (with separate BMW IDs) are in the car together... We owned the car for only about 2 months now but seriously regret our purchase! It's dangerous to drive with all the distractions from trying to set something on the display... Way too many options are very confusing and hard to set/choose on the go (or stationary)... BMW! It's time to concentrate a little to make this car user friendly, stop overcomplicating things please!!

My lease was a custom build I intended to buy out after the 3 years however, after dumping $10,000 into the car in maintenance, I’m done. The windshield had to be replaced 4 times, the first time being the first week I had the car and it taking them 2 weeks + me moving out of town and pressuring them to return the vehicle before I was in my new city. They would mislead me constantly over those 2 weeks, telling me the part is in, and then it would be given to someone else, and I would have to repeated wait for a new one to be in stock (on the most standard BMW model on the road, so why it wasn’t just in stock is a question).

They nickel and dime on EVERYTHING. You want seat heaters? That’s extra. You want seat coolers? That’s extra. You want a back seat heaters? Oh, you bet that’s extra. It really surprised me, especially going over to Tesla and everything you pay extra for on a BMW is atomic on the base models for Tesla (not to mention the fact that Tesla’s drive themselves, I can’t imagine what price gouging will go on with BMW if they ever get to that point).

The tech in the car is iffy at best. I’ve done long drives in silence because the Apple Play wouldn’t connect at all and when I took it in for service, they didn’t even look at it; they responded with “Oh that’s just how it works”. The service department clearly prioritizes the order in which they service the cars based on who brought it in. I once stood there for 30 mins after being told my car was ready, watching guys who dropped their cars off way after me get theirs and be on their way after high-fiving and chopping it up with the service guys.

I could keep going, but all in all, BMW has single-handedly ruined their reputation for being luxury with how cheap they are in their price gouging and delivering even cheaper car parts. I got this car thinking I would have the top of the line German engineering experience, I even *paid extra* for the M package, but alas, I basically paid $1k/month for a big Corolla. These cars aren’t even made in Germany anymore. Not to mention my lease buyout was WAY ABOVE market value and BMW refuses to negotiate on that. I was told, “Well we overproduced the X3s so the market is really saturated. We can’t bring down the price on yours”. As if overproducing is my fault, and I need to cover their losses? Very odd experience, never thought I would leave BMW, let alone for Tesla but here we are.

The alignment was affected by defective suspension components. Although those parts were covered under warranty, the dealership refused to cover the alignment, even after a sales associate said it would be handled. Each visit ends with them claiming they cannot duplicate the problem, even when video evidence is provided, and the vehicle is returned without being repaired.

The car performs poorly in high wind conditions and feels unstable, as if it is being pushed across lanes. The doors are extremely lightweight and feel poorly constructed, giving the impression the vehicle is made of plastic or fiberglass. This does not reflect the build quality expected of a luxury sedan. The leather seats are cracking, including the driver’s seat, despite the vehicle having an MSRP of approximately $96,000. I previously owned seven Mercedes Benz vehicles and never experienced leather failure like this. I chose the BMW 740 because it was slightly cheaper than the Mercedes S Class, and that decision has been a major regret.

The brakes have squeaked since the vehicle had less than 2,000 miles. Two independent repair shops confirmed the noise is caused by the brake components themselves. BMW requires replacing both pads and rotors together, yet considers the squeaking normal. Loud brakes on a nearly new luxury vehicle are unacceptable and embarrassing.

My first repair occurred at about 3,000 miles when the air conditioning blew hot air during the summer. I have returned repeatedly for AC and cooling issues, and the transmission is now lagging, pulling, and slipping. The vehicle has depreciated significantly, dropping from an MSRP of $96,000 to approximately $46,000 in less than two years, a loss of about $50,000 in value.

I am currently in court because neither BMW North America nor the Alpharetta BMW dealership will take responsibility. Sales and service departments deflect blame and deny accountability. Publicly they claim their vehicles are excellent, but behind the scenes they are aware of the defects. I have owned this car for nearly two years and remained patient, but enough is enough.

To make matters worse, I am paying $1,535 per month for this vehicle. The stress has become overwhelming, and I feel emotional every time I drive it because there is always something else wrong. I referred my grandmother to BMW after purchasing my car, and she bought an X3 and began having issues almost immediately, which points to broader quality problems.

Additionally, both my grandmother and I were sold vehicles represented as having about 17 miles, when both actually had over 800 miles. This was only discovered through the BMW app. Buyers should verify mileage before purchasing from the Alpharetta location. My title and registration were also sent to the wrong address.

My lease ends in March 2027, and I cannot wait to be done with this vehicle, either through lease end or a successful court outcome. I am grateful I leased instead of purchased. BMW corporate refuses to take accountability, and the dealership does not stand behind its product. I am sharing this experience to be transparent. Please buy at your own discretion. This vehicle has been a constant source of stress and disappointment from day one, and it is the worst car I have ever owned. Buyers Beware!!!

Returned the car on December 21 after assurances the issues would finally be fixed. On December 26, they presented me with an additional bill for over $980. When I asked about credits for the prior incomplete work, I was told only the diagnostic fee was waived—even though the invoice clearly showed $600+ in labor and I had already paid diagnostics the first time.

Service advisors Scott and Kelly gave repeated conflicting and inaccurate information (claiming labor wasn’t charged when it clearly was, assuring me parts would be verified when they weren’t, promising a courtesy wash that never happened). Even basic assurances were not honored. When I pointed out inconsistencies, the information changed on the spot.

After multiple outright misrepresentations, I lost all confidence in the repairs and the staff’s honesty, so I declined the new charges and I have since escalated to BMW corporate, the PA Attorney General, and the BBB due to what feels like deceptive practices and an attempt to charge twice for the same unfixed problems. This dealership’s service team damaged my trust in the BMW brand. Do yourself a favor—take your BMW anywhere else for service. There are too many horror stories like mine for this to be an isolated incident. Save your money and your sanity.