Anyone dealt with Florida Regional Rep Joe Garcia?

[tbird]

Hi all,

Doing some research. I am trying to solve an issue with my brother's car, and I got screwed over by this guy. I have been burned by a regional rep before, but I couldn't prove he lied until a couple years later when a person on BMWCCA had the same problem and found the answer. Now, I'm trying to keep my brother from getting burned fully.

He has a 2011 135 with DCT. I have a lengthy topic on the general forum board about a very lengthy pause in the tranny swapping between neutral and "in gear". The DCT does it via computer back and forth, depending on when you touch the accelerator pedal. On a M-DCT, it's instant. On a 335's DCT, it's about .5 seconds. On my brother's car, it is around 1.5 seconds, which is painfully intolerable when you have the occasion that you need torque very quickly, like when pulling out into traffic.

On the topic in the general area, everyone reports no lengthy pause. I am assuming that the DCT difference between the 335 and the 135 is very minimal, and should have the same pause. I showed the Service reps (about 5 of them), The Mini shop foreman, and then the BMW Shop Foreman, it took two seconds on a backstreet behind the dealer, and the BMW Foreman agreed there was a pause. We disagreed on some parts, agreed on others. However, since the car is not putting out a fault code, his hands are tied.

BMW NA Regional Representative Joe Garcia was planning to be there one day, so I got out of work, went to the dealer, and he didn't even bother to show or call. He came the next day, and drove the car. His report (I was at work, couldn't be there to witness) and then reported "Drove the car 11 miles, didn't detect any pause."

Everyone at the dealership agrees there is a pause, and it only takes a few yards to feel it. Joe Garcia claims he drove the car 11 miles, in downtown rush hour traffic in Miami, and couldn't detect any pause". This is just such a blatant lie and brush-off, that I decided I can't let it go. The guys at the dealership are awesome, and they tried their best, but this Regional Rep is a complete (fill in your favorite insult word) and he needs to be warned that his behavior is unacceptable to the consumer.

If anyone has had dealings with him, I want to hear your experience. Good or bad, I would like to know. Please share. I want BMW NA to know what their rep is truly like.

Thank you ahead of time for your input. Take care, and enjoy your motoring.

[cheshirecat79]

I don't understand why you won't take the BMW tech bulletin to your dealer and insist on the reflashed software, but best of luck to you.