Maybe it's a M car after all ...

[b33g33]

Remember the 1500 mile break-in service on your 1M? That was a bit of a mess wasn't it?

The 1M kind of snuck up on almost everyone and, predictably, the dealerships were the ones caught with their pants down the lowest.

Thanks to these excellent forums and the brave and generous souls like Dan P, Metak, Paps (among many, many others who are not mentioned but definitely not forgotten) who girded their loins and braved the ignorant oceans of dealer service areas and suffered the consequences, most of us who followed had a wealth of information about what the 1500 service entailed.

I, like many others, arrived at the dealership brandishing multiple printouts and seeking assurances from our SAs that our babies would not be violated with M3 engine oils and other pollutants. While the worst-case-scenario did not transpire in my case, I had a particularly unpleasant experience with an ignorant and arrogant SA (let's call him 'specimen A') who refused to even acknowledge the information I had with me and insisted that 'they knew what they were doing' and that my car was 'just a slightly modified 135'. I posted a fairly lengthy account of this encounter on the forums as well as Yelp and feel no need to rehash it here.

To make a long story short, I took my keys back and walked out and went directly to the manager of the service department who personally took care of my 1500 mile service and did such an awesome job that I decided to keep my business at the dealership after all - as long as the above mentioned specimen was NEVER allowed within 50 yards of my car.

An interesting thing happened today. I had a couple of minor things I wanted to get checked out on the car before my next scheduled service (not due for another 4000 miles) so ended up taking the car in this morning.

After it came back from the service bay, my SA handed me the keys and I was in the middle of re-adjusting my seat when Specimen A actually walked up to my driver side window. I braced myself for some kind of snide remark and initiated my 'don't wrestle with a pig' protocols. Imagine my surprise when he grinned and told me to give him a call 'if I ever decided to get rid of the 1M'. He continued on and told me how much he liked the car and that they should have made a few more of them for the US. I thanked him for the compliment and told him that the 1M was definitely a keeper in my book and not likely to go on sale.

As I pulled out of the dealership, I couldn't help but grin as these words popped into my head: "I guess it's a real M car after all."

[ilikebmxbikes]

Awesome story.

Mcar or not, the 1M is an amazing sought after and well recognized machine. No one can deny that.

[1'M Blue]

Its nice to know you own a special car that is well recognised in the industry.

nice story !

[135Pats]

It’s an incredible machine, “real M car” or not (I think it sure as hell is), it’s extremely rare and extremely good.

[Redadair]

Great story, we knew it was a real M car from the beginning right. Mostly the M3 group that had a hard time handling the fact that the 1M was such an awesome car.

Actually that break in service was 1200 miles!

[b33g33]

Originally Posted by Redadair

Great story, we knew it was a real M car from the beginning right. Mostly the M3 group that had a hard time handling the fact that the 1M was such an awesome car.

Actually that break in service was 1200 miles!

Heh, there was a beautiful White E92 M3 in for service today as well. The owner and I gave each other Thumb Up's as we passed.

[Artemis]

i, is, GT, S, R, RS, M, CSL, etc. ?*

Let's just keep it to an I.C.-G.C.: "Instant Classic - Great Car".



*maybe except for "x" ?

[EINSER M]

funny stuff

[Chachirims]

Maybe he complemented your M cause he took it for a joyride and had his way with it, and if that wasn't enough offered to buy it from you. Jaja. just kidding

[ozinaldo]

Good story and relatively happy ending too. I myself am not going to the only BMW dealer here anymore. Just can't leave the car there, no way. I wish I just move to an other country soon (I like Chile otherwise) with 1M coming with me of course or who knows BMW decides to give its brand name to another company in Chile which can actually tell the difference between an automobile and a horse cart.

[b33g33]

Originally Posted by Chachirims

Maybe he complemented your M cause he took it for a joyride and had his way with it, and if that wasn't enough offered to buy it from you. Jaja. just kidding

Ha ha! Unless he can also fix the odo, it didn't happen.

I'm thinking his initial attitude may have been a case of sour grapes.

[Papethova]

Im curious did Specimen A realize or remember who you were?

[Kgolf31]

I'll admit, I was very hesitant about the 1M...no special Sxx engine....etc, etc.

Anyways, I drove one in Spartanburg, SC during the M performance school and my mind immediately changed.

I can go on and on, but you get my point. You don't know the potential of a car til you push it to it's limit.

[b33g33]

Originally Posted by Papethova

Im curious did Specimen A realize or remember who you were?

If he did, he was very good at hiding it.

I know that the service manager, who I bonded with because he was actually a fellow car enthusiast and a M3 owner, wrote the specimen up for his behavior and put him on some sort of corrective action plan.

Maybe those things actually work!

[Dan Parker]

German "corrective action plans" are known to be harsh. I think he was merely covering one of the steps in the program when he acted interested in your car. Heck, he probably forwarded this thread to the high commander at BMWNA for review.

[b33g33]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

German "corrective action plans" are known to be harsh. I think he was merely covering one of the steps in the program when he acted interested in your car. Heck, he probably forwarded this thread to the high commander at BMWNA for review.

The beating will probably continue then ...

[135IS]

o bmw representatives...

[Venom]

Originally Posted by b33g33

'if I ever decided to get rid of the 1M'

My money is on the possibility that he was looking to re-sell it if you were ever looking to sell it. Especially since they could probably get over MSRP on it. Although I have never heard of an SA being one to sell a car.

Neat story, glad it turned around