So, were you impressed with your loaner?

[Emanuscript]

Back in 2011, I owned a 2006 330i and I had to leave it the dealership for an a/c issue..they gave me a relatively new 128i..I drove it and then I just had to own that car...I waited 3 years and did some research and landed a 135i..I just love it..

This time when I left her for a turbo job, they gave me a brand new 328i (74 miles on it, really!)..I was not impressed at all and drove it always in sport mode..I hated the start/stop the couple of times I tried it out of curiosity..didn't like the (electric?) steering..didn't like pretty much anything..I guess the 135i is to blame...

(I was secretly hoping they gave me an M4 as loaner)

Any interesting loaner stories?

[Yeineken]

Same boat. The new 3 series loaners are complete garbage. Makes getting my car back feel like a million bucks. Maybe it's some tactic used by BMW? Maybe they make loaners completely awful to save money and not worry about customers treating them like crap?

The X1 loaner on the other hand gave me the wants for a X1 35i for a while. The SO says she wants the 3 GT however.

[KNS]

Several months ago I had a 328 loaner with the M performance package. It was fast and nicely refined. Other than than I hated it!! Way too many safety nannies. I do not want a screen (at all, really) stuck on the top of the dash like an after thought, figure out how to nicely integrate it into the dash like others have done. I couldn't wait to give it back and it only confirmed for me that there are no new BMWs that I would consider purchasing.

Before I purchased my 2013 128i six months ago I was ready to purchase a new BMW if I found one I liked. BMW has lost me as a customer of any of their new products.

[Cavpilot2k]

I've had an X1, 428 and 335 loaners recently.
The X1 wasn't bad.
Hated the 428.
The 335 (I was surprised to get a "35", since they always seem to loan out "28's") was fast in a straight line, but it felt like a boat - as in a battleship.
I keep asking for either an M loaner (not gonna happen) or a 2-series (also not gonna happen due to low inventory).

[dtla1]

I recently had a 428i grand coupe as a loaner. Crap.

[Downeaster1]

Dealerships don't loan out M vehicles, because 1) It's a horrible idea and 2) BMW North America won't reimburse them for the expense. When I was a tech at my last dealership, we would always have people requesting M3 and M5 loaner vehicles. If you are LUCKY, you might get a 535i. In Maryland, we had a variety of loaner vehicles (3, 5, 7, X's and a few Z4's) but for some reason at California dealerships i've worked at all they have are i3's, 320i's,328i's and one ActiveHybrid 5.

[Cavpilot2k]

I don't expect them to issue M cars. But the dearth of "35" loaners is disappointing, especially if you are having one in for service. It sucks going from a x35 to a x28, be it a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 series.
I've never gotten a service loaner that is as fast as my 135 is (or even was when bone stock).
It's like turning in your Cadillac at a GM dealership and getting a Mailbu in return.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

I don't expect them to issue M cars. But the dearth of "35" loaners is disappointing, especially if you are having one in for service. It sucks going from a x35 to a x28, be it a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 series.
I've never gotten a service loaner that is as fast as my 135 is (or even was when bone stock).
It's like turning in your Cadillac at a GM dealership and getting a Mailbu in return.

I kind of agree that it's a bit disappointing, but at the same time I don't expect to get the x35 car as loaners. They're going to give you the more basic cars to get you from point A to point B to point C. Work, home, and back to the dealer. Not cars with the faster engines because they don't expect you to go drag racing, or flooring it up onramps, or stoplight racing, et cetera, and you're definitely not going to get a manual. Basic transportation. At least that's my understanding.

My last loaner was a Marrakesh Brown 128i. Hated the color but at least it was a 1 series. Before that was a 328 (yawn). Before that they had no BMW to loan me so I had to go to the rental office. I got a Camry. Oh man, did that suck. Of course, my service visit was unexpected and unplanned, so I guess I was lucky I got a car at all.

[dtla1]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

I kind of agree that it's a bit disappointing, but at the same time I don't expect to get the x35 car as loaners. They're going to give you the more basic cars to get you from point A to point B to point C. Work, home, and back to the dealer. Not cars with the faster engines because they don't expect you to go drag racing, or flooring it up onramps, or stoplight racing, et cetera, and you're definitely not going to get a manual. Basic transportation. At least that's my understanding.

My last loaner was a Marrakesh Brown 128i. Hated the color but at least it was a 1 series. Before that was a 328 (yawn). Before that they had no BMW to loan me so I had to go to the rental office. I got a Camry. Oh man, did that suck. Of course, my service visit was unexpected and unplanned, so I guess I was lucky I got a car at all.

I agree with your point EvenEsteban, although this is completely against their "ultimate driving machine" motto, not that this is even half relevant these days anyways with the exception of M cars at least.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by dtla1

I agree with your point EvenEsteban, although this is completely against their "ultimate driving machine" motto, not that this is even half relevant these days anyways with the exception of M cars at least.

I guess it means there are different versions of the "ultimate driving machine" and it depends on what you own and your point of view.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

I guess it means there are different versions of the "ultimate driving machine" and it depends on what you own and your point of view.

Of course this was always just an advertising slogan. There were a lot of indifferent 3 and 5 series cars made in the last couple of decades. The Z3 Convertibles with low-powered engines were hardly ultimate even if they may have been fun to be in on a nice day with the top down . . . . the 1973 2002 I bought new in 1973 had a zero to 60 time in excess of 10 seconds. The E36 and E46 vehicles whose rear subframe disintegrated were not even passable, no less "ultimate."

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by champignon

Of course this was always just an advertising slogan. There were a lot of indifferent 3 and 5 series cars made in the last couple of decades. The Z3 Convertibles with low-powered engines were hardly ultimate even if they may have been fun to be in on a nice day with the top down . . . . the 1973 2002 I bought new in 1973 had a zero to 60 time in excess of 10 seconds. The E36 and E46 vehicles whose rear subframe disintegrated were not even passable, no less "ultimate."

Thanks for enlightening us.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by EvenEsteban

Thanks for enlightening us.

Happy to have accommodated you

[CrazyIrishPenguin]

The first loaner I got was an X3 Diesel which felt like driving through mud, an extra pain since you have to top off the fuel and the nearest stations to the dealership don't carry diesel (wtf).

The second loaner was an X1 with the small motor which I expected to be pretty lame but surprised me. Felt much closer to a slightly blown up version of my 1 than a shrunken version of the X3. Didn't make me want to run out and get one but I would take it as a loaner again.

[NYHoustonman]

To be honest, I always look forward to new car experiences, so rentals and loaners always come with a bit of excitement, at least for the first day. Typically that dies off very quickly .

BMW's new cars, for the market they now serve, are pretty damned good - but I do think they've lost their edge, for better and for worse.

[Dackelone]

You guys need to come over to his side of the pond... try having to PAY (25 euros/day) for your loaner. And all they have are 116i and 118d's. MAYBE if your lucky you will get a 120d. lol Seriously.

And most dealers don't get rid of their loaners... they just run them into the ground... sort of like what the Polizei do to their fleet.

my last loaner car... a 116i