BMW not accepting unopened spare part return.

[murkeywaters]

Recently I purchased some spares for a BMW I'm restoring from a main dealer and one of the parts is the wrong size, I can see this through the clear packaging that it will not fit so its unopened, I took the part numbers from the RealOEM website which I have had no problem with in the past.

I'm just about to put another order in and I asked about returning the unopened parts, I was told - "I am afraid BMW will not accept the grommets for return"..

While its no big deal as they are not expensive parts its not exactly customer relations at its best, also I imagine if I pushed it there is some trade description that probably backs the customer?

So I guess what I'm asking is can a big company like BMW refuse returns?

I picked up the parts last week so its not like I'm asking after 6 months..

[Kingstepper]

There’s no automatic right of return unless mail order.

However if you were wrongly advised by them that the part would fit you might have a case.

[Onelasttime]

Bought direct from the store or posted?

If posted to you then they are bound by consumer law to allow a return.

If you picked them up from the store there is no legal obligation for them to accept a return, but seems a bit petty IMO.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Had this before with stuff that had to be ordered in.

[thegreatdogwood]

I didn't find BMW the best to deal with, two examples on an X5 40d I owned for a while;

Fault 1 - rear light clusters filled with water over time as seals failed. Known issue and BMW re-designed the part but declined warranty as water damage is excluded. £300 per corner

Fault 2 - the gutter that takes water away from the bottom of the windscreen to the sides has a design fault. It comes in 3 parts with the two joins helpfully being directly over the two banks of injectors. So over time it starts to leak on top of the injectors and one wet day find you are in the outside land of the A34 overtaking a large lorry going uphill when you suddenly lose all power. £1400 bill not covered by warranty as its water damage and soiled underwear

I now drive an Audi....not sure they will be any more user friendly either

[murkeywaters]

Thanks for the replies, didn't realise it was no right to accept personal returns, I did think that may have been the case had I opened and tried the items, ironically the parts are only worth £5 but sell on ebay for far more so I might make a few quid out of them!

[RossC]

....the gutter that takes water away from the bottom of the windscreen to the sides has a design fault. It comes in 3 parts with the two joins helpfully being directly over the two banks of injectors. So over time it starts to leak on top of the injectors and one wet day find you are in the outside land of the A34 overtaking a large lorry going uphill when you suddenly lose all power. £1400 bill not covered by warranty as its water damage and soiled underwear.

Had precisely the same failure myself. Absolutely terrifying in the outside lane at 70mph.

Fixed it, sold the car - I just couldn’t trust it again.

[Rod]

Bought direct from the store or posted?

If posted to you then they are bound by consumer law to allow a return.

If you picked them up from the store there is no legal obligation for them to accept a return, but seems a bit petty IMO.

The problem is backroom staff being not trained in customer relations. It backfires on the dealership through lost customers. Bad experiences are more gossiped about than good ones.
It would do no harm for them to give you a refund and keep you a happy customer.

[blackal]

Companies do charge a "restocking fee", as otherwise - everything sent out, is basically "buy and try".

[MB2]

I didn't find BMW the best to deal with, two examples on an X5 40d I owned for a while;

Fault 1 - rear light clusters filled with water over time as seals failed. Known issue and BMW re-designed the part but declined warranty as water damage is excluded. £300 per corner

Fault 2 - the gutter that takes water away from the bottom of the windscreen to the sides has a design fault. It comes in 3 parts with the two joins helpfully being directly over the two banks of injectors. So over time it starts to leak on top of the injectors and one wet day find you are in the outside land of the A34 overtaking a large lorry going uphill when you suddenly lose all power. £1400 bill not covered by warranty as its water damage and soiled underwear

I now drive an Audi....not sure they will be any more user friendly either

Audi replaced both front wing of my RS4 under their 10 year paintwork warranty when the car was 10 years old so they can be helpful. I do think the full service history at the same Audi helped.

[Captaincook]

Companies do charge a "restocking fee", as otherwise - everything sent out, is basically "buy and try".

I suppose it also depends on the dealer in question. I have just returned some parts I didn’t use, which had been sitting for 6 months. BMW Gloucester were happy to accept the special order return, albeit with a circa 15% restocking fee.

[Maysie]

The problem is backroom staff being not trained in customer relations. It backfires on the dealership through lost customers. Bad experiences are more gossiped about than good ones.
It would do no harm for them to give you a refund and keep you a happy customer.

Based on my experience, this problem is endemic within main dealers nowadays, front of house and back of house too.
They are just glossy showrooms who fit parts and sell cars on behalf of the manufacturer.

I appreciate this is slightly different and a bit OT, but with my recent warranty claims at Toyota, everything is referred back to the manufacturer and if they say 'No' then the dealership are left to deliver the bad news, or front the cost themselves, so they just say no.
Shame as I was just about to buy a new truck from them and was getting a few warranty bits sorted beforehand, but cant bring myself to buy another one now, as it would mean using the main dealers for the warranty again. I would rather keep the old truck and use an independent garage to fix things as they break.

[Pitfitter]

I used to advise customers that; special order items non returnable, and items under £25 non returnable, Kia wouldn’t take them back from me so I didn’t them cluttering up shelves costing money, electrical items were supplied in clear plastic bags that were non returnable if bag opened, not running a ‘try this’ fault finding business. Customers were aware and in the most happy.

[Alansmithee]

Companies do charge a "restocking fee", as otherwise - everything sent out, is basically "buy and try".

For consumer transactions these were largely outlawed about six years ago if someone literally opens a box to look at it and it's unused. Some companies still try it on.

I guess OP's transaction was Business to Business?

[Kingstepper]

For consumer transactions these were largely outlawed about six years ago if someone literally opens a box to look at it and it's unused. Some companies still try it on.

I guess OP's transaction was Business to Business?

Only outlawed for mail order, don’t think relevant here.

[Alansmithee]

Only outlawed for mail order, don’t think relevant here.

That's a depends - if they ordered it online, the garage offers that service and they are just picking it up (click and collect) - then it's covered because of how the contract is formed.

It's why car dealers are careful to have reserve and collect to avoid forming a contract at a distance...

[David_D]

It's why car dealers are careful to have reserve and collect to avoid forming a contract at a distance...

Ah, that's interesting - and worth knowing!