BMW BLUE'S: Atlantic vs. Atlantis

[Atomic]

Interesting read... Fellow Spinners, What would you do? 

BMW Paints M3 Individual in the Wrong Color But Doesn't Make Things Right...



FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2013 CATEGORIES: BMW, BMW M3, OFFBEAT NEWS, REPORTS |

Story Link/Pics: http://www.carscoops.com/2013/05/BMW-M3-Individual-Wrong-Color.html

Any BMW M3 is a special car, even if you go for the most basic model without options - any spirited driver would love to own one, regardless of doors, color and specs. However, M3Post member "b-thumper" explains that things are much more complicated and contrived than in the real world, and his story is quite an eye-opener.

Having owned an E46 M3 for eight years, b-thumper decided it was time to get his hands on the wheel of the latest V8-powered M3, so he set about trying to order one, but realizes deadline for the e90 model had passed on. So, he went for an E92, which he ordered through BMW's Individual program that allows buyers to choose special colors for the exterior and interior, and also opted for the European delivery program.

In his own words, "After spending about 4 years working on color and interior options (causing me to miss the E90 order deadline), I had a production number for my dream E9x M3. A 2013 E92 in Atlantis Blue with Blue deviated stitching and the Indvidual Piano trim. What could be better than to drive my dream car in Germany, Individually customized, and around the Nürburgring?"

Upon arriving in Germany, b-thumper checked into a hotel, and then went to the take delivery of his car. At the BMW Museum in Munich, he was looking through the cars that were being handed over to their owners, and noticed a US-spec M3 painted in a different shade of blue than the one he had ordered. The paint finish was Atlantic Blue (see picture on the right), when it should have been Atlantis Blue - a noticeably brighter and more vivid shade. And guess what? It was his car!

"I RUN to my laptop and check all my paperwork/emails. YES, they all say Atlantis Blue. Before I had narrowed it down to the final color choice, it even mentioned the paint code in earlier emails," he writes on the M3 Post forums.

"At this point, I start to notify the front desk of my situation. They kindly refer me to the gentleman who will be doing my delivery experience. He could not have been nicer, but I made it clear; we have the wrong color car!"

Since the current M3 is reaching the end of the line, the order books have now closed. BMW offered at first to repaint the car and/or refit the unique interior into another M3 that was painted the right color. B-thumper refused both options.

"There is talk of possibly repainting the car (which I expressed as an impossibility). I want a new M3, as originally specified," said B-thumper.

"Some options like swapping the interior from the existing car were offered, but much like repainting the car, it will never be 100% authentic and I can only imagine it will lead to a world of squeaks and rattles. It's not a stretch to say that the Individual program is the very reason I am buying an M3 and to have the interior missing is unacceptable," he added.

B-thumper said BMW told him they could not rectify the situation in full and build him a new Individual M3 to his precise specifications inside and out because production was ending soon and there's no time left.

"At this point it would appear that BMW is so rigid in their production processes that they are unable to correct their own error. If the interior takes an additional 2 weeks lead time, call they supplier and have it rushed! If that is not possible, have the car stored until the interior is ready. It simply doesn't take 8 weeks to make that interior. There is always a way to make this all work out," he wrote.

B-thumper continued:

"While I enjoyed my time in Germany, it ended up being thousands of dollars spent on the wrong vacation. Nobody has offered to reimburse me for my airfare or offer me any financial compensation for the inconvenience. Unless you consider two free tickets to the BMW museum financial compensation."

"In any event, this is not resolved at the time of this posting and I am posting my story as a cautionary tale and as a public plea to BMW to make this right. They are trying to make things right, but I am having some serious doubts. Here we are, more than 9 days later and I am left with a hope and a prayer that they can build my car as desired. It almost goes without saying that the outcome of my situation will greatly influence my desire to own any future BMW vehicles."

Perhaps BMW is a victim of its own success, becoming too large and therefore cumbersome for its own good. While some M3Post forum members are calling this a first world problem, it is a problem nonetheless when you order one thing and you receive another, regardless of how much it costs or how much you make.

By Andrei Nedelea

Story References: M3 Posts via Jalopnik

[Atomic]

I can feel for the individual and empathize with immense frustration for what sounds like the car (err... BMW) of this dreams. Bimmer was incredibly accommodating but there was no easy fix whatsoever, IMO.

[Catman]

I guess I would be pissed as well.

[SVT666]

I understand why he's upset...especially when you are spending that much money on a car, it had better be right.

Having said that...First World Problem.

[cawimmer430]

[CALL_911]

I'd be fucking livid.

[MrH]

I can understand why he's mad, but serious LOL at him talking about how easy it would be for BMW to make his car after production stopped.

[Cookie Monster]

I can understand why he's mad, but serious LOL at him talking about how easy it would be for BMW to make his car after production stopped.

Who cares? It's not his problem. He forked over the $80k, he better get what he paid for, regardless of how hard it is for BMW to make it or how the factory processes work.

[MrH]

Who cares? It's not his problem. He forked over the $80k, he better get what he paid for, regardless of how hard it is for BMW to make it or how the factory processes work.

They offered to move his unique interior into a car that's the color he ordered. He refused because "it didn't come from the normal assembly line". Fuck him, what else are they supposed to do?

[Cookie Monster]

They offered to move his unique interior into a car that's the color he ordered. He refused because "it didn't come from the normal assembly line". Fuck him, what else are they supposed to do?

Would you seriously spend $80k cash and then get a car that had interiors swapped with another car? As he (and Onslaught) have said, those interiors don't go back together the same way once they've come out. Plus, as he said, the stitching and whatnot won't show up on the build sheet/VIN with an interior swap.

Yeah he's anal, but he has a right to be with such an expensive car. I would probably try and haggle BMW down and get a cheaper deal on the car with an interior swap but then again I don't care about interior rattles. Others do.

BTW the Atlantic blue is so much worse than the one he ordered.

[MrH]

Would you seriously spend $80k cash and then get a car that had interiors swapped with another car? As he (and Onslaught) have said, those interiors don't go back together the same way once they've come out. Plus, as he said, the stitching and whatnot won't show up on the build sheet/VIN with an interior swap.

Yeah he's anal, but he has a right to be with such an expensive car. I would probably try and haggle BMW down and get a cheaper deal on the car with an interior swap but then again I don't care about interior rattles. Others do.

BTW the Atlantic blue is so much worse than the one he ordered.

They can print him a new build sheet. That's not a big deal.

And yes, it does goes back together the same way if done right. Especially when its BMW's screw up. You can bet your ass they'd get the thing perfect. More so than one coming off the line.

Yes, he's anal. And also stupid.

[MX793]

I understand concerns about rattles if they have to pull the interior and then swap it into a different car, but what parts of the interior, exactly, would need to be transplanted?  It's likely that the piano trim would be found in another car already, so that just leaves the leather parts with the special stitching (seats, steering wheel, shift knob...).  These items generally are not snap-in parts and the likelihood of rattling would be extremely low.  I'd probably take this offer, assuming they threw in some kind of extended warranty or a discount on the price or covered airfare or my hotel or something.

And he missed being able to order an E90 because he took 4 years trying to figure out colors and options?  I call bullshit on that excuse.

[Cookie Monster]

I understand concerns about rattles if they have to pull the interior and then swap it into a different car, but what parts of the interior, exactly, would need to be transplanted?  It's likely that the piano trim would be found in another car already, so that just leaves the leather parts with the special stitching (seats, steering wheel, shift knob...).  These items generally are not snap-in parts and the likelihood of rattling would be extremely low.  I'd probably take this offer, assuming they threw in some kind of extended warranty or a discount on the price or covered airfare or my hotel or something.

And he missed being able to order an E90 because he took 4 years trying to figure out colors and options?  I call bullshit on that excuse.

"As to why it took 4 years: Individual color paint has to be approved before the order is placed. Individual interiors can also take an extended period of time to sort out. At the start of this process, I was interested in an E90 in Audi's Nogaro Blue. I have 2 Audi's in that color now, one painted via Audi's Exclusive program. The original dealer I started with (who shall remain nameless) caused me to miss the order deadline for the E90. I was waiting for approval on Nogaro Blue, but made it clear that I did not want to miss the order deadline for an Individual E90. One day I call the salesman and he informs me that he forgot to tell me, but that not only was Nogaro Blue denied, but that the order window has closed for Individual paint on an E90. Call me crazy, but I didn't want a stock color E90 and so I went and bought an A4 Avant in Nogaro blue for daily driving duties. As I was contemplating an E92, I stumbled across Steve Thomas BMW and contacted them about an E92 with some Individual options. There was no pressure, but we got the ball rolling on what was initially to be an M3 in Nogaro Blue, with matching blue alcantara, and blue stitching on the seats. Of the exterior color list I had requested, Nogaro blue was surprisingly APPROVED, in addition to several other colors (including Atlantis with the correct paint code). The blue alcantara interior was not approved, but they were willing to do blue leather in any way I wanted. For a VERY VERY LARGE sum of money. I decided that I wanted the two-tone blue/black leather interior, but that I had to get a leather sample before I could approve the option. It turns out BMW DE was waiting for us to order the car that way (with the $$$$$ interior), before they would provide a leather sample. And not the other way around. To be frank, I'm not paying for an option that is 50% of the base price of the car without seeing a leather sample. So I bailed on the custom color leather and decided to stick with deviated stitching. That was also frustrating because they could not provide a sample of the thread being used and I had concerns about it matching the exterior and custom color leather.

Since beginning the order process, I went from one to two nogaro blue cars and the prospect of owning 3 was starting to sound less exciting, especially since the matching interior leather was not going to happen. So of the final 3 colors I had approval to order (Nogaro, Mora, and Atlantis), I settled on Atlantis. We got the order placed and voila: 4-years passed."


Considering he took 4 years and wanted such an exclusive Audi color on his BMW, and wanted a custom interior, and waited 4 years to decide, do you really think he's the type of person to settle for an interior swap?


Also, the problem is BMW says it will take them 8 weeks to build an interior but they M3 is only in production for 6 weeks. I don't know the processes behind building an interior, but I would think they could at least make an exception and rush the process for him to keep the customer happy.

[MrH]

"As to why it took 4 years: Individual color paint has to be approved before the order is placed. Individual interiors can also take an extended period of time to sort out. At the start of this process, I was interested in an E90 in Audi's Nogaro Blue. I have 2 Audi's in that color now, one painted via Audi's Exclusive program. The original dealer I started with (who shall remain nameless) caused me to miss the order deadline for the E90. I was waiting for approval on Nogaro Blue, but made it clear that I did not want to miss the order deadline for an Individual E90. One day I call the salesman and he informs me that he forgot to tell me, but that not only was Nogaro Blue denied, but that the order window has closed for Individual paint on an E90. Call me crazy, but I didn't want a stock color E90 and so I went and bought an A4 Avant in Nogaro blue for daily driving duties. As I was contemplating an E92, I stumbled across Steve Thomas BMW and contacted them about an E92 with some Individual options. There was no pressure, but we got the ball rolling on what was initially to be an M3 in Nogaro Blue, with matching blue alcantara, and blue stitching on the seats. Of the exterior color list I had requested, Nogaro blue was surprisingly APPROVED, in addition to several other colors (including Atlantis with the correct paint code). The blue alcantara interior was not approved, but they were willing to do blue leather in any way I wanted. For a VERY VERY LARGE sum of money. I decided that I wanted the two-tone blue/black leather interior, but that I had to get a leather sample before I could approve the option. It turns out BMW DE was waiting for us to order the car that way (with the $$$$$ interior), before they would provide a leather sample. And not the other way around. To be frank, I'm not paying for an option that is 50% of the base price of the car without seeing a leather sample. So I bailed on the custom color leather and decided to stick with deviated stitching. That was also frustrating because they could not provide a sample of the thread being used and I had concerns about it matching the exterior and custom color leather.

Since beginning the order process, I went from one to two nogaro blue cars and the prospect of owning 3 was starting to sound less exciting, especially since the matching interior leather was not going to happen. So of the final 3 colors I had approval to order (Nogaro, Mora, and Atlantis), I settled on Atlantis. We got the order placed and voila: 4-years passed."


Considering he took 4 years and wanted such an exclusive Audi color on his BMW, and wanted a custom interior, and waited 4 years to decide, do you really think he's the type of person to settle for an interior swap?


Also, the problem is BMW says it will take them 8 weeks to build an interior but they M3 is only in production for 6 weeks. I don't know the processes behind building an interior, but I would think they could at least make an exception and rush the process for him to keep the customer happy.

Yeah, doesn't work that way. There are lead times for every step of the process. I'm guessing the long lead time items have already begun switching over for production of the next generation.

The fact he's trying to add 50% in price just to get a custom leather option shows what kind of idiot we're talking about. He wanted BMW to provide samples of this custom leather at no cost too? he submitted three exterior colors to them on two different models. He likely wouldn't have been happy with a sample they could have provided and would have changed his mind yet again.

This is just one of those customers you can't make happy and he's clearly got more money than brains.

[Cookie Monster]

I don't know how these things work, but doesn't BMW have a supplier for stuff like the interior? Can't they just go to them and be like "yo I need this extra quick" and pay them extra money?

As I already said, I'd probably go for the interior swap, get some money off the car and enjoy it, but I can totally understand why someone who dropped $80k on a car would want it to be absolutely perfect.

[MrH]

That supplier already shipped 8 weeks of parts out, and probably started preparing for the production of the next model. That means tools are out of equipment, manufacturing cells broken down, things have been moved around, etc. Even just swapping a tool back into an injection molding machine takes awhile. And then you have start up scrap, gotta tune the machine, etc.

You can't just type into a computer to make one more after production has stopped.

[TurboDan]

I would be fucking livid. We don't know the guy's financial situation, either. He may have worked hard, sacrificed and saved for years to buy this car, only to have some idiot get the most outwardly visible aspect of it – the color – wrong. He's absolutely justified in wanting BMW to make it right. A lot of people are defending them but there is NO way they couldn't put a rush on something. I'll bet if the M3 was for the CEO's nephew and they messed it up, they could fit one into their production schedule.

He was absolutely right to post about it publicly as well. I hope somehow it's figured out. It's bad enough when someone messes up your sandwich at a deli, it's intolerable and totally unacceptable when someone does it with a product that costs $80,000.

[Cookie Monster]

Not sure if he was in a financial bind as he was prepared to spend $35k on a custom interior, and only didn't do that because BMW wouldn't send him a leather sample.

[SVT666]

If he wanted the custom leather so bad, then just get it custom made after the fact for a lot less money.

[Cookie Monster]

If he wanted the custom leather so bad, then just get it custom made after the fact for a lot less money.

Then you're still taking out the interior and it won't be OEM.

[SVT666]

Then you're still taking out the interior and it won't be OEM.

Big deal.  You will likely get better quality leather and the exact colour you want.  Door panels and seats are what we are talking about guys.  Those come out and go back together quite easily.

[Cookie Monster]

Big deal.  You will likely get better quality leather and the exact colour you want.  Door panels and seats are what we are talking about guys.  Those come out and go back together quite easily.

Hey, I wouldn't even get a custom interior, or even go through the Individual program, but to someone who wants a perfect OEM car I don't think they'd want to get an aftermarket interior.

[MX793]

I would be fucking livid. We don't know the guy's financial situation, either. He may have worked hard, sacrificed and saved for years to buy this car, only to have some idiot get the most outwardly visible aspect of it – the color – wrong. He's absolutely justified in wanting BMW to make it right. A lot of people are defending them but there is NO way they couldn't put a rush on something. I'll bet if the M3 was for the CEO's nephew and they messed it up, they could fit one into their production schedule.

He was absolutely right to post about it publicly as well. I hope somehow it's figured out. It's bad enough when someone messes up your sandwich at a deli, it's intolerable and totally unacceptable when someone does it with a product that costs $80,000.

Based on the fact that he apparently bought (and kept) two new Audis in the period of time in which he was attempting to order this car, I'm going to guess that money was not a real concern.

Would I be pissed if I plunked down $80K plus paid for plane tickets and a hotel and they screwed up my order?  Absolutely.  Completely reasonable response.
Would I refuse to accept a car painted the wrong color?  You bet.  Completely reasonable response.

Ordinarily, I think it would be completely reasonable to demand they build it again correctly.  Given the circumstance that his car was one of the last off the line and production is going to come to a halt before they'd be able to source all of of the necessary parts to build another car, that's a different matter.  Demanding that they hold the assembly line open a couple of extra weeks to build one last car is like demanding that a plane that just lifted off the runway circle around, land, and pick you up because you missed your flight.  Doesn't matter how expensive your tickets were or that it was the airline's fault you missed your flight, it's just not gonna happen.  That ship has sailed.  BMW stands to lose far more money (this would delay production of next year's models) holding up the assembly line than this guy's car or satisfaction are worth.

So ultimately, the guy has 4 basic options:
1)  He can take receipt of a car that's the wrong color.
2)  He can accept their offer to repaint the car the correct color.
3)  He can accept their offer to have his custom interior swapped into a car already painted the correct color
4)  He can demand a full refund and not have an E92 M3 at all.

As I've already stated, I sure as heck wouldn't go with option 1 (especially in this case, the color that car is painted is nowhere near as attractive as the one he ordered and would not match the custom interior).

I also wouldn't go with option 2 since, unless they stripped the car to its bones to repaint it, you'd see the original color hiding here and there.  Totally with this guy on that call.

I understand the hesitation with option 3 and rattle concerns.  I'd only go with this option if I really had my heart set on an E92 and I don't think I'd go with it unless they offered me some kind of extras (either reduce the price, extended warranty, pay my travel expenses, or something along those lines)

If I didn't have my heart set on having an E92, I'd likely demand a full refund plus ask to be reimbursed for travel expenses.  Or, I might ask that they offer to cut me a special deal on a next-gen M3 built with a custom color/interior combo like the one I had originally ordered.

[Soup DeVille]

Would you seriously spend $80k cash and then get a car that had interiors swapped with another car? As he (and Onslaught) have said, those interiors don't go back together the same way once they've come out. Plus, as he said, the stitching and whatnot won't show up on the build sheet/VIN with an interior swap.

Yeah he's anal, but he has a right to be with such an expensive car. I would probably try and haggle BMW down and get a cheaper deal on the car with an interior swap but then again I don't care about interior rattles. Others do.

BTW the Atlantic blue is so much worse than the one he ordered.

You have any idea what sort of jiggering happens on the assembly kline every day? Cars get repainted all the time- they get seats replaced, they get drivetrains replaced.

You don't get an $80,000 product to the nearly complete stage and then scrap it because a guy leaves a screwdriver in his pocket and tears the door panel trim, or because an air line breaks and scratches the car as its dropped onto the final conveyor.

You take them aside, and you do what you need to do to fix them.

[Soup DeVille]

Hey, I wouldn't even get a custom interior, or even go through the Individual program, but to someone who wants a perfect OEM car I don't think they'd want to get an aftermarket interior.

Its not an aftermarket interior if its done before he take delivery of the car from BMW.

Its original equipment.

[Lebowski]

Who cares? It's not his problem. He forked over the $80k, he better get what he paid for, regardless of how hard it is for BMW to make it or how the factory processes work.

It sucks and I'm sympathetic to a point, but they aren't going to hold everything and produce one when its at the end of production, just not gonna happen.

If I were him I'd probably just take my money back (and see if they could reimburse for part of the trip?) and move on with life.  Maybe I'd take a different car in the exterior of choice if it has an interior I could live with, at a discount. Personally I would not want the car resprayed or the interior swapped out of a new car.

Get your money back and move on with life dude, buying a car should be fun there's no reason to draw it out at this point when as said, the ship has already sailed.  And next time don't take 4 years to pick a color.

[Soup DeVille]

BMW has offered to repaint and re-interior the car.

Have they tried offering a simple (sizable) discount?

Have they offered to simple forgo the sale and give him his money back?

That's all they can really do. (Except next time, choose better names for your colors)

[GoCougs]

Guy simply sounds like a whiny high maintenance pussy. Continuing the production process is a lol and cars get reworked at the factory all the time. I'm also naturally biased against people who take factory delivery, who are super specific on colors (esp. goofy colors like that awful blue on the seats), and who don't do nothing but whine and bitch rather than just buck up and choose a viable solution.

[MrH]

I just saw the pics of the seats... Oh man those are bad. The exterior color is pretty boring too. He spent 4 years to come up with that?!

I like the mistaken color better

[93JC]

I don't understand. He ordered a particular paint colour, they flubbed the process and painted the car the wrong colour. They offered to repaint the car the correct colour—he refused. They offered to swap the interior over to another car, painted in the correct colour—he refused. He insists that BMW build him an entirely new car instead.


How is it that a man that retarded acquired enough money to buy this car in the first place?