BMW is not supportive of the Enthusiast Community

[Valor1]

Many folks often times wonder how many of their particular car was produced in a given specification. Whether it be Ferrari, BMW or Mercedes, etc., owners may wonder how many cars were produced by the manufacturer of a particularly rare combination. In fact, production numbers can often times be extremely valuable and informative to collectors. A rare interior or exterior color combination or a rare option package are important factors for enthusiasts, whether it be a BMW, Corvette or Ferrari.

So I emailed BMW as my car seems to be a rare combination. The response I got from BMW shows they really are not interested in supporting the enthusiast community. After all, in this day and age of computers this sort of information is readily available within a few key strokes of a computer keyboard.

I responded, stating if BMW is not loyal to its enthusiast customers why should its customers be loyal to BMW?

This is what Matt Evans of BMW wrote in his email:

"We appreciate your interest in acquiring sales and production information. Unfortunately, however, our policy does not permit us to release this data. We hope you stay in touch with us via our websites, www.bmwusa.com and www.bmwusanews.com, for the latest BMW news and product information."

To which I responded: "I would think BMW would want to be seen as supportive of its products and its customers enthusiasm. Otherwise people, including myself, will buy from another brand. If BMW is not loyal to its customers its customers should not be loyal to BMW."

 

[Buckz]

So it's the 2nd thread you create about it? Why do you care if it's rare? Just enjoy the thing or go and buy a confirmed rare car if that's all that matters

 

[Maniac]

What you forget OP is that there are laws and policies within companies for good reason.

You'd not say what you do about BMW if you attended shows as I do where BMW have massive presence and put on a real show for its fans, with exclusive areas and treats for BMW owners.

BMW will always have my custom.

 

[Nictrix]

Do other manufacturers release this sort of data to anybody who contacts them?
Also would you really not buy another BMW just because they wouldnt give you information on other customers cars?
I dont really understand how BMW are not being loyal to their customers either. Can they ever be loyal to a single customer?

 

[Z4M-2006]

:?

I would sell it and buy another brand, something with less sand in the fanny..

 

[Grumpyowl]

What you forget OP is that there are laws and policies within companies for good reason.

You'd not say what you do about BMW if you attended shows as I do where BMW have massive presence and put on a real show for its fans, with exclusive areas and treats for BMW owners.

BMW will always have my custom.

Unless you sell it and keep the Merc oke: :rofl:

 

[sunnydays]

Cant tell if op is serious or not :rofl:

 

[MACK]

I think the OP also needs to consider that depending on the level of detail ask for, it might take a fair bit of compiling by BMW. Their customer relations aren't going to task someone with something very time consuming just to satisfy one customer's curiosity.

 

[enzed4]

Wouldn't the 'enthusiast community' (e.g. this forum) have a good idea of what is rare and what isn't? I'm constantly seeing members' cars posted here that get comments on the level of spec, colour combinations etc. Post up a pic of a white ///M coupe and see what happens .
It seems you've become more fixated on BMW not providing the information than having the information itself; it might be time to just let it go, and enjoy the car.

 

[R.E92]

I'm pretty sure my Z4 is special edition too. How many people specced the ski loading hatch on a RWD convertible :slaphead:

 

[buzyg]

Strange thread. My two pence worth. OP it's a Z4, not a Fezza 250 GTO. Drive it and enjoy it. :driving:

 

[GuidoK]

The point is, there are so many options:
Colour, interior colour, interior dash trims, electronics and whatknot, that there are loads of 'special z4's'
If there are 10.000 possible combinations of those, and 100.000 are sold, on average every 1 in 10 z4's is unique.
And because there are a lot of 'unique combinations', it doesnt make them unique

Can you imagine bmw trying to figure out how many of each car is made if they get this question 50 times a day?
The point is: your car may be a unique combination, but you arent...

I think if you look closely in the supermarket, you'll discover that every apple is also unique :lol:

 

[GBZ4]

Mines special, its white with a black roof and wheels. BMW aren't aware and nor will they be, that doesn't make them disloyal to me as a customer. :fuelfire:

 

[Valor1]

The bottom line is if the BMW community, i.e., you folks all agreeing with BMW, believes BMW not releasing information about their production numbers is okay then BMW will continue to do that.....and their cars will never attain the status of their prior generations of cars, collector-wise.

I have gotten information from Mercedes/AMG regarding my SL65 and in the past from Lamborghini as well. On the other hand, when issues arose with my Z8 (one of 13 Signature 2 Series cars and signed by Henrik Fisker himself) that impacted all Z8 owners once again BMW was not supportive. Similarly, they were useless with regard to my magic violet Z1.

I guess the bottom line is if the cars aren't special enough in BMW's eyes to support the community, and this community doesn't care or want that support in this way then they simply aren't that special......which may in part explain the massive depreciation these cars have.

The fact is collectors do like to know this sort of information. Another fact is cars that were once upon a time not considered collectible, years on, have in fact become collectible.

Judging by folks reactions here these cars are, well, just cars. Frankly I think that's unfortunate because the style and performance potential and fun factor with a stick and an N54 twin tubo six (likened to the Supra and GTR motors in cars that are now collectible) can put these cars in a pretty unique category. Plus, the Z3 and prior Z4 were built in the USA and the new car is a Japanese-German creation. The E89 is the only aluminum hardtop model as all before and after it are traditional soft tops.

On the otherhand, I'm not the only one I guess not thrilled with the direction corporate BMW has gone....away from "the ultimate driving machine" more towards the mass produced regular car. Interesting comments in this video clip: https://youtu.be/GbbNlkP-ZSM first 20 seconds or so and then again at around 15:30

 

[Zedona]

Perhaps you should switch to collecting stamps :fuelfire:

 

[markeg]

Or Alpina's. Much more specialist :wink:

 

[jamie_z4]

i hope you can sleep at night not knowing the exlusivity of your mass produced car :lol:

 

[enzed4]

The bottom line is if the BMW community, i.e., you folks all agreeing with BMW, believes BMW not releasing information about their production numbers is okay then BMW will continue to do that.....and their cars will never attain the status of their prior generations of cars, collector-wise.


I guess the bottom line is if the cars aren't special enough in BMW's eyes to support the community, and this community doesn't care or want that support in this way then they simply aren't that special......which may in part explain the massive depreciation these cars have.



Judging by folks reactions here these cars are, well, just cars.

Not sure about the 'BMW community', but I suspect you're correct about this forum. Members aren't too fussed about exclusivity and elitism when it comes to the Z4, it's more about enjoying the ownership experience, without much of an eye for the future value of them.
We don't want or care about knowing how many versions of every combination of colour, trim, etc were produced by BMW, and we are okay with BMW not releasing the information to that level of detail.
There may be other forums with members of a similar view to yours, but I don't think you will get too much support for your cause here.
My opinion, at least. And since I own a pretty common garden variety 2.5Si there would probably not be much benefit in that knowledge for me.

 

[SeanConnor]

Perhaps you should switch to collecting stamps :fuelfire:

:rofl:

Yup and stop being such a bloody car snob. Are you suggesting that being built in the USA is a good thing ?
The best built car I ever owned was put together in Japan !

Personally I buy cars to drive not to collect.

 

[Pastry]

i hope you can sleep at night not knowing the exlusivity of your mass produced car :lol:

:rofl: :rofl: