BMW of Fremont Service Center — Local services in Fremont

This is a tough review for me to write, as I have always had absolutely terrible experiences when I've visited BMW of Fremont, starting from the Sales Department not showing me the vehicle(s) that I wanted to see, to brushing me off and telling me that I should consider a Lexus or Toyota (I ended up with (3) BMW's, none purchased from Fremont). My most recent terrible experience was at the service department, where I came in for routine maintenance, which should have been covered by my all-inclusive maintenance package, however, the Service Adviser would not check his system to see that I even have a package, and then proceeded to say I have 2 tires that are damaged due to nails (I have wheel and tire protection), but he said I need to provide the proof of protection instead of just checking his system, and also stated that I needed to replace some part that made absolutely no sense for the age of my car that would cost upwards of $600, even though I have a maintenance package that should in essence cover said part if it needs replacing. During this whole time, no eye contact is being made with me, no smiles, no refreshments being offered, no attempt to listen to me, the client, who is explaining that my tires aren't showing a warning, or that I have a full maint. package, or I don't understand what is going on. It was almost 5pm, so I said you can keep the car while you figure it out, but since I requested a loaner, may I take one home and we can circle back tomorrow since I need to get somewhere urgent? Service Advisor states that "no BMW location" provides loaners, which was a lie, because I just received one 1.5-2 months prior when I had a damaged tire replaced--- THROUGH MY WHEEL AND TIRE PACKAGE! I got very upset and asked for my key and said I will take my care to the dealership that seems to care, and made an appointment 45 minutes away where I was taken care of better.

Now, 4 stars because I did speak with the Service Manager, who listened to this entire story and assured me I would not have to deal with this type of experience ever again (I surely hope not!), and asked me how he can make things right, and we came to an agreement. Also the rating for the other Service Advisor that I worked with when I initially went in for low tire pressure, Nick L, who did do his due diligence and was the one who explained to me that I have the tire protection and replaced my tire the first time, and reminded me that my maintenance package is really great and I can do my maintenance even 1,500 miles before the due date without being penalized, and went into detail about the package, etc. He also provided me with a loaner as he knew the need for it, and made sure to follow up regarding the status of my car, even after he was off work because he has forgotten before he left work. This time, the Manager assigned Nick as my Service Advisor and he greeted me with a smile and made sure my car was taken care of, and I had a loaner (BMW does provide them, even at the location 45 minutes away I received one), and he was very communitive through the service period.

If my service was solely based on the advisor who wanted to charge me thousands and wouldn't even make eye contact with me, this review would have been zero stars if even possible; but because the Service Manager and Nick L were much better to work with and reasonable, 4/5 *. I truly hope I can maintain this review and am able to return in a few months for service again.

7/25/2024; updating review based on the service I’ve received since my previous encounter. My experience has been great with my service advisor, and I have no complaints. I had an issue with my tire, and he was able to get it replaced under my warranty without any issues, provided a loaner, and found an issue with another tire and replaced that as well. He’s never tried to upsell me on additional services or products that I don’t need, but rather only the stuff that are absolutely required, and I appreciate it. Thank you, Nick L, for restoring my faith in Fremont BMW...

Two bad experiences in a row — BMW of Fremont proves that poor service here is not an exception but a pattern. This is my second major issue with BMW of Fremont in less than a year. Last time, their improper wheel alignment caused severe brand-new rear tire wear — less than 8,000 miles before both rear tires were almost bald on my X7. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and even withdrew my original review, hoping it was an isolated incident.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. During my most recent visit (October 11, 2025) for rear tire replacement with tire company 30% off goodwill offer and alignment, things got even worse:

The alignment had to be done twice because the first time failed their test.

The Check Engine Light came on during service, and they tried to charge me for diagnostics fee $380 even though the fault clearly appeared during service. They later admitted it happened under their care and simply cleared the code.

When I picked up the car, the engine cover wasn’t even reinstalled properly during their diagnostics on CEL fault, and two clips were broken when I did a quick visual check on-site before leaving— confirmed by the advisor on-site.

On top of that, the advisor tried to sell me unnecessary services like a $714 vehicle main battery, $486 software update, and $83 key fob battery replacement. This entire process — rework, CEL trigger, physical damage, and sales-driven attitude — has completely destroyed my trust in this dealership.

For a BMW-authorized service center charging premium prices, the lack of skill, care, and honesty is shocking. BMW of Fremont operates like a sales-driven shop, not a professional service center.

Think twice before bringing your BMW here — premium prices do not guarantee premium service. I strongly recommend that BMW owners in the Bay Area avoid this location if you care about your vehicles and their peace of mind.

Update after dealership response (Oct.15, 2025):

I appreciate that BMW of Fremont replied, but their message was a generic template — it did not address any of the specific issues I described.

My concerns included: – The Check Engine Light (CEL) that was triggered while my vehicle was in their possession. – The rework of alignment that caused unnecessary delays and stress. – And finally, the engine cover clips damaged during service, which their advisor (Kumar) personally confirmed at pickup.

Yet the dealership’s reply makes no mention of these facts. It simply asks me to call their general number — the same number customers are always sent to voicemail.

I genuinely hope BMW NA reviews how this dealership handles service quality and customer accountability. For anyone reading this, please be cautious and verify your car carefully before and after any service at BMW of Fremont.

A luxury brand should not mean luxury prices with corner-shop...

Everything in this review that isn't a concrete fact is my opinion. This is a 2 star review rather than a minus 10 star review because it's aimed at the dealer, and I really am complaining about the BMW's Service organization. In short, we had our secondary fuel pump destroy our fuel delivery system with shards of metal when the fuel filter exploded, leaving us stranded at night in a bad neighborhood. Our preferred mechanic was 3 miles away, BMW of Fremont's service center was 20 miles away. We towed it to our mechanic. After an expensive diagnosis they replaced the secondary fuel pump with a GENUINE BMW PART. It turned out that fuel pump was a recall. BMW FAILED TO NOTIFY US. Replacing the fuel pump wasn't enough, as the check engine light kept coming on because there were shards of metal still embedded in the fuel delivery system. We took it to the dealer, thinking the warranty would cover whatever is wrong. BECAUSE OUR MECHANIC TOUCHED THE CAR, THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. On top of that, I remember seeing an estimate that it would cost $17,000 to replace the fuel system - I have a snapshot of that estimate. Once we knew what was wrong, OUR MECHANIC DID THE REPAIR FOR LESS THAN 1/10 THAT PRICE. In parting, I remember I asked the head of the dealership to give me a breakdown of parts and labor for that $17,000 estimate. I never received it. I think it was completely fictitious. I remember he also explained they weren't honoring the warranty because our mechanic "didn't use genuine BMW parts." That's not true as I indicated above, and again we have paperwork. The dealer's manager is why this is a 2 star review for the dealership - he was NOT ON OUR SIDE. It's not a 1 star, because an employee, Alvin, was extremely helpful in a "I just work here" capacity. Poor guy - I think he really felt for us.

More of my opinions. BMW's service organization did everything they could to weasel out of honoring our warranty. BMW seems to think that anytime something goes wrong with their cars you HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. That's unreasonable and inconvenient. In my wildest dreams, I can't envision a $17,000 repair for a fuel system. You could rebuild the engine for less. I remember our mechanic said he's heard of BMW doing the same thing - not honoring warranties and quoting insane repair costs. I think BMW's Service org is predatory, trying to get owners to do one of the following in these circumstances.

1. Abandon the car as mechanically totaled. They can quietly fix and resell it - OR -
2. Trade the car in for a pittance and buy a new one.

In summary, I think this dealership has great employees but has a manager who's the puppet of a predatory service organization. Maybe don't buy a BMW...