Takata airbags are seriously messing up my car buying plans! (UPDATED)

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/19/2016 at 14:45 • Filed to: None

A few weeks ago I got a scary-looking letter from BMW saying my 135is is being recalled for defective Takata airbags, but there are no parts available to actually fix the car. Supposedly, dealers aren’t allowed to sell these cars used right now, which is making it difficult to get rid of the thing.

My lease on the 135is ends June 29. I’m !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! too, and getting one fun awd car to drive year-round. This past weekend I !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to trade the 135is for an Infiniti G37xS coupe, because the Infiniti dealer wouldn’t give me enough for my trade to cover the payoff on the lease. They told me there’s a stop-sale on my car because of Takata airbags.

My next move was to reach out to my local BMW dealer where I got the 135is, because if I keep the car through the end of the lease, they’ll be the ones to get it. They confirmed the stop-sale, and also mentioned that BMW is doing various things to help people get out of cars with Takata airbags.

Then I gave my sales lady who sold me the 135is an overly specific list of options and colors I wanted on a 2013 stick shift 335i xDrive M Sport coupe, which they are going to try and find for me and sell to me as a CPO car.

Except now, this morning, I checked the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and it includes the 2007-2013 335xi/335i xDrive! How would they sell me one of those if it’s also on the list? Further muddying the waters, I looked on the BMW USA CPO search and there are plenty of 1-series and E90/E92 3-series for sale, even though they are all supposed to be on the Takata list.

So what’s the deal, can they sell these cars or not? I have no idea. But maybe I’ll get one with some nice shrapnel-bags!

UPDATE: This stop sale is legit. There’s a post about it on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Some highlights:

BMW dealers can no longer sell certain 2006-15 new and used 1- and 3-series cars and X1, X3, X5 and X6 crossovers identified as having potentially defective driver-side Takata airbags.

In a notice distributed to dealers Tuesday, March 15, BMW said it does not have enough replacement airbags and probably won’t have an adequate supply for dealer repairs on used and new vehicles subject to the recall until summer.

BMW of North America is crafting a financial aid package to help U.S. dealers weather a stop-sale order on about 840,000 cars and light trucks affected by the recall of Takata Corp. airbags.

The financial aid package in the works will cover approximately 840,000 vehicles in the United States that BMW is recalling to fix driver-side front airbags, according to a notice sent to dealers Feb. 26.

“BMW NA is developing a complete dealer toolbox including loyalty incentives, loaner vehicle incentives, lease extensions, etc. as well as a decision tree on how to prioritize these tools,” the company told dealers in the notice.

There’s more details on the exact financial assistance in that post, and I have no idea if this means all of the 2006-2013 1- and 3-series cars are affected, or just certain ones, and mine is one of them.

So if it’s just certain VINs, it looks like in addition to me wanting my dealer to find me a unicorn stick shift 2013 335i xDrive M Sport coupe, they need to find one that’s not part of this stop sale, if that’s even possible.

DISCUSSION (37)

Azrek > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 11:01

That sounds fishy for sure...I bet if I show up with my E92 M3 and ask for a trade they will immediatly offer me whatever I want, despite the car being on the Anti-Personnel mine list.

Textured Soy Protein > Azrek
04/19/2016 at 11:07

Pent up “I want the old one with the V8 and not that crummy turbo” demand trumps any product liability issues.

Steve in Manhattan > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 11:48

Guessing BMW really refuse the 1 series and would have to hurry up and fix the one you want.

Textured Soy Protein > Steve in Manhattan
04/19/2016 at 12:06

According to the recall notice I got, there are no parts available yet. The E92 M Sport coupe has the exact same steering wheel as my car.

Azrek > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 12:11

Well, the letter I got says, “Your vehicle was IDed as potentially having it, but we’ll know by June when we run all the VIN numbers.”

So I flinch or glance sideways at my steering wheel alot.

Steve in Manhattan > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 12:14

You’d think a big car company could sort it out pretty quickly.

Textured Soy Protein > Steve in Manhattan
04/19/2016 at 12:30

The problem is there’s a lot of big car companies with the same supplier causing the same problem. The NHTSA is managing the recall , and certain cars are higher up the priority list to get replacement parts.

functionoverfashion > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 13:09

The stop-sale thing is surprising, because it’s such a HUGE range of cars that would be affected by this recall issue - for several major manufacturers, no less. My E46 has had the passenger air bag done, but now I am waiting (indefinitely) on the driver’s side... my wife just got a notice for her 2007 X3... basically I’m not going to worry about it.

N51fanatic > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 13:17

I’m not happy to hear this news. Did they really say there was a stop sale? I have a 128i MSport that I am looking to unload this summer, and wast even thinking about the effects the airbag recall would have on trade in value. Mine is a 6speed, so more desirable, but still.

Echo51 > Azrek
04/19/2016 at 13:39

Playing “dodge that airbag” at the slight chance you might risk a collision eh?

Azrek > Echo51
04/19/2016 at 13:41

Basically...Is my car gonna get back at me for that one time I rubbed the rim on a curb? Or that I need to give it a bath? But if it takes me out, will the next owner be as awesome?

Echo51 > Azrek
04/19/2016 at 14:00

Man, the robot car uprising sounds alot more boring now that it’ll just murder us with airbags..

Textured Soy Protein > N51fanatic
04/19/2016 at 14:29

Yeah they did, I did some more digging on that and I’m going to update my post.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 14:50

Only 2006 and later?

Here in Canada they’re being recalled all the way back to 2000.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehic…

Nibby > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 14:50

Sorry to hear about your car decisions explode in your face.

Sometimes the best thing to do is just get some fresh air to cushion the blow and clear your thoughts... for your own safety.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 14:52

Yeah it sucks but its illegal for a dealer to sell a car with an open recall on it.

gawdzillla > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 14:52

easy, buy a new M2, problem solved

Textured Soy Protein > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
04/19/2016 at 14:59

That’s just the years of 335, not the 3-series overall. Because the 335 came out in 2007.

Textured Soy Protein > gawdzillla
04/19/2016 at 15:00

An M2 would be better in winter than my 135is thanks to its LSD, but I want awd, and can’t afford an M2 anyway.

Textured Soy Protein > Nibby
04/19/2016 at 15:01

Kinja'd!!!

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 15:03

A stop sale of used cars really hurts a dealer’s pocketbooks. For those unaware, you can’t floorplan used inventory, so all of that depreciation is for the dealer to eat. I imagine this will be thrown into the lawsuit against Takata.

I can imagine being told as a dealer that I can’t sell what are basically the higher volume vehicles from my brand off my used lot. That’d be devastating.

Textured Soy Protein > PotbellyJoe and 42 others
04/19/2016 at 15:08

Part of the incentives BMW is giving to dealers is payments to cover some of the depreciation on the affected cars sitting on their lots. Automotive News is now saying I need a subscription to view that article though so I can’t get at the specifics.

Nibby > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 15:08

BMW should at least be able to buy back the cars from csutomers if they can’t repair the airbags in a timely fashion.

Textured Soy Protein > Nibby
04/19/2016 at 15:26

Part of the financial stuff BMW is doing includes loyalty incentives toward getting a new or CPO BMW, plus I get a $1000 credit as a USAA member, and the dealership gets a subsidy towards sitting on an unsellable car in their inventory. In theory, that would make it quite easy for me to get another BMW. But in this case, the other BMW I want is rare and may also fall under the same recall.

Nibby > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 15:30

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 15:38

Huh, how come you didn’t go for the N54-powered 135i?

Textured Soy Protein > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
04/19/2016 at 15:43

When I got my car I was sick of driving stick shift and wanted a dual clutch transmission. That’s only available on the N55 135i and 135is. The 135is has plenty of good stuff on it like a retuned ECU for extra boost and the awesome M exhaust.

Now I want awd and kinda want to go back to driving stick but mostly just hate the old 6-speed Steptronic auto that came in the E92 335i.

N51fanatic > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 15:44

This notice is from March 16th? It says they will offer an off lease loaner? How do I get that???

Arrivederci > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 15:49

M235i?

Textured Soy Protein > Arrivederci
04/19/2016 at 15:59

I’ve thought about the M235i xDrive but anything in that price range I’d have to lease like my 135is. I really want to buy something CPO that I can keep for a longer period of time and modify as I like it.

Textured Soy Protein > N51fanatic
04/19/2016 at 16:00

I don’t know the details. I have to go see if I can find the recall notice that BMW sent me. Not sure it has the full details. But I’d contact your local BMW dealer and see what they say.

Teflexing > Nibby
04/19/2016 at 16:31

My Father has a 2010 X5 that was recalled and basically what you're saying is now he can’t trade for a new Range Rover? How does that work, BMW is literally forcing people to continue to own their cars! There must be some way around it.

N51fanatic > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 16:40

I looked at recall notice yesterday, had no details, just a we’ll call you when parts are available

E92M3 > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 17:16

Welcome to the club! Be happy you have a lease, and can give it back. It could be YEARS before parts are available. 86 million cars affected. It’s a good thing I like my car. I guess I could always sell it private party.

Textured Soy Protein > E92M3
04/19/2016 at 17:39

Except I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to buy when my lease is up. I really wanted to get a CPO stick shift E92 335i xDrive M Sport coupe so I could get off the leasing merry go round and have a car I own and can modify without having to worry about putting back to stock. But I don’t know if a dealer would even be allowed to sell me one.

If I could at least get a manual transmission + awd and some fun stuff, I’d maybe consider leasing again. But the M235i xDrive is automatic only. The 340i and 435i xDrive can be had in manual but are probably well out of my price range. I don’t think BMW will cut me that much of a deal for having a Takata car that I’ll be able to swing one of those.

E92M3 > Textured Soy Protein
04/19/2016 at 18:49

You should be able to find a 335i private party. Check the forums. Any credit union will finance private party sales as long as the car is worth as much or more than the loan amount.

Textured Soy Protein > E92M3
04/19/2016 at 23:22

I already have financing pre-approved through USAA when I went to try and trade the 135is for the G37xS. If I were just waiting until the end of the lease on the 135is and buying another car at that point, it’d be more simple. But I’m trying to get out of the 135is early to avoid buying $1200 worth of annoying run-flat tires for it just for the privilege of returning it and not being charged even more by BMW for those tires.

BMW has a bunch of incentives for current drivers of Takata-equipped cars, so in theory if there were a Takata-free car I wanted I’d be able to get a wild ‘n crazy deal and a CPO warranty.