A lot of things can go wrong in a modern vehicle like a BMW—which is why getting them fixed can be so time-consuming and expensive.
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Still, one hopes that in order to get their car fixed, all they need to do is bring it to a repair shop and wait for them to install or repair the right pieces. Unfortunately, some drivers have found that the reality is a bit more complicated.
For example, one internet user recently recalled he was told his car was waiting for parts, only to discover that the auto mechanic had been driving his car and racking up fines. Another alleged that she was quoted $650 for a repair that she did herself for just $60.
At the very least, drivers can hope that they’ll actually get their car back upon returning to the repair shop. However, as TikTok user Jeff (@hittaa_jeff) recently alleged, this isn’t always a guarantee.
What happened to this man’s BMW?
In his video, which currently has over 1 million views, Jeff alleges that he brought his BMW to a dealership because it had a “drivetrain malfunction.” He brought the car in on a Tuesday, and by Thursday, he was told it was ready. However, the TikToker was busy and decided to pick it up the following Wednesday.
Upon his arrival, he says that people were being overly friendly to him given how rarely he’d been to that specific dealership.
“I’m thinking in my head, like, I’ve never been here that many times, you feel me?” he explains. “It was just giving weird vibes from the get-go, so I’m like, what the [expletive]?”
Jeff then asked to receive his BMW and took a seat. After three hours of not receiving his car, he was told that the car was not finished, despite being informed that it was done nearly a week prior.
Jeff then asked to speak to the manager, a request he says was denied. Jeff says he was eventually informed that the dealership had given his car to somebody else, that the person in question was not responding, and that Jeff should contact the police.
“Girl, why the [expletive] did they end up releasing my car to somebody else?” he asks. “They have not been able to get in contact with the other person and, basically, the other person is not answering the phone.”
What recourse does the driver have?
As this situation is especially rare, there are few resources laying out proper recourse for someone in the TikToker’s situation.
That’s not to say it has never happened before. One Reddit user alleged that they brought their car in for repairs, only for the dealership to accidentally give it away as a courtesy car for another person getting their vehicle fixed. There was also a June 2024 news story about a woman who brought her car in to be repaired, only for the dealership to sell it to someone else.
Depending on the state and the specific situation, there could be a variety of laws being broken when a dealership does this. As a result, it’s advisable to make a police report at the time of the incident and, if necessary, work with legal counsel to find a solution to the problem.
@hittaa_jeff Like what’s going on #fyp #foryou #bmw #foryoupage #explorepage ♬ original sound – Hughefnerson
Viewers were shocked
In the comments section, users shared their surprise at the TikToker’s alleged situation about his BMW.
“This happened to me in 2022 with my H2 hummer,” claimed a commenter. “Just know I won with a brand new H2, a 6 figure settlement and my daughter recieved a brand new paid H3 with all lawyer fees paid, here in Texas.”
“In essence, the dealership stole your car. It wasn’t given to someone, it was sold to someone… nobody just takes a car thats not theirs from BMW. Everybody there can afford their own. That’s crazzyyy,” offered another.
“I’ve worked in dealerships, they supposed tag your car, the key AND put it in the system. Yo VIN is on all the paperwork too in case they don’t tag the car so stuff like this doesn’t happen…SUE THEM!!” exclaimed a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to BMW via email and Jeff via Instagram direct message.
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