Feature Article: BMW West Island taken for a test drive

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DannyITR

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Article: Danny Geraghty
Photos: Danny Geraghty


BMW Canada has opened a new dealership on Montreal’s West Island. It’s the first time BMW will have a presence west of Decarie since the closure of the Jalbert dealership in Kirkland nearly half a decade ago. I first noticed the new dealership after passing it during the final stages of construction in April and was relieved to see BMW opening up another location in the West Island. The void left by the closure of BMW Jalbert forced owners residing in the West Island to drive much further for service. Coincidentally my wife’s 2007 328i sedan was due for an oil change and I jumped at the opportunity to see how the dealership compared to Canbec on Jean Talon and BMW Laval, the two others I’ve had to visit.

Making the appointment by telephone was a breeze. The chirpy receptionist quickly booked me a time only a few days away and I choose 9:30am. In fact the appointment was in such short order, and neglecting to write it down or put it in my phone, I actually forgot about it. I felt quite silly when the receptionist called me that morning but was surprised when I wasn’t scolded for my idiocy. “No problem, Mr. Geraghty, would you like to book a new appointment?” was the response. I booked another one shortly after that I did manage to remember.

The brand new complex strikes you as modern, efficient and probably most importantly spacious. There was no doubt where to go to being the vehicle as the one big garage door with a sign above it reading “Réception de service” was open. I drove into the spotless garage parked and exited to be greeted by Denis Zetino, my new service manager. Denis was quick, efficient and polite as are most service employees but the ease processing the car was remarkable, given he was less than two weeks on the job.

Placing the BMW key fab in a small cup of sorts, the history of the vehicle is revealed including when the last service was, how much fuel is left in the tank, the wear percentage of the brake pads and even if the vehicle was driven hard. The technology amazes me every time. The car was due for an oil & filter change plus a few other little checkups, all of them covered under the free maintenance plan that comes with any new BMW. Denis offered me a drink and then had a technician promptly take the car into the garage to start the service.



I had chosen to wait on location to be able to check out the dealer and write this article. I had also brought my eleven month old with me so I was hoping there would be stuff for him to do. The waiting area is warm and inviting with leather seating, lots of newspapers to read and a plasma television. Across from it is the mini cafe similar to what they have at BMW Laval so clients can grab a juice or coffee while they wait. For enthusiasts, there is plenty of BMW gear for sale including key chains, clothes, shoes and sport wear. For youngsters, there is a separate playroom filled with toys and Lego to keep them occupied. They even had a demo BMW toy car for “future owner” test drives.



Denis was kind enough to give me a tour that included the employee only areas as well. Let me just say that the dealership treats them well. Upstairs on the mezzanine there is a full kitchen with six microwaves, a locker room, showers, a terrace that overlooks the rear courtyard and even a gym room. The garage is very large, tiles in ceramic and fully air conditioned which is rare for a garage.



Denis had to get back to work so I took the time to check out the Bimmers on display in the showroom. I (as do probably most of you reading this article) never shy away from an opportunity to sit in a new car and check it out. The full line-up except for the five-series was on display likely because the new models are soon to arrive. I took photos of each vehicle and the matching sticker price that you find in the gallery corresponding to this article.

After doing the full tour including the pre-owned vehicle lot (which had a nice black Nissan 370Z convertible) I sat down in the waiting area and read the paper. In a short while Denis came to get me to let me know the vehicle was ready to go with the usual complimentary wash (badly needed I might add).



I was very impressed with the level of service I received at BMW West Island. Not only is it the closest, I enjoyed my experience there the most. I think it is a first class dealership that will likely be brining in customers from all over Montreal.

A little history about the Bourassa family and the Bourassa Group.

Everything started back in 1972 under Pontiac Buick and GMC banners. Soon afterwards Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Mazda were added to the mix along with Saturn, Saab, Isuzu, Cadillac and now finally BMW.

Mr. Christian Bourassa was the Western district governor of the Club Optimiste du Québec in 2005/2006. He'll remain a member of the council in 2010/2011.

Mr. Marc Bourassa was President of the Corporation des Concessionnaires Automobiles de Montréal in 2007 and in 2008 President of the Montreal International Auto Show.

The Bourassa group is proud of its franchises selling the brand names of MAZDA, CHEVROLET, BUICK, GMC, CADILLAC, BMW and a used vehicle center which all operated under the same principle that happy employees create happy customers. It's the same philosophy and vision that the group has had since its debut in 1972 under the leadership Jean-Marc Bourassa. The Bourassa Group is run Mr. Marc Bourassa who is the president and holds the same title at BMW West-Island.
 
did u ask them why does bmw set the prices much higher here (that's not even counting the taxes), even tho ppl earn much lower salaries here than in the USA?
 
"BMW will have a presence west of Decarie since the closure of the Jalbert dealership in Kirkland nearly a decade ago"

great article but you should get your facts straight. Jalbert only closed in 06 or 07 thats less than 5 years ago not 10.
 
"BMW will have a presence west of Decarie since the closure of the Jalbert dealership in Kirkland nearly a decade ago"

great article but you should get your facts straight. Jalbert only closed in 06 or 07 thats less than 5 years ago not 10.

You are absolutely correct. The change has been made.
 
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