No matter how much we yell, post, stomp angrily in circles, write letters, comment, or leave a review, we cannot prevent the flow of progress. It’s like when Bob Dylan said, “Your old road is rapidly agin’, please get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand, for the times they are a-changin’.” According to Cox Automotive, 63 percent of car buyers plan to use artificial intelligence (AI) for their next vehicle purchase. In response, BMW of North America launched a vehicle shopping plugin through well-known AI platform ChatGPT.
“Many of our customers are already starting their search using AI, and they’re arriving at our centers better informed than ever,” says Leigh Moynihan, Vice President, Marketing, BMW of North America. “This plugin gives them a way to research their options and get real answers at their own pace, whenever they want them, while knowing that their local BMW dealer is there whenever they’re ready to take the next step.”
When I first read this story, I assumed that BMW was looking to utilize ChatGPT to replace salespeople at its dealerships — I was wrong. It actually functions more like an intuitive Google search rather than an artificial entity talking you through the purchasing journey. As a prospective buyer, you can tell it what you want and it will generate suggestions based on what you type.
After several attempts, I discovered this new feature does not automatically come up when you prompt ChatGPT with anything relating to BMW. How it works is that, on the ChatGPT website or mobile app, you have to find “Plugins” and then search “BMW” from there. It will prompt you to “Install,” but it means install into your ChatGPT dashboard, not your computer.
For example, I asked it for a fast SUV that can seat seven passengers and their cargo — as a husband and father, this is something that I would look into. In less time than it would take me to write this, it spit out a response that started with “For what you’re describing, I’d point you toward the 2027 BMW X7, particularly the X7 M60i.”
Both options are three-row SUVs that deliver on the seating capacity and performance of my prompt; for the cargo part of my question, I would have to find out in person. The seven-passenger 2027 BMW X7 xDrive40 is powered by a turbocharged inline-six that’s rated at 375 horsepower and goes 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds, while the six-to-seven passenger 2027 BMW X7 M60i (ChatGPT’s performance pick) offers a 523-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-8 with a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.5 seconds plus a starting price of $115,000. That’s a bit hefty for my budget, but it’s about what you can expect from a luxury automaker these days.
This process reminds me of when my wife and I bought her 2017 Nissan Rogue in February 2020, right before the world shut down. We went on CarGurus and found the one we wanted, printed out the ad, and ensured we had the link handy prior to arriving at the dealership in case the salesman tried to say we made up the ad or that price wasn’t valid anymore. Which he did.
The ChatGPT plugin does all that plus more. I asked it, “Are there any available near me?” and it found a few listings in the general Phoenix area. It then prompted me to put in my ZIP code and, for the sake of this story, I obliged (you’re welcome!). To its credit, ChatGPT found several that were in stock, and it looks like I can schedule a test drive via AI for the specific example of my liking. Something I found very intuitive was the fact it double-checked if second-row captain’s chairs would be an issue for my particular needs or if I preferred a second-row bench seat.
Am I tempted to go and test drive one? Yes, but I wouldn’t pay six figures for a vehicle nor would I want to waste anyone’s time just for my own enjoyment.
It’s a very intriguing service that looks to simplify the search before you get to the dealership. My only question about this plugin is: How much say does BMW have on its end? For example, can it prompt an upsell?
According to BMW, the plugin does have the ability to suggest financing options on leases and purchases, which definitely comes in handy. However, will what ChatGPT offers be considered law at the dealership? Or will it be like when we went to purchase the Rogue and how we had to remind the dealership over and over we weren’t paying more than what we saw online?
