Service - how much!?!?
Discussion
2 years with our X5 45e and the car is flashing a service, time related as the car has only done c16k miles (2k on petrol).
Looking through the BMW app and the supplying dealer is quoting £456! This is for an oil and filter change only.
When did servicing costs get this silly?
The next most local dealer wants £424 and a well-trusted BMW specialist is coming in at just over £350
I'm tempted by the specialist but will it have an impact?
(Well either hand back the car in 2 years when at end of agreement, or run it for another 8 years....but the hybrid system complexity worries me).
Looking through the BMW app and the supplying dealer is quoting £456! This is for an oil and filter change only.
When did servicing costs get this silly?
The next most local dealer wants £424 and a well-trusted BMW specialist is coming in at just over £350
I'm tempted by the specialist but will it have an impact?
(Well either hand back the car in 2 years when at end of agreement, or run it for another 8 years....but the hybrid system complexity worries me).
cobra kid said:
I think the OP is more questioning of the fact it is over £400 to spin off a filter and spin another one on.
(I know there is more to it than that, but is it relatable to the amount?)
Don't forget you are also paying them to lose a couple of the under tray fixings, scratch the car and then deny it, and also tell you that it needs new discs and pads all round as they are "worn".(I know there is more to it than that, but is it relatable to the amount?)
I get the German specialist across from work to service mine. I provide the oil (£60), he provides a genuine BMW Mann filter. He charges £50 for the filter and service (cash), or £60 if you want a receipt. So £110 all in. Currently running on Comma Syner-Z which is one of the dearest. I could have it done for £90 if I bought cheaper oil.
Lotobear said:
Consider self servicing (as I do) - Fuchs oil and Bosch filter package from Opie (8 litres) cost £76 and an hour in the garage (helps that I have a ramp), waste oil goes to the council tip free of charge. Audi A6 Allroad 3.0tdi.
Bit different keeping that on the road to keeping a service record to a brand new in warranty vehicle. MDMA . said:
I get the German specialist across from work to service mine. I provide the oil (£60), he provides a genuine BMW Mann filter. He charges £50 for the filter and service (cash), or £60 if you want a receipt. So £110 all in. Currently running on Comma Syner-Z which is one of the dearest. I could have it done for £90 if I bought cheaper oil.
An Oil change is not a service. Glass palaces and marble floors don't pay for themselves.
Everyone in the main dealer food chain needs paying, from the:
- lady at the door welcoming you and pointing you to the service desk
- "brand ambassador" doing his rounds
- service advisor typing in multiple lines on the screen
- parts advisor who hands books in the parts and issuing out the parts for each job to the mechanics
- service technician who actually carries out the work
- workshop supervisor who allegedly QA's the work
- and that's before involving and paying for the cleaners, valeting staff, coffee & biscuits, service manager, admin staff, financial controller/accountants, dealer principal and directors.
Everyone in the main dealer food chain needs paying, from the:
- lady at the door welcoming you and pointing you to the service desk
- "brand ambassador" doing his rounds
- service advisor typing in multiple lines on the screen
- parts advisor who hands books in the parts and issuing out the parts for each job to the mechanics
- service technician who actually carries out the work
- workshop supervisor who allegedly QA's the work
- and that's before involving and paying for the cleaners, valeting staff, coffee & biscuits, service manager, admin staff, financial controller/accountants, dealer principal and directors.
Dr Interceptor said:
£456 for a service on a premium brand car which will include a video report of general condition and consumables such as tyres, plus a nice 'lounge' to wait in with tea and coffee (and biscuits if you're lucky).
I think that's quite good value.
Was going to say I used to pay far more for an X5 to be serviced years ago and don;t even remind me what an M3 used to cost every year in servicing.I think that's quite good value.
This…
Why you pay is not just the service. There are many costs to run a franchised dealership. I suspect margins are not that great.
Off course a one man band mobile mechanic can charge you very little because his business costs very little to run with no overheads.
Run a business with same overheads and lets us know how much cheaper you can charge… probably not that much.
Service it yourself or use small independent garage. That will keep costs down if you don’t want to pay.
Why you pay is not just the service. There are many costs to run a franchised dealership. I suspect margins are not that great.
Off course a one man band mobile mechanic can charge you very little because his business costs very little to run with no overheads.
Run a business with same overheads and lets us know how much cheaper you can charge… probably not that much.
Service it yourself or use small independent garage. That will keep costs down if you don’t want to pay.
Dr Interceptor said:
£456 for a service on a premium brand car which will include a video report of general condition and consumables such as tyres, plus a nice 'lounge' to wait in with tea and coffee (and biscuits if you're lucky).
I think that's quite good value.
It's because people fill in those surveys saying they want a video, nice lounge, nice coffee in branded cups etc, that an oil change and a beep of the horn costs £456.I think that's quite good value.
CrgT16 said:
There are many costs to run a franchised dealership. I suspect margins are not that great.
Margin on servicing is immense. I watched daughter's Golf having its first service - was on the ramp 20 mins. VWFS paid the dealer £68 (they gave me the invoice by mistake).I don't get people who buy a brand new car that costs nearly £70k and then balk at the main dealer servicing costs... It's an extra few quid to keep your warranty intact, which in itself is worth it on such an expensive car.
Of course it's going to be eye-watering, just like the paying for the car must have been. You can't compare the cost of a main dealer with an off-brand chain or indy doing an oil change, because as others have said, the service price at the stealer will have a sizeable element built into it to pay for all that lavishness you see when you set foot in the place...
Don't worry though, they'll still want the same eye-watering amount once your car is old and relatively worthless... MB would charge £728.75 for a B-service on my £2k R-class apparently, unless it needed any actual parts replaced (such as £500 for a full set of brake pads, or £110 for a set of wiper blades...) - which is exactly why I have no intention of having it serviced at a main dealer.
Don't expect dealer servicing costs to ever compare to a good indy, they are entirely different business entities...
Of course it's going to be eye-watering, just like the paying for the car must have been. You can't compare the cost of a main dealer with an off-brand chain or indy doing an oil change, because as others have said, the service price at the stealer will have a sizeable element built into it to pay for all that lavishness you see when you set foot in the place...
Don't worry though, they'll still want the same eye-watering amount once your car is old and relatively worthless... MB would charge £728.75 for a B-service on my £2k R-class apparently, unless it needed any actual parts replaced (such as £500 for a full set of brake pads, or £110 for a set of wiper blades...) - which is exactly why I have no intention of having it serviced at a main dealer.
Don't expect dealer servicing costs to ever compare to a good indy, they are entirely different business entities...
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