BMW servicing and it's pros/cons
Discussion
At what point do you make the decision between dealer and local garage for servicing your car? Is it age/miles/cost/warranty?
Mine's getting old, high miles, not worth a lot and doesn't have a warranty, but drives like new (on the rare occasion I mention its mileage, people are surprised)
I've known the car from new as it was my old man's ex company car, which has FDSH. Since I took the car on, I've kept the servicing at BMW, which competes with the recommended local BMW specialists on price.
The car's now at 130,000 miles and probably worth £3-£4k, is it worth continuing this trend? I do trust BMW, but you hear stories (albeit, on the interwebnet) of apprentices being used for general servicing, as opposed to a local specialist who could be a bit better suited?
Doing it myself's not really an option, basic oil changes etc sure, but don't have the time for other elements which form the level 2 inspection!
Mine's getting old, high miles, not worth a lot and doesn't have a warranty, but drives like new (on the rare occasion I mention its mileage, people are surprised)
I've known the car from new as it was my old man's ex company car, which has FDSH. Since I took the car on, I've kept the servicing at BMW, which competes with the recommended local BMW specialists on price.
The car's now at 130,000 miles and probably worth £3-£4k, is it worth continuing this trend? I do trust BMW, but you hear stories (albeit, on the interwebnet) of apprentices being used for general servicing, as opposed to a local specialist who could be a bit better suited?
Doing it myself's not really an option, basic oil changes etc sure, but don't have the time for other elements which form the level 2 inspection!
I take my 35,000 mile '52 plate Z3 to a local well recommended independent BMW specialist (CPC Amersham). His knowledge is gained from personal experience and while he may be unable to do some of the more esoteric things (there won't be much), he exudes and demonstrates a higher level of all-round competence than some main dealers. The trick is to find a local Good Bloke. There's a list on here somewhere...
Here
Here
If you're dealer is price matching your indy, then I don't see why you'd take it elsewhere.
The quality of the work might be no better, or even completed fully, but you'd have that same risk anywhere.
At least with the dealer you have the backup of complaining to BMW or asking for a 'goodwill' contribution when something unexpected fails.
On the other hand, the indy may be able to source OE/pattern parts at half the price that the dealer sells them for, so you could save money that way.
The quality of the work might be no better, or even completed fully, but you'd have that same risk anywhere.
At least with the dealer you have the backup of complaining to BMW or asking for a 'goodwill' contribution when something unexpected fails.
On the other hand, the indy may be able to source OE/pattern parts at half the price that the dealer sells them for, so you could save money that way.
Yep, I'm only referring to general servicing.
I think if something like the gearbox was shagged, I'd shop around!
Thanks for the link motco, had a look at that a while back and called around, the one most local seemed to have split opinion on these forums and BMW Bridgewater was only £10 more than the second most local!
I think if something like the gearbox was shagged, I'd shop around!
Thanks for the link motco, had a look at that a while back and called around, the one most local seemed to have split opinion on these forums and BMW Bridgewater was only £10 more than the second most local!
Teddye4687 said:
V8mate said:
My 2006 E87 has 55k on the clock. Bought it almost a year ago and it hasn't (and won't be) going anywhere near a main dealer.
Out of curiosity, is that from a cost perspective, or trust?I understand the warranty reasoning for < 3 years
V8mate said:
Teddye4687 said:
V8mate said:
My 2006 E87 has 55k on the clock. Bought it almost a year ago and it hasn't (and won't be) going anywhere near a main dealer.
Out of curiosity, is that from a cost perspective, or trust?I understand the warranty reasoning for < 3 years
I have to admit that my experience of main dealers stopped with the last company car I had but the incompetence that was demonstrated by a now-defunct Jaguar/British Leyland dealer after whom a certain junction on the North Circular where it meets the A1 in north London is named, is unimaginable. Just as a taster, and there was MUCH worse, my car of the day overheated and I established that the electric cooling fan was not operating. There can only be two reasons why this might be: the motor or the switch. In my case it was the motor seized up - easily detected by trying to rotate the blades by hand and finding the motor very stiff. The dealer swapped the totally fault-free switch and gave me back the car. 
If it could be fouled up, they did it! There was not one day in the two years I had the car from new that something wasn't wrong mainly because of them. In fact the car was not even the colour I ordered because when they steam cleaned the protective wax off on the pre-delivery inspection, they succeeded in blasting the paint off too.
If it could be fouled up, they did it! There was not one day in the two years I had the car from new that something wasn't wrong mainly because of them. In fact the car was not even the colour I ordered because when they steam cleaned the protective wax off on the pre-delivery inspection, they succeeded in blasting the paint off too.Teddye4687 said:
Doing it myself's not really an option, basic oil changes etc sure, but don't have the time for other elements which form the level 2 inspection!
Unless you own an ///M car and need to do valve clearances, there is nothing in an Insp2 that is any harder than doing a normal oil change!! Changing spark plugs/pollen filter isnt exactly a dark art.Just DIY & keep the receipts.
My E60 535d is due an oil service in 800miles.
My local BMW dealer quoted me £293 + vat.
A local specialist has quoted £95 + vat.
National Tyres oil change site has come back at £71.
I looked in Halfords the other day and I would need two bottles of Castrol oil £103.00 total.
So I've decided local specialist this time because I can get the service book stamped and maybe an extra oil change midway through at National.
My local BMW dealer quoted me £293 + vat.
A local specialist has quoted £95 + vat.
National Tyres oil change site has come back at £71.
I looked in Halfords the other day and I would need two bottles of Castrol oil £103.00 total.
So I've decided local specialist this time because I can get the service book stamped and maybe an extra oil change midway through at National.
Fox- said:
I thought the European Block Exemption only applied to new cars and not insurance backed warranties?
It does, the approved used is insurance backed product so you have to abide by the terms.You have the opportunity to shop around for an alternative warranty, which you dont get with the new ones.
I've already sourced a mechanic for my BMW purchase in 4 weeks,quarry motors in Sheffield granted its 30 miles from where I live but reputation for the place convinces me that's the place to go,but with my fiat coupe 20vt I've took it to Birmingham for services and repairs and that's a 180 mile round trip( 6 of my local garages would not touch the fiat )
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