To stay in main dealer network or go the independant route?

[Fun Bus]

I've a 2004, 83k mile 318Ci, M-Sport. It's due an Inspection one next month and I'm in two minds what to do. Sytner Nottingham have quoted me £199 (will be more than this as I know I need/want front brake pads). Last service (oil) was done by the indpendant I got the car from and other work last year was done by an independant with whom I know the owner of (he's actually a Porsche specialist primarily but also maintains some M-Cars).

Part of me thinks to stay the independant route as a BMW stamp at this age and mileage probably won't add any value. The other part of me says back to main dealer which the car had all the way up to 60k miles.

Just wondered what other thoughts and opinions were really.

[mmm-five]

You car's already been out of the dealer network, so taking it back in won't add any value and you'll just be paying over the odds for a dealer service from technicians (or probably low paid trainees) with no accountability for the quality of their work.

You'll pay over the odds for parts, fluids, labour.

Edited by mmm-five on Friday 7th January 12:30

[Fun Bus]

mmm-five said:

(or probably low paid trainees)

Someone who can plug a computer in and tell you what's it's saying instead of actually KNOWING what is wrong with a car. I know what you mean. I think I'd be daft to go main dealer - I'd be getting Saturday morning mate's rates if I went specialist so a bit of a no-brainer really.

[MG7]

I've had the same dilemma recently, and have been quoted upwards of £450 for a third oil service by Stratstone Harrogate!(320Cd)

I had a 320Ci into a main dealer once for an inspection II and got absolutely bent over. I subsequently discovered the standard of the work was pretty shoddy.

As a result mine's now booked in on tuesday with a well recommended independent in York for a service and a general going over.

Feeling far more confident that it will be well looked after.

I agree with the above post that you won't add any value by going through the dealer network.

[Matt UK]

mmm-five said:

You car's already been out of the dealer network, so taking it back in won't add any value and you'll just be paying over the odds for a dealer service from technicians (or probably low paid trainees) with no accountability for the quality of their work.

You'll pay over the odds for parts, fluids, labour.

Edited by mmm-five on Friday 7th January 12:30

This

[DavidHM]

Matt UK said:

mmm-five said:

You car's already been out of the dealer network, so taking it back in won't add any value and you'll just be paying over the odds for a dealer service from technicians (or probably low paid trainees) with no accountability for the quality of their work.

You'll pay over the odds for parts, fluids, labour.

Edited by mmm-five on Friday 7th January 12:30

This

As long as you have a good relationship with your indy, I agree.

The only BMW specialist my E39 ever saw was slower, more expensive and less competent than the dealer (and five miles out of town instead of five minutes from work).

[4rephill]

mmm-five said:

You'll pay over the odds for parts, fluids, labour.

I must just be lucky with My Dealership as I've always found their prices very competitive when it comes to a comparison of genuine part prices.

I may lose out a bit with the labour rate but then I gain with the convenience of their location as they are just up the road from where I work, Whereas My nearest BMW specialist Indy is 10 miles away and doesn't do loan cars.

For routine and regular repairs it's just not worth the extra aggravation of having to book time off work to travel to the Indy to get the job done.

However, for more labour intensive repairs, such as wheel bearing replacements etc., then it is worth the aggravation as the cost saving on labour can make a serious difference.

[Pickled Piper]

There's no right answer to this. Some maindealers will price match local Indy garages, especially if the workshop is empty.

Some indy garages are crap and not necessarily cheap just because they are Indys.

Phone around and see what you get offered.

pp

[roofer]

I did an oil change on my 335d last week. 2 bottles of Mobil 1 (leaves some for top ups) Filter, screen wash came to as good as £100. On that basis, they are not really stronging it? The workshop manager at Notts does not suffer idiots in his domain, and is very hands on, I would have the brakes changed at an indy (an hours work at most) and get the stamp for the oil personally.

[CPB31]

BMW for the fixed price servicing and stamp in the book on 4+ price plan, which is actually reasonable value.

Decent independent for anything else (and the work BMW recommend in the service!)

[richterswil]

If you have a good indy locally I'd say go down that route - my 997 and E60 are both looked after by non-franchised specialists now (Baymow in Stockport and Sports & Classic in Knutsford).

Our E70 is newer so it'll stay in the dealer network for the time being.

[andrewjgriff]

I used my local main dealer for the last scheduled service on my 2000 E46 328i. Although its nearly 11 years old it has full main dealer history which I was keen to maintain, but the main reason was that under the new BMW pricing for E46s the Oil Service I had was actually cheaper than it would have been with the specialist I use. The car needed new front discs and pads and they were £10 more expensive at the main dealer than the specialist, so for convenience I got it done with the service.
Anything else though goes to the specialist though - BayMow in Stockport who really know their stuff and provide an excellent service.

[Fun Bus]

Went down to my specialist this morning and booked the car in. I learnt it would cost me £23 more than my local main dealer charge for an inspection 1. To be fair (?) my specialist is more Porsche than BMW but very experienced in both. I also think that any work needed from the service could be cheaper than a main dealer so long term could be a better dealer than Mr Sytner.

[4rephill]

Just to add another dimension to this topic, this last week I required a noisy rear wheel bearing replacing on My E36 which My local BMW Dealer priced the job at a set price of £263 with VAT for parts and labour.

I didn't bother checking anywhere else as this was less than I was expecting from them and as I have mentioned in other threads, the Dealership is located 500 yards from where I work and is therefore incredibly convenient for Me to use.

I got a phone call from the dealership to say they were having trouble removing the old bearing from the hub as it had friction welded itself in (as I work with high speed bearings I knew exactly what difficulties they were having). In the end it took them a day to remove the old bearing, dress the hub bore, fit the new bearing and re-assemble the rear corner of the car.

Now if I'd have used a garage that charges by the hour, I would have had to pay an extra six hours plus, for the extra labour time involved, which, at a conservative hourly rate of say £50 per hour, would have added @ £300 pounds to a bill that would have already been @ £190.

Because BMW themselves say that a rear wheel bearing replacement is rated as a two hour job, that's all the Dealership could charge Me. So whilst the initial cost was higher using a Main Dealer (£263 compared to say £150~£200 elsewhere), if problems are encountered (which is quite likely on an old wheel bearing), it can actually save you quite a bit of money (in My case the bill could have risen to @ £500 easily at a garage with an hourly rate).

Just a bit of food for thought!.

[hesnotthemessiah]

I would concur with many of the above comments.

Moreover, say two people were selling the same car (similar mileage etc etc) and I were to pop round to see each (with the intention of buying one of them) and one guy showed me a service book full of stamps from an independent specialist and the other guy showed me a service book full of stamps from a main dealer......I would buy the one looked after by the independent.......no question.

[Fun Bus]

I must admit, when I made the booking with my specialist I thought to myself if I should save £23 and have a main dealer stamp. But you know? I trust Mike and know he'll be more honest about what does or doesn't need doing and be more thorough as well. Any subsequent work from the service will be at 'mates rates' too

[The Aardvark]

Currently running an E39 530d and a TVR - and both are looked after by local independents. Appreciate that they are old enough to no longer be under any kind of warranty, and perhaps I've been lucky to find good independents, but both are fairly small set-ups, have been in the trade for years, and importantly to me, are passionate about their work and the cars they look after.
If I was buying, agree with earlier poster that independent serice history would carry just as much if not more weight than main dealer.
Another way that I look at it - would you rather your work was carried out by a specialist, usually with years of experience, who relies solely on his reputation for work and reasonable prices to generate business, or the main dealer network where routine servicing is very likely to be passed over to the apprentice technicians? OK - so that may be a slight exaggeration and not always correct (although everyone has to start somewhere) but I think you see my point......

[Fun Bus]

Had the car serviced Saturday and it proved to me why I use the specialist I do. It was an Inspection 1 and a brake fluid change was also due. I picked the car up with a nicely stamped service book and the owner (who I know and is subsequently why I use) told me he'd "done the brake fluid change for nothing". The only items reported? "your front discs could do with skimming soon" - I've no doubt Mr Sytner would have said they HAVE to be done and also charged me a pretty penny for a brake fluid change too. The plethora of Porsche in the workshop was also nice to see - made my car look nothing though!

[billzeebub]

Always take a good Specialist over a Stealer...invariably cheaper and usually better

[Fox-]

I get mine done at BMW. Not for the resale value, just because with the new value servicing range its so cheap that it isnt worth the hassle of using an indy. Had my Inspection 2 done for about 20-30 quid more than the cheapest BMW 'specialist' around here could quote, and instead of walking to the bus stop or perhaps at best driving off in a J reg 318i loan car I had to insure myself, I had a '10 plate 320d for the day whilst they did it.

Just doesnt seem worth the bother for routine servicing, only for more complex work.