Tara Cole at Partridge BMW in Eastleigh (formerly Scotthall)

[AW10]

Tara was a service advisor at Partridge BMW in Eastleigh but appears to have left - anyone know if she's gone to another BMW dealer? She was a pleasure to work with - the current lot can't even be bothered to return my call.

[ecain63]

She was ace. I always insisted she dealt with my E61 M5 due to the work mainly being warranty stuff, and in return for her good work she received regular bottles of wine. Bit of a MILF too!

[jamescalland]

And there i was thinking she was utter .......

Scotthall/Partridge has got to be one of the worst (if not worst) main dealer in the country. period.

[Spare tyre]

I just googled her name and the word BMW
It come up with some info via linked in, my linked in account is playing up so didnt work

[skeeterm5]

jamescalland said:

And there i was thinking she was utter .......

Scotthall/Partridge has got to be one of the worst (if not worst) main dealer in the country. period.

The name and shame rules preclude me from identifying the dealer I am working with who would give them a run in the rubbish stakes.

S

[AW10]

I found her on linkedin as well but that's under the name of the previous owners of Partridge so probably not of much use.

I learned of Tara through Eddie and to be fair my first experience wasn't a great one. But I worked on building a rapport with her and we then got on fine and I felt well looked after and treated like a valued customer rather than just a nameless face.

Now I need to start over with someone - but who/where? Partridge is not my nearest dealer - the one that is (think of winter) has repeatedly underwhelmed me over the last 15 years so really not too keen to go to them. Barons in Farnborough are OK but a bit of a trek for me. The car is an E61 M5 so a little out of the ordinary.

Recommendations/suggestions welcome.

[Jonboy_t]

If it doesn't have to be main dealer (although I guess it does?), Williams Street garage by the Saints stadium are fantastic. Its owner operated and doesn't have the facade of a main dealer, but my old car went in there a number of times and Steve always did more work, better quality and for cheaper than any other garage I used for my M3.

[JSS 911]

Jonboy_t said:

If it doesn't have to be main dealer (although I guess it does?), Williams Street garage by the Saints stadium are fantastic. Its owner operated and doesn't have the facade of a main dealer, but my old car went in there a number of times and Steve always did more work, better quality and for cheaper than any other garage I used for my M3.

+1 Looks after the my Porsche ok

[Zebrs]

Presuming you need a BMW MD for warranty work, I can't add much as never used any of them. Reason being Southampton is very well served by a number of very good BMW independants, we're almost spoilt for choice around here. I'd much rather entrust my car to one of them with a high level of expertise, knowledge, service and passion than take my chances with a MD.

[AW10]

Zebrs said:

Presuming you need a BMW MD for warranty work, I can't add much as never used any of them. Reason being Southampton is very well served by a number of very good BMW independants, we're almost spoilt for choice around here. I'd much rather entrust my car to one of them with a high level of expertise, knowledge, service and passion than take my chances with a MD.

I hear you but as you surmised it's for warranty purposes so I need to stay in the main dealer network. If it wasn't for that I would do what I could myself (oil changes, SMG and final drive fluid changes, brakes, etc) and use a good indie for what's left. I have a couple of pieces of diagnostic SW which have proved invaluable.

[ecain63]

Have you tried phoning her old desk to ask where she's gone?

[AW10]

I asked and was fobbed off - will try again.

[South tdf]

There is a Tara in service at Snows Portsmouth who seems very helpful.

[AW10]

Indeed - Tara is her usual pleasant and helpful self at Snows now. All's well again and I'm comfortable that my car will be in safe hands.