Discussion
Put your registration into bmwservice website , I did that when a mope at my local dealership tried to charge me over 100£ for brake fluid service on ordinary E46.
On that occasion , the actual price was about 60£ which was within a few pounds of my preferred Indy so I went with BMW as I was selling car and wanted to keep full BMWSH.
However , they tried it on again quoting 895£ for my M , when I saw 675£ on the web site but in the end got it for 515£ at my preferred Indy
No other indies around me were cheaper.
On that occasion , the actual price was about 60£ which was within a few pounds of my preferred Indy so I went with BMW as I was selling car and wanted to keep full BMWSH.
However , they tried it on again quoting 895£ for my M , when I saw 675£ on the web site but in the end got it for 515£ at my preferred Indy
No other indies around me were cheaper.
Do what nobody else probably does, ask the main dealer to adjust the price?
Or
Buy genuine parts and take them to your indy who otherwise will use the cheapest parts they can find and tell you they're the same if you dare ask,
I'd want gen parts, the indy labour rate, but the up to date skills of the centre, conversation is the key surely, and with the right person.
If you depart from genuine servicing I suspect they'll never be able to buy your car from you which is where you'd get the best price, and if stuff goes wrong, goodwill consideration goes out the window I believe when you yourself don't support the brand or your centre.
I wonder if many people at all think their indy uses genuine parts, as those garages aren't exactly the cheapest option, so wouldn't you still expect it?
I'd rather have warranty in every centre nationwide than have to take my car back to who did whatever if something failed after a repair, been there before.
I do stuff myself, but in the main use genuine bits now but not always, depends on what.
Go talk to the right people, the right way ;-)
Or
Buy genuine parts and take them to your indy who otherwise will use the cheapest parts they can find and tell you they're the same if you dare ask,
I'd want gen parts, the indy labour rate, but the up to date skills of the centre, conversation is the key surely, and with the right person.
If you depart from genuine servicing I suspect they'll never be able to buy your car from you which is where you'd get the best price, and if stuff goes wrong, goodwill consideration goes out the window I believe when you yourself don't support the brand or your centre.
I wonder if many people at all think their indy uses genuine parts, as those garages aren't exactly the cheapest option, so wouldn't you still expect it?
I'd rather have warranty in every centre nationwide than have to take my car back to who did whatever if something failed after a repair, been there before.
I do stuff myself, but in the main use genuine bits now but not always, depends on what.
Go talk to the right people, the right way ;-)
CarsOrBikes said:
I wonder if many people at all think their indy uses genuine parts, as those garages aren't exactly the cheapest option, so wouldn't you still expect it?
I know mine does, and have the dealer receipts for the parts (including a split of the trade discount). My specialist does this so that there's no pissing about with motor factors supplying the wrong part time after time - despite providing them with VIN/reg number. Of course he doesn't use them for consumables as they're usually not BMW branded (oils, spark plugs, etc.)Might cost more than a back-street indy using pattern parts, but it's still 50% cheaper than going to the dealer, and probably only about 10% more expensive than going the cheapest route after the indy has raped you on pattern part mark-up.
The problem I have with dealers (from experience), is that it's all well & good having the BMW parts warranty as a fall-back position if a part/fitting is screwed up, but you not only have to pay for the repair you specifically detailed, but occasionally for their unwarranted 'investigation' and parts fixing into other things you didn't want them to do.
For example (one of many)...I wanted a timing change tensioner replaced on an e34 M5 as it was leaking and I couldn't get it to my normal specialist as he was on holiday. So after 2 weeks of chasing BMW I was told that the 'senior technician' was still off sick (first I'd heard of it) and that the bottom of the engine was off to investigate my oil leak!!!!
Asked them to explain and they couldn't until they got in touch with the technician. So the following week (I work away all week) I was told it was 'all sorted' and went to collect it. An estimated £250 bill had been inflated by £1000 due to investigating my oil leak!!! I sat in the service dept for over 2 hours waiting to see the DP or service manager, but was told they were both busy with an audit at the showroom over the road. Went over there and was told that they were both in the service department and there was no audit. Went back to the service department and then told they were there, but were definitely on an audit.
Finally, a service rep spoke to 'someone' and agreed that I had stipulated & signed off a specific job and not a diagnostic/investigation, and they'd only charge me for the quoted job. BUT, I'd spent 2 weeks in a hire car that I wouldn't have needed to hire had the 'M Senior Technician' actually read the job sheet. So I finally left with a bill for £150.
I've also had a previous car in for a fixed price inspection 2 (about £1100) and come back to a bill for £2k as something else made it 'unroadworthy'. Which was a misted EDC damper - which according to BMW is nothing to worry about as long as it's not leaking - or that's what BMW said when I previously tried to claim one on my BMW Warranty MOT insurance!
I won't name them, but I'll never use a certain BMW dealer in central Liverpool ever again. I wouldn't be surprised if more people are ripped off by dealers than indies, as you will scrutinise an indy's practices but let the dealer get away with everything if they've got good speil.
Edited by mmm-five on Thursday 1st June 22:16
trickywoo said:
If you did it yourself with Mann branded filters and good oil you wouldn't be much over £100.
The actual labour time in that isn't significant as much of it will be on checking if the lights work and are the tyres correctly inflated etc.
What ECP supply isn't always the right quality ; For an M they'll supply non-M bits. I've had this twice on brake pads and oil filters.The actual labour time in that isn't significant as much of it will be on checking if the lights work and are the tyres correctly inflated etc.
E.g BMW changed the filter for one with more pleats in it on the Ms ; You can guess what ECP and them lot supply.
I bought some pads for my M3 from ECP of the Textar brand ; same as what BMW supply. They would have fitted. Checking the part nos. revealed that they were for a 330i ; Textar do an M pad but ECP do not sell it. Sure they may have been fine but it's funny how people moan that M brakes are horrendous at any speed...
On filters on a car I intend to keep I almost always go genuine now unless I know I can get the same bit cheaper outside of the network.
Back to the OP it's a little excessive. Normally you can barter the dealers a little even against each other. If it were me I'd go to a known specialist or find a dealer that is more competitive ;they are out there.
DM812 said:
Called into BMW for a service price and they quoted £550 for the below:
Standard Scope
Engine Oil
Vehicle Check
Fuel Filter
Air Filter Element
Micro Filter
How much should this really cost without the ridiculous prices of main dealers? It's a 320d 64 plate automatic.
I buy all the parts myself apart from the oil (Mann filters) from various places (ECP, Carparts4less, MisterAuto mainly) and then give it to a specialist to fit them & get a stamp. Stamp means sod all really but they do me a deal on the oil & they check the car over for me at the same time. They know if it needs anything / if I need big work its going to go to them regardless so helps me out to.Standard Scope
Engine Oil
Vehicle Check
Fuel Filter
Air Filter Element
Micro Filter
How much should this really cost without the ridiculous prices of main dealers? It's a 320d 64 plate automatic.
Cancel the above, ended up being £417 Inc vat! Bmw quote was £550 so still a bit cheaper but a bit annoyed the final price was more than i originally was quoted. Nevertheless it's done.
Service was full oil, oil filter, fuel filter, vehicle inspection, brake fluid and new fuse and key battery.
Prob just go bmw seeing it's less hassle!
Service was full oil, oil filter, fuel filter, vehicle inspection, brake fluid and new fuse and key battery.
Prob just go bmw seeing it's less hassle!
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