Inspection 1 service due - what would you do?
Discussion
So the e46 touring is due in a few weeks so wondering what the best route is of the following
- specialist cars stevenage
- elms cambridge
- barry jones stevenage
- others?
It's a 76k mile 2002 330i sport touring so unlikely that i will see any of the premium on resale if i go the dealer route but ive seen some relatively cheap servicing offers recently for the e46 at the dealers.. somewhere around the 200 squid mark?
main thing is the hourly rate i guess because outside of the servicing there might be a few other things that i might get done while the car is there... anyone know what the rates are at the above? cheers
- specialist cars stevenage
- elms cambridge
- barry jones stevenage
- others?
It's a 76k mile 2002 330i sport touring so unlikely that i will see any of the premium on resale if i go the dealer route but ive seen some relatively cheap servicing offers recently for the e46 at the dealers.. somewhere around the 200 squid mark?
main thing is the hourly rate i guess because outside of the servicing there might be a few other things that i might get done while the car is there... anyone know what the rates are at the above? cheers
Check the garage you're looking to take it to is registered under the Motor Industry Codes of Practice (www.motorcodes.co.uk). Not all main dealers are there. Then get quotes from the garages that are and decide whether the BMW stamp in your service book is worth the extra cash for a 2002 car.
Having said that, I have recently found Insepction 1 by main dealers is costing around £200 as well (Hampshire/Surrey area). Some independent garages were quoting me £250, more than main dealers, and the ones charging less were only about £10-£20 less.
With a "decent" main dealer, you're guaranteed to get genuine BMW parts, so if you know of one nearby, it's always worth getting the service done there and getting the stamp for the sake of a tenner more. You've also got some comeback if you're not happy.
As for other work, get BMW to quote you of the additional work and take it away with you to get price comparison from elsewhere. Independent specialists registered under the Motor Codes, The Good Garage Scheme (www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk), RMIF (www.rmif.co.uk), should be ok to use if you find the price is vastly cheaper. Not all use genuine parts though, so it's worth checking for a like-for-like comparison.
Having said that, some non-genuine parts are manufactured by the same manufacturer, but have a different label and are a third of the price! The garage should be able to advise on whether it's worth spending the extra cash for certain parts that have no impact on the performance of your vehicle.
Having said that, I have recently found Insepction 1 by main dealers is costing around £200 as well (Hampshire/Surrey area). Some independent garages were quoting me £250, more than main dealers, and the ones charging less were only about £10-£20 less.
With a "decent" main dealer, you're guaranteed to get genuine BMW parts, so if you know of one nearby, it's always worth getting the service done there and getting the stamp for the sake of a tenner more. You've also got some comeback if you're not happy.
As for other work, get BMW to quote you of the additional work and take it away with you to get price comparison from elsewhere. Independent specialists registered under the Motor Codes, The Good Garage Scheme (www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk), RMIF (www.rmif.co.uk), should be ok to use if you find the price is vastly cheaper. Not all use genuine parts though, so it's worth checking for a like-for-like comparison.
Having said that, some non-genuine parts are manufactured by the same manufacturer, but have a different label and are a third of the price! The garage should be able to advise on whether it's worth spending the extra cash for certain parts that have no impact on the performance of your vehicle.
RC said:
So the e46 touring is due in a few weeks so wondering what the best route is of the following
- specialist cars stevenage
- elms cambridge
- barry jones stevenage
- others?
It's a 76k mile 2002 330i sport touring so unlikely that i will see any of the premium on resale if i go the dealer route but ive seen some relatively cheap servicing offers recently for the e46 at the dealers.. somewhere around the 200 squid mark?
main thing is the hourly rate i guess because outside of the servicing there might be a few other things that i might get done while the car is there... anyone know what the rates are at the above? cheers
I'd go for option 4, Chambers & Gillies School Lane in Welwyn. The three guys who work there have five BMWs between them. Also they only use genuine BMW filters.- specialist cars stevenage
- elms cambridge
- barry jones stevenage
- others?
It's a 76k mile 2002 330i sport touring so unlikely that i will see any of the premium on resale if i go the dealer route but ive seen some relatively cheap servicing offers recently for the e46 at the dealers.. somewhere around the 200 squid mark?
main thing is the hourly rate i guess because outside of the servicing there might be a few other things that i might get done while the car is there... anyone know what the rates are at the above? cheers
http://www.a1bmspecialist.co.uk/
Friend in the trade uses these for his own 330d and recommends them, will be using them for next service for the Compact too.
Friend in the trade uses these for his own 330d and recommends them, will be using them for next service for the Compact too.
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