Servicing cost discrepancy

[TitanTim]

I never get all the bemoaning about dealers and servicing pricing etc. You don't have to get your motor serviced with them even if under warranty, just buy the genuine parts yourself and get any VAT registered garage to do the work and stamp the service book up. For as long as I will own a BMW I will take it to my dealer as luckily I find them very good and can't fault them for customer care etc. Just because some people may have had bad experience with one particular franchise doesn't mean they're all the same, far from it.

Tim.

[matthurley]

IJust because some people may have had bad experience with one particular franchise doesn't mean they're all the same, far from it.

Tim.

Who said all franchises are cack? I didn't

The idea of a forum is information exchange. Good experiences, bad experiences and those inbetween

Have a lovely evening

[TitanTim]

IJust because some people may have had bad experience with one particular franchise doesn't mean they're all the same, far from it.

Tim.

Who said all franchises are cack? I didn't

The idea of a forum is information exchange. Good experiences, bad experiences and those inbetween

Have a lovely evening

Not implying you did Matt.

Thats what I'm doing, giving my experience of using a BMW dealer which since 2008 has been excellent. Often find on forums people seem to think franchised dealers are the work of satan along with their prices so tar all dealers with the same brush. Like I said your not forced to use a franchised dealer so no real cause to complain about their costs. Not having a pop at you personally, just a general observation across the forums when it comes to criticism of dealers, one bad experience so all dealers are bad across the planet

Tim.

[Angie4m]

IJust because some people may have had bad experience with one particular franchise doesn't mean they're all the same, far from it.

Tim.

Who said all franchises are cack? I didn't

The idea of a forum is information exchange. Good experiences, bad experiences and those inbetween

Have a lovely evening

I think Tim is referring to the comments re techs stealing oil if you supply it (which is quite an accusation and gives a false impression to someone with little experience of the brand) and the fact people keep saying it costs X to do this yourself. Or the fact that some people say they don't care what a potential buyer thinks by not having stamps from a dealer or the servicing not being done to BMW requirements. That might be their idea of servicing but Clearly Matt you want to a garage to do the work, be it BMW or an Indy to keep your warranty intact and like Tim said not all garages, franchise or Indy are the same and calling franchise dealers staff thieves, like some have implied is uncalled for.

Unless said people have proof of such activities they cannot post such comments as people use these forums for information and it could put them off.

[john-e89]

No there are bound to be some good one's Tim, and good on you for having one, just personally I hav'nt found the one's I've been to so far, Toyota and Land rover in particular, to be very good and will do interim servicing myself as i will do in between oil changes etc, which is my own choice and not in the service schedule admittedly, and especially the little detail stuff that dealers don't, it makes my teeth itch that they won't put some copper grease on wheel bolts and hub faces for example, wouldn't hurt them to do that considering what they charge. Maybe the dealer I take it to will be good, I won't know for a while, I hope they will be, we'll wait and see.

[TitanTim]

No there are bound to be some good one's Tim, and good on you for having one, just personally I hav'nt found the one's I've been to so far, Toyota and Land rover in particular, to be very good and will do interim servicing myself as i will do in between oil changes etc, which is my own choice and not in the service schedule admittedly, and especially the little detail stuff that dealers don't, it makes my teeth itch that they won't put some copper grease on wheel bolts and hub faces for example, wouldn't hurt them to do that considering what they charge. Maybe the dealer I take it to will be good, I won't know for a while, I hope they will be, we'll wait and see.

I haven't always been so lucky John, namely Vauxhall and Peugeot but I can't say then that all those franchised dealers are bad, I think alot of the time its the luck of the draw as to whether you get a good or bad one. Sad as it sounds its why I've partly stayed with BMW as a good dealer goes a long way towards brand loyalty in my book. Nothing worse than having countless problems with a new motor and having a dealer who is not interested and makes the problems worse.....thanks Peugeot

Tim.

[john-e89]

There are some shockers out there Tim definitely, but I shouldn't really pre-judge, and like you if they do it right I won't go anywhere else.

[Raj_UK]

I've just booked my car in for a service and replacement rear springs on my e86 coupe at a dealer.

The price on the bmw site is £422 for inspection 2. The quote on the phone from the dealership started at £600 and then discounted to just below £500. I did state the 'fixed' internet price and they said they'd get back to me.

They got back to me and said the cheapest they can get it down to is £435 but I could book it through the BMW site for £422, which I thought was fair enough. I booked it on the phone because the springs were discounted to £265 fitted which I thought was a pretty good deal.

I've had a similar experience with Internet fixed price with Vauxhall. The dealer quoted a (slightly) higher figure than the internet price and stated I had to book online to qualify for the discount.

[EdButler]

I've just booked my car in for a service and replacement rear springs on my e86 coupe at a dealer.

The price on the bmw site is £422 for inspection 2. The quote on the phone from the dealership started at £600 and then discounted to just below £500. I did state the 'fixed' internet price and they said they'd get back to me.

They got back to me and said the cheapest they can get it down to is £435 but I could book it through the BMW site for £422, which I thought was fair enough. I booked it on the phone because the springs were discounted to £265 fitted which I thought was a pretty good deal.

I've had a similar experience with Internet fixed price with Vauxhall. The dealer quoted a (slightly) higher figure than the internet price and stated I had to book online to qualify for the discount.

Sachs springs cost £44 each, plus about 15 minutes each to fit. I don't think that's necessarily a good deal, but that's me and I'm tight!

[Raj_UK]

Sachs springs cost £44 each, plus about 15 minutes each to fit. I don't think that's necessarily a good deal, but that's me and I'm tight!

You're right, but I fancied original springs. Given my last quote was £117 to buy an original spring I think its pretty good!!

Its the service that seems a rip off but that's the price to maintain full BMW history. Might start using indys depending how long I keep the car!

[Scooba_Steve]

I don't know why anyone would replace a broken OE spring with another OE spring. They're clearly not up to the job...

[Raj_UK]

I don't know why anyone would replace a broken OE spring with another OE spring. They're clearly not up to the job...

Mine aren't broken!! My reasons are best saved for another thread!!