Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

"M" Specific discussion
Viren
Member
Member
Posts: 356
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:26 am

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by Viren » Sun May 26, 2019 10:22 am

620turbo wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 1:48 pm So, by way of an update, latest prices with me supplying the engine oil (TWS) are:

BMW Dealer £1,100 approx
ETA Motorsport £560 approx

It is a difficult one for the reasons everyone has posted above. If it were not for the Z4M transitioning into classic / collector status there would not be any doubt. I am sure that ETA will probably do a better job and are more used to working on them now than the stealers anyway.

I think I will give it to ETA but I hope the non BMW stamp in the book does not harm the car's value with someone at a later date. Thanks for all your input everyone.
Actually, giving the car to a specialist, where you can name the mechanic working on your car, and that company and mechanic are well known, will increase the value of the car over a random dealer. People who buy these cars especially when they transition to classic status, look more closely at history. For example Phil at CPC is the only mechanic to have looked after my car for the past 6 years and he has done all services, vanos refurb, big end bearing, etc. I think a prospective buyer would value that more than "full BMW service history". Good job for making the right choice!!
07 Z4MC standard spec

mad4slalom
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1833
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 12:26 pm

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by mad4slalom » Sun Jan 12, 2020 8:18 pm

mmm-five wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:53 am You've got to consider how many technicians in the dealership were trained on the S54 (which came out in 2000), and are still there 19 years later...and see enough S54s to require them to maintain their ///Master Tech credentials?

Even then, you're car is likely to be worked on by an apprentice/junior, and will follow a tick-box exercise that the //Master Tech is supposed to double-check afterwards (who in my case simply took the sheet of paper and ticked everything).

A lot of the old-school technicians will have left and set up on their own, or work for independents as they'll get more of the hourly rate themselves, and won't be pressured into cutting corners to fit more cars in.
I have been saying this for years, Main dealer servicing is the biggest con going. BMW are very evasive regarding what work is actually done during inspection one and two. They basically con you into spending up to a grand because the car has an M badge. The whole concept of sevicing a car as in the old days no longer exists, the “service” has become an “ inspection” , the name says it all, basically, look at it , and if it aint broke dont fix it, no cleaning of brakes and lubing caliper sliders, no checking / repacking wheel bearings or greasing suspension, you are lucky if they adjust your handbrake, at least you would think they would take that up a click or two just so it felt like there had been something done. Get to know a local independent and stress that you want proper preventive maintainance alongside proper servicing where some pride is taken ,Some dont even clean up oilspills from sump plugs and filter changess yet will get some schoolboy on a fiver an hour to grind grit into your prized paintwork as part of their customer service policy of free valet with every service. If you are a granny or a trusting or gullible person with no mechanical nonce though , the dealer will be quick to chuck away your perfectly good brakes and relieve you of five or six hundred quid because yours were below manufacturers spec madam !
Your car will be way better looked after by spending your cash on a couple of roll cabinets, stock them over a period with good tools , and fettle your b m with all the tlc that a garage in their pursuit of profit cant or wont do, have yr indy do the required inspections for your service history, do interim oilchanges yourself in addition to the stipulated ones, you will understand your car better, enjoy learning , have fun stocking up with tools and equipment, and increase yr cars value when a prospective buyer sees how anal you have been. Since I did this, its a pleasure to go to my tool chests knowing exactly where a particular tool is and knowing I have the right tool for the job. The added pleasure is showing my grandson these chests and their contents and what they do, watching him learn and experiment and explaining to him that when I am gone,all these tools and equipment are his and he too will be able to do his own spannering etc. I know this sounds negative and every mechanic in every main dealer
Obviously isnt a cowboy but they just cant, because of costs and time restraints give customers vehicles the time required to do the work properly. What did it for me , apart from many dissapointing experiences at various garages was reading on here that a bmw tech has 17 minutes to collect yr keys, find your car in the car park , bring it in and complete an oil service ! Nuff said 🤔

bjd
Member
Member
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:51 am

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by bjd » Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:20 pm

I suppose another argument to throw into the mix is if you have an insured warranty or not. I believe they want servicing done by dealers as per the schedule. Not trying to start a debate about if you should have an insured warranty but for some people that is probably something to be considered.
2007 Z4MR with all the toys and gadgets!

User avatar
srhutch
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 26959
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:22 pm
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by srhutch » Mon Jan 13, 2020 7:56 am

bjd wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:20 pm I suppose another argument to throw into the mix is if you have an insured warranty or not. I believe they want servicing done by dealers as per the schedule. Not trying to start a debate about if you should have an insured warranty but for some people that is probably something to be considered.
They are not allowed to dictate where you get the car serviced, just has to be a VAT registered garage.
Image

SiJar
Member
Member
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:29 pm
Location: Cambs

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by SiJar » Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:37 am

I would stick with a BMW independent garage just to ensure you get the BMW stamp in the book even if it does have independent after it. You need to use a well known reputable BMW independent garage rather than just some one locally known as being knowledgeable on the car. The reason being when you sell the car on the person purchasing your car may not be local and will be looking for the BMW stamp in some form or another.
Z4///MC

mmm-five
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 12714
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:03 pm
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by mmm-five » Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:21 am

srhutch wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 7:56 amThey are not allowed to dictate where you get the car serviced, just has to be a VAT registered garage.
If you're talking about the EU Block Exemption, then in this context - as it covers lots of motor industry stuff - it only covers the new car/AUC warranty as you had no choice in the terms & conditions of that agreement, as it was included/negotiated in the price of the vehicle.

With the 'aftermarket' BMW Insured Warranty you had the option of agreeing to any restrictive terms of this insurance policy, or finding a provider whose Ts&Cs your agreed with.

The BMW Insured Warranty (Mondial) I had actually stated that I had to use a "BMW authorised/approved service centre" - and besides the dealerships, I only found one 'Service Centre' (i.e. with no sales/service dept attached) in England...in Basingstoke.

The issue with not using the dealer on a new car, under manufacturer/AUC warranty, is the 'goodwill' element of any warranty claims you're trying to make. I doubt my 23,000 mile old engine claim would have been looked on as favourably had the issue appeared during an Insp.2 at any old VAT-registered garage (specialist or not)...I was just lucky that it was a BMW Dealer that had just finished the Insp.2 when the issue came to light.
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

User avatar
Felix79
Member
Member
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2018 1:55 am
Location: Hereford

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by Felix79 » Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:54 pm

I was really glad I took my MR to a well known independent specialist (Mark Purcell) here in Oxford when I did my first service since owning the car in Nov last year. Mark spotted a lot of problems and bodges that had been done, which ended up costing me over £3200. If I had taken it to BMW with their prices, the bill would have been over £5000 easily. I would have actually decided that the car was not worth saving and tried to sell it as spares or repairs, loosing myself well over the £3200 I spent on fixing it.

Mark had kept all the old/worn out parts that he removed, so I could see that all the parts he put on, were actually done. He also put the car up on the ramp and showed me everything he had done. Even though there was so many parts that had to be replaced (springs, shocks, brakes discs and pads etc) he informed me that I actually did have a pretty good car as then power/drive train was in excellent and the body was totally rust free and the only thing that I needed to sort out would be the right backbox/mid pipe as the flange had rotted off and the temp repair the garage I bought the car from was not of the highest quality (warranty claim).

It's this type of attention to detail and honesty that I find a good Indie garage offers above and beyond a dealership service centre is able to match.

Also in the past where my old man has taken his BMW's to North Oxford (the cars were between 2 to 5 years old and under warranty) they would often do things that seemed to pad out the invoice. I know they were always trying to claim the brake pads needed replacing, when he knew they were well within their service life.

User avatar
srhutch
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 26959
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:22 pm
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Inspection 2 - Worth Going to BMW to Keep FBMWSH?

Post by srhutch » Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:01 pm

mmm-five wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:21 am
srhutch wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 7:56 amThey are not allowed to dictate where you get the car serviced, just has to be a VAT registered garage.
If you're talking about the EU Block Exemption, then in this context - as it covers lots of motor industry stuff - it only covers the new car/AUC warranty as you had no choice in the terms & conditions of that agreement, as it was included/negotiated in the price of the vehicle.

With the 'aftermarket' BMW Insured Warranty you had the option of agreeing to any restrictive terms of this insurance policy, or finding a provider whose Ts&Cs your agreed with.

The BMW Insured Warranty (Mondial) I had actually stated that I had to use a "BMW authorised/approved service centre" - and besides the dealerships, I only found one 'Service Centre' (i.e. with no sales/service dept attached) in England...in Basingstoke.

The issue with not using the dealer on a new car, under manufacturer/AUC warranty, is the 'goodwill' element of any warranty claims you're trying to make. I doubt my 23,000 mile old engine claim would have been looked on as favourably had the issue appeared during an Insp.2 at any old VAT-registered garage (specialist or not)...I was just lucky that it was a BMW Dealer that had just finished the Insp.2 when the issue came to light.
I’m sure the servicing at BMW requirement was stopped a few year ago. Agree with the goodwill comments though.
Image

Post Reply