dealer service or independent- any advice?

W

WizzEssex

Member
 Essex
Hi all- coming up to my first service - I'm thinking of using my local garage - always been very good with my other (non BMW) cars- theyre not a BM specialist but professional and reasonable price- is this a good move or should I pay for the dealer service ?
Anmyone have any advice/experience please?
 
I'm in the same place at the moment - I need to get my car done for an Inspection 2 and was weighing up the pros and cons of indy vs. bmw.

As far as I could see, BMW is about £100 more than a indy but I know that they wont cut corners and service the car properly. Its price vs. not really every knowing that they have serviced the car properly.

Thoughts???
 
Exactmax said:
...vs. not really every knowing that they have serviced the car properly.
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Surely the same worry applies for both indy or dealer - except the dealer charges you more.
 
Its worth a bit of phone time as iv managed to get dealers pretty close to indys with a bit of negotiation.
 
mmm-five said:
Exactmax said:
...vs. not really every knowing that they have serviced the car properly.
Click to expand...
Surely the same worry applies for both indy or dealer - except the dealer charges you more.
Click to expand...

+1... There are more reports of dealers doing shoddy work than indy's (granted, slightly skewed by the number of people using main dealers vs Indy's)
 
WizzEssex said:
Hi all- coming up to my first service - I'm thinking of using my local garage - always been very good with my other (non BMW) cars- theyre not a BM specialist but professional and reasonable price- is this a good move or should I pay for the dealer service ?
Anmyone have any advice/experience please?
Click to expand...

By answering this question may help - how long do you intend to own it before selling?

(a) Selling between 0-5 years, I'd say you might find it diffictlt to sell near the money you want without Main or Franchised BMW stamps.

(b) Selling if owned +5 years, then the price differential won't be that much provided it has been non-BMW serviced with clear documentation of work done.

Also, understood now warranties had to be honoured if genuine parts used regardless of where they were serviced...
 
My Indy garage is owned by a good friend who has looked after all my car so i have no worries with taking it too him, i also think that Indy garages work harder as they relay on reputation rather than a brand name!
 
Out of interest, and related though not quite on topic, if I ask nicely can BMW tell me the service history of my car up to the point when it had it's first non-BMW service ? I have some gaps in the service history which are probably just careless filing on the part of previous owners, and would be interested if BMW can fill the gaps. Anyone know ?
 
WizzEssex said:
Hi all- coming up to my first service - I'm thinking of using my local garage - always been very good with my other (non BMW) cars- theyre not a BM specialist but professional and reasonable price- is this a good move or should I pay for the dealer service ?
Anmyone have any advice/experience please?
Click to expand...

Got questions before I can give advice. First:

How old is your car?
 
sp3ctre said:
mmm-five said:
Exactmax said:
...vs. not really every knowing that they have serviced the car properly.
Click to expand...
Surely the same worry applies for both indy or dealer - except the dealer charges you more.
Click to expand...

+1... There are more reports of dealers doing shoddy work than indy's (granted, slightly skewed by the number of people using main dealers vs Indy's)
Click to expand...
+2 I agree with mmm-five and Spectre. There is no way I would assume a Dealership is better, with service or quality. Sorry. That's like saying a British Gas man or ADT engineer is better than an independant or plumber/engineer from a small shop. No way. It depends on the individual. And the system. Not each in isolation.
 
Scratch my query, just seen another thread with the answer :thumbsup:

Going to change my location to 'currently hijacking someone else's thread' I think :D
 
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