RANT: Lazy feckin' dealers

mmm-five

mmm-five

Lifer
 Liverpool
Site Supporter
[start rant mode]
I thought there was a recession on and everyone was desperate for work. Not bleedin' BMW dealers it seems.

Phoned 6 (4 local-ish and 2 more remote but by a friend's house) dealers on Tuesday for a quote for coolant change (car's 4 years old, but new engine is less than 2, so may not need it anyway), and brake fluid change as it's not been done since I've owned it, there's nothing in the service history stating it's ever been done, and I was waiting for the clock to come up on the dash.

All 6 service departments were too busy to take my calls, but reception said they would call me back with a price.

It's now Thursday evening, and guess how many have returned my call? ZERO, NADA, ZILCH, NIL, NONE, BUPKIS!

One of them even claimed that I should blindly follow the on board display for servicing - until I pointed out that the manual specifies how & when it should be done, even if the OBC says otherwise.

I am so tempted to just do it myself (or get an indy to do it) and write a note in the service history about why I did it myself - and about how I wouldn't trust that the BMW dealer hadn't just stamped the book and reset the indicator. If I do go to the dealer I think I'll have to start doing UV pen/dye/paint blob tests again!

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

[end rant mode]
 
AlanJ said:
Dare you to name the dealers...... :roll:
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Not yet, as I might have to use one :x

4 different franchises with names starting with S, B, W, H.
 
I know what you mean, one localish dealer to me never returns calls :x and if the service department are busy the receptionists try to help which only adds to their incompetence as they don't know what they are talking about.
 
Still nothing.

But thinking about it, as the engine is less than 18 months old and would have had new coolant in at the time, I can't see how I can need it changed now anyway. Can't see anything about brake fluid on the receipt for the fitting of the pads & discs though.

I think BMW's reminder is based on the car as it was, rather than how it is, and there's no OBC indications claiming it needs either.

I'll still get them done, but I don't think I need to stick to BMW for these, as neither should affect the warranty or FBMWSH.
 
Mmm-five,

I've just paid £8.88 ex VAT for the fluid and £38.75 ex VAT for labour when I had the brake fluid changed at the same time as my Inspection 1 service at Sytner Nottingham. :thumbsup:
 
Maybe the low cost of the work I'm asking about makes it not worth their time, which I'm fine with as long as they'd tell me that!

I think I'm just going to ask the local dealer when I drive there next to pick up some dust valve caps.
 
Finally got one reply - £80 for brake fluid, £120 for coolant, for a total of about £230 including vat.
 
chrismann85 said:
:o wow that's expensive :o
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That's including the discount for cars over 4 years old.

They said it's about 45-60 minutes for each job, so if you assume 1.5 hours at £120/hr then you've already got £180.
 
45-60 mins to drain the fluids and refill? That must include the standing around, scratching of asses and copious tea drinking!
 
Craig74 said:
Just had my brake Fluid changed at Peter Vardy Edinburgh for £55 :thumbsup:
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But you're not paying the ///M tax for the ///M branded brake fluid, and the biscuits and coffee reserved for ///M owners (the ones they don't spit on) :P
 
No point doing the coolant change at a dealer... There's no stamp for it in the book! I got mine done for half that quote at an Indy...
 
tjlazer said:
No point doing the coolant change at a dealer... There's no stamp for it in the book! I got mine done for half that quote at an Indy...
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I thought that too, but didn't know if it was recorded on the dealer system somewhere - and thus being available for checking via BMW customer services.

Can't see anything in the extended warranty about having to do brake fluid changes at the dealer to maintain cover - all it says is that I have to comply with the service intervals, but doesn't state what comprises a service (oil & inspection I'd guess).

Better safe than sorry I suppose.
 
I really don't think they care about anything thats not formally recognised in the service book, after all it's just antifreeze and water...I've kept the receipt to prove the work has been done and thats good enough for me! By the way BMW Battersea wanted 230 for the coolant change, hence I went to an indy and paid 60 quid ;p
 
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