BMW Dealership Service??

[Jay07]

Hey People!

How many of you still take your cars in to BMW??

Do they have their uses?
Or is the service not the same as it use to be?/worth the money they charge?

After all the work ive done recently i'm still getting idle issues, its probably an air leak somewhere but i dont know anymore...
so i was thinking of taking it to the big boys!

I was checking the service history of the car and the original 2 owners took the car to BMW for servicing (from what i can see theres all sorts of test not to mention all the part that were replaced)

The last service at BMW was years ago, so i was just wondering whats to know about BMW servicing these days??

Jason

[orangecurry]

I still get my insp1 and insp2 done by BMW, cos I do very little mileage, and the car has unbroken BMW service history. Other stuff (brakes for instance) I get done by a local garage I trust.

The problem with getting BMW to do any investigation work is that
a) it will be very expensive
b) the mechanics there today might not know enough about the E30 to find/sort the problem.

[Jay07]

I still get my insp1 and insp2 done by BMW

What does this cover orange? and how much am i looking at?

b) the mechanics there today might not know enough about the E30 to find/sort the problem.

I get done by a local garage I trust.

These 2 go hand it hand - My local guy is supposed to be good but hes complete to$$er to work with that i'm looking for someone new now - hense why ive started doing as much as i can myself

[orangecurry]

I still get my insp1 and insp2 done by BMW

What does this cover orange? and how much am i looking at?

Click the 'Articles' link above, then 'General Menu'
The oil service and insp1 and insp2 are all detailed. I get the oil service done by BMW too. I'll have to look up what they cost me; it's at home in a folder. You can get good discount, by asking, and being a regular customer. It does depend on the garage though.

[Jay07]

Click the 'Articles' link above, then 'General Menu'
The oil service and insp1 and insp2 are all detailed. I get the oil service done by BMW too. I'll have to look up what they cost me; it's at home in a folder. You can get good discount, by asking, and being a regular customer. It does depend on the garage though.

Cheers orange i'll take a look! To be honest it feels weird taking me old gal to the spanking BMW showroom - She isnt anything special - i just want the best out of what i have... Im just being stupid i guess.

[daimlerman]

No harm in asking,the service guys may just be interested...but do get a quote first!

[hubble]

The problem with getting BMW to do any investigation work is that
a) it will be very expensive
b) the mechanics there today might not know enough about the E30 to find/sort the problem.


completely agree with the above comment.

Some BMW dealers have a 4 plus programme where if your car is over 4 years old you'll get a discount which is great, but nothing to write home about. Their rates vary widley between dealerships. My local BMW dealer chargers £110 per hour and in Leeds it' approx £125hr. The further South you go especially in London It's up tp £200 per hour. BMW has priced-out people like ourselves.

Personally I think it's extortionate and scandelous. The problem you will find is most of the 'old school' mechanics have either retired or moved on leaving room for new college technicans who have absolutely no idea what an E30 is. So be wary.

My local mechanic has been working on mine for nealry 5 years and know's the car inside-out and charges a fraction of the cost.
I will admit now and again the car will go to BMW, but for the majority it's kept local. I'd also like to say that the work the local garage has done has never been faulted and is equally if not better that BMW.

Hope this info helps

[gasgas]

Mine always goes to the BMW dealer! The prices are very reasonable! (free)

But we do get tons of E30's in for servicing and repairs, we had a guy with an 89 318i 4 door pay nearly £2k for a complete exhaust, steering rack and an inspection 2! and that was at 4+!

[orangecurry]

Mine always goes to the BMW dealer! The prices are very reasonable! (free)

But we do get tons of E30's in for servicing and repairs, we had a guy with an 89 318i 4 door pay nearly £2k for a complete exhaust, steering rack and an inspection 2! and that was at 4+!

now that IS obscene - that's worse to me than these builders who charge 2k for replacing a roof tile.....

Why didn't the service manager point out that the car was only worth 400 GBP even AFTER the 2k had been spent on it, and the customer would be far better off going out and buying a car which was in better condition?

There's 'making a profit', and there's ripping people off.

[hubble]

Mine always goes to the BMW dealer! The prices are very reasonable! (free)

But we do get tons of E30's in for servicing and repairs, we had a guy with an 89 318i 4 door pay nearly £2k for a complete exhaust, steering rack and an inspection 2! and that was at 4+!

The car probably won't be worth that More money than sense i guess.

[gasgas]

The customer was told twice once by the service advisor and once by the manager and the guy was insulted.
The car must have had some sentimental value or something like that!

[hubble]

The customer was told twice once by the service advisor and once by the manager and the guy was insulted.
The car must have had some sentimental value or something like that!

Should have gone to spec savers

[orangecurry]

Did the Owner look anything like my avatar?

[hubble]

Did the Owner look anything like my avatar?

[Z3I]

Its to pay gasgas's very high wages...

[gasgas]

I would be happy with 10% of our hourly rate!

[march109]

I would be happy with 10% of our hourly rate!

makes you sick knowing how much they charge and what you earn. I know they have overheads but thats over a 1000% markup on labour alone!

[Royalratch]

I inquired about sorting my 'trebly' M42 engined iS.

They said that to change the belt would be approx £400 + parts.



Belt?

They just give E30's to trainee teenagers to practice on. Stick with specialists.

[Frenchy]

My Specialist was the BMW service workshop manager,he loves E30's and knows them nut and bolt they charge approx £35 an hour and are very meticulous in their work,most of the mechanics are enthusiasts they will take things off and repair them if possible.

Last service was Insp 1,new waterpump,MOT(Required 2 wipers)....£280 all in with the dreaded VAT.

Would not go anywhere else !

It takes 2 weeks to get in though!!!!

[Z3I]

Gasgas, just out of interest, out of an 8 hour day, how much time on average does an engineer spend on "paid for" work?
So for instance, if the enginers goes off for maccydees, or spends an inordinate time in the "office", are we paying the £150-200 an hour for this time?

Wont quote you of course!

In my experience I've only good things to say about BMW dealerships, except the time they stuffed my 1983 E30 316 in 1986, whilst "testing the brakes" during a service. These days its different, I bought a brake light switch the other day for my cab, and it looked very different, so I took it back. They said no, it does the same job, and fitted it for me for free. "all part of the service" they said. BMW Cobham, Surrey

[gasgas]

Gasgas, just out of interest, out of an 8 hour day, how much time on average does an engineer spend on "paid for" work?
So for instance, if the enginers goes off for maccydees, or spends an inordinate time in the "office", are we paying the £150-200 an hour for this time?

Wont quote you of course!

In my experience I've only good things to say about BMW dealerships, except the time they stuffed my 1983 E30 316 in 1986, whilst "testing the brakes" during a service. These days its different, I bought a brake light switch the other day for my cab, and it looked very different, so I took it back. They said no, it does the same job, and fitted it for me for free. "all part of the service" they said. BMW Cobham, Surrey

To be honesest they only charge the customer the time that BMW set on KSD so if the technician knackers something up it comes out of his bonus which he builds up by being quicker than the times suggested. And also if the tech is waiting at the parts dept for too long the parts dept get charged for the wasted time! and not the customer. it is a really fair system and i can honestly say that there is no unscrupulous tactics used. atleast not by the dealership i work at.

[JohnnyThunders]

Why Gas Gas? Spanish Trial bike fan or bean eater?

[Z3I]

Cos I know that Gasgas is the man on the inside!

Have to agree with him that as far as my experience goes, BMW dealerships are ok these days.

Can't say the same for Ford and Vauxhall, that seem to think that their customers are still worthy of taking the p*ss out of!

And whilst we are about it, Mercedes Brooklands beats them all for falling over backwards to help customers..but thats another story.

[gasgas]

Why Gas Gas? Spanish Trial bike fan or bean eater?

Spanish trials bike fan and rider. and im a bit partial to the odd bean or two!

[Jay07]

"I still get my insp1 and insp2 done at BMW"

Is this a set of tests at a fixed price price then you pay extra for what ever comes up or is it a fixed price that will cover any of the faults that are found??

[orangecurry]

"I still get my insp1 and insp2 done at BMW"

Is this a set of tests at a fixed price price then you pay extra for what ever comes up or is it a fixed price that will cover any of the faults that are found??

something inbetween - they include changing the fluids/filters etc, but anything extra that they spot will cost extra, in both parts and labour.

Look in the 'Articles - General Menu', and it lists what is included.

[Jay07]

"something inbetween - they include changing the fluids/filters etc, but anything extra that they spot will cost extra, in both parts and labour. "

I had a look ... thats quite a substantial inspection if they go through all of that as part of the test! Do you have any idea of the cost of the test itself?, before the extras that is?

I'll probably give BMW a call on monday and see what their saying!

[orangecurry]

erm IIRC Oil service around 100 GBP, Insp 2 300 GBP? Depends a great deal on their hourly rate (which varies in an odd fashion).

What did your local dealer say?