Major service

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 12:05 pm

Just had major service done / completed at w/e (Sat), I had all fluids changed inc, diif oil, gear oil, engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, all filters, plugs - and unfortunately (for me) had to have new discs & pads at the front, anyway alls good, at last I managed to get out for a proper drive at the w/e, what a great car to drive

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 12:16 pm

OK! nice to know mate

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 12:21 pm

Just out of curiosity, how much did you pay for all that work? And was it bmw dealer, specialist or local garage?

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:10 pm

Yeah, would also like to know how much that lot cost!

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:55 pm

Firstly - I don't know how I managed to post this twice ? !!

It was an independent garage that did the work, and the owner is a Jaguar specialist who I met through the JEC, and he did exactly the same on my XJS a few weeks ago, (except for the brakes)
Its a family run garage. and he very kindly - although a bit reluctantly, allowed me to supply my own parts - a good friend of mine works for a motor factors, and I let him know what I need, he arranges for me to pick it up at an Edinburgh depot, (as he is not in Edinburgh), so with his staff discount, everything with the exception of the front discs & pads, (as I didn't know they were required !) so thats all the oils, filters, anti freeze, and plugs + injector cleaner was just under £90, then the labour and front discs & pads was about £250.( filters were OE, oil was the correct 15w40 - Comma)
Happy days

I did call Peter Vardy BMW in Edinburgh - twice, re a cost for this major service - inc diff & gear oil + coolant, and no-one ever got back to me !! although I did find out that they charge £165 per hour

! I though - F F S, anyhow, that was over two weeks ago, and even yet no-one has got back to me !! They obviously not fussy about "new" customers !!

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:29 pm

I'm just about to do mine, although mines a major, major service.. belts, dissy cap, HT leads etc. and I've paid over £500 in parts.. But I've pretty much gone top end with everything.. i.e. Bosch for all ignition items, genuine parts for a good few of them as well. And my oils have all been premium as well.

Paying a pal who owns a garage a couple doors down a hundred to fit it all.

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:33 pm

cheffy wrote:I did call Peter Vardy BMW in Edinburgh - twice, re a cost for this major service - inc diff & gear oil + coolant, and no-one ever got back to me !! although I did find out that they charge £165 per hour ! I though - F F S, anyhow, that was over two weeks ago, and even yet no-one has got back to me !! They obviously not fussy about "new" customers !!

Although it's a nice feeling to have a dealership look after your car, and to get the stamp etc.. there is no way anyone can justify their labour rates.. especially with the fact a lot of their mechanics can only fix cars with computers telling them what to replace and fix. Unless there's an old boy working in the dealership that's worked on E30's in the past, I wouldnt feel comfortable dropping it off to them at all.

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:39 pm

Mitchen where you get the boschs ht leads ? Price ?

Post Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:46 pm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151349928711? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Bargain if you ask me!

Post Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:41 am

Mitchen, your car looks really nice, re BMW main dealers, when I called Peter Vardy BMW Edinburgh, I was initially told that "we do not give prices over the phone, you have to bring your car in, with the key, (don't know how you could take it in without the key ??!) and they will read from the key what has been, and what needs done ! I tried to explain mine was an older car - an E30, (to which she had NO idea), so gave her the reg number, and she said oh, I'll get someone to call you back that knows about these things ! waited 2 days, NO call, so I called again, left my number and details - AGAIN, but as I said, NO- ONE EVER called me back, but at £165 p/h, I wouldn't have gone there anyway.
Like you said, unless there was an older guy, (NOT OLD, Mitchen ! haha) that knows these cars, they would be scratchin their heads ! haha.

The guy who did mine, that also did my XJS, is an older guy, and CAN relate to older cars, and I have to say did a great job on both, his dad, who is actually retired, but still works full time there, is a total wealth of knowledge, before I ordered my stuff for the service, I called to see what oil I should get, it was the dad that answered the phone, and almost without thinking he said, well as thats an older car, you dont really want fully synthetic oil, so get 15w 40, which is a bit thicker, and will be better for that (older) engine, but they also take the time to explain evrything to you, which is maybe not something I need, but I have seen them with other customers, who may not have any knowledge about cars and it is appreciated, there is NO sharp intake of breath through pursed lips and a furrowed brow !! I'm sure you get my drift here.
They are called DM Conversions, Dunbar

Post Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:14 am

Sounds like you got a good deal

When I lived in lincolnshire I used to got a local bmw independant called alexanders in louth run by a father & son.

A full/major service like yours used to cost me £200 cash If supplied all the parts, the only reason I started using them was because I got talking to a family friend who restored classic cars & built performance engine in his spare time & he allways took his own car (E12 M535i) to them.

They must be good as there was a guy who came all the way from gt yarmouth to louth (nr grimsby) for them to look after his car (E9 csl).

Some of the cars they looked after included, alpina c2 2.7, e12 m535i, e28 m5, e9 csl e46 m3 csl, hartge h26, & a few others,

Only problem was if they got one of the above in I used to get a phone call to see if I was going round to have a nosey much to the disdain of my wife lol.

Had countless parts out of them for next to nothing & still pop in for a cuppa if I'm over that way (rude not to) & see what parts they have in going cheap for a prefered customer.

Post Tue Sep 02, 2014 10:23 am

When was that steve ? £200 cash is good, originally I was paying £150 (cash) with me supplying the goods, but, as I mentioned, I needed new pads, and Ron, (my mech) recommended discs as well, so he got these, fitted them, and all told I paid just under £250, he did show me the old ones, pads were gone completely except 1, and the discs were quite rusty and kinda pitted, dont think they would have done the new pads any good !

As I mentioned, he is a Jag specialist, although, they do all makes /models of cars, but Ron is a Jag man, and whenever I go down, there's usually a nice Jag on one of the ramps, last week he had an immaculate series 2 E type 4.2, and couple of weeks ago he had a gorgeous MK 2, was only the 2.4, but was in amazing condition.

I'm not a one make guy ! I love cars, all makes and models - (well maybe not ALL) but, Be Em's, Jags, Mercs are top of my list, but I do love old Fords - eg, Cossie's, 2.8 inj / 280 Capri's, and further back in time to MK 1 Escort Mexico's & RS 2000's, Lotus Cortina's etc.

I could go on, if only I had LOADS o money - and a HUGE garage