[survivalist]

Hi

Been a member for a while, but sadly not had anything useful to post. Sadly, this post probably won't change that ;-)

I was just wondering if there was a big discrepancy in what different BMW dealers charge for servicing? My E90 is a Oct 2006 325i and so far has been serviced at BMW main dealers.

At just over 60,000 miles it's now due a oil, spark plug and brake fluid service and (to my mind at least) should have a coolant change as well.

Having phoned 2 dealers (one near my home and one near work) they both seem to be quoting £230 for the oil change and £120 each for the other items. The one near my work even said that I would have to pay £25 to have the service counter reset as my car was "old" and no longer in warranty.

This seems very high to me and looking at my last 2 receipts I paid £126 and £138 for the oil services.

One dealership is in London and the other in Surrey. Are they chancing their arm or have service costs gone up massively over the past 18 months? Also, if anyone can recommend a main dealer with more reasonable pricing in the South East it would be greatly appreciated.

Also, its not that I mind paying for good work but the last main dealer I used for service and warranty work did a mediocre job at best - the car ended up going back 3 times to correct work that they forgot to carry out, replace trim they broke in the process and I was still left with 2 missing screws on the air filter enclosure that I replaced myself rather than go through the hassle of losing the car for a day.

In contrast I have a 20 year old BMW that had a full oil, coolant, brake fluid, cambelt and valve clearance service for £850 from an independent. Service was great, just no fancy coffee or courtesy car (lift to the station instead), so I'm half thinking of asking them to do it. Only thing putting me off is that I may sell in the next 18 months and am worried that people expect a full BMW service history.

S

[Silver Shadow]

Bowker Preston quoted me £371 last week for an oil change, brake fluid change and replacement microfilter.

I subsequently got two quotes from local independent garages for the same work using OEM parts and the cheapest of the two was £178.

When I informed Bowker Preston they price matched my quote and did the work for £178 as opposed to the £371 they originally quoted!!!

It shows how much profit the dealers try and make on servicing if they can cut nearly £200 from a £371 bill and still do the work at a profit!!

[survivalist]

Thanks Silver Shadow. I didn't realise that BMW dealers match independents, did you just phone up and tell them that another garage would be getting your business unless they came down on price?

[Silver Shadow]

Bowker Preston are my nearest dealership and I noticed it on their website - http://www.bowkerprestonbmw.co.uk/service/

Might be worth showing this to your local dealership and see if they will offer you something similar...

[SteveF1]

I bought my car from Bowker and apart from warranty work I've never had anything else done by them as they were always more expensive compared to my local BMW dealers. However, after seeing this deal they may just be in the running for my major third service.

I printed this deal off and took it to my local Williams BMW dealer and asked them to match it. They looked in amazement and stated they couldn't come anywhere near to matching this and that Bowker must be making a loss matching indys. They stated they had 10-15% to play with but not cutting their labour rates by two thirds.

Just out of interest which Indy specialist did you use when you got Bowker to price match. I want the cheapest Indy to speak to as I need a oil service (minus oil as supplied by myself), air and fuel filter and crankcase breather valve replacement. Williams BMW want near £600!

[tonyshrops]

i have just been quoted £495 for oil/fuel/intake/micofilter for a service at 63k which i think is expensive going to have a ring round

[m@rk]

Originally Posted by tonyshrops

i have just been quoted £495 for oil/fuel/intake/micofilter for a service at 63k which i think is expensive going to have a ring round

Sounds like the one I just had. Is this your third oil service?

If so, mine was £381

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by SteveF1

I bought my car from Bowker and apart from warranty work I've never had anything else done by them as they were always more expensive compared to my local BMW dealers. However, after seeing this deal they may just be in the running for my major third service.

I printed this deal off and took it to my local Williams BMW dealer and asked them to match it. They looked in amazement and stated they couldn't come anywhere near to matching this and that Bowker must be making a loss matching indys. They stated they had 10-15% to play with but not cutting their labour rates by two thirds.

Just out of interest which Indy specialist did you use when you got Bowker to price match. I want the cheapest Indy to speak to as I need a oil service (minus oil as supplied by myself), air and fuel filter and crankcase breather valve replacement. Williams BMW want near £600!

Steve, speak to Darren Wood BMW in Bredbury, I have all my work done there - cheap and better workmanship than the stealers.

Both guys are top ex BM mechanics.

Their labour is £40 / hour.

They charged me £20 (1/2 hour) for an oil and filter change (plus oil and filter of course) I pay £60 for the oil from opie, they get the filter and plug washer from BMW, so about £100 all in with the VAT, While you wait.

0161 425 7403

[Jeff123]

DB

Do you think that the lack of a main dealer will affect the resale value? If so, you must have done the sums and offset the drop in resale vs the cheaper (but probably better) service.

Problem is, with the Stealers, you just know that you are being ripped-off, it's by how much and at what point you go elsewhere.

[Boyd1963]

Originally Posted by Jeff123

DB

Do you think that the lack of a main dealer will affect the resale value? If so, you must have done the sums and offset the drop in resale vs the cheaper (but probably better) service.

Problem is, with the Stealers, you just know that you are being ripped-off, it's by how much and at what point you go elsewhere.

+1

[BGM]

if you sell to the right person they will be glad you went to a specialist not a dealer..

i know i would

i get mine done by birds now.. piece of mind is worth its weight in gold.

[toxicnerve]

Originally Posted by BGM

if you sell to the right person they will be glad you went to a specialist not a dealer..

i know i would

i get mine done by birds now.. piece of mind is worth its weight in gold.

How much are Birds for general servicing stuff?

Oil change, brake fluid, micro-filters etc? I assume they use all OEM parts and the warranty would not be affected?

[BGM]

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

How much are Birds for general servicing stuff?

Oil change, brake fluid, micro-filters etc? I assume they use all OEM parts and the warranty would not be affected?

i honestly, can't recall.. £120 sticks in my mind.. but i guess that can't have been brake fluid too.

give them a call and ask, they are very reasonable

[Silver Shadow]

Originally Posted by SteveF1

Just out of interest which Indy specialist did you use when you got Bowker to price match. I want the cheapest Indy to speak to as I need a oil service (minus oil as supplied by myself), air and fuel filter and crankcase breather valve replacement. Williams BMW want near £600!

I got quotes from..

http://www.davidpaulofwarrington.co.uk/

http://www.northwestbm.co.uk/

I emailed both and asked for a quote for the service using OEM parts to keep my warranty valid. I then forwarded both quotes to Bowker who matched the cheapest. Just be aware that on the terms and conditions the independent garage they will price match needs to be within 25 miles of Bowker.

[G82Dude]

Always supply your own oil for a start. Comma Syner Z is over half the price of a dealer's oil out of a tank... Microfilters are cheaper too and it takes 2 mins to change it...

[SteveF1]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Steve, speak to Darren Wood BMW in Bredbury, I have all my work done there - cheap and better workmanship than the stealers.

Both guys are top ex BM mechanics.

Their labour is £40 / hour.

They charged me £20 (1/2 hour) for an oil and filter change (plus oil and filter of course) I pay £60 for the oil from opie, they get the filter and plug washer from BMW, so about £100 all in with the VAT, While you wait.

0161 425 7403

I live and work not far away from Darren Wood and have been to their garage and spoke with them. Their quotes were very competitive and I was planning to have them do the work but they can't provide me with a dealer stamp and I have the BMW insured warranty covering my car. I have clarified with BMW whether I can have an Indy do my servicing and keep my warranty valid and they stated that ALL servicing which includes replacement of any worn part which includes, oils, filters, brake disc and pads etc must be done by an approved BMW dealer or else the warranty is void and they won't pay out. Not only that but if Bowker will price match an Indy and the book gets stamped I get the best of both worlds.

Its an inconvenience to trek to preston but if it saves me a few hundred quid then I have little choice.

[TikoV]

I'm going to try get my next service price matched with the $tealers...I paid £320 for an oil change and brake fluid!! The specialist round here wanted £180! What a difference

[SteveF1]

Now wonder Bowker have this offer I've tried to search for a BMW Indy within 25 miles of them and can only find one!

Maybe its me but does anyone know of a BMW Indy specialist within 25 miles of Preston other than Northwest BM in Bolton?

[Jeff123]

Originally Posted by SteveF1

Now wonder Bowker have this offer I've tried to search for a BMW Indy within 25 miles of them and can only find one!

Maybe its me but does anyone know of a BMW Indy specialist within 25 miles of Preston other than Northwest BM in Bolton?

From another forum; Manchester area - don't know them personally:

"Martin at Bolton Motor Works is pretty damned good as well."

"bmtech for me."

[m1bjr]

@Survivalist:

S, take it to Birds in Iver, Bucks.
http://www.birdsauto.com/service/mod...x?make=BMW&s=3 Series (E90/E91)

I spent all of Friday in there, I travelled 2hrs from Somerset.
This is a top quality operation with a first class reputatiuon.
When you see the high end cars (M series, CSLs, Hartges et al) that come through in a single day, and some of the huge projects they undertake, its impresive.
Friendly and efficient, with good techs and no attitude problems

Labour is about £65/hr and parts sourced from BMW main distro nearby at the same price as any other Franchised operation.

If you are in London, most buyers of quality BMW will likely be aware of them.
And therefor I doubt it would impact on resale values, it might even enhance it.

Steve.

[tonyshrops]

Originally Posted by m@rk

Sounds like the one I just had. Is this your third oil service?

If so, mine was £381

yes it is just out of interest i went up the road to chester to main dealer up there they were £25 cheaper

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Jeff123

DB

Do you think that the lack of a main dealer will affect the resale value? If so, you must have done the sums and offset the drop in resale vs the cheaper (but probably better) service.

Problem is, with the Stealers, you just know that you are being ripped-off, it's by how much and at what point you go elsewhere.

Depends on your priorities.

You choose to go to an indy to either save money OR get a better job. I would use the indy even if they were MORE the the dealers because i want a better job.

I want the car to be looked after properly by skilled guys who enjoy their work and I gain a great deal of personal satisfaction from that. I fear it being monstered by some ill-trained ex-kwik fit fitter on a YTS scheme at the local stealers.

All serviceable parts are obtained by the indy from BMW (at trade price) and shown on the receipt, this means the warranty is 100% safe.

I will only sell on privately (the only way as far as I'm concerned) and 355i manual tourer is, relatively speaking, a niche model and when sell-on time comes after 4 or 5 years from new, any knowledgeable prospective buyer will be PLEASED it has been nowhere near a dealers and has been given double or treble the oil changes and maintenance that BMW call for.

Dealers / traders make a fuss about dealer history (as an excuse to rip you off), but knowledgeable private buyers see it for what it is - BS.

If you opt for an insured post-year 3 BMW warranty, then you are stuck with dealer servicing, but you make your own choice with that. I won't be touching one for that very reason. There are other insured products around without the dreaded tie in.

New rules mean that soon Indy's must be given the update software so they can update the cars, this will be the final link with dealers broken. Good news.