[BC4J]

Anyone tried getting their BM serviced across the channel? Based on what the likes of Carlosh & others are being charged by UK dealers, this must be a cheaper option. I doubt they could offer any poorer service!

[dxb335d]

Sounds like an idea, like a ''Service meet'' but abroad!!

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by BC4J

Anyone tried getting their BM serviced across the channel? Based on what the likes of Carlosh & others are being charged by UK dealers, this must be a cheaper option. I doubt they could offer any poorer service!

Don't actually see what Carl is so upset about.

Oil was correctly filled, and they replaced his worn discs by the book. By his own admission he rags his car.

He buys into the whole "my BMW is a better classs than a Ford" thing, but when it comes to stumping up cash it irks him. You've got to pay to play.

Either you accept the rates and go to a BMW Dealer OR you go find a good independent. Simple.

I've worked on both sides of this. Simply put, if you want to buy your car from nice centrally located, flashy garages with services centres containing dedicated waiting areas (TV, Coffee, etc.), the latest diagnostic equipment and special tools (which the dealer must buy from BMW), Stores, personal pick-up and delivery, and hope to get treated with good loaners - it costs money to the dealer, and ultimately the customer with the rates per hour.

I've had my cars serviced on mainland Europe for the last 10 years. Even more expensive than the UK here in Switzerland, but a slightly more personal experience - and naturally big glossy service centres with stupidly complex coffee machines. But the Swiss take reassurance with a high price - if it is cheap they become suspicious and want to know what is wrong with it.

My BMW comes with 3 years inclusive servicing and parts, and thereafter 7 years labour paid, pay for parts.

D.

[dxb335d]

er dave, they have fcuked up my service book and HAD not filled the oil correctly. I had to check and ask them to fill more.

They charged me 500 quid more than they quoted and took my car for a spin of 7 miles.

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

er dave, they have fcuked up my service book and HAD not filled the oil correctly. I had to check and ask them to fill more.

They charged me 500 quid more than they quoted and took my car for a spin of 7 miles.

Go find an independent.

7 miles is nothing. I used to have a test route after servicing that took a bit of open road, then city - a good mix of differing road surfaces and speeds, and that was about 4 miles.

They would probably have given you a quote in good faith not expecting to find that you used your brakes so strenuously (did you tell them it was re-mapped ?) as you rag about. That's normal to find things wrong. With your type of car they would not expect you to baulk at them fitting the right parts. If that bothers you - learn from this and ask them to phone you next time before fitting anything outwith normal service items.

They did fill it with oil correctly. Mid-way is optimal. Just because it says MAX doesn't mean it is better. You say you are an engineer so you will know about boundary conditions.

If you are unhappy about the service book, get them to make up a new one for you. It is superficial - your service history will be on the computer.

D.

[SoYank]

How far do you think they should have test driven your car, just around the block? Sometimes this isn't enough, especially if you have had the oil changed and they need to get the engine warmed up properly. They also need to do the test drive safely and they sometimes can't turn around just anywhere. I don't think seven miles is over the top for an oil change and rotors. I'd rather they test drove it at least that far and then retorqued than just go with the initial torquing. Ten miles could be a bit much depending on what they serviced. Twenty or more and I'd like to know why primarily because of the fuel consumped. But all of this is part of car ownership. You have to give them the benefit of the doubt that they aren't just joyriding, evidence to the contrary notwithstanding.

In my area, when they have to test drive, it's going to be a minimum of three miles unless they turn around in a street. Normally they'll take it to the nearest roundabout that is a mile and a half down the road or even up the bypass and back. In a perfect world all BMW dealerships would have their own one mile test track out behind the service center but since when do we live in a perfect world?

I just changed my tyres last Sunday and took a little spin just down the road and back. I wanted to see what the car felt like at speed instead of in the pokey street traffic (can't get a feel for the tyres while stopped at a traffic light). The round trip was (a wonderful) ten miles.

[Hotcoupe]

Dave_3 Quote:
Don't actually see what Carl is so upset about.

Oil was correctly filled, and they replaced his worn discs by the book. By his own admission he rags his car.

He buys into the whole "my BMW is a better classs than a Ford" thing, but when it comes to stumping up cash it irks him. You've got to pay to play.

Either you accept the rates and go to a BMW Dealer OR you go find a good independent. Simple.

I've worked on both sides of this. Simply put, if you want to buy your car from nice centrally located, flashy garages with services centres containing dedicated waiting areas (TV, Coffee, etc.), the latest diagnostic equipment and special tools (which the dealer must buy from BMW), Stores, personal pick-up and delivery, and hope to get treated with good loaners - it costs money to the dealer, and ultimately the customer with the rates per hour.

I've had my cars serviced on mainland Europe for the last 10 years. Even more expensive than the UK here in Switzerland, but a slightly more personal experience - and naturally big glossy service centres with stupidly complex coffee machines. But the Swiss take reassurance with a high price - if it is cheap they become suspicious and want to know what is wrong with it.

My BMW comes with 3 years inclusive servicing and parts, and thereafter 7 years labour paid, pay for parts.

Dave_3 Quote:
Go find an independent.

7 miles is nothing. I used to have a test route after servicing that took a bit of open road, then city - a good mix of differing road surfaces and speeds, and that was about 4 miles.

They would probably have given you a quote in good faith not expecting to find that you used your brakes so strenuously (did you tell them it was re-mapped ?) as you rag about. That's normal to find things wrong. With your type of car they would not expect you to baulk at them fitting the right parts. If that bothers you - learn from this and ask them to phone you next time before fitting anything outwith normal service items.

They did fill it with oil correctly. Mid-way is optimal. Just because it says MAX doesn't mean it is better. You say you are an engineer so you will know about boundary conditions.

If you are unhappy about the service book, get them to make up a new one for you. It is superficial - your service history will be on the computer.

A tad on the hostile side don't you think!

What is the relevance of whether Carl rags his car or not.
I can't see anywhere that he complained that his discs needed to be changed, more that he was surprised, and others have queried why no onboard warning had been given (apparently).

He buys into the whole "my BMW is a better classs than a Ford" thing, but when it comes to stumping up cash it irks him. You've got to pay to play.

I think most people would concur when comparing the 2 manufacturers, as otherwise most of us would be driving a Mondeo (no disrespect to Mikem), besides, just because we drive BMW's it does not give the dealers the right to treat us as cash point machines!

Carl has always given a good and very valid reason for using a BMW workshop for carrying out the service, one which I would support 100%.
Both a Dealer or a private individual would be looking for and expecting a full and conclusive dealer service history when he comes to sell, and anything less would have a detrimental effect on the value of his car.
An independent, no matter how good/ respected would not be a good enough stamp in his now defaced service book IMO.

They would probably have given you a quote in good faith not expecting to find that you used your brakes so strenuously (did you tell them it was re-mapped ?)

Agreed on the quote given in good faith, but I'm failing to see the relevance of the use of the brakes (supposedly) used strenuously.
Of course he never told them the car was remapped,why the hell would he, again is it relevant?

With your type of car they would not expect you to baulk at them fitting the right parts. If that bothers you - learn from this and ask them to phone you next time before fitting anything outwith normal service items.

I would expect BMW to fit the RIGHT parts,it would be a given, but perhaps more importantly, I would expect THEM (BMW) to ring me and tell me that they had found the problems with the brakes, and that the required work to rectify the problems fell outside the quotation that had previously been proffered.
I would then have been expecting a £500 adddition to the previous quotation when picking up the car.
Just because people drive expensive cars, Dealers should not just assume that their clients can just cough up an extra £500.00 at the drop of a hat.


Dave If you read many of the threads on the forum,a lot of people are complaining about all aspects of the BMW dealer network + the actual cars that they are buying, it's clear that the once great BMW name is becoming tainted in many ways.
Carl's experience is in some ways no different to other's posts on similar subjects, why so much negativity to what were genuine complaints?

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

A tad on the hostile side don't you think!?

No.

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

What is the relevance of whether Carl rags his car or not.
I can't see anywhere that he complained that his discs needed to be changed, more that he was surprised, and others have queried why no onboard warning had been given (apparently).

Not how I read it. Carlos voiced his own opinions of doubt on the reason for changing the brakes in his very first post :

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Oh yeah i also asked to keep my old brake discs as i honestly cant see them being worn out already. So will get them independantly checked.

Let's see what feedback he gets.

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

I think most people would concur when comparing the 2 manufacturers, as otherwise most of us would be driving a Mondeo (no disrespect to Mikem), besides, just because we drive BMW's it does not give the dealers the right to treat us as cash point machines!

We've covered this ground before. You will find many publications that rate the Mondeo a better car than the 3 series. You'll also find many who judge solely on badge. Parts prices and labour costs are pretty much known by us all before buying a BMW so why the controversy about it now ?

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

Carl has always given a good and very valid reason for using a BMW workshop for carrying out the service, one which I would support 100%.
Both a Dealer or a private individual would be looking for and expecting a full and conclusive dealer service history when he comes to sell, and anything less would have a detrimental effect on the value of his car.
An independent, no matter how good/ respected would not be a good enough stamp in his now defaced service book IMO.

I suggested he asks them to rectify that. If he finds the cost of a main dealer too expensive then his only realistic alternative is to take it to an independent.

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

Agreed on the quote given in good faith, but I'm failing to see the relevance of the use of the brakes (supposedly) used strenuously.
Of course he never told them the car was remapped,why the hell would he, again is it relevant?

He has upped the power of a car he openly admits he drives briskly ("propa hoon", Santa Pod etc.) and you don't think this has any relevancy on brake wear ... or in him not taking this into consideration ?

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

I would expect BMW to fit the RIGHT parts,it would be a given, but perhaps more importantly, I would expect THEM (BMW) to ring me and tell me that they had found the problems with the brakes, and that the required work to rectify the problems fell outside the quotation that had previously been proffered.
I would then have been expecting a £500 adddition to the previous quotation when picking up the car.
Just because people drive expensive cars, Dealers should not just assume that their clients can just cough up an extra £500.00 at the drop of a hat.

Perhaps they have previous knowledge of him or his dad - and how he conducts business? Maybe they assumed that changing his brakes as per the criteria in the service manual (not what parts, but why they need changed) was the better choice than letting him drive away with an unfinished service, and taking more time having to come back later - sometimes these things are easier to do when the car is there, in the air with the wheels off. Equally they could have taken a loan of him.

If his desire for a BMW service history is paramount his only other alternative is to phone around other dealers but realistically how much would he save taking all his time, and more than 7 miles to the next dealer, into consideration ? As I said he lives and learns.

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

Dave If you read many of the threads on the forum,a lot of people are complaining about all aspects of the BMW dealer network + the actual cars that they are buying, it's clear that the once great BMW name is becoming tainted in many ways.

I haven't experienced it. But I am neither concurring or disagreeing with anyone on that.

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

Carl's experience is in some ways no different to other's posts on similar subjects, why so much negativity to what were genuine complaints?

I've heard him cry wolf and get worked up over so many inconsequential things. A previous take of his servicing (the oil level fiasco) just couldn't be made up. Perhaps I am prejudging by assuming him to follow form.

D.