[Guvernator]

I've done a search on the forum and found some useful info but some of it is a bit ambigous.

I have a 335i (N54 engine) which I bought from a main dealer on the AUC. I have had the car for a year and in that time done about 7000 miles in it. The service indicator was showing another 6000 miles to go for a service when all of a sudden this month it's told me it needs a service ASAP. Has this come up because a year has elapsed since the last service? To be honest since it's a 335i engine I would have changed the oil anyway but I've taken it into my dealer who have told me it needs

Oil
Microfilter
Spark Plugs

The car is at 39k miles (was at 32k when I bought it) so is it normal that all the other items are changed too? I think this may well be the "3rd Service".

They have also quoted me £594 including VAT for the service which sounded a bit excessive to me, does this price sound right?

Thanks for any answers.

[gangzoom]

Spark plugs are part of the 3rd oil change. The microfilter and air filter both you can change yourself in about 5 mintues.

£594 is ALOT of money for essentially a oil change and sparkplug change. Cannot remeber the rule regarding warranty, but I belive it possible to keep the warranty intact as long as you can prove the car was service with "approved" parts, so taking it to a local independent will almost certaintly be cheaper.

[Guvernator]

Thanks gangzoom, I wanted to keep up the full BMW service history but at £600 for some fairly basic service items they can go do one quite frankly.

Just weird that the car went from no service required for 6000 miles to service the car now within a couple of weeks, I thought E9x BMW's were conditioned based but it looks like their is some time element to it too.

Oh well just need to confirm the warranty situation and if it's all good, looks like I'll be taking it to my local BMW specialist who I have been using for years and trust a lot more than the main dealers to be honest.

I think I remember a recent thread saying that Mondial had changed their position on allowing you to get the car serviced at an indie, can anyone confirm this?

[Subzero2003]

I'd keep the main dealer service history if i were you.

I managed to get the following for £320 (plus me supplying oil) from a main dealer who offered to price match local BMW indepedents.

-Oil filter
- (i supplied Oil - Eurocarparts worked out at £40 for 6.5litres of oil with their coupon code - BMW wanted £120 for the exact same oil supplied by them).
- Spark plugs
- Air filter
- Microfilter
- Vehicle Inspection
- Labour for all of the above.

One of the easiest ways to cut down the cost of main dealer servicing is offer to supply the oil yourself, which you can pick up for much much less than BMW normally want to charge you.

[Subzero2003]

BTW £600 for spark plugs, oil and microfilter is day light robbery.

Find a dealer nearby who will price match (check their website or google their name followed by the words "price match").

[Kerr]

I had my 3rd service done a few months back.

All the quotes were over £500 but when I told my local BMW dealer that another dealer would do it for £440, they instantly dropped their charge to £430 without hesitation.

I should have aimed much lower.

[Guvernator]

Cheers for the info Sub Zero. I would indeed like to keep the main dealer history if possible as it'll be a plus point when I decide to move the car on but wasn't prepared to bend over for £600.

It looks like my local Stephen James offer to price match on servicing so I'll give them a call to see what they can do for me price wise.

What was the oil you bought from Europarts if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks

[zltm089]

I'd avoid Stephen James....

I normally use castrol Edge or Mobil 1 ESP....5w- 40 or 0w - 30.

Try to get a quote from Battersea...

[Greg330]

I'm due a service in the next month or so, very interested to see how you can reduce the cost. I'd usually take the dealer price as fixed so will definitely try and haggle!

[jimpom23]

Go to MainDealerDiscount.com and enter your reg and it will pull up local deals from participating BMW garages in your area.

Mine is due a similar service and the saving was just under 200 quid off what you are quoting and you keep your main dealer history obviously

[Greg330]

Originally Posted by jimpom23

Go to MainDealerDiscount.com and enter your reg and it will pull up local deals from participating BMW garages in your area.

Mine is due a similar service and the saving was just under 200 quid off what you are quoting and you keep your main dealer history obviously

Thats great to know, the difference is massive in whats being quoted!

Thanks!!

[Guvernator]

Tried maindealerdiscount already and the nearest dealer offering a deal is about 100 miles away and they are only about £100 cheaper so not really worth it, guess that's what comes from living in London!

I've looked on Europarts who are doing a deal on oil 30% off at present so works out at about £53 for 8 litres but the oil the Europarts website is recommending is Castrol Edge 5W30, which is BMW LL04 approved. Why are you using 5W40 or 0W30 instead zltm089? Does it make much of a difference

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by Guvernator

Tried maindealerdiscount already and the nearest dealer offering a deal is about 100 miles away and they are only about £100 cheaper so not really worth it, guess that's what comes from living in London!

I've looked on Europarts who are doing a deal on oil 30% off at present so works out at about £53 for 8 litres but the oil the Europarts website is recommending is Castrol Edge 5W30, which is BMW LL04 approved. Why are you using 5W40 or 0W30 instead zltm089? Does it make much of a difference

No difference for me...

I just happen to have bought Mobil 1 from opie oil when it was on offer...

Slightly reduced oil consumption with the 5w 40....

[Sheepy]

I contacted BMW this past week about my insured warranty, this is the response below.


Dear Mr Kettlewell,

Thank you for your email.

This email is to confirm that in order to keep our BMW Insured Warranty policy valid, all service work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. Proof of your service may be requested at the point of making a claim.

All servicing must be conducted within the correct specifications and servicing schedule according to BMW. All parts must be BMW Approved and the servicing must be carried out at a UK VAT registered garage.

Please note all vehicle repairs and warranty claims must be completed by an Approved BMW Dealership.

If you do have any further questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact BMW Insured Warranty Services.



Yours Sincerely

Jason Small
BMW Insured Warranty Services Co-Ordinator
BMW Insured Warranty Services
Tel: 0871 2000199
Fax: 020 86030222
Email: bmwwarrantysales@mondial-assistance.co.uk

Mondial Assistance (UK) Limited
Mondial House
102 George Street
Croydon
Surrey CR9 1AJ


To sum up, yes you can use any VAT approved garage, hope this helps.

[Guvernator]

Cheers, I thought that was the case, however I'm going to shop around and see if I can get a main dealer to give me a reasonable price (my local supplying dealer are refusing to budge) as I think the main dealer history might make the car easier to sell come resale time. If they insist on trying to bend me over though, it's nice to know that I have the option of going to an indie without effecting my warranty.

Thanks

[zltm089]

Darren Woods...near Manchester are very good and cheap. They know the n54 engine very well....

But quite far for you I guess....

Birds come with good feedback aswell....

[Squintstream]

Originally Posted by Kerr

I had my 3rd service done a few months back.

All the quotes were over £500 but when I told my local BMW dealer that another dealer would do it for £440, they instantly dropped their charge to £430 without hesitation.

I should have aimed much lower.

I managed £402 last week, by getting Sytner to match a dealer discount quote.

It consisted of;
Oil & Filter
Micro filter
Brake fluid change
Spark plugs

Also used the 90 minutes waiting service and was provided a desk to do some work.

Not the cheapest, but overall I was happy.

[Kerr]

Originally Posted by Squintstream

I managed £402 last week, by getting Sytner to match a dealer discount quote.

It consisted of;
Oil & Filter
Micro filter
Brake fluid change
Spark plugs

Also used the 90 minutes waiting service and was provided a desk to do some work.

Not the cheapest, but overall I was happy.

I knew by how fast he agreed to £430 I could have got more money off.

£402 with brake fluid seems a fair price. I bet that most of the good Indy specialist
BMW garages charge that if not more.

[Subzero2003]

Originally Posted by Guvernator

Cheers for the info Sub Zero. I would indeed like to keep the main dealer history if possible as it'll be a plus point when I decide to move the car on but wasn't prepared to bend over for £600.

Quite understandable!

Originally Posted by Guvernator

It looks like my local Stephen James offer to price match on servicing so I'll give them a call to see what they can do for me price wise.

The best thing to do is to get a quote from a BMW independent garage (just find one of those places that call themselves "BMW Specialists" but really aren't - you know the type), get the cheapest price possible from them and get them to price up like for like with genuine parts, show the quote to the BMW main dealer - get them to match it. You must have the quote inc genuine parts, labour etc etc to show BMW main dealer.

Originally Posted by Guvernator

What was the oil you bought from Europarts if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks

5w30 works out at about £53 for 8 litres - which gives you a bit for top ups

[Guvernator]

OK just got an update. Shopped around and got Stephen James to carry out 3rd oil Service, spark plugs and microfilter for £368.56 including VAT if I supply my own oil which is a £200 saving on what my original supplying dealer was quoting me.

It was also a refreshing change to speak to a service advisor who actually seemed to know what she was talking about. She even went to the trouble to confirm with one of the technicians that BMW now use Mobil 1 ESP 0W30 as the preferred oil for 335i's and recommended I buy this online.

So the advice is to definitely shop around come service time. I know someone mentioned not to use SJ but if the actual work carried out is as positive as the initial contact then I won't be going back to my original supplying dealer again.

[Subzero2003]

Well played!

I'm willing to bet most specialists would still be charging £300+. So you get to keep your BMWSH and any goodwill that may go with that in future and only for a fraction more than at a independent.

[Greg330]

Got a quote of £345 from my local dealer Wood for oil change, microfilter, air filter and brake fluid change....

I think thats pretty good, not even supplying my own parts.

Anyone managed anything better from a main dealer that i can potentially haggle with?