Dealer vs Independent Servicing

Soldato
Joined
25 Sep 2006
Posts
14,349
I prefer using my Indy. Afterall he headed the service department at a nearby dealership for 20 years.

I like the honesty, flexibility and speed of service I've never had with a main dealer. The fact it's less than half a mile from my door helps too.

Not sure why but I've never felt fully comfortable giving my car to main dealers, I trust them (mostly) but not to the extent I do my Indy.

Getting under the ramp and having a nosey too is a nice perk :)
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2003
Posts
15,875
Location
Norwich
I use main dealers for servicing after having issues with two VAG specialists. For other generic stuff (brakes, suspension etc.) and MOT I use our local garage.
 
Caporegime
Joined
8 Jan 2004
Posts
31,994
Location
Rutland
Dealer service isn't usually more expensive these days tbh. I've been taking my gt86 to Toyota because every time I've taken it to an indy garage for work I get "oh we've never worked on one of these before", which doesn't fill me with confidence :p Also Toyota halve the service price after the warranty has expired!

But yea...I wouldn't let Kwikfit or Halfords anywhere near my cars.

You should try going to BMW then, eye watering labour costs, my closest dealership are plain dishonest. Last year they wanted to replace a front break caliper for a leaky bleed but at £700, they wouldn't replace the bleed nut in case it made it worse and they were responsible for it. Had it MOT'd and checked twice now and no one can find this magical leak.

My local Indy will pick up and drop off my car, use whatever parts I want at half the dealer cost.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
Posts
23,304
You should try going to BMW then, eye watering labour costs, my closest dealership are plain dishonest. Last year they wanted to replace a front break caliper for a leaky bleed but at £700, they wouldn't replace the bleed nut in case it made it worse and they were responsible for it. Had it MOT'd and checked twice now and no one can find this magical leak.

My local Indy will pick up and drop off my car, use whatever parts I want at half the dealer cost.

I only use Toyota for servicing and tbh my local one has been pretty good, even fixing stuff for free despite the warranty being expired. For everything else I use quite a good indy garage near work. For brakes etc they use better than OEM for around the same price.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Sep 2006
Posts
14,349
You should try going to BMW then, eye watering labour costs, my closest dealership are plain dishonest. Last year they wanted to replace a front break caliper for a leaky bleed but at £700, they wouldn't replace the bleed nut in case it made it worse and they were responsible for it. Had it MOT'd and checked twice now and no one can find this magical leak.

My local Indy will pick up and drop off my car, use whatever parts I want at half the dealer cost.

My local (Specialist Cars Tring) are actually very good. I had a sheared spring in May which was replaced under warranty, during their inspection they advised my rocker cover gasket was leaking and also going to remedied as part of the same claim. I was aware of the leak (my indy had advised) but didn't need doing but for SCT to come clean paints them in good light.

Their pricing is relatively competitive but it's a 30 minute drive and I have to pay £15 each time I want a courtesy car as insurance/admin (excluding warranty when Mondial arrange this directly).

Well aware the spectrum of BMW dealers varies massively.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Jul 2014
Posts
3,855
Location
Oxon
I get my A & B services done at MB so I can enjoy their nice coffee, have a poke around their new cars and keep their excellent breakdown cover going on my 10 year old car.

Have all other work done by MB specialist that I trust now after repeat visits. They aren't much cheaper for routine servicing though and don't have the perks of the main dealer. Plus they're an hour away.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
20 Nov 2004
Posts
2,209
Location
Nock/Leicester
I get my A & B services done at MB so I can enjoy their nice coffee, have a poke around their new cars and keep their excellent breakdown cover going on my 10 year old car.

Have all other work done by MB specialist that I trust now after repeat visits. They aren't much cheaper for routine servicing though and don't have the perks of the main dealer. Plus they're an hour away.

Thank you for this comment. I also think the Merc breakdown cover is very good and reliable. Only had to use it once a few years ago due to a flat tyre issue and they were out within the hour no problem. And as its now an old car I guess its good to have proper Merc speciality breakdown just in case. Thats gota be worth at leat £50-75 in which case the saving left its not huge.

They also pick the car up from my house and leave me with a hire car. And drop it back at the end of the day at no extra cost. Though Id happily go out of my way if there was a good saving to be had, its not worth it to save £30-40 odd.

I know when they did my MOT 4 months ago they told me that something is broken on my suspension. And my exhaust pipe is corroded. So I can get this work done at an independent garage to save money if/when I close to get it done. Though if its not dangerous and will pass the next MOT then I won't bother.
 
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