It doesn't rain, It pours.

[mr tommo]

Right, so following on from my previous thread about my roof motor needing replacing on my Z4 (~£1000 job)... My car is due an Inspection II service.

My local notorious dealer (Knights BMW) quoted me £479.49
After 5-6 seconds of me staring at him in the face in silence...
"but...we could do it you for about £400

Whats the best price people have managed to pay and are there any garages doing any special service offers around you?

Got a few weekends free over the next month so could have a night away with the GF if its somewhere nice, kill 2 birds with one stone and all that

 

[NickXX]

Get hold of your own oil (will save you £50-60) and phone a few dealers. 3 years ago, £400 got me an Insp II (didn't include my own oil) and a brake fluid service. The car was also too young to qualify for a 4+ discount.

I hope you don't need new tyres any time soon, or your first 6 months of BMW ownership will be particularly bitter

 

[racerboy59]

I've head that independant BMW dealers (as opposed to franchised) are cheaper, more experienced and take care of you better. See if there is one in your area.

 

[jamoor]

Sytner price match local independants IIRC.

£400 for an insp 2 sounds ridiculous, even if it includes brake fluid.

I take my car to a specialist and I don't think I have ever paid more than £250 including brake fluid.

The only problem with the specialist is that they don't have much in the way of a computer setup, but they are very good mechanics.

Personally, if you were keeping the car for the long term, I would go down the independent route, I always get decent advice, quality work at cheap prices.
They also do odd jobs for free.

 

[Giddy]

Coltswolds BMW seem to be the cheapest in th UK. I recently had Inspection I done on mine and quotes ranged from 700 to 950. In the end Sytner Solihull did inspection and brake fluid change for under 700.

 

[mr tommo]

Get hold of your own oil (will save you £50-60) and phone a few dealers. 3 years ago, £400 got me an Insp II (didn't include my own oil) and a brake fluid service. The car was also too young to qualify for a 4+ discount.

I hope you don't need new tyres any time soon, or your first 6 months of BMW ownership will be particularly bitter

I will definately look into getting my own oil

Did I not mention that I bought 2 new rears last friday?

I've head that independant BMW dealers (as opposed to franchised) are cheaper, more experienced and take care of you better. See if there is one in your area.

There is one about 2 miles from my house and I know a family friend(ex BMW) who has offered his services but I dont want to do that and lose the full BMWSH.

Sytner price match local independants IIRC.

£400 for an insp 2 sounds ridiculous, even if it includes brake fluid.

I take my car to a specialist and I don't think I have ever paid more than £250 including brake fluid.

The only problem with the specialist is that they don't have much in the way of a computer setup, but they are very good mechanics.

Personally, if you were keeping the car for the long term, I would go down the independent route, I always get decent advice, quality work at cheap prices.
They also do odd jobs for free.

I will be keeping the car for at least 2 years. However, I honestly don't think I would have bought my car if it hadn't been serviced at BMW in the past. Which is the only thing making me want to use BMW.

 

[mr tommo]

Coltswolds BMW seem to be the cheapest in th UK. I recently had Inspection I done on mine and quotes ranged from 700 to 950. In the end Sytner Solihull did inspection and brake fluid change for under 700.

And that is the reason I can't afford to run an M car

I will give them a ring for a price as I had a trip down south in mind

 

[JediFragger]

Knights have a rep for being ripoff gits. They have to pay that that nice new shiny place somehow

Def shop around m8y

 

[e36Adz]

If you are ever around Manchester, go to BM-Tec in town. I just had an inspection 1 done on my 330CI and it cost: total - £225.

They have a very good reputation and the few times I have been, I can't recommend them highly enough. My mate took his 530D to BMW for just an oil service and it cost him about £250.

 

[matt100]

colleague at work got his first service on his 3.0 TDI A4 down from £400 to £250 just by saying no don't be ridiculous to Audi

 

[Hawk Tuah]

My god - what do they do in these services.

Sounds to me like they've got you over a barrel and they're gonna make you pay for the pleasure.

 

[sampo]

I honestly don't think I would have bought my car if it hadn't been serviced at BMW in the past. Which is the only thing making me want to use BMW.

I'm new to BMW's, but I for one would be equally happy with a history from a regarded independent specialist as I would with a BMW FSH, especially if the car was over 3 years old. The level of friendly service I get from my indy, and the passion they have for bimmers, far exceeds my past experiences with main dealers. Its nice to wander in a look at stripped out E30 track cars, M535i's & etc. being rebuilt from scratch

I don't know if others feel the same?

FWIW, I got an oil/filter service and full inspection (2hrs) for £150 cash on my current 6 pot E36 daily driver...

 

[NickXX]

I'm new to BMW's, but I for one would be equally happy with a history from a regarded independent specialist as I would with a BMW FSH, especially if the car was over 3 years old. The level of friendly service I get from my indy, and the passion they have for bimmers, far exceeds my past experiences with main dealers. Its nice to wander in a look at stripped out E30 track cars, M535i's & etc. being rebuilt from scratch

I don't know if others feel the same?

Very much so. They actually have an interest in the brand/cars.

 

[[TW]Fox]

If you are ever around Manchester, go to BM-Tec in town. I just had an inspection 1 done on my 330CI and it cost: total - £225

Paid less than that for an Inspection 1 on my 530i at Ocean BMW in Plymouth.

Good dealers for a quote on your Z4 are those offering Service Plus for cars over 5 years old.

These include:

Cotswold Group
Scothall Hampshire

Buy your own oil, Castrol Edge 0w30, from Ebay. It's about £55 for 2 4 litre cans leaving you enough spare for topups. Then get the rest done at BMW, using Service Plus.

Just to give you an idea of how crap the Knights price is, the advertised all inclusive price inc oil etc etc for an Inspection II on a BMW Z4 at Ocean Plymouth or Torbay is £305.

 

[Herminator]

BMW Fawdington in Newcastle quoted £288 for an inspection 2 for my Z4 just the other week, I'll be booking it in on Monday. Thats with the 4+ discount, which you should be able to get.

I need to check what they'll knock off if I supply my own oil.

A BMW specialist in Sunderland was only cheaper by a few quid.

 

[Scania]

Tried PJ Automotive (indy BMW specialist) in Bucknall?

 

[mr tommo]

Paid less than that for an Inspection 1 on my 530i at Ocean BMW in Plymouth.

Good dealers for a quote on your Z4 are those offering Service Plus for cars over 5 years old.

These include:

Cotswold Group
Scothall Hampshire

Buy your own oil, Castrol Edge 0w30, from Ebay. It's about £55 for 2 4 litre cans leaving you enough spare for topups. Then get the rest done at BMW, using Service Plus.

Just to give you an idea of how crap the Knights price is, the advertised all inclusive price inc oil etc etc for an Inspection II on a BMW Z4 at Ocean Plymouth or Torbay is £305.

Will definately be getting the oil before the service now then.
Is it just a case of asking the dealer if they honour the Four Plus service scheme then?

knights have a shocking reputation around here anyway for being ripoff merchants.

BMW Fawdington in Newcastle quoted £288 for an inspection 2 for my Z4 just the other week, I'll be booking it in on Monday. Thats with the 4+ discount, which you should be able to get.

I need to check what they'll knock off if I supply my own oil.

A BMW specialist in Sunderland was only cheaper by a few quid.

Thats a really good price I may just give them a ring and then see If I can get someone to price match locally. 3 dealers within reasonable distance.

If not thats a trip to Newcaslte or the cotswolds, and a night in a hotel for the same price

Tried PJ Automotive (indy BMW specialist) in Bucknall?

They are the ones that will hopefully be fixing my roof. Its all a little bit in the air regarding that though as Im currently trying to get a service manager to put forward a good will claim to BMW to help with the motor replacement.

Now I've seen some of the prices above from BMW garages I will be using them for the service.





Cheers for the help guys