£900 Insp 1 Service - no valet!!!

[LittleBro]

Chaps,

After a bit of advice here. I had my new (to me) 2006 M3 serviced last week and picked it up over the weekend. It was an inspection 1 coming in at c£900 and the garage didnt even vac/wash the car.

Last OIL service I had done at a main agent (previous car), the car came back immaculate, like a new one, I was very impressed. This time, the service was three times the amount and they didnt even have the courtesy to wash it, even though its listed on the reciept.

Unfortunately, the dealer was in the North West and I live in the South East. What's the best course of action? Do you think I'm within my rights to ask them to pay for it ot be valeted at a local BM dealer to me?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I've not got much experience of complaining but I'm certain BMW main agenst should be competant enough to ensure something like this is taken care of.

Cheers
Woody

PS - It was serviced up there as thats the area it was bought and I wasnted it all done before I took delivery of the car.

[Philrose]

That seems a very high price indeed. I have an M Roadster with the S54 engine and my last inspection 1 was nowhere near that price at a franchised dealer. I was quoted £800 for an inspection 2 at the dealership and went to an indie who did it for half the price.
As for a free valet - I believe the franchised dealers do a free valet but indies wouldnt necessarily. Dont think you could demand the valet but you could query the price.

[DL-C]

What garage was it? I'm in north west so will give it a wide birth when mines due a service!

[LittleBro]

Is an inspection 1 more than an inspection 2 or is the 2 the more expensive? Its the first service its had since the 1200 mile service. Original quote was something like £780 then they added on a chance of brake fluid (which was £70+vat).

Hmm.....re the valet, I feel really cheated that they didnt do it. Best part of a grand and it looks like the car wasnt even touched.

Re what dealer, I'll send you a PM.

[Vixpy1]

Insp 2 is more expensive..

Thats alot for an insp 1.

[LittleBro]

What would an Insp 1 usually be? I had two seperate quotes and they were both close to that, so thought it was the going rate.

[Nano2nd]

LittleBro said:

Is an inspection 1 more than an inspection 2 or is the 2 the more expensive? Its the first service its had since the 1200 mile service. Original quote was something like £780 then they added on a chance of brake fluid (which was £70+vat).

Hmm.....re the valet, I feel really cheated that they didnt do it. Best part of a grand and it looks like the car wasnt even touched.

Re what dealer, I'll send you a PM.

if its the first service since the 1200 mile service then it shouldn't it have been an oil service? mines done 4k and next serice is in 9000 something and is indicated as an oil service.

i thought M Cars went:

1200 running in
Oil Service
Inspection 1
Oil Serivice
Inspection 2
Oil Serivice
Inspection 1
... and on and on and on

[m12_nathan]

Yep, you are right, first service after 1200 mile running in is oil service, and brake fluid isn't due until the car is 2 years old.

[m12_nathan]

ps. I paid £620 for an inspection one on my CSL at a main dealer but supplying my own oil, about £700 otherwise I think.

[Broccers]

I pay 650 from a main dealer for an Ins 2, 500 summat for an Ins 1.

AND they valet it.

You've been robbed squire.

[blackcab]

LittleBro said:

Chaps,

After a bit of advice here. I had my new (to me) 2006 M3 serviced last week and picked it up over the weekend. It was an inspection 1 coming in at c£900 and the garage didnt even vac/wash the car.

Last OIL service I had done at a main agent (previous car), the car came back immaculate, like a new one, I was very impressed. This time, the service was three times the amount and they didnt even have the courtesy to wash it, even though its listed on the reciept.

Unfortunately, the dealer was in the North West and I live in the South East. What's the best course of action? Do you think I'm within my rights to ask them to pay for it ot be valeted at a local BM dealer to me?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I've not got much experience of complaining but I'm certain BMW main agenst should be competant enough to ensure something like this is taken care of.

Cheers
Woody

PS - It was serviced up there as thats the area it was bought and I wasnted it all done before I took delivery of the car.

Exactly same with me, went in for inspection 1, had it for two days and didnt even wash it, shows you how arrogant these dealers have become, used this garage on loads of occasions over last 7 years and they have looked after my last 5 BMW's -

I think BMW have lost the plot on charging for service, they are arrogant and the prices are often unjustified, they have forgoten the basics of what made them worthy of the expensive service, i.e the valet etc.

[mmm-five]

In all the years I took my e34 M5 to the dealer for inspections they never once did the critical valve clearances (which should be done every 24,000 miles), in that time they still had their regular price rises for Inspections (in 2000 my first inspection II was £400, in 2006 my last one was £700 - even though they claimed the labour rate hadn't changed).

I know this because I have since found out that the clearances can only be done properly on a stone cold engine, so when I take it in a 8am in the morning, there is no way they can have it back to me by 4pm - they still used to charge £700 for it though.

I'll never by a new BMW, and I'll never take my current M5 to any BMW franchised dealer.

[LittleBro]

Thanks for the feedback chaps. I'm going to call them tomorrow and discuss. I dont expect to gain anything, but I will say that I am apalled by the service failing to meet basic standards. I dont expect them to do anything, but I will at leasy give them the opportunity.

As for the brake fluid, they said they'd do it now rather than have the car in on its 2 year b'day due in the summer.

Thanks again fellas.

[ASBO]

LittleBro said:

Thanks for the feedback chaps. I'm going to call them tomorrow and discuss. I dont expect to gain anything, but I will say that I am apalled by the service failing to meet basic standards. I dont expect them to do anything, but I will at leasy give them the opportunity.

As for the brake fluid, they said they'd do it now rather than have the car in on its 2 year b'day due in the summer.

Thanks again fellas.

Perhaps a call to BMW UK is required.

Both my father and I have come to grief with our local BMW stealership in Aberdeen. In both instances a call was made to BMW UK headquarters and a swift apology was returned, along with a hamper and a free service/inspection.

I agree with the sentiments above RE the arrogance of some dealers. We are particularly bad up here owing to the large volume of expensive zimmers coming out the showroom. For instance, I was quoted £600 to carry out an inspection 1 service on an E36 M3. I had wished to continue the BMWSH on it due to the ultra-low mileage but when I queried the 4+ scheme they should operate I was met with a brick wall. They simply did not want to know and even admitted that 'old cars are not their primary line of business'. Disgusting.

[Gimmick]

I recently paid £1,200 for a Inspection 1 with oil change brake fluid change at BMW in Colchester. They had the car for 2 full days and although it was cleaner inside when I picked it up I wouldn't have called it a valet.

Shame as I'd previously had good service from them.

[Nano2nd]

Broccers said:

I pay 650 from a main dealer for an Ins 2, 500 summat for an Ins 1.

AND they valet it.

You've been robbed squire.

who do you use? they seem good prices

[LittleBro]

Just spoke to the dealers service manager and he was great. Basically said what they had done and appologised for the car not being vacuumed out - it WAS washed but the car may have had work done on in whilst it was being vacuumed which meant it wasnt completed. "A complete oversight"

I'm unsure weather to speak to BMW UK or not now (I know, I'm soft!)

He also told me that an Inspection II would be c£1500!

Good job there's c24k miles of fun to be had in between.

[mmm-five]

You need to ask for a complete breakdown of what is/is not included in an inspection I, II, etc. and you'll be surprised at how little there is to do.

It might look a lot on paper, but 80% of it will be 5 minute 'check wiper for wear & replace if necessary' jobs and you'll have been charged an hour's labour at £120+ an hour for some spotty trainee to do it - supposedly supervised by a senior technician, who'll sign it off without double checking that all the wheels have been put on properly, or that the brake pads are secure, or that the oil filler cap has been secured (all happened to me, BTW).

I've sat in reception of my local dealer for 6 hours, refusing to move and telling my tales to every potential punter passing by, until the dealer principal has spoken to me about a £600 bill for work that I didn't authorise and that took 2 weeks instead of 1 day as the technician doing it was 'off sick' and they didn't have a job sheet to see where it was up to.

If you see them advertising some fancy new service, bodyshop or sales premises, then you've got to understand that it's you who'll ultimately pay for it. The dealers will complain that the raising costs are due to BMW UK & AG who are putting up the price of parts (i.e. one EDC damper for a 1994 E34 M5 was £450 when I replaced the last set, this year they are £750) and the cost of the franchise might cost the dealership £10m a year.

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 11th December 12:22

[dazren]

I'm not sure what the differences are between inspection Is for an E46 M3 and an E39 M5. I'd expect the V8 to be more than the straight six. In 2006 the main Bristol BMW dealer did an Inspection I and brake fluid change on my E39 M5 for £398 including 15% discount under their 4+ scheme.

As mentioned by others on the thread take a good look at the breakdown of the bill. Can you scan it and post it? (dealers name & address covered due to PH's naming and shaming policy).

[LittleBro]

I can scan it, but I dont have the s/w to blank out the dealer details, my details etc. The bulk of the cost is simple "BMW Inspection 1 including body inspection and old oil disposal - quoted £823.03 inc"

Total for parts - £91.40
Total for labour £651.08

Net: £759.47
V.A.T: £132.91
Total: 892.38


The sharp-eye amongst you will notice that the total parts and labour doesnt add up to the net. This is because in there was a bottle of engine oil "TWS REFILL M ENGINES" @ £16.99. I found this on the back seat and thought it was a nice touch. If they'd told me it was an extra £20, I'd have told them to poke it!

Shocking. Thats made me decide BM will be getting a letter. Just 'cause we chose to drive nice cars, it doesnt mean we're a) loaded or b) want to be shafted with our pants on at every opportunity!