Best Indy in the Northwest ?

[benaldo]

Hi all - I'm looking to buy an 01-03 E46 M3 shortly and will look to get it serviced and any problems fixed by a good local indy.

Are there any recommendations - the closer to Chester the better......

I know of one localish but not sure if they have much experience of the M models - are they much different to work on to regular BMW's ?

[mmm-five]

The closest one I can think of is David Paul BMW in Latchford, Warrington (01925 232515) - although a guy called 'Gravy' (e34 M5 owner) on here uses someone else in Cheshire.

Personally I take mine down to Darjac in Essex (all the way from Liverpool) as I was fed up with most of the local places (dealers and one or two indies - although not David Paul btw) only doing part of the job.

[Bexx]

Yes, I can confirm David Paul as being on the ball and well priced as well as being very helpful!

[Gravy]

I have used Bill Smith BMW indy near Wrexham:

http://www.smithsbm.co.uk/home.html

He has looked after a number of cars we have had in the family but I don't honestly know his true knowledge with M cars - mine went there for an Inspection 2 including shimming and I was pleased with the results.

However, I have heard good things about these guys and I will try them next for my cars servicing:

http://www.dmperformancecars.co.uk/

Failing that, as MMM-Five says, Darjac is pretty much the best of the best by all accounts and I think that is where my M5 will have to go if/when it needs major work.

[shunt]

I've used BMTech in Manchester, across the road from Salford Central Station. Great knowledge and very reasonable.

[benaldo]

There seems to be quite a good selection all over the area. When I had my prev 328ci, I went to Trenics in Deeside - I always had a good experience with them before. Has anybody used them for their M cars ?

[Noor]

If Bolton is not too Far then I can highly recommend 'Bolton Motor Works' on Harrowby Street

[dustybottoms]

shunt said:

I've used BMTech in Manchester, across the road from Salford Central Station. Great knowledge and very reasonable.

Do you have phone number or web link for this place, cant seem to find a website. Thanks.

[shunt]

Here ya go fella:

http://www.bmtec.co.uk/

[dustybottoms]

shunt said:

Here ya go fella:

http://www.bmtec.co.uk/

Thanks very much shunt

[Bexx]

I've used DM performance in the past. No doubt they are very well priced and very helpful, but I had issues with my M3 when after a service, the idle went to cock when it got hot. Firstly they tried to say that was normal, then they ran a battery of tests but no faults came up, then they said it was a faulty injector. As good as their work was I lost faith. But I've heard plenty of very good things about them myself, so it could be mine was a one off.

At the end of the day I preferred to drive from Liverpool to Thorney in Milton Keynes! Worth the trip IMO.

[drjhill]

Hind Heath BMW in Sandbach, not so far away

[Baddie]

Gravy said:

I have used Bill Smith BMW indy near Wrexham:

http://www.smithsbm.co.uk/home.html

He has looked after a number of cars we have had in the family but I don't honestly know his true knowledge with M cars - mine went there for an Inspection 2 including shimming and I was pleased with the results.

However, I have heard good things about these guys and I will try them next for my cars servicing:

http://www.dmperformancecars.co.uk/

Failing that, as MMM-Five says, Darjac is pretty much the best of the best by all accounts and I think that is where my M5 will have to go if/when it needs major work.

I've had my E34 M5 serviced by DM Performance, and can thoroughly recommend them up to a point, if that makes any sense. I know that they service numerous older M-Cars (>200k miles) and thus have a good working knowledge of the car as a whole. They are cheap, and encourage you to keep your money in your pockets (strange experience as an M owner!), and seem quite thorough. They did an Inspection II on my car for about £280, or half the price of most other places and picked up on a few detail items like the handbrake. There is a BUT though....

They do not routinely do valve clearances for example, unless you ask for it, as in their experience it's not necessary. They seem just short of the very detailed "M" knowledge and dedication of Farrell (near Colchester unfortunately) and seem to "simplify" the car's issues which is reassuring to the wallet, but may not be the best for it. I would go back for an oil service or for jobs like waterpump replacement where things are quite straightforward, but would go to Farrell for detailed engine diagnostics and major work. Although Farrell's hourly rate is the same as DM's, I would expect bigger bills with Farrell owing to his astonishing attention to detail and time-is-no-object approach to doing the best job possible. God knows I owe the poor bloke a small service for phone call time alone!

If your car is behaving and running well, and you only need routine boxes ticking or straightforward jobs doing to an acceptable standard DM are honest and cheap and well recommended - and I could not apply any of those descriptions to a famous specialist south of the M25. If you have an "M-problem" or need the very best as always you have to search very hard. Or phone Farrell and save yourself a lot of time and expense.

PS Bill Smith is 3 miles from my parents, very good for newer and ordinary BMW's, not at all knowledgable about old M-cars when I've questioned them, dunno on newer models like E46.

[bullrunner]

I use Autotech performance in Telford which is only 35 mins from Chester. Peter the guy who runs it is very knowledgeable with the 'M' variants and his pricing is very very competitive.

He's just completed a full fast road suspension setup on a E30 M3 and have to say the work is spot on Try him you may be pleasantly surprised .

www.autoechperformance.co.uk

[bullrunner]

Oooops sorry that should have read www.autotechperformance.co.uk