M3 Service.......
Discussion
Anyone suggest a good BMW dealer for servicing my E46 M3 in the SW London / Surrey region?
Had very poor service from the two dealerships that I've used in the past and am sick of getting shoddy treatment for expensive service work. Main gripes so far have related to work not being carried out properly (with multiple return visits required to sort niggling problems) and the other related to a warranty part (driver's side repeater lamp) needed to be replaced due to condensation, and the dealer kept me waiting for nearly 1 1/2 hours to get it fitted, on a part that takes 2 minutes to swap. They claimed that they could not just supply the part to me for me to fit as this would invalidate the warranty - what a load of bollox!! On another occasion I enquired about the approx cost for an Inspection II service, and was greeted with the comment from the spotty oik behind the counter - 'How much have you got?' Needless to say that dealership will not be seeing any of my 'hard-earned'!!
Not looking to get bargain-basement servicing - just want to get good service for the money paid out.
Had very poor service from the two dealerships that I've used in the past and am sick of getting shoddy treatment for expensive service work. Main gripes so far have related to work not being carried out properly (with multiple return visits required to sort niggling problems) and the other related to a warranty part (driver's side repeater lamp) needed to be replaced due to condensation, and the dealer kept me waiting for nearly 1 1/2 hours to get it fitted, on a part that takes 2 minutes to swap. They claimed that they could not just supply the part to me for me to fit as this would invalidate the warranty - what a load of bollox!! On another occasion I enquired about the approx cost for an Inspection II service, and was greeted with the comment from the spotty oik behind the counter - 'How much have you got?' Needless to say that dealership will not be seeing any of my 'hard-earned'!!
Not looking to get bargain-basement servicing - just want to get good service for the money paid out.
m3desmo,
I posted the same question in the bm3w forum and am yet to receive any sound replies (www.bm3w.co.uk/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=454382&an=0&page=0#454382).
The only feedback that I have had is in regards to BMW Nine Elms which I was told to avoid like the plague! Having said that I own a CSL and they may be less familiar with these.
A friend works at Park Lane BMW and I will be asking him if he can recommend anywhere - will let you know if he does.
Hope someone on this forum can provide some feedback too.
Cheers,
John
I posted the same question in the bm3w forum and am yet to receive any sound replies (www.bm3w.co.uk/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=454382&an=0&page=0#454382).
The only feedback that I have had is in regards to BMW Nine Elms which I was told to avoid like the plague! Having said that I own a CSL and they may be less familiar with these.
A friend works at Park Lane BMW and I will be asking him if he can recommend anywhere - will let you know if he does.
Hope someone on this forum can provide some feedback too.
Cheers,
John
Cheers John
Am assuming that the lack of response probably points to a severe lack of decent dealers in this region. Pretty sure we're fighting a losing battle in London! All the dealerships have queues of suckers who they can relieve of their money - as long as this persists we're stuck with crap service I think. After all the M3 and CSL are BMW models (last time I looked) and due to the higher than average concentration of them in London and surrounds, there really is no excuse for the dealers not being familiar with these models.
I think a better explanation for the shite service, is that many dealers wrongly assume that you're driving a company car and that you aren't that fussy about damage or shoddy service work on it as you're not picking up the tab! My car is paid for with my own 'hard-earned' and is not serviced on an expense account and I therefore am very careful with it and know every mark on it!
I am that peeved with the current situation, that I am considering sticking two fingers up at BMW main stealers, and using a recommended independent (if I can find one). As I understand it your warranty is not affected as long as the independent uses OEM parts for service. As the E46 M3 & CSL have already taken a large hit on residuals, I think that changing to an independent will have little or negligible effect on resale values in the long run. At least if you can find a good independent, you're probably more likely to get the service you're paying for, and not being 'shafted with a smile' by a main stealer. I also wonder how many of the so-called issues with the M3 (such as Vanos & big end bearing failure) have actually been caused by poor or non-existent service, rather than design deficiencies??? After all, proper preventative maintenance must surely be considered preferable to relying on an over-priced warranty to bail you out when things go bang!
It's not only BMW that are blighted by this, I suffered similar shite service at the hands of Ducati when I had one of my bikes serviced by them. The bike went to them for its first routine service (required by warranty from new) and when I collected it (after having my wallet lightened a fair bit), I rode it down the road only to have a wing mirror fall off and smash on the road and the bike backfired and stalled whenever I stopped at a junction. All I know is that it didn't do this before service. It turned out that the timing had been incorrectly set and the mirror not tightened properly when the fairing was re-installed. To cut a long story short, I learned how to do the servicing myself and have enjoyed trouble-free biking for the last three years. At least I know that the servicing has been done properly and fully.
In closing, I would happily pay for good honest servicing so if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be most grateful. If not, I guess I will have to learn how to service the car properly myself as I intend to keep it for some time yet (should ease the pain of depreciation a little)
I look forward to hearing how you get on with your enquiry.
Greg
Am assuming that the lack of response probably points to a severe lack of decent dealers in this region. Pretty sure we're fighting a losing battle in London! All the dealerships have queues of suckers who they can relieve of their money - as long as this persists we're stuck with crap service I think. After all the M3 and CSL are BMW models (last time I looked) and due to the higher than average concentration of them in London and surrounds, there really is no excuse for the dealers not being familiar with these models.
I think a better explanation for the shite service, is that many dealers wrongly assume that you're driving a company car and that you aren't that fussy about damage or shoddy service work on it as you're not picking up the tab! My car is paid for with my own 'hard-earned' and is not serviced on an expense account and I therefore am very careful with it and know every mark on it!
I am that peeved with the current situation, that I am considering sticking two fingers up at BMW main stealers, and using a recommended independent (if I can find one). As I understand it your warranty is not affected as long as the independent uses OEM parts for service. As the E46 M3 & CSL have already taken a large hit on residuals, I think that changing to an independent will have little or negligible effect on resale values in the long run. At least if you can find a good independent, you're probably more likely to get the service you're paying for, and not being 'shafted with a smile' by a main stealer. I also wonder how many of the so-called issues with the M3 (such as Vanos & big end bearing failure) have actually been caused by poor or non-existent service, rather than design deficiencies??? After all, proper preventative maintenance must surely be considered preferable to relying on an over-priced warranty to bail you out when things go bang!
It's not only BMW that are blighted by this, I suffered similar shite service at the hands of Ducati when I had one of my bikes serviced by them. The bike went to them for its first routine service (required by warranty from new) and when I collected it (after having my wallet lightened a fair bit), I rode it down the road only to have a wing mirror fall off and smash on the road and the bike backfired and stalled whenever I stopped at a junction. All I know is that it didn't do this before service. It turned out that the timing had been incorrectly set and the mirror not tightened properly when the fairing was re-installed. To cut a long story short, I learned how to do the servicing myself and have enjoyed trouble-free biking for the last three years. At least I know that the servicing has been done properly and fully.
In closing, I would happily pay for good honest servicing so if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be most grateful. If not, I guess I will have to learn how to service the car properly myself as I intend to keep it for some time yet (should ease the pain of depreciation a little)
I look forward to hearing how you get on with your enquiry.
Greg
greg
an interesting read as I am about to get into a CSL and live in SW london.
are for the spotty geak and the service I think I would have had to slap him on the spot! muppett!
have you tried BMW Heathrow as they are the nearest to me? a guy I know has a CSL and has been trying a few dealers so I will ask him the question and see what he says.
who do you use at the moment?
DC
an interesting read as I am about to get into a CSL and live in SW london.
are for the spotty geak and the service I think I would have had to slap him on the spot! muppett!
have you tried BMW Heathrow as they are the nearest to me? a guy I know has a CSL and has been trying a few dealers so I will ask him the question and see what he says.
who do you use at the moment?
DC
I am with Nathan on this one... being in Essex Murketts is hardly my local either... but they really know there stuff there and I would not be surprised if they see more CSL's than any other dealership.
By all means try all the other dealers and when they fail to deliver take it to Murketts.
By all means try all the other dealers and when they fail to deliver take it to Murketts.
If you don't mind the drive into/ around london to Bexleyheath. There is a brilliant independant that i have always used on my 2 BMWs.
The company name is BMWise www.bmwise.com and the owners name is Danny (ex BMW engineer), sound bloke that doesn't beat around the bush. The guy that looks after the day to day running is Mike. Speak to either and they will be happy to sort you out.
The company name is BMWise www.bmwise.com and the owners name is Danny (ex BMW engineer), sound bloke that doesn't beat around the bush. The guy that looks after the day to day running is Mike. Speak to either and they will be happy to sort you out.
Edited by _deano on Sunday 17th September 12:35
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