That's what BMW want for an oil service on a 135i.. I near shat myself when the lassy on the phone told me that. £297.50 to be exact but that was "before any discounts".
I asked if she could discount it by 50% to a more sensible level but she said I'd need a written quote from another garage before starting to negotiate.. However, I'm guessing the local independent isn't going to be writing quotes on the basis that they'll know exactly what people are doing with them. I may just take it straight to the indie and save the hassle.
Has anyone else strayed away from main dealer servicing from the off? My understanding is that the warranty is intact as long as genuine parts are used.
That's about £120 less than Seat charge me for a minor service. Same amount of oil.
BWM do have fancy service boxes though you'll never see them, but they are cool little boxes with everything.l they need in including a pair of gloves and screen wash - they might even email you a video of them doing it.
Blimey, that's a big sump! Pretty sizable engine though.
If I understood from my boss who has a 1 series, the service log is programmed into the key so unless your indie is a BMW specialist with the correct doo-dah, you've lost the history.
What if you use your spare key?
My understanding is that the warranty is intact as long as genuine parts are used.
Yep, you are correct. Take to local indy. £300 for an oil and filter change is crazy.
P-Jay - I don't follow - are you saying Seat charge you £420? On my service plan I get a full & interim service - both for £360.
Mine done that last time without me even asking, just got a text message with a link to a video showing the guy working on my car. Even done a walkaround with commentary pointing out things.they might even email you a video of them doing it.
I think my Porsche costs less than that at a main dealer (averaged out as service intervals are 24 months). Note they are not bad at negotiating and agreed a competitive price for 4 tyres. Also an an fyi its a lot cheaper to get work done in France, I have a fairly big list for next service at 10 years and its a lot cheaper there (Paris main dealer price = uk independent). We get royally ripped off.
Personally no I would not risk warranty for £150
Main dealers do more. They check a load of stuff and actually maintain things that the manufacturer says like pollen filters and other consumables. Also they do things like lube door hinges.
I once called to book in my car at a local £100 place. I told them this time it was a major service, so they had more to do, and they said they didn't bother with any of that, they just change the fluids.
Er ta, I can do that myself.
Sorry, I meant more. It's about £170, I believe the cost is the same across the VAG range too.
ATS Euromaster do an online quote for a service, you could try showing them that?
Main dealers do more.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that, you might even believe it.
Some interesting points above. I'll try that ATS online quote see what it comes back as. Even if I can get them down to £200 it would sit a little better with me.
For info - this is the first service it's needed and it is a 2 year / 20,000 miles one. Nonetheless, that shouldn't be an excuse for them to pull your pants down!
I hadn't considered the fact that I don't seem to have a hardcopy service log.. cheers for the heads up. I guess the first question is, does my indie even have the gadget for logging the service at all..
molgrips - Member
Main dealers do more. They check a load of stuff and actually maintain things that the manufacturer says like pollen filters and other consumables. Also they do things like lube door hinges
Not true. BMW work on something called CBS servicing. This means that the you don't really have what you'd expect as a traditional service. If it's just and oil service that is exactly what you get an oil and filter change. They will also do a vehicle health check each time you visit which checks the safety items.
If you move away from the main dealer you must use original parts and keep any receipts to keep you warranty valid. If your BMW has electronic service history the service light can be reset but the electronic service history has to be validated by the dealer and imprinted in the car via diagnostics from the server in Germany. You could always buy a paper service book I guess.
The vast cost of the service will be the oil. The labour will be probably only 20 mins and the filter will be a bit more.
Will they let you supply your own oil?
As long as it's a vat registered garage and they use genuine parts (or at least part numbers on the invoice) then you get a stamp in your book. Check your paperwork but with other brands am sure it doesnt affect the warranty and it's down to the main dealer to prove something was wrongly done .
Not sure if they'll let me supply the oil. I guess not as this is probably where they're making the money. I've logged a request with ATS for them to quote me a service so will be interesting to see what comes back.
I've come across this CBS thing before on the Mrs' Mini Cooper. I was adamant it needed an oil change but the BMW indie plugged it in and said it wasn't due but it did need brake fluid doing.. I'm sure the car has some clever algorithm based on mileage/rpm/runtime etc etc.
Sorry for the daft question but did you not buy/get a service pack when you bought the car?
it would sit a little better with me.
OP this is the key point - you are rightly cheesed off .... but you bought a new BMW for a decent amount of money. Pay the "extra" £100-150 above what you think and move on. Get it Indy serviced when it's outside the warranty. As an aisde ignore or take with a very large pinch of salt all the "BMW recommends" shopping list they [b]will[/b] call you with. Audi are particularly shocking at this imo altougn I suspect bmw are the same, they got a friend of mine to change all 4 tyres once at inflated ( 😉 ) prices as supposedly one had some "damage"
I've come across this CBS thing before on the Mrs' Mini Cooper. I was adamant it needed an oil change but the BMW indie plugged it in and said it wasn't due but it did need brake fluid doing.. I'm sure the car has some clever algorithm based on mileage/rpm/runtime etc etc.
yep same thing and pretty much.
I'd play a couple of dealers off against each other regarding getting quotes, see how that pans out.
Why would they stop you using your oil? you could ask especially if you use the recommended branded stuff.
Greed is good..hadn't you heard?
The fantasy income from doing a £30 oil change and calling it a £300 service is ome reason no one is rushing to electric.
Main dealers do more
Marketing mainly it seems
They publish a list of all the stuff they do. Then they give you a check list with it all on.
If they haven't done it, well that's a problem with that particular dealer being fraudulent.
My '06 5 series does the same, massive oil capacity so high initial service price and everything else just based on what the computer says. I use an independent specialist but I would want to be sure that the right oil was used, regardless of car age.
Nope definitely no service pack on the car from when I purchased. I'll try a couple of other dealers as well as ATS and see where that gets me.
Good point above re. the extra £150 vs the layout for the car itself. This will be the 1 and only service inside the 3 year warranty as well.
Perhaps I'll wait another year or two before taking it to the indie.
Junkyard - lazarus
Main dealers do more
Marketing mainly it seems
Probably but if you can find a decent dealer that suits you will generally will get a good service. People get sucked in with Fred in the sheds (there are good and bad of these also) Cheap labour rates especially. Dealers however obviously have higher labour rates but generally will have fixed hours for jobs where you'll find Fred has a cheap rate but probably will charge you 3 times the labour time of the dealer. You really have to check as with everything you buy.
This oil service is an example I guess the dealer will charge 20mins for the labour time. Fred will probably charge an hour.
At least the OP will get his car washed and a video for his 300 quid.
They publish a list of all the stuff they do. Then they give you a check list with it all on
Reads impressively but doesn't mean anything "check wiper blades" stuff the car owner should be doing or if there broken will be obvious anyway.
Dealers pay a fortune to the brands and have to maintain shiny showrooms so they can rinse owners. Cars need an occasional oil change an even more occasional other filter change and a few basic checks that any driver ahould be able to fulfill.
Check wiper blades is obvious. Check condition of CV joint boots, engine seals etc etc is beyond most people. Ok so MOTs do some of it but not all of it.
wilburt - Member
stuff the car owner should be doing
A bit like tyre pressure/condition, checking their lights and fluid levels. 🙄 haha
They publish a list of all the stuff they do
You can go on Ford ETIS, put in a number plate (of a Ford, obvs) and it will generate a service list for you. TBH, 90% of it is things like
"-visually check wiper blade condition
-Apply grease to door catches if necessary
-Check operation of handbrake, adjust if necessary
-Check all wheel nuts are present and tight
-check coolant level
-check washer fluid level
-Check power steering fluid level
-Check brake fluid level
"
It's the sort of stuff that can be done within 30 seconds by walking round the car and having a quick look under the bonnet, it's not all rocket surgery. Of course, you do sometimes need bigger things like timing belts changing.
edit: People above have said pretty much the same while I was typing.
Main dealers do more. They check a load of stuff and actually maintain things that the manufacturer says like pollen filters and other consumables. Also they do things like lube door hinges.I once called to book in my car at a local £100 place. I told them this time it was a major service, so they had more to do, and they said they didn't bother with any of that, they just change the fluids.
Er ta, I can do that myself.
And if you can change the oil then you can change a pollen/air/fuel filter and put some lube on a hinge, surely?
Funny you should mention the car getting a clean.. Me and this particular dealer have previous about them washing my car on account of me being a pure fanny..
It was in about 12 months ago for some warranty work and I explicitly told them NOT to wash my car and they did anyway. There was a couple in the showroom when I picked it up looking rather perplexed as I booted off with them for washing my car!
nickewen If you bought it brand new then fair enough reference the service pack. If not get the dealer to check in case it has. It wouldn't be the first time someone has tried to pay when the car already has a service pack.
Do any of your local dealer have any offers on service packs that you can buy that would include your current service that's due?
Prices probably vary in different areas so might be worth checking if your in a different location for hols or business in the coming weeks.
And if you can change the oil then you can change a pollen/air/fuel filter and put some lube on a hinge, surely?
I do.
Changing brake fluid is a bit of a PITA though but I think I'll do it next service.
Ford have a fixed price service plan at £150/year taken monthly so £12/month. The Mrs signed up for it as it seemed a decent way of keeping the service history of the car and a bit of perceived value as it was new.
My Alfa has never seen a main dealer from new in 1999. 165,000 miles later, all is good.
Fords servicing is fixed at £150 these days anyway iirc
My Ford is being serviced by the main dealer while in warranty (and not after that if I can avoid it). Last year the fixed price was £125. They quoted me £185, so I asked why: it turn out that they charge more if it's under warranty "because we have to use the proper oil" !
Ford also chuck in free breakdown cover if you get your car serviced with them.
Ha ha ha, Ford Main Stealer in Eastbourne never changed the pollen filter on our focus (even though the scumbags charged me 3 times for it). Two Nissan dealers charged for but never changed the pollen filter in our X Trail either when I looked through the paperwork when we bought it.
As it's new and in warranty I'd go with the dealer service but do ring around for a better price, this is where the dealer actually makes their money.
Makes me glad my main dealer - Skoda - is so good and cheap. Every time I've had my car serviced it's been no more expensive than the independents around and usually cheaper than the stated price. Basic service is £125 but I don't think I've ever paid more than £110. They also give the car a good valet - clean but no sticky dash treatments etc - and I get to see all the bits taken off when I collect it, can take them home if I want too! They've occasionally fixed little things they've found for free too, even out of warranty. The only time I've queried anything was when the first big, big service came up and the price was double what I was expecting but then they explained it was due to the cambelt change. I did ring round a few indies for that one but they wanted more or would only do fluids at that mileage so it went in the main dealer, I wasn't risking the engine going pop for saving £100.
Don't know if having a FDSH will have any value when it comes to selling the car as I plan to keep it a long time but it should make it easier to shift.
An "improvement" that some dealers make is to use unnecessarily high-spec oil
Ring the parts dept and find out the lowest price of the correct oil for your car
A dealer did that to me years ago charging £50 for oil. The manufacturer's own was £29 for 5 litres, which left me with a spare litre for a top-up 🙂
"Sundries" is another...£££s per car for a pair of gloves and some copper grease that will be used on several cars that day
Just had a major service on my van , Peugeot expert 2.0 hdi - all fluids and filters £200.00 inc vat . Thwrs at a warranty approved indie .
Op, have you tried using https://www.bmw-service.co.uk to book your service as the official price is usually cheaper than the dealers.
Sounds like a bargain compared to some Mercedes services. You do have a fancy small BMW, they come with sometimes surprising maintenance charges. £300 doesn't sound bad considering the likely courtesy car, labour, premium oil, disposal, and coffee and biscuits. Oh, and the list of extras that will be recommended with a 'free' car health check.
The fantasy income from doing a £30 oil change and calling it a £300 service is ome reason no one is rushing to electric.
not sure what you mean. Can you elaborate?
With respect to the BMW service video, my boss showed me his, it was a bit of a novelty as the first one he'd had. CV joint boots, check. From the front, visible side. Didn't put his hand round the back to check the back seam wasn't spit. 😆 🙄
It means they make LOTS of profit from overcharging on oil and filter replacements etc.
Electric cars have much fewer things to service, hence manufacturers lose out on servicing profits etc.
