I have the choice of keeping the BMW Service History complete by going with the Inspection Level 1 that is due in 2000 miles or using an independant who has been recommended by a friend.
Costs are: BMW £250 + £50 for MOT
Independant £190 inc MOT
Is the £110 extra at BMW worth it?
Appreciate help in advance
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How old is the car?
Anything over 3/4 years old - can't see a dealer s/h making it worth any more than one serviced independently.
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These type of things normally depend on age of the car and if it still under warranty.
Bodywork/paintwork warranties often require an inspection at a Dealer, although this can be done separately to servicing.
Mechanical warranties normally require a franchised dealer or an independent who can prove they followed the dealer service guide and used geniune manufacturer parts.
Saying that my friend with a 3 yr old BMW will only let BMW touch it as he has much confidence in the mechanics ability to detect any problems.
With the complexity of newer BMWs, probably wise to have the reassurance of a BMW trained mechanic with their computers and diagnostic software. Unless you independent has this, then
probably not worth it.
IF you have an older car then does having a full BMW service history add that much more to the cars value? May only add a couple of hundred vs FSH, so then not worth it. But I remember BMW's have service indicators, so ind. must need some BMW knowledge/equip.
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many thanks for comprehensive answer
car is 4 yrs old - 320d touring with 38k miles - seems to me that the diff isnt that great (around £100) so will prob go with BMW - wife likes the fact they pick up and then return valeted which must be worth £25 of the diff right?
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Buy the oil yourself - make sure its BMW Approved - and ask them to use your supplied oil. This will seriously slash the cost of an Inspection 1.
I've managed to get an Inspection 1 down to less than £200 for my 530i at my local BMW main dealer by doing this.
They want £100 for the oil!
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Wot Mike sed.
Also make sure that you ask for any discount applicable to labour and parts - you're not always made aware of it but it is generally available. My main dealer gives me 20% for having an older car (mine is nine years old, nearly, but I think this is the rate for over four years) and 15% on parts - so you get the VAT paid also. That makes the hourly rate £70 + VAT and BMW parts prices are mostly pretty sensible so franchise servicing with BMW is no more than it would have been with Peugeot when I had three of those on the trot.
In the end though got my trusted back street mechanic to do the Inspection II on my 98 523i - £120 all in. An independent specialist was £250 and the best franchise price was £290 - not really much in it and if I'd been willing to spend £130 more the extra £40 for the franchise would have been worth it to me (although if I knew the indy already, it wouldn't have been).
Incidentally I needed a new boot catch for my car this morning - the BMW specialist breaker wanted £15 + VAT... BMW franchise wanted £14.98 + VAT. (Okay it's only a 2p saving but it's a new part rather than second hand).
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A BMW Inspection 1 on these cars is an oil & filter change and a new pollen filter. Plus a lot of visual 'checks'. The time taken is about one hour. Quite how BMW manage to charge £250 for this is a puzzle to me. The oil and filter is dead easy and the pollen filter slides into the housing in front of the scuttle.
Contrary to popular belief, normal servicing of these cars does not involve plugging them into a computer. If you have a MIL on, then diagnostics will be done and they will normally charge you extra. Resetting the service indicator also involves no electronics - its done by a compicated combination of switching the ignition on and off and pressing the button next to the fuel gauge.
Basically any place that can service a Focus should be able to service one of these.
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As Aprilia says it's 1 hour for this service
Just make sure the independent (if using) puts in the correct synthetic oil if you are going to stick with the schedule that the on board service indicates - usually about 15,000 miles.
The dealer charges about £12/litre (BMW dealers use Castrol Edge 0-30 Diesel) and clearly this can be obtained much cheaper from factors, along with other -cheaper- approved alternative brands.
Don't get to carried away with the £25 (!) "valet" though, the dealer probably has an on site sub-contractor to wash and vac the cars who probably earns <£10 hour and can run the hosebrush over the car + vac in about 10 mins
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Don't get to carried away with the £25 (!) "valet" though the dealer probably has an on site sub-contractor to wash and vac the cars who probably earns <£10 hour and can run the hosebrush over the car + vac in about 10 mins
The local VW dealer now has a couple of Polish lads doing the cleaning - 8.00am-7pm - probably £5/hour and a free bag of chips at lunchtime...
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MIL = Mother in Law?
: )
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Pollen Filters is another way of cutting main dealer costs - you can leave them out and they'll still stamp your book. At my local dealer, saying 'no' to pollen filters saves you £50.
GSF have them for £16.99 a pair, and as Aprilia says, fitting is very easy.
Doing it this way saves you a lot of money yet retains the 'Full BMW' service history.
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I'd also suggest that as the car has only done 38k miles in 4 years, low mileage, the car will probably only have to see the inside of a dealer once a year. For the minimal saving per year you are getting, I'd suggest keeping the BMW FDSH
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Depends also on what you plan to do with the car as buyers like to see a full set of BMW stamps
If you are going to sell it soon, then probaly worth using the main dealer this time
If you are keeping this car for the longer term then this aspect its less important
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