Best BMW Service dealer in Dublin

Anan1

Hi, I need to get a 2007 BMW 320d serviced in Dublin (pref South). The car has the service inclusive pack, so it's purely down to quality of work/customer service.

milltown

Frank Keane gets my vote. I can't fault them as long as I've been using them.

kdevitt

Murphy & Gunn's have a good rep. Used Keanes for an Inspection II on my own - they were decent, but let me drive off with fecked coil packs.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

Hi, I need to get a 2007 BMW 320d serviced in Dublin (pref South). The car has the service inclusive pack, so it's purely down to quality of work/customer service.

As for quality of work, if you are getting your car serviced in a BMW Main Dealership as so many BMW drivers seem to insist upon, it is highly unlikely that the skill level of the person who will be working on your car is anything higher than a 2nd year apprentice. As far as I know, Frank Keane, Joe Duffy et al are charging over 100 Euro labour an hour in their workshops, which is probably the most expensive labour rate in the country if not in Europe, especially when you consider that the person working on your vehicle is not a mechanic but is a 1st or 2nd year apprentice.

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

As for quality of work, if you are getting your car serviced in a BMW Main Dealership as so many BMW drivers seem to insist upon, it is highly unlikely that the skill level of the person who will be working on your car is anything higher than a 2nd year apprentice. As far as I know, Frank Keane, Joe Duffy et al are charging over 100 Euro labour an hour in their workshops, which is probably the most expensive labour rate in the country if not in Europe, especially when you consider that the person working on your vehicle is not a mechanic but is a 1st or 2nd year apprentice.

I know, I know! The reason i'm going to a main dealer is that the car has a service pack - ie all servicing up to 5 years/100,000kms is free.

Thanks for the other recommendations, keep them coming! Maxwell is our local dealer, but i've found them to be fairly half-witted so far.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

I know, I know! The reason i'm going to a main dealer is that the car has a service pack - ie all servicing up to 5 years/100,000kms is free.

Thanks for the other recommendations, keep them coming! Maxwell is our local dealer, but i've found them to be fairly half-witted so far.

Let me throw this question you have raised back at you for a minute. What are your expectations with regard to:

(A) The quality of work you expect to receive, and also...

(B) The level of customer service that you expect...

???

Please stay with me, I'm going somewhere with this...

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

I know, I know! The reason i'm going to a main dealer is that the car has a service pack - ie all servicing up to 5 years/100,000kms is free.

Thanks for the other recommendations, keep them coming! Maxwell is our local dealer, but i've found them to be fairly half-witted so far.

Also, who is paying for this, you or your employer???

Anan1

My expectations are that:

- The work be carried out properly

- The car not be damaged or marked in any way

- I be kept aware of progress, when the car will be ready etc

- My replacement car be roadworthy, and with more than, say, two litres of fuel in the tank

The service pack cost €1,000 when the car was new, it covers all servicing costs.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

My expectations are that:

- The work be carried out properly

- The car not be damaged or marked in any way

- I be kept aware of progress, when the car will be ready etc

- My replacement car be roadworthy, and with more than, say, two litres of fuel in the tank

The service pack cost €1,000 when the car was new, it covers all servicing costs.

With requirements this modest, I think you should look at Advance Pitstop!!! If I was paying what you paid, I'd expect the car back washed and fully valeted, collected from my front door and dropped back. How long does this service pack last for??? I mean how many services do you get for 1,000 Euro???

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

With requirements this modest, I think you should look at Advance Pitstop!!! If I was paying what you paid, I'd expect the car back washed and fully valeted, collected from my front door and dropped back. How long does this service pack last for??? I mean how many services do you get for 1,000 Euro???

Believe it or not, the above is well beyond the abilities of Maxwell. The pack lasts for 5yrs/100,000kms.

robbie99

Anyone except Frank Keane.

My brother needed to get the injectors replaced in his 04 320d earlier this year. He collects the car and drives off. Horrible smell of diesel in the car and he's thinking that they must have spilled some and that it will clear up soon. He then notices that the fuel gauge is dropping quite quickly and realises that something is not right and decides to return to Keane's. He's in inchicore and has to go back up the nass road and turn back around at the the longmile road junction. At the hairpin in front off FBD he get's quite a fright as the car ends up doing a 360 on him and he sees the oil slick he's been leaving behind. Apparently they replaced the injectors alright but didn't reconnect the fuel hoses back properly.:mad: Needless to say he's not at all impressed with quality of their work.

I myself have a new 320d coupe and unfortunately some debris was flicked up in front of me while on a motorway. The front bumper was damaged and headlight unit scratched. I decided to get this repaired through the insurance. Bumper and headlight unit have been replaced with new units. I got this done through Frank Keane as they are handiest for me. I got the car back last week but the headlight was out of alignment (they've since adjusted it) and now the other headlight washer unit is not closing properly. The bumper is not mounted properly - there's a big gap between the bonnet and bumper. Car's booked in for next week to get this sorted.

Why oh why can can they not check the work they do?:( I was willling to give them the benefit of doubt after my bro's problems. Mine are not serious. Maybe they are the fault of their outsourced bodywork repair shop but these can't be difficult things to do right. Surely if you replace a headlight unit you should check the alignment afterwards? If you replace a bumper you should check that the bits and pieces that poke out can open and close properly? And how can you do major work like replacing injectors and not bother to switch the engine on afterwards with the bonnet open to see if the thing's working properly without diesel squirting out all over the place?

Everyone I'm dealing with there are great. The customer service has been brilliant (especially considering as I didn't buy my car from them) but from my experience quality of their work is wanting. It'll be easy for Frank Keane to work out who I am and with these negative comments I wonder what sort of service I'll get next week :worriedsmilly: but maybe they'll try to make up for it by providing an M3 or an E93 as the courtesy car

Darragh29

robbie99 wrote: »

Anyone except Frank Keane.

My brother needed to get the injectors replaced in his 04 320d earlier this year. He collects the car and drives off. Horrible smell of diesel in the car and he's thinking that they must have spilled some and that it will clear up soon. He then notices that the fuel gauge is dropping quite quickly and realises that something is not right and decides to return to Keane's. He's in inchicore and has to go back up the nass road and turn back around at the the longmile road junction. At the hairpin in front off FBD he get's quite a fright as the car ends up doing a 360 on him and he sees the oil slick he's been leaving behind. Apparently they replaced the injectors alright but didn't reconnect the fuel hoses back properly.:mad: Needless to say he's not at all impressed with quality of their work.

I myself have a new 320d coupe and unfortunately some debris was flicked up in front of me while on a motorway. The front bumper was damaged and headlight unit scratched. I decided to get this repaired through the insurance. Bumper and headlight unit have been replaced with new units. I got this done through Frank Keane as they are handiest for me. I got the car back last week but the headlight was out of alignment (they've since adjusted it) and now the other headlight washer unit is not closing properly. The bumper is not mounted properly - there's a big gap between the bonnet and bumper. Car's booked in for next week to get this sorted.

Why oh why can can they not check the work they do?:( I was willling to give them the benefit of doubt after my bro's problems. Mine are not serious. Maybe they are the fault of their outsourced bodywork repair shop but these can't be difficult things to do right. Surely if you replace a headlight unit you should check the alignment afterwards? If you replace a bumper you should check that the bits and pieces that poke out can open and close properly? And how can you do major work like replacing injectors and not bother to switch the engine on afterwards with the bonnet open to see if the thing's working properly without diesel squirting out all over the place?

Everyone I'm dealing with there are great. The customer service has been brilliant (especially considering as I didn't buy my car from them) but from my experience quality of their work is wanting. It'll be easy for Frank Keane to work out who I am and with these negative comments I wonder what sort of service I'll get next week :worriedsmilly: but maybe they'll try to make up for it by providing an M3 or an E93 as the courtesy car

What do you expect??? You are their customer, they replaced injectors and didn't even start the engine to check if diesel was leaking??? And the funny part is you are going to go back to them next week!?!?!?! A headlamp unit replaced and not checked for alignment!?!?!?! You appear to be amazed that you are getting "good" customer service from them, especially in the context of you not having bought your car from them!?!?! So what if you didn't buy your car from them, do they operate a "regular's only" policy at Frank Keane's now??? BMW main dealerships will always be around and will be screwing people with over 100 Euro an hour labour rates for work done by a guy who is 6 months out of secondary school because BMW drivers think that the only outlet that can properly look after their car is a BMW dealer. WAKEY WAKEY!!!

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

BMW main dealerships will always be around and will be screwing people with over 100 Euro an hour labour rates for work done by a guy who is 6 months out of secondary school because BMW drivers think that the only outlet that can properly look after their car is a BMW dealer. WAKEY WAKEY!!!

I don't think €1,000 for 5yrs/100,000kms including all consumables equates to €100/hr labour?

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

I don't think €1,000 for 5yrs/100,000kms including all consumables equates to €100/hr labour?

Ring FranK Keane or Joe Duffy in the morning and ask them what their hourly labour rate is and then post it up here when you get a chance...

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Ring FranK Keane or Joe Duffy in the morning and ask them what their hourly labour rate is and then post it up here when you get a chance...

Yes Darragh, but their hourly labour rate is irrelevant because I have the service pack.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

Yes Darragh, but their hourly labour rate is irrelevant because I have the service pack.

Yes, you have the service pack. What a service pack includes is engine oil replacement and an oil filter, maybe an air filter and fuel filter thrown in and a windscreen washer. As far as I know, if you get your car serviced under the terms of this service agreement and you need 2 tyres and an exhaust, you get billed for all the additional parts plus labour. The 1,000 Euro service pack is just to get you back once a year for 5 years for a cheap oil change that you've already paid 1000 Euro for or 250 Euro per oil change for, which you have paid for in advance. This is before you start looking at WELL KNOWN BMW problems, like cam position sensors, front wishbone ball joints, yakedy yakedy yak and the usual items like brake pads, etc...

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Yes, you have the service pack. What a service pack includes is engine oil replacement and an oil filter, maybe an air filter and fuel filter thrown in and a windscreen washer. As far as I know, if you get your car serviced under the terms of this service agreement and you need 2 tyres and an exhaust, you get billed for all the additional parts plus labour. The 1,000 Euro service pack is just to get you back once a year for 5 years for a cheap oil change that you've already paid 1000 Euro for or 250 Euro per oil change for, which you have paid for in advance. This is before you start looking at WELL KNOWN BMW problems, like cam position sensors, front wishbone ball joints, yakedy yakedy yak and the usual items like brake pads, etc...

My, but aren't you the angry man. I don't have the documentation to hand, but the service pack does include pads, discs, sensors, brake fluid, pollen filters, clutch, wiper blades etc. I have yet to replace an exhaust on a car under 10 years old. If it makes you feel any better though, tyres are not included.

E92

BMW Service Inclusive

What are the benefits of Service Inclusive?


As our customer, your safety and peace-of-mind is of primary concern to us. With BMW Service Inclusive, you can rest assured that your BMW will be maintained to the very highest standards by BMW Approved Technicians, using the latest diagnostic equipment.

With a one-off advance, inflation-proofed payment, depending on which option you chose, you can cover up to 5 years or 60,000 miles of all servicing and maintenance cost of your new BMW. This gives you the financial security of being able to budget your ownership costs for the Inclusive period, without the worry of unexpected servicing cost.

At BMW we believe that every BMW should stay a BMW that is why all work, which is covered by BMW Service Inclusive, will be carried out by fully qualified BMW Approved Technicians using Genuine BMW parts with a 2-year unlimited warranty.

With a complete and professional service history document, your carefully maintained BMW will also benefit from a significantly higher residual value.

That would seem to confirm what Anan1 said.

Tyres are not included, but when were they ever included in a car's warranty or servicing costs?

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

My, but aren't you the angry man. I don't have the documentation to hand, but the service pack does include pads, discs, sensors, brake fluid, pollen filters, clutch, wiper blades etc. I have yet to replace an exhaust on a car under 10 years old. If it makes you feel any better though, tyres are not included.

Nah, I'm not angery at all, I just don't have much time for "BM trouble-you", sorry, I mean BMW drivers. I will put money on with you here and now, that a clutch is certainly NOT covered under a "BMW Service Agreement"... I'll look into this in more detail tomorrow but I know for sure a clutch is not covered under this service package...

robbie99

Darragh29 wrote: »

What do you expect??? You are their customer, they replaced injectors and didn't even start the engine to check if diesel was leaking??? And the funny part is you are going to go back to them next week!?!?!?! A headlamp unit replaced and not checked for alignment!?!?!?! You appear to be amazed that you are getting "good" customer service from them, especially in the context of you not having bought your car from them!?!?! So what if you didn't buy your car from them, do they operate a "regular's only" policy at Frank Keane's now??? BMW main dealerships will always be around and will be screwing people with over 100 Euro an hour labour rates for work done by a guy who is 6 months out of secondary school because BMW drivers think that the only outlet that can properly look after their car is a BMW dealer. WAKEY WAKEY!!!

Yeah, but they make a nice coffee

In my defence I had already booked my car in to sort out the motorway damage before I found out about my bro's injector problems. My car is new so in order to preserve warrantee on the paintwork etc I needed to get the work done by a BMW dealer. Cost wasn't an issue, insurance is paying for it. Yeah, I'm amazed at the customer service - I imported my car from the UK and I expected to be be shunned by them but no, they've been most respectful and helpful. It's a shame I don't have the same confidence with their apprentice mechanics. Of course I'm going back to them next week, a BMW is a premium car and I expect them to complete the job to be highest standards. BTW, I'm not too sure about Frank Keane's but I hear that Joe Duffy's charge €175 ph.

I'll keep you posted how things go. They might lend me Nissan Micra

Darragh29

E92 wrote: »

As our customer, your safety and peace-of-mind is of primary concern to us. With BMW Service Inclusive, you can rest assured that your BMW will be maintained to the very highest standards by BMW Approved Technicians, using the latest diagnostic equipment.

With a one-off advance, inflation-proofed payment, depending on which option you chose, you can cover up to 5 years or 60,000 miles of all servicing and maintenance cost of your new BMW. This gives you the financial security of being able to budget your ownership costs for the Inclusive period, without the worry of unexpected servicing cost.

At BMW we believe that every BMW should stay a BMW that is why all work, which is covered by BMW Service Inclusive, will be carried out by fully qualified BMW Approved Technicians using Genuine BMW parts with a 2-year unlimited warranty.

With a complete and professional service history document, your carefully maintained BMW will also benefit from a significantly higher residual value.

Lets see if we can step through the above quotation and decode some of the BMW bull**** and sales propaganda...

E92 wrote: »

As our customer, your safety and peace-of-mind is of primary concern to us. With BMW Service Inclusive, you can rest assured that your BMW will be maintained to the very highest standards by BMW Approved Technicians, using the latest diagnostic equipment.

As we all know, servicing in a BMW dealership is done by apprentices. An "apprentice" is not a "mechanic", he or she has not demonstrated a level of competency in their trade. BMW very conveniently side step this issue by referring to a "technician" that "they have approved", as opposed to a mechanic who has verified a level of competency or skill through an independent verification process which includes The Dept of Education, the Instituties of Technology and FAS through the Apprenticeship Scheme.

Lets see where we can find any more coded bull****...

E92 wrote: »

...using the latest diagnostic equipment.

More babble speak and coded bull****. BMW do not use any "diagnostic equipment" whatsoever to carry out a routine service on a car. Any equipment they might have is available to any garage that wants to have this equipment, as most garages do...

Mr.Diagnostic

Darragh29 wrote: »

As we all know, servicing in a BMW dealership is done by apprentices.



Lets see where we can find any more coded bull****...


More babble speak and coded bull****. BMW do not use any "diagnostic equipment" whatsoever to carry out a routine service on a car. Any equipment they might have is available to any garage that wants to have this equipment, as most garages do...

In fairness there are a lot of qualified techs in BMW dealers servicing cars. There are also apprentices doing this too but the same can be said for a lot of garages.

The use of diagnostic equipment is required on the BMW service schedule.
The equipment the dealer has for BMWs is available at a huge cost and very few garages have it.

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Nah, I'm not angery at all, I just don't have much time for "BM trouble-you", sorry, I mean BMW drivers.

With the greatest of respect, your opinion of BMW drivers is a matter of complete indifference to me. The car needs to be serviced, either you can recommend a BMW garage or you can't.

Darragh29 wrote: »

I will put money on with you here and now, that a clutch is certainly NOT covered under a "BMW Service Agreement"... I'll look into this in more detail tomorrow but I know for sure a clutch is not covered under this service package...

No, Darragh, the only thing you know for sure is that you're 'angery'. Move along now, i'd like to get back to the point of the thread.

Darragh29

robbie99 wrote: »

A BMW is a premium car and I expect them to complete the job to be highest standards.

OK, I've just reached the conclusion that you must be one of my mates on here trying to wind me up!!! BMW's cost more because BMW have to spend much more convincing people like yourself that BMW are like some sort of NASA shuttle that only they know how to service and maintain! I stopped taking BMW's into my garage recently for two reasons:

(A) OEM replacement parts are too expensive, BMW look at your wallet when pricing parts, not at the cost of making the parts.

(B) BMW drivers as a category are most likely to be complete timewasters, shopping around to save money because they want the brand and what they think is the image that comes with it but don't want to pay for the overpriced parts & labour that BMW dealerships charge. If they get work done in a BMW dealership, they are delighed at being ripped off because "ah sure it is a BMW". If they can break out of the mental state that BMW have them in, they kick up at the prices that independent garages charge, (who often are getting screwed by BMW), because "you are not a BMW dealer". The one's that will use an independent garage are literally terrified to use any outlet other than a BMW because they are conditioned by BMW to think that their car will fall apart if it doesn't see the inside of a BMW main dealer once a year. FFS, it's 2008, we are suppoed to be educated now...

Mr.Diagnostic

You need to research the subject a bit more. OEM parts are available for other sources at good prices.

It’s a bit much to insult all BMW drivers as you have.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

With the greatest of respect, your opinion of BMW drivers is a matter of complete indifference to me. The car needs to be serviced, either you can recommend a BMW garage or you can't.

No, Darragh, the only thing you know for sure is that you're 'angery'. Move along now, i'd like to get back to the point of the thread.

If you could stay on topic, a clutch replacement is not covered by this service package, neither are brake discs. Listen, you take your BMW to Joe Duffy and he'll teach you not to spend 1000 Euro on 4 oil changes again!

Anan1

Are you blind, Darragh? SERVICING HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR. All I want is a recommendation for a good Dublin BMW dealer. I don't care what you think of BMW drivers, BMW Ireland, BMW reliability, BMW parts prices etc. Would you not just find someone who does care and tell them? On another thread perhaps?

Darragh29

Mr.Diagnostic wrote: »

You need to research the subject a bit more. OEM parts are available for other sources at good prices.

It’s a bit much to insult all BMW drivers as you have.

Sorry Mr. D, been there, done that and have the T-Shirt. They are time wasters, the odd one or two are OK, but the majority of them are complete timewasters who got their BM on the cheap by buying an import then when it comes to maintenance, they pull lomg faces when a crankshaft pulley costs 300 Euro from BM or a cam position sensor costs almost 200 quid for something that probably cost 10 Euro to manufacture... It's only BM and Mercedes who I see throwing in these type of invoices for parts. BMW drivers unfortunately have a false sense of the worth and design specification of their car and this has been peddled by years by BMW themselves...

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

Are you blind, Darragh? SERVICING HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR. All I want is a recommendation for a good Dublin BMW dealer. I don't care what you think of BMW drivers, BMW Ireland, BMW reliability, BMW parts prices etc. Would you not just find someone who does care and tell them? On another thread perhaps?

Already told ya, go to Joe Duffy!!! He'll teach ya!

robbie99

Darragh29 wrote: »

OK, I've just reached the conclusion that you must be one of my mates on here trying to wind me up!!!

Sorry, not one of your mates or a windup... I'm just chilled out about the poor quality work done on my car... Nothing worth getting stessed out over, the job will get done properly at no extra expense and I'll be happy in the end.

I'm just sharing my experience with the OP and recommending against FK.

Darragh29

robbie99 wrote: »

Sorry, not one of your mates or a windup... I'm just chilled out about the poor quality work done on my car... Nothing worth getting stessed out over, the job will get done properly at no extra expense and I'll be happy in the end.

I'm just sharing my experience with the OP and recommending against FK.

Sorry Robbie, didn't mean to have a go at ya, ye just hit a nerve there! The OP should go to either Joe Duffy or Frank Keane.

milltown

Robbie,
You'll get your chance to vent again in an altogether more meaningful way shortly I think. Any time I've had work done at a dealer I've had a phone call from BMW Ireland customer service within a few weeks, with a short customer satisfaction survey and an opportunity to comment on service received. This counts towards a dealer's CSI (customer satisfaction index) and makes up a large part of a dealer's monthly bonus and they are followed up on.

ninty9er

Not that I've had any personal experience, but McKeon's in Kells seem to have a good rep in general.


Darragh, the point of this thread is to name the best BMW dealer with whom Anan1 could deal for the service which he doesn't have to shell out for.

He does not want to know why he should or shouln'd use a BMW dealer, he just wants a recommendation in those paramaters. And also that €1,000 spent will most likely see a return when he goes to sell and has a genuine FBMWSH as opposed to back alley greasemonkey, regardless of which gives a better quality of workmanship.

-Chris-

I gotta agree - Darragh, I think your posts in this thread have been wildly off-topic and needlessly "ranting".

If you can constructively help the OP find a good dealer, so be it. Otherwise stop taking the thread OT.

unkel

AudiChris wrote: »

I gotta agree - Darragh, I think your posts in this thread have been wildly off-topic and needlessly "ranting".

If you can constructively help the OP find a good dealer, so be it. Otherwise stop taking the thread OT.

+1

Back on topic. I've had a good service experience with Murphy&Gunn in Milltown. The head mechanic took the time to have a chat with me. They were professional, knowledgeable and courteous - as you'd expect from a premium brand main dealer

Tails142

Darragh29 wrote: »

If you could stay on topic, a clutch replacement is not covered by this service package, neither are brake discs. Listen, you take your BMW to Joe Duffy and he'll teach you not to spend 1000 Euro on 4 oil changes again!

Why would you have to replace the clutch on a new car within 5 years?

If the clutch went that early, forget about the service package, that'd be covered under warranty.

All garages have apprentices, do you think fully qualified mechanics just fall out of their mothers wombs? And of course the apprentices are going to be given the jobs like oil changes and run of the mill servicing jobs with the more senior/knowledgable mechanics doing trickier things.

Sounds like you have a bit of a chip on your shoulder Darragh, bit of badge envy methinks!!

ninty9er

Tails142 wrote: »

bit of badge envy methinks!!

It's a Beemer, not a Lamborghini:rolleyes:

Anan1

ninty9er wrote: »

It's a Beemer, not a Lamborghini:rolleyes:

And a 320d at that.;)

Darragh29

ninty9er wrote: »

It's a Beemer, not a Lamborghini:rolleyes:

Speaks volumes of the mentality I'm talking about... I've already said 3 times where the OP should go with regard to his requirements. I can't understand why the only people who ask this question on this forum generally tend to be BMW drivers. It's like they really want to announce what they are driving (don't forget to mention that they are driving a "premium brand" here and want to get it properly taken care of!), rather than take advice with regard to where they can get it serviced. The dogs on the street know where the BMW dealeships in Dublin are ffs...

Darragh29

Tails142 wrote: »

Why would you have to replace the clutch on a new car within 5 years?

If the clutch went that early, forget about the service package, that'd be covered under warranty.

In your dreams pal...

Tails142 wrote: »

All garages have apprentices, do you think fully qualified mechanics just fall out of their mothers wombs? And of course the apprentices are going to be given the jobs like oil changes and run of the mill servicing jobs with the more senior/knowledgable mechanics doing trickier things.

Yes, that is the reality, so the question has to be asked, why are BMW talking absolute horsesh*te about "fully trained technicians" and Professionals, when an apprentice is obviously neither of these things
...

Tails142 wrote: »

Sounds like you have a bit of a chip on your shoulder Darragh, bit of badge envy methinks!!

Not at all, what gets to me is charging a customer, for example, recently having to charge a customer 400 Euro for replacing a crankshaft pulley on a 320D, 80% of the cost was the cost of acquiring the part from BMW, leaving me with (A) a 20% gross margin on the job, and (B), a customer who was still insisting that I was a "robbing cu*t". I know if this customer went to BMW and got an invoice for 600 Euro for the same job, he/she would be delighted because the mentality would be, "after all my car is a BMW, I'm driving a premium brand". I'm sorry if I come across as off topic or angry, maybe I am guilty of both, but as someone running a business just trying to cover my costs and make a small profit so that I can reinvest and by doing so grow my business, this type of situation is all too common for me and I can only say that in my humble experience, it is BMW specific...

crosstownk

I know that this is way off topic, but I'll go there......

Darragh29, you seem to have a chip on your shoulder when it comes to either main dealers or premium brands. On a diagnosis front you seem to be quite competent. So I'll assume you're and indy repairer/dealer.

Have you tried apply to become a BMW authorised repairer? Have you seen the requirements? Would you meet them? Do you know the real reason Maxwell Motors are discontinuing the BMW franchise?

At the end of the day, BMW have standards and they employ people to visit dealers to ensure that these standards are met. Very few, if any Indys are up to this standard - that is not to say that some indys are any less competent as people.

But the burden of proof on the owner is a lot less with main dealer invoices than having to prove that the indy kept things within manufacturers spec when it comes to warranty claims.

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Speaks volumes of the mentality I'm talking about... I've already said 3 times where the OP should go with regard to his requirements.

Thing is, Darragh, you don't appear to know what you're talking about. Your advice is therefore worthless to me. And yet you keep giving it. Why?

Darragh29 wrote: »

I can't understand why the only people who ask this question on this forum generally tend to be BMW drivers.

This is complete rubbish. People ask this question daily, about all kinds of cars. I've asked for servicing recommendations for several makes myself.

Darragh29 wrote: »

It's like they really want to announce what they are driving (don't forget to mention that they are driving a "premium brand" here and want to get it properly taken care of!), rather than take advice with regard to where they can get it serviced.

Sorry to disappoint, Darragh, but it's not my car.

Darragh29 wrote: »

The dogs on the street know where the BMW dealeships in Dublin are ffs...

Do you actually understand the meaning of the word 'recommendation', Darragh? Do you?

Darragh29

crosstownk wrote: »

I know that this is way off topic, but I'll go there......

Darragh29, you seem to have a chip on your shoulder when it comes to either main dealers or premium brands. On a diagnosis front you seem to be quite competent. So I'll assume you're and indy repairer/dealer.

Have you tried apply to become a BMW authorised repairer? Have you seen the requirements? Would you meet them? Do you know the real reason Maxwell Motors are discontinuing the BMW franchise?

At the end of the day, BMW have standards and they employ people to visit dealers to ensure that these standards are met. Very few, if any Indys are up to this standard - that is not to say that some indys are any less competent as people.

But the burden of proof on the owner is a lot less with main dealer invoices than having to prove that the indy kept things within manufacturers spec when it comes to warranty claims.

In fairness to all involved in this discussion, I don't want to go off topic, and the OP did ask for a recommendation, and in my opinion, I could not recommend any BMW dealer in Dublin for quality or service reasons and in particular, for value for money reasons. If anyone wants to continue this discussion, maybe a new thread is required. With regard to:

crosstownk wrote: »

At the end of the day, BMW have standards and they employ people to visit dealers to ensure that these standards are met. Very few, if any Indys are up to this standard - that is not to say that some indys are any less competent as people.

This is simply inaccurate. Until very recently, I've serviced and maintained BMW's up to 2007 very successfully. I can guarantee you that my BMW customers received a higher standard of customer and vehicle service than any BMW dealer in Dublin can offer. Every BMW, along with every other brand we serviced was returned to the customer fully valeted, washed & polished. We have the equipment to diagnose any BMW problem, or at least we have not had to send any BMW back to a dealership because we could not resolve the issue, this notion that only BMW can service a BMW is a complete myth, it is a complete and utter fraud, nothing less. I don't want to go off topic and probably am at this stage, but I'd gladly discuss further on a new thread...

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

In fairness to all involved in this discussion, I don't want to go off topic, and the OP did ask for a recommendation, and in my opinion, I could not recommend any BMW dealer in Dublin for quality or service reasons and in particular, for value for money reasons.

So why are you posting?

crosstownk

Darragh29 wrote: »

In fairness to all involved in this discussion, I don't want to go off topic, and the OP did ask for a recommendation, and in my opinion, I could not recommend any BMW dealer in Dublin for quality or service reasons and in particular, for value for money reasons. If anyone wants to continue this discussion, maybe a new thread is required. With regard to:



This is simply inaccurate. Until very recently, I've serviced and maintained BMW's up to 2007 very successfully. I can guarantee you that my BMW customers received a higher standard of customer and vehicle service than any BMW dealer in Dublin can offer. Every BMW, along with every other brand we serviced was returned to the customer fully valeted, washed & polished. We have the equipment to diagnose any BMW problem, or at least we have not had to send any BMW back to a dealership because we could not resolve the issue, this notion that only BMW can service a BMW is a complete myth, it is a complete and utter fraud, nothing less. I don't want to go off topic and probably am at this stage, but I'd gladly discuss further on a new thread...

Were you or were you not an authorised BMW repairer?

Because unless you were, you have no access to the most up to date BMW information, whether that be software downloads, recalls, workshop campaigns, solutions to known problems, etc, etc.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

So why are you posting?

Because I've a lot of experience servicing & maintaing vehicles, (including BMW's, yes even 07 BM's!!!) and I assumed that you were open to objective discussion regarding the various options that are open to you. I work in the trade and I hear the stories day in and day out about "inclusive service packages" and what they really represent.

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Because I've a lot of experience servicing & maintaing vehicles, (including BMW's, yes even 07 BM's!!!) and I assumed that you were open to objective discussion regarding the various options that are open to you. I work in the trade and I hear the stories day in and day out about "inclusive service packages" and what they really represent.

Look, Darragh, I told you at the start that the car has service inclusive. It's also still under factory warranty. Given these two facts, do you really think I should bring it anywhere other than a BMW main dealer?

Darragh29

crosstownk wrote: »

Were you or were you not an authorised BMW repairer?

I was never and will never be an authoried BMW repairer. This has never stopped me resolving ANY issue that was presented to my business, EVER. This cod that only BMW can fix BMW's, this is what I'm talking about, this is not simply true. Obviously if BMW cannot get drivers to accept & digest this, then the 175 Euro/hr Service Dept's would not be feasible and would not exist.

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

Look, Darragh, I told you at the start that the car has service inclusive. It's also still under factory warranty. Given these two facts, do you really think I should bring it anywhere other than a BMW main dealer?

Under EU block exemption rules, BMW, (or any other manufacturer), cannot disturb your warranty (factory or otherwise), if you choose to have your needs met by an independent vehicle repairer. Do they tell you this on their website??? No, they appear to tell you the contary. I already said that you were sold 4 oil changes for 1000 Euro when you bought that service package...

Anan1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Under EU block exemption rules, BMW, (or any other manufacturer), cannot disturb your warranty (factory or otherwise), if you choose to have your needs met by an independent vehicle repairer. Do they tell you this on their website??? No, they appear to tell you the contary. I already said that you were sold 4 oil changes for 1000 Euro when you bought that service package...

Any chance you could answer the question?

Darragh29

Anan1 wrote: »

Any chance you could answer the question?

Just did, you asked me "should you in all reality being your car anywhere other than to an authoried BMW dealer" and I gave you a reason why you can.