BMW Indepedent Specialist Midlands/Kildare Area?

hollywoodhoppy

Hey guys, just looking for an independent BMW specialist in the Midlands or Kildare area for servicing of my 2008 520d, got it from the UK earlier this year and its due a service in 2000miles. I have been going to Conlons in Rathangan but they are very expensive. Just looking for a keen reliable garage with diagnostic computers etc. to deal with from now on.

I've searched the threads and some people were on about AC Car Sales in Dublin but i think they could be operating as someone else now, Bloomfield Garage possibly? Would rather stay out of dublin just as dont be up there that often anyways.

Any suggestions or pointers gratefully appreciated!

DF1

There's a crowd near Straffan somewhere that specialise in BMW.


Can't think of their name but if it comes to me I'll post it here.

George Dalton

Mark Allen is the name of the guy near Straffan. I don't have contact details for him but shouldn't be too hard to find.

In fairness given the amount of 520ds on the roads these days a service on one isn't exactly a specialist task. Any good garage should be able to look after you.

pred racer

George Dalton wrote: »

Mark Allen is the name of the guy near Straffan. I don't have contact details for him but shouldn't be too hard to find.

In fairness given the amount of 520ds on the roads these days a service on one isn't exactly a specialist task. Any good garage should be able to look after you.

Mark Allen 0872658402, a good guy.

exador

James Roe in Naas area...045 866062 ... As far as I know he BMW

IsaBrown

Does anyone know of an equivalent in Wexford area?

hollywoodhoppy

George Dalton wrote: »

Mark Allen is the name of the guy near Straffan. I don't have contact details for him but shouldn't be too hard to find.

In fairness given the amount of 520ds on the roads these days a service on one isn't exactly a specialist task. Any good garage should be able to look after you.

Thanks for the input George, my reasoning for having a bmw specialist would be for my own peace of mind and resale prospects, having a known independent specialist would put a potential buyer at ease and also there are nuances in BMWs such as swirl flaps which are not common to other cars so i would like a guy who knows what hes doing

swhyte027

I can speak from experience and say that a BMW specalist will no all the common faults and was is Likly to need changing.like rear pivot bearings.breather filter.there is so much on them and a lot to be missed for the wrong person at the car.also as op says having a local bm specalist stamp in the book is worth plenty of piece of mind.

Fishtits

In fairness given the amount of 520ds on the roads these days a service on one isn't exactly a specialist task. Any good garage should be able to look after you.

Therin is the fatal assumption. Anyone can do it.

Modern BMW's are decent machines, but they need proper, specialised maintenance.

They need to be seen by people that have the ability to plug into them and undrstand whats' being said, and balance that with years of experience.

Fishtits

Fishtits wrote: »

Therin is the fatal assumption. Anyone can do it.

Modern BMW's are decent machines, but they need proper, specialised maintenance.

They need to be seen by people that have the ability to plug into them and undrstand whats' being said, and balance that with years of experience.

... a good garage perhaps

Bearcat

George himself is no slouch servicing bm's. He did my ex 530d no bother.
(I'm in a defender now George, needed the cash!)

George Dalton

Sorry for your troubles David :P :P I assume you still have the 911?

Lads I am not disagreeing with any of the above. The point I am trying to make is that just because a garage doesn't describe themselves as a BMW specialist doesn't mean they don't know their way around one. Half the country is driving a 520d at this stage it seems so they aren't exactly a niche car that needs specialist maintenance in my opinion. A good garage will be up to speed on them and will be able to maintain one just fine.

E39MSport

Nobody said niche.

It's a particular type of machine, like any machine/model, that will and does have it's idiosyncrasies.

To say that any 'good garage' can maintain one just fine is a serious failing to understand the above in as serious as that can be

Breathers, swirl flaps, cooling defficiencies, bushings, donuts, mounts, pivot bearings etc etc are all issues that come with research and education to the level that most 'good' garages won't invest in on a normal basis.

Only those focussed on particular marks and models will be aware of all of the possible issues and more importantly be able to spot trouble and apply preventative maintenance etc. imo.

Also, half the Country is not driving 520d's. Thats absurd.

George Dalton

E39MSport wrote: »

Only those focussed on particular marks and models will be aware of all of the possible issues and more importantly be able to spot trouble and apply preventative maintenance etc. imo.

Also, half the Country is not driving 520d's. Thats absurd.

I was just making the point that they are a popular car, I'm sure you know I didn't mean it literally :pac:

I agree 100% with you on the importance of being familiar with issues specific to particular makes and models. That is very important for proper maintenance.

But I don't agree that only someone who describes themselves as a specialist in a particular make will be aware of issues specific to that make. And that by extension that if a garage doesn't have a "BMW specialist" tag associated with them that they cannot possibly be familiar with the specific common faults of a popular model of BMW that has been around since 2003. That is absurd

swhyte027

George Dalton wrote: »

E39MSport wrote: »

Only those focussed on particular marks and models will be aware of all of the possible issues and more importantly be able to spot trouble and apply preventative maintenance etc. imo.

Also, half the Country is not driving 520d's. Thats absurd.

I was just making the point that they are a popular car, I'm sure you know I didn't mean it literally :pac:

I agree 100% with you on the importance of being familiar with issues specific to particular makes and models. That is very important for proper maintenance.

But I don't agree that only someone who describes themselves as a specialist in a particular make will be aware of issues specific to that make. And that by extension that if a garage doesn't have a "BMW specialist" tag associated with them that they cannot possibly be familiar with the specific common faults of a popular model of BMW that has been around since 2003. That is absurd

So in your statement George u say that a BMW specialist wouldn't be beter placed to look after a BMW then any other garage.well that's just bull.we who specialise in the make c them every day day in day out so no more so what goes wrong and what doesn't go wrong at a certain mileage and what to look out for.no one said that any garage couldn't service it.its not the servicing that's required it's more to detect faults before the happen and to pin point a certain fault if any.sorry but your statement said that u don't beleave a BMW specialist would do a beter job then any other garage that is rubish with all due respect.

... George is quite clearly referring to good garages not all garages, unless the specialists as they call themselves have gone on the same training as the main dealer folk how specialist can they be?

George Dalton

swhyte027 wrote: »

So in your statement George u say that a BMW specialist wouldn't be beter placed to look after a BMW then any other garage.well that's just bull.we who specialise in the make c them every day day in day out so no more so what goes wrong and what doesn't go wrong at a certain mileage and what to look out

This has now turned into a wider debate so apologies to the OP for taking it off topic.

What I am trying to say is that there are lots of garages who work on certain makes day in day out like yourself but who don't choose to describe themselves as a specialist in that make. If a garage is familiar with the model in question that is the important thing. If they have the knowledge and equipment they can do the job, regardless of whether or not they label themselves a specialist. The fact is that any garage can go out and buy VCDS or a cloned BMW GT1 or Ford IDS and start calling themselves a specialist in whatever make they choose. Does this make them better equipped to deal with that make or model than a good garage who are equally or perhaps more knowledgeable and have all the necessary gear but who just don't portray themselves as a specialist? Of course not.

dharn

looking for bmw specialist near ballinasloe for same reasons as op