I wondered how these guys were paying for their glossy new service centre.

Car an '09 E32 320i Auto SE Coupé (mums)

£450 demanded for front brake pads, when Brembo RETAIL with them for £71 for the front set... they aren't made of myrrh.

Was phoned, told that they wouldn't need replacing for MOT, hence said we don't want them. Five minutes later called again and apparently they'd changed their minds, and it would be a requirement.

£500 on top of this for a regular service, with bills for details such as 'checking the key'.

Refused to switch off service light.

The fluids charge was so ridiculous that they must have been using Veuve Cliquot.

Add a delay of several hours and whaddya got...

Won't be returning... buying process four years ago was pleasant but they are real sharks in terms of servicing.

This seems to be a general thing for BMW as well, Grandma's 120i SE Automatic '06, was told that the paint was marked and that it would need a respray. I examined the paint, was immaculate, and they were going to take £600 worth of her pension. The cars are superb, but this servicing process appears to be aimed at company cars, where servicing is largely just accepted regardless of cost. It sure as hell is off-putting for private buyers.

Rant concluded lol

Last edited by campaj1 on 22nd Jun 2013 12:27am. Edited 2 times in total

Interesting ... SWMBO had our 318d touring (2009) in for a service on Thursday.
Oil, oil filter, brake fluid change, software updates. £285 inc VAT, which I thought was quite reasonable, bearing in mind that my dad paid £5 less for just an oil change on a 2.2d XF last month. She was in there for 3 pm, and all done by 5 ... as promised

She does reckon the new service centre must have cost a pretty penny though, and I do agree regarding the fleet/business customers. Chester did used to be very good, but they seem to have taken their eye off the ball a bit, especially with the sales side
If you've had the service done there, but they are refusing to reset the service light, I'd be asking some serious questions to someone a bit higher in the food chain as to exactly why. Possibly even go to BMW UK.

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Wow some contrast! If I'd said yes to the brake pads the whole thing could have cost over a grand, a joke for what is essentially a small, softly driven four cylinder BMW.

They also wanted to sneak in the MOT over a month early, and actually lied to my dad on the phone telling him it was due this week, which seemed very fishy to me.

The service centre is certainly all style no substance: the parking system is weird too, almost ended up driving into the wrong side of the one way service zone! Its also in a less salubrious part of Sealand, and so it seems a little incongruous. I was always surprised they didn't absorb the old Audi dealer next door.

I will be sending a letter to BMW about this, as it was a cr p experience, but I found out that you can reset the service light yourself on the trip computer controls so no worries! Not sure they'll have our custom again though: its enough to put us off what is otherwise a superb car.

It's a shame. ALL cars require servicing and, if you can't get good dealer service, you won't buy that make again. It's amazing the car companies don't work more on this. $$$$ on slick advertising will never erase a bad experience like this.

Here, I would NEVER buy a Hyundai because of my experiences at the local dealership (fortunately, PREpurchase not post).

but they are all at it in the uk! volvo are similar, as are JLR at times. There is pressure selling too: you will NEVER pick up a car on time here, the service manager will be waiting for you saying "we need to do..." and you, just wanting the car back will wave them away to do it in double time. It really is frustrating!