How 2 Spot a BAD repair shop - BMW certified (Re: Red Rum Alert)

Hey guys ... go ahead and add things to the list on how to spot a bad BMW repair facility ... even if they say they are German/Swiss/European type repair facility ... and are doing the American Con Game instead.

They are American mechanics pretending to be German Car Car Specialists working in the Lab and making your car spot on correct before they give it to you.

Okey Doaky let us get started.

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ONE ... When you drop off the car you are talking to a saleslady usually, you never talk to the shop manager, the vehicle case worker, the Service Manager ... who by the way ... never takes any money. That goes to the cashier. In the bad shops you pay the lady you drop it off to and say what is going on with the car.

TWO ... When you pick up the car after paying the necessary high fees, they ask you something like "Did you see your car when you drove up" ... and it is hiding in different places each time ... you have to turn the key in the bad shops.

In the good shops, they drive the car to you, running engine with the key you gave to them in the ignition. All the lights are working order, all is well with the car. In the bad shops ... there is a discovery of something wrong upon getting the car on your ignition turn. Oops

THREE ... They fix an oil leak poorly the first time, then do the repair to fix it the second time ... and then ask you a third time to fix it again of course on your dime. The can not fix leaks is a good clue of poor car science application on a par with no guarantee of repairs.

FOUR ... if you like do a complete going over of the car before sending it to the BMW certified shop and see if it comes back with one of the rubber boots slashed ... that is now a repair problem.

FIVE ... you have a slow tire leak on your Conti Extreme Tires that are full of nails ... and they have to keep the car over night to get 2 new tires when DEAR OLD EARL tire shop down the street has them right now. They are slow at parts getting ... as keeping your car is more important in making a fiddle of it.

So folks ... if you have to find your car at a so called German European Car Care repair shop that offers top notch BMW certified service ... do not go back after your first oil change. They will costs you much more money then taking it to BMW dealership itself ...

OH ... BTW ... BMW dealerships have 50 cars a day in their shops in today's economy ... so they are not out to dittohead foxnut you up the arse Limbaugh style.

sumbuddie wear blind sea

:?

Reply to
Alan Mac Farlane
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I wouldn't touch an independant with all those non productive staff. Mine has just two men doing all that - and they are both BMW trained mechanics, so can give any answers you need while you're paying, etc. That's why they can charge under half that of the main dealer while actually giving a better service where it counts - the quality of work done to the car. Seems I'm not the only one who dislikes overstaffed dealers - the local one has gone bust and closed down.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

next mechanic touches my BMW ...

they give it back to me with the engine running and the dash lights out

... as that is the way I gave it to them !!!

That is like the minimum I expect ... when my mechanic has my car and gives it BACK to me with things broken in it ....

welllll that story about shit happens may work once maybe ... but not twice or thrice for me.

sumbuddie wear blind sea

:?

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Reply to
Alan Mac Farlane

This is EXACTLY what I like about your mechanic guys ... you are talking to person who is actually has their hands on the tools making the repairs. When I get my Bio-Diesel Ford fixed it is done by ONE GUY.

The BMW certified mechanic I bought the 528i from in the first place, was a business shop of ONE GUY.

This ONE GUY ran the BMW shop, did it all, you paid him, the car always came back spot on correct just like it is at BMW Munich ... or BMW Frankfurt ... or BMW San Francisco ... BMW Santa Rosa ... there are lots of good BMW shops that deliver spot on correct repairs and no nonsense fix it in getting it back to you better then you gave it to them.

In the BMW shops that do the European German Swiss fix it stuff, they do EVERYTHING ... and I mean everything ... not just make it look pretty with a car wash and a vac out.

At BMW San Francisco you are talking to the man or woman turning the wrench just like at BMW Dresden and the car is sorted our correctly.

All you have to do is turn the key and go.

Well ... at the BAD BMW shops ... this is not what happens I am sorry to say and there are ways to spot them I like to think.

sumbuddie wear blind sea

:?

Reply to
Alan Mac Farlane

another way is when you drive up and the mechanic says : " i've always wanted to work on one of these " . D.

Reply to
D.

on 6/16/09 7:48 PM Alan Mac Farlane said the following:

Most dealership mechanics are not to bright or care much about the the work. Usually private repair shops are the way to go when out of warranty, but like anything else ask around to find the good ones!

Reply to
Yadda

That might be good sign, not jaded.

on 6/18/09 2:30 PM D. said the following:

Reply to
Yadda

(get my minnasoooota acent going on here ...)

" yeap ... that's a good one "

Reply to
Alan Mac Farlane

One way to find a good independent shop that specializes in BMWs is to see if its registered with the association of Independent BMW Service Professionals (BIMRS). This group has a list of independent shops located in every state and Canada. Check it out here:

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Of course, there are excellent shops not listed, but this is one source. Good Luck!

Reply to
Brewster Fong

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