Bmw & Mot

[nmiah786]

Apologies if this is the wrong place for this but would appreciate your help on this.

I have a 318 ci and the MOT needs renewing at the end of this month as well as an Inspection 1, I think!!! So PLEASE can any of you wonderful people on here recommend me any garages where I should go to get it done.

Looking for some reliable place, which is both relatively cheap and excellent service. I use to go to Sytner based in Stratford but they have moved from there recently.

Also, any place which is open on Saturday would be great.

I live in Stepney Green in East London but can go anywhere which is relatively ok distance travel wise.

Also, I work in Hatfield, Herts so if anyone can recommend me any place close to that then that would be equally fine.

Looking for recommendations if possible.

Thanks

[nmiah786]

Any ideas anyone?

[Shimrod]

Hi, live up North so can't recommend anywhere for you, but you'll probably do better posting over on http://forum.bmwcarmagazine.com/

Also have a look here http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/garages.html for reviews of BMW garages.

Shim

[joshm]

You don't give a lot of information about the car or your circumstances, making advice difficult. Are you wanting to maintain a dealer service history to help the car maintain its value? Are you looking for a cheap fix (e.g. trick the service computer into thinking it's been serviced), an independent service (i.e. from a non BMW dealer) or what? How old is the car? What is the mileage? How many miles since last service? Was the last service a major service? What is the value? With this information I (and maybe others) can suggest what might be best in terms of economy. Sorry if it seems a lot of info, but it's what I would consider before making any decision if it were my own car...

[nmiah786]

You don't give a lot of information about the car or your circumstances, making advice difficult. Are you wanting to maintain a dealer service history to help the car maintain its value? Are you looking for a cheap fix (e.g. trick the service computer into thinking it's been serviced), an independent service (i.e. from a non BMW dealer) or what? How old is the car? What is the mileage? How many miles since last service? Was the last service a major service? What is the value? With this information I (and maybe others) can suggest what might be best in terms of economy. Sorry if it seems a lot of info, but it's what I would consider before making any decision if it were my own car...

Ok I ill try to answer your questions.

I'm wanting to maintain a dealer history to help it sell at the best possible price when I come to sell it. Which will be soon. Car currently has 75k on the clock, looking at selling when at 80k or withen 6 months, whichever is sooner. I travel 80 - 100 miles a day to and from work, most of which is motorway miles.

The last service was done at 60k. The car is a 52 plate, so 4.5 years old.

I'm not sure how much the car is worth now as I have not been keeping an eye on current prices but I bought it in 2005 with 35k on the clock for 15k.

I've been qouted by Sytner BMW in Harold Wood that it will cost £50 for MOT and £200 for a Inspection 1.

Hope this answers the questions you raised and will enable yourself and others to advise me better.

Thanks

[Pegleg2001]

http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/portal.php

The have a section on Authorised Dealers and Independent Specialist Garages that may help you track down someone near your patch.

[nmiah786]

http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/portal.php

The have a section on Authorised Dealers and Independent Specialist Garages that may help you track down someone near your patch.

I've put the same question on there but I think that forum is not that active compared to MSE. So I'm waiting to see what people respond on there.

Thanks

[joshm]

When you say you are going to sell in a while, is it because you don't want/need to own a car any more or are you planning a change of vehicle?

Either way, the reason I ask is that it might be worth considering selling or trading the vehicle back to Sytner provided they have always serviced it in the past. Dealers like to inflate the value of their own brand and if they get a car that originated from and was serviced by them, I'm sure they will be able to sell it on at a high price (i.e. as an approved used car). Might be worth seeing what they will offer if theis is the case and then comparing the value against the private market.

Other comments -

If by maintaining a dealer history you mean you want to get it serviced by BMW rather than an independent then you may as well go with Sytner if all the stamps are with them so far. An alternative would be to get it serviced at a BMW dealer outside of London (perhaps if you are plannig a trip you could investigate what dealers are in the area and book it in). It might be cheaper this way but you would have to check if it was worthwhile - I doubt it would be.

£50 is a standard MOT charge - you won't find it much cheaper unless you're prepared to go to the hassle of finding a council testing station.

Independents are charging about £160-170 for an Inspection I service so for the extra few quid I think it's worth paying for the official stamp. It maintains the value of the car and makes it easier to sell.

[nmiah786]

When you say you are going to sell in a while, is it because you don't want/need to own a car any more or are you planning a change of vehicle?

Either way, the reason I ask is that it might be worth considering selling or trading the vehicle back to Sytner provided they have always serviced it in the past. Dealers like to inflate the value of their own brand and if they get a car that originated from and was serviced by them, I'm sure they will be able to sell it on at a high price (i.e. as an approved used car). Might be worth seeing what they will offer if theis is the case and then comparing the value against the private market.

Other comments -

If by maintaining a dealer history you mean you want to get it serviced by BMW rather than an independent then you may as well go with Sytner if all the stamps are with them so far. An alternative would be to get it serviced at a BMW dealer outside of London (perhaps if you are plannig a trip you could investigate what dealers are in the area and book it in). It might be cheaper this way but you would have to check if it was worthwhile - I doubt it would be.

£50 is a standard MOT charge - you won't find it much cheaper unless you're prepared to go to the hassle of finding a council testing station.

Independents are charging about £160-170 for an Inspection I service so for the extra few quid I think it's worth paying for the official stamp. It maintains the value of the car and makes it easier to sell.

Thanks Joshm

I'm planning to sell it to get something more economical!!!:confused: . I'm basically doing quite high mileages and running the value of the car down the pan quite fast, I think.

I think I'll just go with Sytner then. Thanks for your help in making me decide.

[Shimrod]

If you have a number of BMW dealers in range, phone around for a few quotes, they may not all charge the same price. I recently had the oil service on my 2001 325 and was quoted between £170 and £230 from dealers within the same area.

On the value of your car, you may be a bit disappointed, as E46 values have taken a bit of a hammering now that the new model has been out a couple of years.

Shim

[nmiah786]

If you have a number of BMW dealers in range, phone around for a few quotes, they may not all charge the same price. I recently had the oil service on my 2001 325 and was quoted between £170 and £230 from dealers within the same area.

On the value of your car, you may be a bit disappointed, as E46 values have taken a bit of a hammering now that the new model has been out a couple of years.

Shim

I thought that would be the case.....anyway how much do you reckon it would it worth, i.e. price range. Condition is fairly good still.

[DavidHM]

Car is worth about £8,000 privately.

This one (http://www.cargiant.co.uk/cars/detail.asp?Id=315069)is very similar as a comparison and is £8,500 from a dealer.

Yours would be worth more if it has a particularly good spec, i.e., leather, big (original) alloys, factory sat nav, etc.

[nmiah786]

Car is worth about £8,000 privately.

This one (http://www.cargiant.co.uk/cars/detail.asp?Id=315069)is very similar as a comparison and is £8,500 from a dealer.

Yours would be worth more if it has a particularly good spec, i.e., leather, big (original) alloys, factory sat nav, etc.

Thanks for that.

Actually, its quite reassuring....I has hoping for something in that region.