Local independent vs BMW specialty shop

[bucketfoot]

We have a local independent shop that we have been using on our various cars (mostly Japanese) for years. I see people here all the time talking about using specialty BMW/German shops rather than the dealership.

I'd love to hear some of the reasons why I should or shouldn't continue to use my local shop versus a specialty shop.

[c1pher]

I think some independent shops are great and some suck, just like dealerships. I've been raked over the coals by both types of shops. I don't rely on one of the other. I tend to use a local shop because it's less expensive to get things like routine service done. If it's a warranty repair or a big problem, I will typically lean toward going to the dealership or possibly a specialty shop.

[Housekeeping]

Indy places have their limitations imho. Recently they weren't able to fix a steering angle sensor issue but dealer nailed it.

[josec70]

I use the dealer for regular scheduled maintenance and warranty work and independent shops for any performance mods.

[DanG]

I see that you drive a 2014 BMW. You are still under free maintenance until four years after the initial delivery date. Maintenance was transferable for all 2014 BMWs.

That said, I have used the dealer for maintenance because the price is the same after the BMWCCA discount.

[David70]

I prefer the independent shop for my BMW as I like dealing with the same people all of the time, owner cares about fixing my car right and he is easy to talk to if I am not happy (at dealership anything past SA has to be a major problem and he is often relatively new to the position), prices are normally lower and with them almost always dealing with older cars I feel like they try harder to figure out what is actually wrong and not just start replacing parts.

At the same time, a good dealership is better than a bad independent so much of it depends on the actual shops.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by bucketfoot

We have a local independent shop that we have been using on our various cars (mostly Japanese) for years. I see people here all the time talking about using specialty BMW/German shops rather than the dealership.

I'd love to hear some of the reasons why I should or shouldn't continue to use my local shop versus a specialty shop.

1) Specialty shop can almost always get parts quicker.
2) Specialty shop already has a subscription to BMW's TIS (service bulletins and workshop manuals).
3) Specialty shop has the necessary tools.
4) Specialty shop has common parts (oil, filters, spark plugs, etc) in the shop.
5) Specialty shop knows how to do an alignment correctly.
6) Specialty shop knows how to correctly dismount/mount an RFT and TPMS.
7) Specialty shop has BMW-specific OBD scanner (the original GT1 back 20 years ago cost $25,000 and no-one but specialty shops and dealers had them.)
8) Specialty shop has any necessary software updates, and knowledge on how to apply them (to the 20 or so systems.)

Specialty shops also "give back" to the BMW community (racing programs, BMWCCA, clubs.)

Oil changes, brake work, yeah pretty much anyone with a wrench can do those. Anything else it's a lost cause. I use the dealer for some things, because no-one - including specialty shops - actually know anything about the diesels. The specialty shop I used to change my DEF tank said it was the first they'd ever done!