Indie BMW workshops in Sydney

[woosh]

Peter Mabey was just down the road from my old work place. Seemed like a clean workshop last time I was in there. Their receptionist was kinda cute too.

[bfi2906]

Originally Posted by woosh

Their receptionist was kinda cute too.

Best possible reason to select a workshop.

[sbce90]

Jeef, IIRC Duncan goes to Bromspec

[mra]

Personally I like European Autotech in Mona Vale - http://europeanautotech.com.au/

Derek the owner used to work on Formula 3 before starting the shop - works on Porsche, Audi, BMW, Skoda, VW.

Otherwise, Exoticars in Parramatta are great - mostly work on ferrari and porsche but BMW and Audi as well.

Both shops solid, reliable and knowledgeable service.

[Jeef Beef]

Already got things sorted at Advan, will tell you guys how that goes.

Interestingly, the place Castle Hill replied my email a week later and LITERALLY GAVE ME A LECTURE about how ordering parts somewhere else and then getting them installed at their shop is shows a lack of respect for their money making ability. WTF.

[bfi2906]

Originally Posted by Jeef Beef

Interestingly, the place Castle Hill replied my email a week later and LITERALLY GAVE ME A LECTURE about how ordering parts somewhere else and then getting them installed at their shop is shows a lack of respect for their money making ability. WTF.

LOL - To the owners of the "place in Castle Hill" --

The independent european car maintenence business must be going through a boom - I must have missed that.

Awesome business model - I've always been a big fan of the "let's piss off potential clients and make sure we get 100% of nothing, rather than a proportion of something" strategy. I just can't see how it enhances "their money making ability" - clearly the owner is much smarter than I.

Based on the evidence presented, I think I'll give him my $'s to manage - he should be in the wealth creation business. Mac Bank must be really disappointed that they can't lure him away from his "money machine" of a business.

[Hawkeye 135i]

Originally Posted by Jeef Beef

Already got things sorted at Advan, will tell you guys how that goes.

Interestingly, the place Castle Hill replied my email a week later and LITERALLY GAVE ME A LECTURE about how ordering parts somewhere else and then getting them installed at their shop is shows a lack of respect for their money making ability. WTF.

Please do Jeff. I've emailed Peter for a quote for my BMWPS install. It's a bit of a hike for me from Manly but I like the idea of someone working on my suspension when they've recently worked on 135 suspension. I reckon the price will be OK too as I'm sure that you've done your research.

[MrBlonde]

I've been lectured on purchasing parts outside a workshop too. Buying parts from another place reduces the workshop's opportunity to profit from you as a customer.

The funny thing is that in 2011 consumers can often track down a better purchase price for any given part than a workshop or business can. Of course there are always considerations outside the mere purchase of a part, like warranty or post sales support and those things are also to be taken into consideration.

The world is more and more driven to low price, low quality models by people ruthlessly seeking out the lowest purchase price. This is not always in the consumer's best interest.

Having said that, a business criticising you to your face about robbing them of the opportunity to make more profit from you by uplifting parts pricing - it's like the hubris disaplyed by Harvey Norman recently. Until he smartened up.

[bfi2906]

Originally Posted by MrBlonde

it's like the hubris disaplyed by Harvey Norman recently. Until he smartened up.

Is that Gerry Harvey I can hear sobbing uncontrollably, as he packs to fly in his private plane to join his friend, and co-owner, John Singelton at the Magic Millions, on the Gold Coast, after a stop over at his horse stud in the Upper Hunter.

Poor Pet - I can see his outrage at internet shoppers not spending more than they need to in his stores - time for a new business model, Gerry.

[MrBlonde]

Originally Posted by bfi2906

Is that Gerry Harvey I can hear sobbing uncontrollably, as he packs to fly in his private plane to join his friend, and co-owner, John Singelton at the Magic Millions, on the Gold Coast, after a stop over at his horse stud in the Upper Hunter.

Poor Pet - I can see his outrage at internet shoppers not spending more than they need to in his stores - time for a new business model, Gerry.

Exactly. Either change or go out of business. you can see some workshops in Sydney chose the latter because they just cannot adapt to the times. Each new boom and bust cycle brings spend or no spend decisions to discretionary pursuits like modifying motor vehicles. Each cycle has some places go out of business.

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by bfi2906

LOL - To the owners of the "place in Castle Hill" --

The independent european car maintenence business must be going through a boom - I must have missed that.

Awesome business model - I've always been a big fan of the "let's piss off potential clients and make sure we get 100% of nothing, rather than a proportion of something" strategy. I just can't see how it enhances "their money making ability" - clearly the owner is much smarter than I.

Based on the evidence presented, I think I'll give him my $'s to manage - he should be in the wealth creation business. Mac Bank must be really disappointed that they can't lure him away from his "money machine" of a business.

Yeh, he definitely lost me as a customer even though I live about 10mins away. Not approaching someone with that attitude towards customers, who does he think he is? My fucking dad?

Not to be pedantic...but Macquarie GROUP is the one with investment banking, Mac Bank is a misnomer and is the commercial banking division that doesn't make much at all Got that drilled into me over summer internship.

Originally Posted by Hawkeye 135i

Please do Jeff. I've emailed Peter for a quote for my BMWPS install. It's a bit of a hike for me from Manly but I like the idea of someone working on my suspension when they've recently worked on 135 suspension. I reckon the price will be OK too as I'm sure that you've done your research.

No problems! I will definitely put in a word for you and tell you how it goes.

Originally Posted by MrBlonde

I've been lectured on purchasing parts outside a workshop too. Buying parts from another place reduces the workshop's opportunity to profit from you as a customer.

The funny thing is that in 2011 consumers can often track down a better purchase price for any given part than a workshop or business can. Of course there are always considerations outside the mere purchase of a part, like warranty or post sales support and those things are also to be taken into consideration.

The world is more and more driven to low price, low quality models by people ruthlessly seeking out the lowest purchase price. This is not always in the consumer's best interest.

Having said that, a business criticising you to your face about robbing them of the opportunity to make more profit from you by uplifting parts pricing - it's like the hubris disaplyed by Harvey Norman recently. Until he smartened up.

The profit part I understand, but isn't part of the workshop's function to offer labor? He is free to deny me work, but does not have to send me an essay of an email criticising my actions.

I try to support local vendors when I can, but when the price disparity is about double, even my altruistic side cannot agree.

[Jeef Beef]

After my experience today, I highly recommend Advan. Every bloke is great to deal with.

[andrew@southernBM]

You know what guys, this is something i struggle with a lot. I wrestle with the idea of customers bringing parts in and there are many reasons why. It is not just about parts margin but providing warranty, parts not fitting, (ie, some of those cheap exhausts, cost me time to get them to fit half decent) poor quality or it may be a competitive product to ones the workshop use and recommend. I am just doing the best i can and understand the guys in the US will be paying more for there Euro products soon, so the US pricing will go up to cover that. Having said that the population makes it easier for them to provide greater discounting though. Tough industry sometimes.

[E92325i]

Originally Posted by andrew@southernBM

You know what guys, this is something i struggle with a lot. I wrestle with the idea of customers bringing parts in and there are many reasons why. It is not just about parts margin but providing warranty, parts not fitting, (ie, some of those cheap exhausts, cost me time to get them to fit half decent) poor quality or it may be a competitive product to ones the workshop use and recommend. I am just doing the best i can and understand the guys in the US will be paying more for there Euro products soon, so the US pricing will go up to cover that. Having said that the population makes it easier for them to provide greater discounting though. Tough industry sometimes.

I agree Andrew, it's a tough industry but then again many workshops make it very clear that they will not provide any warranty on the parts you provide but will guarantee their workmanship and also that providing the correct parts are your own responsibility. Even authorised BMW dealers in VIC operate this way to my knowledge; you are more than welcome to bring you own parts but no warranty on them even though they are genuine parts.

It's difficult but I think one thing that's going for your business is that when you take on a new client (say from a dealership) you pretty much keep them returning to you because you provide such excellent service at a very competitive price!

In regards to parts, I am all for supporting local vendors but unfortunately sometimes as mentioned, the price disparity is almost double so what would you do if you were the consumer? I understand that that the price you/other businesses pay for parts includes taxes, duties, etc which private consumers typically bypass most of the time...

Anyway, good luck with the business. You have a wealth of knowledge and are providing a great service to BMW owners Australia wide