Until about seven years ago, BMW reserved its factory training for dealer technicians. To ensure you got a BMW mechanic with proper training, you had to go to a dealer. Now, independent technicians can receive the same training as those in dealerships. This dramatically opens up service options, but it also complicates the process of finding a qualified BMW technician.
“Respect” and “honor” might not be words you think about when considering a BMW mechanic, but Billy Maher, owner of Bavarian Tuning in Santa Rosa, thinks those are important factors. “Do the mechanics treat their customers with respect? Do they honor their work? If the book calls for a three-hour job but the technician does it in 45 minutes, will he charge for the whole three hours? You need to find someone who won’t take advantage of you.”
The first steps in identifying the right mechanics are to ensure they’re licensed and have the proper certifications. But Mr. Maher believes customers can tell a lot about the quality of a technician’s work by taking a look at the condition of the shop. If it’s clean and organized, it’s a good bet that the technician takes pride in his work. “From using the right tools and parts down to making sure the fingerprints are wiped off the front-door glass, the details matter,” he says.
