Pacific Motor Service was extremely polite and professional and I can trust that the work was done right the first time. If I were to nit-pick, the only issues were: -The representative pushed a little too hard to replace parts(spark plugs and ignition coils) that didn't need replacing because I would save money on labor. -Representative also made a valve cover gasket replacement seem more complicated than it should be for an experienced tech. I have a BMW but for any inline engine the steps are generally the same. I'm confident that this repair was very doable for their auto tech. -This business will charge you for diagnostics even after they perform the repairs. I'm used to that being free if you let the business perform the repairs. -I don't know what the labor rate is here and it's not on the reciept. I can only assume around $200 and hour based on $941 to replace a valve gasket when the Chilton Auto Library manual states the job should take 4 to 4.5 hours. (941/4.5= 209). -They did give me a free brake light bulb so that was nice I am new to the area, I needed the job done quick and this is the first place I came to so I will be shopping around for my next repair. I think they will do anything you need them to perfectly fine, but for you more savy shoppers out there; maybe look somewhere else.
Good morning Victor, thank you for commenting on the professional demeanor of our staff. We put a lot of energy in hiring the right team members to ensure our clients are well cared for. I am glad you are a discerning consumer and are willing to share your views. Rory is one of our very best service advisors; his main objective is to educate our clientele on the specifics of each and every repair. It is our goal to keep your vehicle safe and reliable. The reason he recommended spark plugs and coils was due to the fact that in the process of repairing the leaking valve cover, the vast majority of the labor was already being performed and for a few hundred ($630 of a nearly $3000 repair), we could eliminate the inevitable eventuality of performing the redundant labor when the spark plugs need to be replaced due to wear. Coils are also an item that will eventually fail 100% of the time and given the age and mileage of your (high performance) BMW, installing new parts without any additional labor is a logical step. It is not our policy to "push" our clients, rather to expressly educate them on the potentialities as well as to attempt to help them prevent inevitable future failures and the subsequent (costly) repairs. As for the nature of removing the valve cover on your specific BMW 135, it is, in comparison to other vehicles, immensely more involved (BTW, your labor calculations are incorrect, but not grossly). I think it would be wise for you to shop around to compare our product, pricing, warranty and the concomitant services we provide with similar shops in our area. You will find that our service advisors are second to none, and our pricing is well within the norm for the Central Coast of California. I hope the savy (sic.) shoppers in the area will take into account the entire picture and the entire service package we provide the community of the Monterey Peninsula. We have been an important part of the area since 1947. I know you are new to the area nd will be moving on soon, but you will find this area to be a bit more expensive when compared to the rest of the country. Thank you for your service, we need more people willing to sacrifice for the betterment of our country!!
- Monterey