[Misnomer]

My 2020 M240i's warranty has expired, and it's time for an oil change. I might still have some time left on the supplemental maintenace package I bought, but dealership appointments are such a PITA that I'm feeling ready to go back to the shop I used for my previous car*. This is my first BMW, though, so before I make the switch I had the impulse to check here first.

Money aside, is there any reason to get dealership service for as long as possible?

(*They have solid BMW creds.)

[MarcoZandrini]

No, unless you like to spend money. I too am in Nova and my go to shop is J&F Motors in Shirlington (South Arlington). Also, check www.bimrs.org to find a reputable independent shop that specializes in bimmers in your area. Even better, DIY. It's not hard at all. I have found that Ravenol VMP 5w/30 oil is a great oil for the B58 engine.

[Misnomer]

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

No, unless you like to spend money.

I had a feeling...thanks.

DIY isn't an option, but thanks for mentioning J&F. My previous shop was G&C in Chantilly: I really liked them, but they're no longer convenient. I might go back to them anyway, but if I decide to go more local I'll probably try Eurasian Service Center in Tysons.

[John in VA]

Or use one of the Craftsman Auto Care locations, sponsors of the National Capital Chapter BMW CCA - https://www.craftsmanautocare.com/

[Misnomer]

Craftsman looks like a great option; thanks!!

[MarcoZandrini]

Matt Curry! I used to go to Curry's in Falls Church (?).

[John in VA]

Yep - Matt sold Curry's Automotive to Mr. Tire, took some time off and started adding shops to the new venture, Craftsman Auto Care. Be sure to ask for your BMW club discount!

[M3SQRD]

You definitely do not need to continue going to the dealership for service. A trusted BMW service shop is your friend post-warranty.

Interesting. I used Curry’s once when I was in a time crunch and needed to cornerbalance my e46 M3. Service wasn’t close to what I was expecting after having talked to several people. Ended up charging me considerably more because my front Moton struts didn’t come with helper springs. I mentioned how the suspension was setup, height adjusters, GC sliding sway bar , etc. Acted surprised when it came time to do the work. Never went back and never recommended them to anyone.

[Misnomer]

Thanks again, everyone! I have an appointment at Craftsman in McLean tomorrow morning; just an oil change and a state inspection, but we'll see how it goes.

My baby's first non-dealership service...they grow up so fast!

[John in VA]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

Interesting. I used Curry’s once when I was in a time crunch and needed to cornerbalance my e46 M3. Service wasn’t close to what I was expecting after having talked to several people. Ended up charging me considerably more because my front Moton struts didn’t come with helper springs. I mentioned how the suspension was setup, height adjusters, GC sliding sway bar , etc. Acted surprised when it came time to do the work. Never went back and never recommended them to anyone.

As Matt is a racer, I'm surprised the shop wasn't more knowledgeable - maybe some were better equipped than others.
RRT usually gets high marks for the work you were after.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by John in VA

As Matt is a racer, I'm surprised the shop wasn't more knowledgeable - maybe some were better equipped than others.
RRT usually gets high marks for the work you were after.

Perhaps the tech was having a bad day.

I was in a time crunch and RRT couldn’t fit me in so I had to look elsewhere. Do my own corner balance and alignments now. Investment in equipment is returned fairly quickly when you add up the costs of corner balance and alignments from true race shops.