My Inspection 2 by TWG Automotive

flimper

flimper

Veteran
 Hampshire
Over the last couple of days my M has been having an Inspection 2 by Will at TWG Automotive in Camberley, and being the first time I had gone outside the BMW dealer network I was a little concerned if I was doing the right thing. I needn't have worried, Will is a knowledgeable guy and took the trouble to take some pictures and take time to explain everything he had seen on the car and give me his opinion on things such as brake discs, pads, wipers, oil, tyres, you name it. So this is how it went...

Inspection 2 checklist

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Getting Underway

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Valve Clearances
All good and nothing needed to be adjusted :)

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Only issue with the car was... Engine top bolts! Given how I drive the car (like Miss Daisy), anybody with a pre-2008 M that drives it hard, get these checked ASAP

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Total price £610 all in, wonder how much this was would have been at BMW (just asked them how much for new number plates fitted to the car, their reply £35 plus half hour labour of £50 :rofl: )

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Couple of things we discussed:
The Bosch wipers which do my head in with the squeaking, Will recommended Valeo wipers after agreeing the Bosch are poor and are similar to the OEM blades.
My brake pads are 11mm front and 9mm rear, a bit embarrassing considering they have been on the car at least 5.5 years :oops: Got to find the time to drive this car more, it's being wasted at the moment.
Only advisory was the aircon belt showing wear but good for a while longer.
The problem with the handbrake not holding the car occassionally remains a mystery, Will said he didn't want to overtighten the handbrake and wasn't sure of what else it might be :(

Overall I'm very pleased with the experience and not sure I should be this pleased after spending such a lot of money!

If anybody else decides to go to TWG after reading this please mention my name as I said I would do a write up in exchange for him giving me good feedback on the service :thumbsup:

P.S. Any eagle eyed viewers notice anything a little odd in any of the above pictures? :)
 
Looks good Flimper. Mine is due an Insp II in January, so I'll bear TWG in mind. Tempted to use Munich Legends at the moment, but the more options I have the better.
 
Good write up and sounds like a great place to get Insp 2 done!

My car's going to need an Insp 1 by the end of the year and still undecided whether i will go Indy or BMW. With regards to the feedback you received on the Insp - pad mm etc, is this detail that BMW provide when they service the car or only the sort of info that you have received off of an Indy such as TWG?

Thanks,
 
Also, being eagle eyed, the signature for your last service at BMW and the signature for your service at TWG is the same :D
 
JonnyB said:
Also, being eagle eyed, the signature for your last service at BMW and the signature for your service at TWG is the same :D
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Well spotted :D The tec that did the car today used to work for Sytner Sunningdale before moving, as did the other guys who work at TWG

As for the report, I think BMW do provide that sort of information on the pads, not sure about the clearances though
 
Thanks for the write-up, very informative, and looks like a good service too.

I've been looking for (relatively) local recommended Indys in prep for my Inspection 2 service; I'll definitely booking my car in to TWG after your review!
 
flimper said:
As for the report, I think BMW do provide that sort of information on the pads, not sure about the clearances though
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They're supposed to, but tend not to unless you make a point of asking for it when you book the car in, and then remind them before you pick it up. Even then they sometimes claim to have lost it, or didn't do one because everything was okay.

Looks like a couple of the intake & exhaust shims are right at the tight end of the tolerances though.
 
Apparently the intake should be between 0.18-0.23 and the exhaust 0.28-0.33 (as per the bottom of the image) so all comfortably within those tolerances?
 
flimper said:
Apparently the intake should be between 0.18-0.23 and the exhaust 0.28-0.33 (as per the bottom of the image) so all comfortably within those tolerances?
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That's what I meant, as they're all within the tolerance but a couple are right at the 0.18 lower limit for the intake, and 0.28 lower limit for the exhaust.

...and just for illustration purposes, here's the report I got off a dealer...


Obviously an official BMW template then :P
 
Definitely noticed car driving a bit better, main improvement being the gear changes, much smoother now
 
flimper said:
Definitely noticed car driving a bit better, main improvement being the gear changes, much smoother now
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So what have they done to make the gear changes smoother?

With regards to the handbrake: I find that I can get it to hold better without having to pull the handle up to the roof if I also use the footbrake at the same time that I lift the handle. :thumbsup:
 
I'd like to endorse flimper's experience. I've used TWG for the last couple of years for both the Z and my 645 Coupe (sadly now gone) and have to say that Will and his guys do a great job. I reckon I've saved a small fortune by using them instead of the main stealers, especially with the 645. If you live anywhere near Camberley don't bother considering anyone else!
 
flimper said:
No idea :D Does feel better though, maybe it's psychological then!
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New gearbox oil, diff oil and engine top bolts....could all have a cumulative effect, less clunking etc, may make the gear changes feel smoother?
 
StevenH72 said:
New gearbox oil, diff oil and engine top bolts....could all have a cumulative effect, less clunking etc, may make the gear changes feel smoother?
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Have they changed the gearbox and diff oils?

What are "engine top bolts": I've not heard of those before?
 
exdos said:
StevenH72 said:
New gearbox oil, diff oil and engine top bolts....could all have a cumulative effect, less clunking etc, may make the gear changes feel smoother?
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Have they changed the gearbox and diff oils?

What are "engine top bolts": I've not heard of those before?
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We'll they are supposed to change them in Insp II and they are listed in the checklist that Flimper put up. As for the engine top bolts, again I don't know what they are specifically, but Flimper mentioned that his were changed.
 
StevenH72 said:
We'll they are supposed to change them in Insp II and they are listed in the checklist that Flimper put up. As for the engine top bolts, again I don't know what they are specifically, but Flimper mentioned that his were changed.
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The gearbox and diff oil change is at every 2nd Insp II. So if that were the case for Flimper's car, then it would make a difference.
 
exdos said:
StevenH72 said:
We'll they are supposed to change them in Insp II and they are listed in the checklist that Flimper put up. As for the engine top bolts, again I don't know what they are specifically, but Flimper mentioned that his were changed.
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The gearbox and diff oil change is at every 2nd Insp II. So if that were the case for Flimper's car, then it would make a difference.
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Every 2nd Inspection 2? Don't you mean every second inspection? EG every inspection 2? Mine has just had its first inspection 2 and it had all fluids changed. Report to come...
 
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