[P1Fanatic]

After my X3 was taken out by a foreign HGV I am now going through the process of booking my car into one of my insurers approved repair centres. I’ve found one with decent reviews that says on it’s own site “BMW / Mini Approved” but is there actually a way to verify that 100% as after much time googling I can’t find anywhere I could verify this? BMW only seem to reference their own BMW branded dealerships with bodyshops and not independents.

[Peter_R]

Originally Posted by P1Fanatic

After my X3 was taken out by a foreign HGV I am now going through the process of booking my car into one of my insurers approved repair centres. I’ve found one with decent reviews that says on it’s own site “BMW / Mini Approved” but is there actually a way to verify that 100% as after much time googling I can’t find anywhere I could verify this? BMW only seem to reference their own BMW branded dealerships with bodyshops and not independents.

I do not think you can verify this. I will not give names of people or names of garages, but we have a very good friend who was a BMW sales manager and they always took damaged BMW cars to a particular body shop quite local to us. The guy who owned the body shop (not a large one) used to work for Mercedes and was trained by them. He did all the repair/spraying on local BMWs and Mercedes. There was no certification/verification process involved.

[richardodn]

Maybe this helps: https://www.bmw.co.uk/bmw-ownership/...cident-repairs

[P1Fanatic]

Originally Posted by richardodn

Maybe this helps: https://www.bmw.co.uk/bmw-ownership/...cident-repairs

I found that before but only directs you to BMW dealerships. Nothing about independent BMW approved repair centres (if there even is such a thing). The more I read its more that a BMW dealer or group without bodyshops send their cars to another bodyshop = bmw use them which becomes bmw approved. That said shop I am using states on their site they have 20yrs straight of Mercedes validation so seems something gets checked annually (as to what level who knows).

[richardodn]

Basically an approved body shop would be one that follows BMW repair procedures. In the states, it's not uncommon for a dealer to also be an owner of a body shop, especially if they're a multi-brand owner. If there's a dealer in your area, just go in the service center and ask them where they send their collision work.

[Peter_R]

Originally Posted by richardodn

Basically an approved body shop would be one that follows BMW repair procedures. In the states, it's not uncommon for a dealer to also be an owner of a body shop, especially if they're a multi-brand owner. If there's a dealer in your area, just go in the service center and ask them where they send their collision work.

You have confirmed my information that I quoted above...

Originally Posted by Peter_R

I do not think you can verify this. I will not give names of people or names of garages, but we have a very good friend who was a BMW sales manager and they always took damaged BMW cars to a particular body shop quite local to us. The guy who owned the body shop (not a large one) used to work for Mercedes and was trained by them. He did all the repair/spraying on local BMWs and Mercedes. There was no certification/verification process involved.