AEsco48

just wondering....i tip my service writer at my local BMW dealer, as well as the mechanic...

simplyred

Wow, good question...
Maybe I should start doing that...

cascade168

Every decent wrench I have ever met loves beer. Slip him a six-pack of some good stuff

C_Heath

Your writer makes about $50k a year and if your mech is ASE Beamer cert. He knocks out about $80k

No I dont tip

spinnaker

There is way too much tipping going on these days. Took the shuttle form the airport to the parking lot. The driver had the nerve to have a tip box. If he helped me with my luggage fine but I had to lug my luggage on and off the bus.

No I think tipping the mech is out of line. Perhaps on a ride where he / she gets you back on the road in quick order but other than that, no do not tip.

john_dun

Stuff that He gets his wage

Serpico

are you some kind of bot that just endlessly creates threads

AEsco48

taking a break from washing my car....lot of thinking= lots of questions

TheKillerPenguin

We're friends...I think it'd be kind of demeaning to slip em a fiver considering I'm going to be doing group rides with em in a couple of weeks.

That, and I'm poor enough already.

KirkeIsWaiting

And your point is....?
I tip generously and say thank you for any job done well.
Tipping is purely an acknowledgement of my appreciation, particulary in the case of someone who takes exceptional care in the handling of my vehicles, properties or self.
I may not slip the dentist a twenty but I never show for an appointment without bagels for his staff.
I was raised by very decent and gracious people to appreciate the efforts of others.

Enthalpic

I have tipped once but that was cause he did a rush job.

samp02

Sometimes. Sometimes Not.

socalrider

I tip my local bike mechanic.. He always fits my bike in and gets it done quick..

Smoothie104

At the LBS I pay cost plus 10%, sometimes less. I do buy a few beers, and provide a few lead outs...

henesse

I tip my car mech only cause i want him to do a good job the next time i go in.

Jakey

If its a busy dealership...the writer probably makes more than that.... either way, I don't tip my car mechanic or my LBS mechanic. I figure I've spent enough money on parts and accesories in the past year I shouldn't have to give them anything else... Though I will be coffee for the LBS guys on early morning rides, and lunch for one of the guys at work if they do something on my car (I work at a dealership...)

'nother

I tip them when they do something that warrants tipping, like squeezing at the last minute for a repair, or providing "free" upgrades/extras that I didn't ask for and they didn't charge me for. But I don't tip for standard service. They charge enough for that

I don't have a BMW, so fortunately my tip-for-repair-services karma worries start and end at the LBS

2Rodies

Anytime they put me ahead of someone else or don't charge me for the fix yes. I've brought them lunch a couple of times and bought them some beer too.

twahl

I took my guys some BBQ after they did a full cleanup on my bikes when I brought them in for their first "checkup".

baj32161

If you have to tip him to assure yourself of a job done right, then you have the world's worst mechanic. If he is a professional he would do the job right whether you tipped him or not.

I am a bit miffed by this work ethic where tipping is expected for doing properly what you are already being paid to do. Waiters and wait4resses and bartenders I can understand but to have to tip to ensure proper service in the future is deplorable.

I am a generuos tipper when it is "required" or a normal practice, but if I had to tip everyone for doing their job I would have nothing left to live on.

And the worst is when I go into Dunkin Donuts or sme other fast food joint and see a tip jar by the cash register, and I don;t mean the change cups for when you need a couple of cents' change, but the ones that have "TIPS" taped to them...THESE people can go spit...a tip for ringing up my tea..gimme a break!

Now my LBS....the beer thing I do...maybe buy lunch for the guys once in a while. But that is to thank them for past service on jobs they HAVE done...not for sevice I HOPE to get.

Brian

baj32161

[QUOTE='nother]I tip them when they do something that warrants tipping, like squeezing at the last minute for a repair, or providing "free" upgrades/extras that I didn't ask for and they didn't charge me for. But I don't tip for standard service. They charge enough for that

I don't have a BMW, so fortunately my tip-for-repair-services karma worries start and end at the LBS [/QUOTE

Thats the idea....if the service goes above the norm, rhen a tip is warranted, and also forthcoming from me

531Aussie

yeah...dido on the the occasional half a dozen beers for the bike shop, and I ALWAYS slip in some beers when I'm getting my car serviced.

UmneyDurak

No I don't tip. Frankly I don't understand this whole thing about tipping people for doing their job either. Waitresses I understand, they get taxed for it too, but mechanics? I don't think their service quality should depend on how well someone tips them, and if it does I'll find another shop.

timmyquest

I know a guy who works on caddy's at the dealership. As soon as a car comes in and he starts working on it he makes $100 an hour.

As for my LBS, the only guy ever in there is the owner...so i guess that wouldnt be a tip, it would just be me paying more then what i was charged

friscokid

Well as a BMW master tech for almost 7 years now in the Dallas area I think I can answer your questions fairly!

If you are bringing it in for warranty or cust. pay doesn't matter, you definitly do not have to tip the service writer or myself the tech at all. Knowone is expecting it but nobody will turn it down either.

That said...we are there to make money. Your car isn't a 645i or an M3 to droll over to me because I see it all day long. I treat your car as just another job. I still try to treat it as I would my own but no special treatment for sure.

The best way to repay your service writer or your tech is to give them good scores on the CSI survey!!!
Anyting less the the best CSI score you can give your dealer is failing. Sooooo many people think FAIR or OK is a pass which it is not. If you bone the writer on CSI everytime he will avoid writing you up next time.

A good CSI score makes me way more $$$ than your little $20 which some guys love but makes me feel cheap!

If you always hook it up with good CSI and request the same service writer and a good tech to work on your car you will get the special "hey this guy is a good cust so make sure his car is right" treatment everytime. When customers request me by name I take more time, make you aware of things BMW warranty says we shouldn't tell you til it's broke and re-repair things the last rookie butchered.

Otherwise you are getting gravyraped!
What kinda M-car do you drive.

Any idiot can get behind the wheel of a BMW and drive it like they are Hans Stuck. That's why those cars rule. SUV's suck!