Mark Purcell BMW Independent Specialists, Oxford

I used Mark’s service for many years for my BMW, but he’s also accredited by Mercedes so all work is properly recorded on their system - at about half the price of the local dealership. Mark is a fountain of good advice, and I’m always made to feel welcome.

It was a real pleasure to deal with this garage. They were efficient, friendly, prepared to go the extra length and did a great job win the car. They dealt with the problem quickly, were easy to contact and charged a sensible amount, unlike the ridiculously high quote from a garage in Oxford which I have been using for years.

I had a serious problem with engine performance which was quickly diagnosed as a requirement for a new clutch and flywheel. This was organised quickly and efficiently at a total cost of £949.00 including vat.

I have been to this garage 4 times over a period of 3 years and on every occasion the problem was diagnosed quickly and dealt with very well; further to that the cost of repair on every occasion was very reasonable. The last time I had work done was just over a week ago and involved the replacement of the alternator my BMW 535d SE. The total cost including VAT came to just under £460; BMW quoted £572 just for the part.

I have been using them for my last 3 x BMWs now and they are friendly, informative and professional. The workshop is well equipped plus Mark and John are both experienced and knowledgeable. Pricing is far cheaper than at a BMW dealership (and I can survive without the large reception area and refreshments!). I trust them completely to advise on what needs to be done, when, how and at a fair price. Couldn't recommend them any higher!

Phoned up the mechanic (M Purcell) after the car failed its MOT due to an electrical failure and arranged to look at this fault a week after phoning due to him being too busy .After a week, the car was brought down and he walked from his garage with a diagnosis kit. According to M Purcell and a colleague present at the time , fixing the electrical fault would require purchasing an entire seat headrest and that the job wasn’t worth it as it was extremely complex (quoted £240 for a headrest - excluding labour/VAT costs) but recommended BMW garage in North Oxford whom wanted £90 for a diagnosis alone. The diagnosis was completed in 10 minutes and that was that. Drove to another garage (Jordells in Wheatley) for a second opinion and the problem was identified due to a snapped wire behind the seat - this was fixed in 20 mins and cost £80 . If it wasn’t for seeking a second opinion and relying solely on this "expert”, I would have forked out hundreds of pounds for a snapped wire. The bloke mentioned in your recommendation (M Purcell) is only interested in cherry picking jobs and the fact that I nearly ended up paying an extortionate amount of money for a minor repair shows his outlook on “customer care” and service. He gives good mechanics a bad name and should not be affiliated with BMW. The only bright side of this story is that there was a garage located in Wheatley which demonstrated how a car should be examined and how a customer should be treated. Would award zero starts if the system allowed me to !

The garage is professional and well equipped and Mark and John are both very experienced and knowledgeable chaps, I have taken my car to the garage a few times now and I won't be going anywhere else. I recently took my ageing 3 series in for an MOT, service and repairs. I was given an honest appraisal and consulted about the repairs including an airbag control unit (fault light on MOT fail) that a number of other garages had failed to diagnose or repair correctly. This and all the other work were completed at good rates and a fraction of the dealer prices, the faulty part was available for inspection and Mark took the time to go through the work that had been completed. I have finally found a garage that I can rely on, highly recommended.

Full package. Excellent service. Less than half the price of BMW Dealer. Mark is a very friendly and helpful guy. He won't rip you off. Will be taking my car there for future repairs. One of the best garages in Oxford.

Mark has been liking after my (now elderly) 5 series since I bought it. Service is friendly and efficient.

Have taken my BMW 530i to Mark a few times now for servicing and a couple of minor repairs. Provides an excellent no nonsense approach to maintaining your car. So much better than taking your BMW to a main dealer and his knowledge of BMWs is superb.

These guys really do deserve their top ranking on this website. Not only do they know their stuff, but you'll never get ripped off for any work or part. Fantastic value in today's climate: couldn't recommend a business any higher!

I used them to change my front brake pads and brake pad sensors. The cost compared to BMW dealer was very good and they used Brembo brake pads. Mark was very helpful to take the time to discuss other things about my car and his knowledge was excellent. I will be using them in the future for servicing/repairs

I've used Mark Purcell for about three years for my two 2003 BMWs since deciding the cost of main dealer servicing was no longer justified. In that time he has done both routine servicing and some middle-sized repair jobs (replacement injector, propshaft coupling, &c) Mark and his technician Jon are both ex-BMW main dealer engineers and their knowledge of BMW cars is second to none. They offer good advice and I have never had a problem with the servicing and repairs they have carried out. Mark is always very apologetic if money needs to be spent but he is as committed as I am to keeping both cars going for another 10 years if possible. Only minor criticisms are that his record-keeping is all on paper - no computer, invoices are hand-written! - and he doesn't do MOTs, though the latter isn't a problem as he outsources them to the place directly opposite.

I came across this garage on various forums, every mention of them was positive. I took my car there to have a few items looked at, blocked rear washer jet, MOT advisory about suspension bush. Did an excellent job, beyond what I asked. Good value and have answered questions I have asked with honesty and knowledge. I would thoroughly recommend them.