Hamlet's BMW

While not the cheapest BMW service shop around, Hamlet is certainly much cheaper than the BMW dealership. Their work and service is good, but there are cheaper alternatives for the same type of service (like the M Shop).



The garage is lined with BMW's they are working on or they own. So it instills some peace of mind that they know what they are doing. They only work on BMW's, not even Mini's.



As I mentioned Hamlet is a little pricier than others and the one thing I really don't like - they don't think outside the box. Instead of fixing a part, they would rather replace it. The options he provides are never economical.



At this point my review is over. However, I have listed an example of my most recent experience below.



I have been going to Hamlet for over 3 years but a recent experience will ensure I never go back. My car died on the road (130k miles on my BMW) and I got it towed to Hamlet. The symptoms were:



1) My engine heat meter was all the way to red

2) My odometer was not working

3) The ABS, Brake, Check Engine and a couple of other lights in the instrument panel were on



All this occurred at the same time so I was sure it was one problem causing everything (I still am).



However, when Hamlet got my car, he proceeded to give me a quote of $1500 for replacing the fuel gasket, the power steering hose, a couple of additional belts and hoses and the tray that apparently helps prevent coolant leakage. His diagnosis was that the overheating occurred due to coolant leakage, but this had been an older problem and the fix was to put coolant in the radiator whenever the Check Coolant indicator went on once every couple of months. This time, that indicator was not on and I had just added more coolant a couple of weeks back.



Anyway, I thought he would have fixed all the problems, but $1700 later, he said the ABS problem still existed and that a chip in the DSC unit was bad. It was freaking out the transmission and the car could only operate in 3rd gear. Operating it in this condition would ruin my transmission.



So, he gave me an additional quote of $1650 to fix this problem. At this point, I took my car from him and parked it in my garage. I called around and the M Shop offered to fix this (pending an evaluation and assuming their diagnosis was consistent with Hamlets) for $1300.



I had asked Hamlet to provide me with other options. Could I get a used part? Could we disable the plug that connects the ABS to the transmission? He had said no.



So I found a place called BMS Auto in Pacoima, that has offered to find a used part and install it for $500. I am waiting for BMS to call me once they have a part, but in any case, the one thing they did do to help me was to disconnect the plug between ABS and transmission so that the transmission operates normally.



Hope this helps. If you have other options, and you do, I would avoid Hamlet unless you don't mind blindly paying for stuff. His work is good, but as I said, he is not the most economical.

I have been taking my 2002 BMW for Hamlet ever since my warranty expired 3 years ago. Had I known about Hamlet before, I honestly would have gone there even when my car was under warranty! My reasoning stems from the following: 1) Hamlet always accomodates me, whether I schedule an appointment or just drop by; 2) They fix my car expeditiously and as expected; 3) The prices are very reasonable compared to other BMW repair facilities, especially the dealers; 4) Hamlet and his staff are extremely knowledgable and explain what needs to be repaired and why; 5) They treat me and my time with courtesy and respect. I have taken my BMW to 5 other places prior to meeting Hamlet. Some experiences were much worse than others, but all in all none compared to the favorable experiences that I consistently have with Hamlet. As long as I drive a BMW, I will be taking my car to him for repairs and services.

i took my car to hamlets bmw for the first time about 3 years ago and never will go anywhere else ....first of all the shop is very clean they do amazing work fast and also they will never lie or try to cheat you...a+ work