Disappointing Experience at Moreleta Service Centre – Beware of Overinflated Quotes!

I took my BMW E90 to Moreleta Service Centre on Saturday, March 1, 2025, for a check-up as I suspected something was not right with my car. By 10:29 AM, I received a shocking R50,000 quotation from them. They called me to go through the quote in detail, but as I reviewed it, I noticed multiple red flags.

Inflated Quotation and Unnecessary Repairs Firstly, I was quoted for repairs on parts that I had already replaced in late 2024, including:

Shocks and stabilizer links – which were still in perfect condition. V-belt – which I had personally replaced and was brand new. Reverse light switch – despite my reverse lights working perfectly at the time of collection. Aircon regassing – even though my aircon was functioning without any issues. Additionally, they included my exhaust system in the quote, even though there was nothing wrong with it. I never reported any exhaust-related issues, yet they still tried to charge me for intake and exhaust vanos sprockets, along with labour to fit them.

During our telephonic conversation, I also requested that they replace the main beam bulb. However, when I collected the car, I was told they couldn’t do it because the wires were supposedly burned and that replacing the bulb would cause it to blow again. They quoted me R620 to fix this “issue.”

Getting a Second Opinion – Confirmed Unnecessary Repairs At this point, I became suspicious and decided to get a second opinion. Following my father’s advice, I took the car to Menlyn Testing Centre for a roadworthy test. The results confirmed that my:

✅ Shocks – Perfect condition ✅ Shock mountings – Perfect condition ✅ Stabilizers – Perfect condition ✅ Lower control arms – Perfect condition

The only issue flagged was the faulty bulb.

I then replaced the bulb myself on Tuesday afternoon and found no signs of burned or melted wires. After this, I returned to Menlyn Testing Centre, where the car passed the roadworthy test with flying colors.

To ensure everything was in order, I also visited Hi-Q Menlyn for a suspension check, and once again, they confirmed that my shocks and stabilizers were in perfect condition.

My Question to Moreleta Service Centre: How did you justify a R50,000 quote when my car did not require most of these repairs?

My shocks were fine. My aircon was working. You claimed my brand-new V-belt needed replacement. You said my control arms and stabilizer links needed replacement when they were all still new. You quoted me for an exhaust system issue I never had. You said my reverse light switch needed replacing, yet it was working fine.

Final Verdict: Avoid This Place! I am disgusted by this experience, especially after reading so many positive reviews about Moreleta Service Centre. You tried to give me an outrageous quote for unnecessary repairs – and in today’s difficult economy, R50,000 is not play money.

I initially planned to come in and discuss this with you, but after careful consideration, I do not want you to touch my car again. Today, I sent you a WhatsApp message stating that I would take this matter to social media. You chose not to respond, which says a lot about your integrity.

To any future customers of Moreleta Service Centre, be cautious and get a second opinion before committing to their quotes. I have lost all trust in this service centre and mechanics who take advantage of customers.