[mb]

Its down to 1) attention to detail 2) speaking/dealing with the person doing the job & c) main dealers seem to rely on the diagnostics & then replace large expensive items rather than diagnose problems.

Skilled labour costs much the same as at the main dealer so specialists are certainly not the choice of "cheapskates" I don't really think anyone who travels a couple of hundred miles to have their car worked on by the proprietor of a business with 20 years experience of the marque devalues the brand in the slightest - arguably it is the service offered by main dealers that devalues the brand...