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Service cost & Intervals

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Z4MPO
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Service cost & Intervals

Post by Z4MPO » Fri Aug 25, 2017 2:35 pm

I have owned by Z4M Roadster since new. I don't use it much nowadays, but I want to make sure I keep up the maintenance as required.

service history as follows:-
21/07/06 Running in - 1443 miles
11/10/07 Oil/filter - 11826
24/08/09 Insp 1 - 24476
09/08/12 Insp 2 - 33538
03/09/15 Oil/brake fluid - 38290

It due for it's MOT next month and thinking of getting it serviced at the same time. The current mileage is 39,200 so I have barely done 1,000 miles in 2 years. The BMW garage that has always serviced it suggest either oil/brake fluid change or Inspection 1.

How much should I expect to pay for an Inspection 1? They have quoted £619 but I recall paying only that amount for my Insp 2 (albeit 5 years ago).

I would appreciate any feedback from other Z4M owners on their servicing schedules and costs with BMW main dealers.

Regards,
Phil
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Post by mmm-five » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:13 pm

According to the owner's manual, it's supposed to have...at a minimum...an oil service every 2 years max.

Insp1 at a dealer is £600-£800.

Insp2 at a dealer is £900-£1400.

Both Inspections should have valve clearance checks/re-shims.

The difference between an Insp1 & Insp2 is gearbox & diff oils, spark plugs and air filter.

Be wary of a dealer's 'value' service options, as the prices appear a little better, but they often don't include the valve clearance check. If it doesn't, then you might as well ask for an engine/diff/gearbox oil change and an air filter and save yourself a few hundred.
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Z4MPO
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Post by Z4MPO » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:32 pm

Ok thanks for the reply. What is 're-shims'? I will check regarding the valve clearance, thanks for highlighting this.
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Post by buzyg » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:32 pm

With less than 7000 miles since your Ins 2, if it's only light use, not track work, then I would simply have another oil & brake fluid change. An ins1 they will just be taking things apart and putting them back together, when it's not necessary IMO. More likely to cause you issues in the future, than guard against them. The Air con might need a recharge too.
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Post by mmm-five » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:52 pm

Z4MPO wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:32 pm Ok thanks for the reply. What is 're-shims'? I will check regarding the valve clearance, thanks for highlighting this.
It's the 2nd part of the valve clearance check. If any are out of spec then they will put thicker/thinner shims in to bring it back into spec.

If you don't get a clearance report (you may have to ask for it when you take the car in for an inspection 1 or 2) then assume they've not been done, as you've got no proof.

Another check would be to see if there are any shims listed on the invoice - doesn't mean the work hasn't been done, but it's rare for there not to be even 1 shim needed.

At you're current mileage and timings, then I'd simply get an oil, brake fluid & air-con service done...as opined by buzyg.
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Service cost & Intervals

Post by nickw6666 » Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:11 pm

Valve clearance checks are not part of an Inspection 1. Only at an Inspection 2 do you have the valve clearances checked.

Technically, the Inspection II is not time based but distance based. The service schedule according to SII runs Oil Service - Inspection 1 - Oil Service -Inspection 2. The intervals are measured by the SII but usually work out at 15K average between services.

Of course many cars don't cover 15,000 miles even across two years so there is the recommendation to change the oil at 2 years even for low mileage cars.

This though can cause a misalignment of services. Some dealers say suggest to stick to the oil/inspection1/oil/inspection2 cycle but other dealers say if you are doing 2-3000 miles a year, there is no point cycling to an Inspection I at 6000 mile interval and inspection II every 12,000 miles, regardless of time as time does not make valve clearances alter for example.

I took advice on this from BMW UK as well and they advised that it is OK for low mileage cars to have say 2-3x oil services between inspections I & II if you are covering very short mileages etc.

Of course you have to take a sensible pill on this but if your car has fallen out of the schedule alignment due to lower mileage this is not an issue provided you demonstrate proper service history with explanation of any changes to the 'normal' service cycle.
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Post by mr wilks » Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:27 pm

nickw6666 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:11 pm Valve clearance checks are not part of an Inspection 1. Only at an Inspection 2 do you have the valve clearances checked.
Who told you that :? valve clearance should be done at Ins1 & Ins2

Id be going for oil change & brake fluid then crack on , its 5000 miles since last valve clearance & unless it sounds like a train over tracks its highly unlikely to need it again , , unless you tracked the full 5000 miles of course :wink: then id be having it done :thumbsup:
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Post by Fishy Dave » Fri Aug 25, 2017 7:38 pm

nickw6666 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:11 pm Valve clearance checks are not part of an Inspection 1. Only at an Inspection 2 do you have the valve clearances checked.
Valve clearance checks are part of Inspection 1 and Inspection 2 services on an M.

4th line down, taken from my late 2006 M service book. :)
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Post by srhutch » Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:38 pm

buzyg wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:32 pm With less than 7000 miles since your Ins 2, if it's only light use, not track work, then I would simply have another oil & brake fluid change. An ins1 they will just be taking things apart and putting them back together, when it's not necessary IMO. More likely to cause you issues in the future, than guard against them. The Air con might need a recharge too.
Echo this and what mr. Wilks says.
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Post by abar121 » Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:49 pm

Always check the BMW UK promoted prices here: https://www.bmw-service.co.uk

Inspection II was only £799 on there two years ago, which was honoured by my Local dealers. Looks like it's gone way up now.

Time for an oil change service now for my zed. £199 using that website. Still a rip-off, but better than the £364 my dealer wanted to charge. They first of all refused, then called back booking it in and a beemer courtesy car. Some baloney story about the parts chap mis-quoting the price and it should have been £199, as per the beemer website.

Due to the ABS unit being replaced, I did the bi-annual brake fluid change myself this year.
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Post by nickw6666 » Sun Aug 27, 2017 12:03 am

Fishy Dave wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 7:38 pm
nickw6666 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:11 pm Valve clearance checks are not part of an Inspection 1. Only at an Inspection 2 do you have the valve clearances checked.
Valve clearance checks are part of Inspection 1 and Inspection 2 services on an M.

4th line down, taken from my late 2006 M service book. :)

20170825_193329.jpg
Fishy Dave,

Many thanks for clarification on valve clearance tests on Inspection I and Inspection II. :thumbsup:

I've looked at my car service booklet and it says same. My bad! :cry:

With Inspection II it reads add gearbox and final drive oil change and new spark plugs to Inspection I.

I remember I had my valve clearances checked but somehow I got it into my head that it was separate to the Inspection I service, which I had done. I can't find the invoice in my records showing valve clearances as a separate item, but I have the Inspection I invoice which just states Inspection I service carried out, so obviously it was included in that.

All makes sense now! :roll:

Cheers

Nick.
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Post by markos » Sun Aug 27, 2017 4:35 pm

mmm-five wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:13 pm According to the owner's manual, it's supposed to have...at a minimum...an oil service every 2 years max.
This. I'd want to see at least an oil change every 24 months at a minimum, whereas the OPs car has gone longer than this on two ocassions. As a one owner car with fBMWsh I'd not be overly concerned but for future reference I'd be getting a service of some sort at 24 months max regardless of miles, even if just a oil service. :thumbsup:
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Post by srhutch » Sun Aug 27, 2017 5:08 pm

abar121 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:49 pm Always check the BMW UK promoted prices here: https://www.bmw-service.co.uk

Inspection II was only £799 on there two years ago, which was honoured by my Local dealers. Looks like it's gone way up now.

Time for an oil change service now for my zed. £199 using that website. Still a rip-off, but better than the £364 my dealer wanted to charge. They first of all refused, then called back booking it in and a beemer courtesy car. Some baloney story about the parts chap mis-quoting the price and it should have been £199, as per the beemer website.

Due to the ABS unit being replaced, I did the bi-annual brake fluid change myself this year.
Take you own oil. You should be able to get this done for around £80 then, so about £150 in total.
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Post by abar121 » Sun Aug 27, 2017 7:27 pm

srhutch wrote: Sun Aug 27, 2017 5:08 pm
abar121 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:49 pm Always check the BMW UK promoted prices here: https://www.bmw-service.co.uk

Inspection II was only £799 on there two years ago, which was honoured by my Local dealers. Looks like it's gone way up now.

Time for an oil change service now for my zed. £199 using that website. Still a rip-off, but better than the £364 my dealer wanted to charge. They first of all refused, then called back booking it in and a beemer courtesy car. Some baloney story about the parts chap mis-quoting the price and it should have been £199, as per the beemer website.

Due to the ABS unit being replaced, I did the bi-annual brake fluid change myself this year.
Take you own oil. You should be able to get this done for around £80 then, so about £150 in total.
I did that last time for the Inspection II, which came out at £720 all in from Sytner in 2015, plus £30 quid or so of oil from ECP.

Sadly this is at the dealer's discretion. No chance at the £199 figure from my local dealer.
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Post by srhutch » Sun Aug 27, 2017 8:42 pm

abar121 wrote: Sun Aug 27, 2017 7:27 pm
srhutch wrote: Sun Aug 27, 2017 5:08 pm
abar121 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 8:49 pm Always check the BMW UK promoted prices here: https://www.bmw-service.co.uk

Inspection II was only £799 on there two years ago, which was honoured by my Local dealers. Looks like it's gone way up now.

Time for an oil change service now for my zed. £199 using that website. Still a rip-off, but better than the £364 my dealer wanted to charge. They first of all refused, then called back booking it in and a beemer courtesy car. Some baloney story about the parts chap mis-quoting the price and it should have been £199, as per the beemer website.

Due to the ABS unit being replaced, I did the bi-annual brake fluid change myself this year.
Take you own oil. You should be able to get this done for around £80 then, so about £150 in total.

I did that last time for the Inspection II, which came out at £720 all in from Sytner in 2015, plus £30 quid or so of oil from ECP.

Sadly this is at the dealer's discretion. No chance at the £199 figure from my local dealer.
My dealer literally took the price of the oil off, pretty much at £20 per litre.
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