Insp 1 and valve clearances.

D

D6GMB

Member
 Kilwinning
Car is booked in for insp 1 and brake fluid change.I have read various stories that the valve clearances rarely get done but are obviously charged for.Is there any way you can prove that this hasnt been done apart from sneakily marking bolts etc,i take it that the rocker cover gasket would need replacing wich means the customer would be charged for it?.
The reason i am asking for is that i had intended not to use the garage that the car is now booked into but due to work commitments i have no choice,they have quoted me £554.97 for the insp1 and £72.42 for the brake fluid change all inc vat.I dont want to appear paranoid just hate being ripped off and paying for work not done.
 
That seems like a good price for a dealer Inspection 1 :thumbsup:

Have they asked for the car to be brought in the previous evening or are they planning on doing it all on the same day. It's possible to do it in one day, but it needs to be in early so that they can let the engine cool to BMW's spec. of <35ºC for valve clearances. So if they ask for it for only one day, or you drop it off at 10am, and it's ready by early afternoon, then they probably haven't done them and just listened to them to see if they're noisy.

When you drop it off, get them to note that you want the valve clearances report of before/after adjustment.

You could mark the cam-chest cover bolts (and even air filter, microfilter, cam cover gasket) with a UV pen to see if it's been removed/replaced, but that wouldn't prove one way or another that the clearances have been done - and it's not unknown for them to reuse gaskets that are supposedly one-use :headbang:

The only way to know for sure would be to measure the clearances yourself and possibly swap a couple around to give you a couple of very loose/tight ones. If they don't report any needing changing then you know they're untrustworthy.
 
Thanks for the advice,
I have arranged for the car to be dropped off the night before but had to mention this myself.This sounds very contradictory but dont have much faith in them,but dont think any other dealers near by are any better,have fully comp bmw warranty so if they bo££ocks it up they can pay to sort it out.
Do you know what happens to my service indicator as it still shows 3k miles to service due?,does it just get reset?.
 
Yes, they'll just reset it as normal.

Is there a reason you're getting it done 3,000 miles early?
 
It is coming up on 2 years since the last service.Car doesnt do a lot of miles as i work offshore for half the year.Bought the car 2 years ago with 7.5k miles its now at 16.5k.
 
I suppose I've been lucky - 66K miles and never had to adjust the valves, and I take it to the track 4-5 times a year. In fact I just had my mechanic check them (while he was replacing the VANOS - another horror story) and they were well within tolerances.
 
D6GMB said:
It is coming up on 2 years since the last service.Car doesnt do a lot of miles as i work offshore for half the year.Bought the car 2 years ago with 7.5k miles its now at 16.5k.
Click to expand...
In that case you only need an interim oil change, not an Inspection.

It'll also mean the SI is not reset, so (assuming they don't accidentally reset it) the SI will still show 3000 miles to Inspection 1.

Of course you may still want the Insp.1 anyway, and there's no harm in that, but if you don't do a lot of miles when you're home it may mean added expense in doing an Insp.1 6-12 months 'early'.
 
The idiots reset my SI when I had 6.5k miles to the Insp I and I only asked for an intermediate, so now it is showing incorrectly. When I do my Insp I service later on, can they reset it properly to show oil again for the next service?
 
pvr said:
The idiots reset my SI when I had 6.5k miles to the Insp I and I only asked for an intermediate, so now it is showing incorrectly. When I do my Insp I service later on, can they reset it properly to show oil again for the next service?
Click to expand...
I believe so, as it's just a setting on their reset tool (whether it's a laptop/handheld/whatever).
 
pvr said:
The idiots reset my SI when I had 6.5k miles to the Insp I and I only asked for an intermediate, so now it is showing incorrectly. When I do my Insp I service later on, can they reset it properly to show oil again for the next service?
Click to expand...

Yes they can - I took mine in for an interim service at a BMW main dealer and they re-set the SI so it showed it'd had its Inspection 1 and the next service due was an oil service (they seemed surprised that anyone would even have an interim service!). When I eventually took it in for the Inspection I they were able to re-set it so it correctly shows next service due is an oil service (and this was an independent).
 
Seems pricey to me. I rang a well recommended indy near me (ex bmw staff) for an inspection 2, gearbox and diff oil change, fit my discs and pads, all in for £250.
 
T2FFN said:
Seems pricey to me. I rang a well recommended indy near me (ex bmw staff) for an inspection 2, gearbox and diff oil change, fit my discs and pads, all in for £250.
Click to expand...

You couldn't get the parts for an Inspection 2 for £250 (oil, spark plugs, diff oil etc). He can't be using OEM stuff?
 
T2FFN said:
Seems pricey to me. I rang a well recommended indy near me (ex bmw staff) for an inspection 2, gearbox and diff oil change, fit my discs and pads, all in for £250.
Click to expand...
You do realise the OP has an ///M, hence the post being in the M-specific forum :poke:
 
original guvnor said:
T2FFN said:
Seems pricey to me. I rang a well recommended indy near me (ex bmw staff) for an inspection 2, gearbox and diff oil change, fit my discs and pads, all in for £250.
Click to expand...

You couldn't get the parts for an Inspection 2 for £250 (oil, spark plugs, diff oil etc). He can't be using OEM stuff?
Click to expand...

The OP's quote is for an ///M, so is subject to ///M TAX
 
Car going to dealer this afternoon for inspection one tomorrow.Should be an interesting day tomorrow,not entirely confident on the outcome :roll: .
 
D6GMB said:
Car going to dealer this afternoon for inspection one tomorrow.Should be an interesting day tomorrow,not entirely confident on the outcome :roll: .
Click to expand...

Where are you taking it, Fairbairns Irvine? Ask for the measurements of the valve clearances before and after adjustment to put them on the spot and hopefully ensure they do them.
 
Yes its in as we speak,i am really quite anxious as they have not got the best track record when it comes to repairing/servicing my cars.I have requested the valve clearance figures though this will not prove they have been done.
 
Car returned,no dramas :D :D .Spoke to mechanic about valve clearances and was advised that no shimming was needed all measurements were within BMW tolerances.I looked up some videos on youtube about how this procedure is carried out and what the guy was saying was in line with the videos.
All in price for insp 1 and brake fluid change was £641.44.
I can only say it as i see it and am pleased and surprised at the service i received from Fairbairns in Irvine,hope they keep up the good work.Nearly forgot to mention that they were over £60.00 cheaper than the three other dealers who were further away.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom