Inspection 1 - current prices @dealers?

I haven't got my service book to hand, but a couple of interesting links:

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1511468-Z4-M-valve-clearances

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48642

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2760482&postcount=21

Looks like most people expect them.

As having valves out of tolerance can cause horrid issues I'd insist on getting them checked. A lot can happen in 4+ years.
 
I put my number plate in and it's quoting £269 for an si engine, not just the m! could be treating the //M and si the same?
 
When my ins 2 is due in 5K mikes or so, 18 months for me I'll be using my friends garage, as I do now for Oil and BF every 2 years, he always serviced my 911, for 10 yrs, my friends Aston DB9 and Rapide, has his own E46 M3 etc, he's not a one make independent, he works on all sorts, he's a bloody good mechanic, dead straight and top quality with everything he does, my car is now nearly 8 yrs old now, 10 yrs old when my ins 2 is due, and IMO doesn't warrant BMW servicing, if and when I sell I understand some people may not be want to view my car because of this, it's not an issue to me, someone will come along and buy based on its condition and history it has, both BMW and independent.
 
PGF said:
I've dropped it off and they are doing it for £269 but they called later and said that the Valve Clearances are not done on an Insp. 1 now, they're done on an Insp. 2 - New guidelines from BMW apparently. Has anyone got this before?

They called me when I was at my grandparents so I didn't have internet access and I'd left the book with them to stamp so I didn't have the Insp. 2 list to check whether this was there originally.

This is apparently is to bring it in line with the E46 M3...

Figured that I'd have a word when I go back and pick it up tomorrow.
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According to the service book valve clearances are done during inspection 1, same as the E46 M3. Both are listed in my service book.

sounds like BMW value service = cuts out the bits we don't think need checking. I will inquire with mine, but would rather get it done at an Indi at get everything done to the schedule. They will probably say the diff oil doesn't need changing anymore.
 
srhutch said:
PGF said:
I've dropped it off and they are doing it for £269 but they called later and said that the Valve Clearances are not done on an Insp. 1 now, they're done on an Insp. 2 - New guidelines from BMW apparently. Has anyone got this before?

They called me when I was at my grandparents so I didn't have internet access and I'd left the book with them to stamp so I didn't have the Insp. 2 list to check whether this was there originally.

This is apparently is to bring it in line with the E46 M3...

Figured that I'd have a word when I go back and pick it up tomorrow.
Click to expand...

According to the service book valve clearances are done during inspection 1, same as the E46 M3. Both are listed in my service book.

sounds like BMW value service = cuts out the bits we don't think need checking. I will inquire with mine, but would rather get it done at an Indi at get everything done to the schedule. They will probably say the diff oil doesn't need changing anymore.
Click to expand...

I guess it's fine for them to revise the service requirements as long as you can get it in writing that should out-of-tolerance valves or old diff oil cause any consequential issues that BMW will pay for the full repair costs.
 
StevenH72 said:
srhutch said:
PGF said:
I've dropped it off and they are doing it for £269 but they called later and said that the Valve Clearances are not done on an Insp. 1 now, they're done on an Insp. 2 - New guidelines from BMW apparently. Has anyone got this before?

They called me when I was at my grandparents so I didn't have internet access and I'd left the book with them to stamp so I didn't have the Insp. 2 list to check whether this was there originally.

This is apparently is to bring it in line with the E46 M3...

Figured that I'd have a word when I go back and pick it up tomorrow.
Click to expand...

According to the service book valve clearances are done during inspection 1, same as the E46 M3. Both are listed in my service book.

sounds like BMW value service = cuts out the bits we don't think need checking. I will inquire with mine, but would rather get it done at an Indi at get everything done to the schedule. They will probably say the diff oil doesn't need changing anymore.
Click to expand...

I guess it's fine for them to revise the service requirements as long as you can get it in writing that should out-of-tolerance valves or old diff oil cause any consequential issues that BMW will pay for the full repair costs.
Click to expand...

Fat chance of that, unless you have a warranty.

Looks like they have extended the decline in serviceable jobs. It started with the antifreeze being for life a few years ago.
 
srhutch said:
Fat chance of that, unless you have a warranty.

Looks like they have extended the decline in serviceable jobs. It started with the antifreeze being for life a few years ago.
Click to expand...

And I have warranty - so lets see what happens when mine goes in. I didn't know that Insp I included value clearance check - so great input from the forum once again :thumbsup:
 
srhutch said:
Off the top of my head inspection 2 only adds plugs and diff oil change.
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Gearbox oil change & air filter (although I change mine every oil service) on top of that, and I think that's it :thumbsup:

Should be about £200 between dealer prices for I1 and I2 (1 hour labour, plus parts/oil), but I've seen/been quoted £500 difference in the past - lucky these new ///M models only require servicing every 15k miles rather than the 6k of my e34 M5s 8)

I only kept going to dealers to keep my insured warranty in place, as my T&Cs stated it had to be done by a BMW approved dealer or service centre.

Waste of money really, especially all the 'inspection' crap as they hardly bother doing it - e.g. despite it being on the service schedule, I was never told that my tyre foam was out of date. I didn't even realise it had a replacement date until I had it out when doing some battery box measurements.

Although I've also been wondering if they do a swap-shop service, as my spare locking wheel key and towing eye (so that I have one at each end on trackdays) were missing when I got the car back once, but there was a nice screwdriver in the engine bay. Would have made more of it at the time, but thought I'd just add the screwdriver to my collection, and didn't notice the missing items until a few weeks later when I came to do a trackday.
 
So, given there seems to be a lot of differences between dealership experience, should we create a list of forum approved dealers and Independents that we can all rely on?
 
Angelus666 said:
So, given there seems to be a lot of differences between dealership experience, should we create a list of forum approved dealers and Independents that we can all rely on?
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If you type in Google "pistonheads bmw service" it comes up with a recently updated/edited thread. Then pop on here to make certain. At least that's my course of action.

Edit; here you go.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0&t=796191&mid=0&nmt=Independent+BMW+Specialists
 
Does it only take one person to say "I like them" for them to join that list? Pretty much every dealer and specialist have satisfied/unsatisified customers at the extreme ends of the scale. I immediately saw BMSport on that list but from one conversation with them on the phone where they seemed uninterested/unhelpful, and one face to face, I decided they were a crowd I wouldn't want touching my car - especially when I saw one of their own cars break down at a trackday and they confessed they had forgotten to tighten something :). Mistakes happen and it was an honest statement though but prepping a car for the track I'd not expect a mistake not to be made. However I know of very happy customers but also a few like me who didn't like their attitude and one who took their car there at were not that impressed by the service.

Wouldn't mind seeing full reviews of garages backed up by scanned evidence of having work done there (to stop them from rating themselves highly :) ).
 
Well, I have the car back and they did only charge me £269 for the Insp. 1.

They didn't do the valve clearance checks and while I was confident that the guy that called me last night knew what he was talking about, the guy on the desk didn't seem as knowledgable so having the discussion I wanted wasn't going to happen.

They gave me an output of their checks completed and I'm going to need rear pads and tyres soon so that's nice...
 
PGF said:
Well, I have the car back and they did only charge me £269 for the Insp. 1.

They didn't do the valve clearance checks and while I was confident that the guy that called me last night knew what he was talking about, the guy on the desk didn't seem as knowledgable so having the discussion I wanted wasn't going to happen.

They gave me an output of their checks completed and I'm going to need rear pads and tyres soon so that's nice...
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So where are you going to get the valve clearances checked. Can be a 3-4 hour job, so a dealer would charge £360-480.
 
Z4M-2006 said:
Valve check doesn't take 4 hours..

It can be done with minimal shim swaps in 1hr 30 mins..
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Reddish Motorsport quote 2 to 2.5 hours - so £240-£300 labour, shims, rocker cover gasket, spark plug gaskets and about 15 other little seals totalling about another £100 at 'average' dealer prices and your looking at an additional £340-£400 for a dealer valve clearance job.
 
It takes around 2 hours and above on an M3 as you have to get the bulkhead out...Then rebuild when done.

The last one i did (E46 M3) took just over 2 hours and i had to change 3 shims... Cam cover garkets are just over £60 though,then all the bolt seals add around £25 more...
 
It's all well and good getting a service for £269 but if it's not done properly and to schedule (within reason) then is there a point in getting it done?

I went the Indy route as it was £200 cheaper and trying to get most local main dealers to confirm what would be done and get a comparable price was a nightmare. I'd rather my car was looked after by people who know what they are doing as having major problems that could have been avoided is pointless hassle especially if your car ends up off the road and the garage will not admit liability, etc.

I got to see my car whilst the valve clearances were done, they were happy for me to poke about and discuss stuff as the job took a little longer than expected and my car came back as clean as it went in :)
 
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