Service cost & Intervals

[Z4MPO]

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

 

[mmm-five]

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.

 

[Z4MPO]

Ok thanks for the reply. What is 're-shims'? I will check regarding the valve clearance, thanks for highlighting this.

 

[buzyg]

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.

 

[mmm-five]

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.

 

[nickw6666]

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.

 

[mr wilks]

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

 

[Fishy Dave]

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.

 

[srhutch]

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.

 

[abar121]

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.

 

[nickw6666]

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.

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

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.

 

[markos]

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.

 

[srhutch]

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.

 

[abar121]

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.

 

[srhutch]

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.

 

[dgm]

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.

I disagree with this, the service is not mileage based but purely on the amount of fuel consumed. If you drive the car the way it's intended the amount of miles between required services will drop drastically. I doubt any Z4M or E46 M3 has ever achieved anywhere near 15000 miles between services, you would need to drive it incredibly slowly and on constant long distances to even get remotely near it. The service indicator will show 15,500 miles after being reset, its purely notional.

 

[dgm]

From memory I think the figure is 2275 litres of fuel between services or 2 years, whatever comes first. The car counts the fuel used and not the mileage done.

 

[mmm-five]

I disagree with this, the service is not mileage based but purely on the amount of fuel consumed. If you drive the car the way it's intended the amount of miles between required services will drop drastically. I doubt any Z4M or E46 M3 has ever achieved anywhere near 15000 miles between services, you would need to drive it incredibly slowly and on constant long distances to even get remotely near it. The service indicator will show 15,500 miles after being reset, its purely notional.

Max I ever got between services (according to the OBC) was 14,500 miles.

Most of those miles were my regular commuting every (400+ miles of M62/M6/M40/M25)...but there would have been the odd Wales/Lakes/Peaks hoon, National meet, Ring trip, and track day in there.

Although it always had interim oil services too...without resetting the OBC.

If we work it out on my average mileage of 27mpg, then 500 gallons (2275 litres) 13,500 miles.

Cars used for short trips, town driving, track days, or 'weekend hoons' only will get considerably less between services - as they'll either be on cold-cycle fuelling (i.e. rich) stop-start driving, or pedal-to-the-metal through Wales

 

[dgm]

I salute you, 14500 between services is good going. Best I ever achieved MPG wise over a sustained distance was about 26mpg on a couple of 3000+ mile journeys to France. That was just driving the car as fast as the conditions would safely allow most of the time.

 

[Z4MPO]

thanks guys, this is really useful and will opt for oil change and brake fluid. I agree that every 2 years is important. My car gets very light use as its pretty much a garage queen now, so when I take her out, its always on a nice day and a country road!