What can I get for £333 (servicing)

[ihadablackdog]

I want to give my car a full-on service, on the BMW site it is "Engine oil service with microfilter, air filter & spark plugs", which is this:

Engine oil is drained and the engine is refilled with BMW approved oil
Oil filter is removed and replaced with a Genuine BMW oil filter
Microfilter(s) is removed and replaced with a Genuine BMW microfilter
Air Filter is removed and replaced with a Genuine BMW air filter
Fuel filter is removed and replaced with a Genuine BMW fuel filter
Spark plugs removed and replaced with BMW approved spark plugs
Relevant service light reset

This is £333 at my local dealer under "value servicing".

Would going to an indy be better? I assume an indy could do the above cheaper? Is that list comprehensive?

Does changing all those bits constitute a "tune-up" to make sure the engine is actually running correctly? Or is that something else altogether?

Can anyone recommend anyone in North Devon/Exeter?

Its a 2011 sDrive 20i and the previous owners have been a bit slack with servicing, so I want to do everything so that I know its up to date. Brake fluid due in September.

ps. doing it myself is not an option.....I have NO mechanical confidence.

 

[mr wilks]

£333 for the above with main dealer isn't that crazy imo , its effectively a Ins2 & i think you would find most reputable indy specialists would be very similar ( if not more )
Coolant & gearbox oil are also worth considering depending on mileage or when last changed , come Sept brake fluid should be no more than £50

 

[Anonymous]

I have been told by the local stealer who looks after my 35is the the major service will cost me £335 and a secondary service would be £235. Brake fluid change is £135.

 

[mr wilks]

I have been told by the local stealer who looks after my 35is the the major service will cost me £335 and a secondary service would be £235. Brake fluid change is £135.

I have been told by the local stealer who looks after my 35is the the major service will cost me £335 and a secondary service would be £235. Brake fluid change is £135.

£135 is scandalous for brake fluid change , £30-£50 at any decent Bmw indy

 

[Anonymous]

Ours is not to reason why? just to do or die!

 

[ihadablackdog]

£333 for the above with main dealer isn't that crazy imo , its effectively a Ins2 & i think you would find most reputable indy specialists would be very similar ( if not more )
Coolant & gearbox oil are also worth considering depending on mileage or when last changed , come Sept brake fluid should be no more than £50

Thats good to know. The brake fluid service is £71, so a bit more than you suggest, but I don't mind £20.

Car has done about 48500. Nothing in service book that shows coolant and gearbox oil. Would they be expensive to do?

 

[mr wilks]

£333 for the above with main dealer isn't that crazy imo , its effectively a Ins2 & i think you would find most reputable indy specialists would be very similar ( if not more )
Coolant & gearbox oil are also worth considering depending on mileage or when last changed , come Sept brake fluid should be no more than £50

Thats good to know. The brake fluid service is £71, so a bit more than you suggest, but I don't mind £20.

Car has done about 48500. Nothing in service book that shows coolant and gearbox oil. Would they be expensive to do?

At 49k i wouldn't worry about the gearbox oil too much , coolant should be changed maybe as its possible its original ?
Hit them with £400 incl brake fluid & ask for coolant change thrown in :wink:

 

[Nanu]

I have just been quoted £500+ by my local dealer for the same stuff. Definitely going to an Indy if I can find a one in the area that comes with recommendations.

 

[ronk]

I have just been quoted £500+ by my local dealer for the same stuff. Definitely going to an Indy if I can find a one in the area that comes with recommendations.

Then they (BMW Dealer) get you when it’s trade in time.
“Not a BMW history sir”
Just like they do when you don’t have the run-flats fitted - they told me they deduct £1k for that privilege.

 

[Smartbear]

I have just been quoted £500+ by my local dealer for the same stuff. Definitely going to an Indy if I can find a one in the area that comes with recommendations.

Sounds like they’re best avoided if possible then!
Rob

Then they (BMW Dealer) get you when it’s trade in time.
“Not a BMW history sir”
Just like they do when you don’t have the run-flats fitted - they told me they deduct £1k for that privilege.

 

[srhutch]

£333 for the above with main dealer isn't that crazy imo , its effectively a Ins2 & i think you would find most reputable indy specialists would be very similar ( if not more )
Coolant & gearbox oil are also worth considering depending on mileage or when last changed , come Sept brake fluid should be no more than £50

Thats good to know. The brake fluid service is £71, so a bit more than you suggest, but I don't mind £20.

Car has done about 48500. Nothing in service book that shows coolant and gearbox oil. Would they be expensive to do?

At 49k i wouldn't worry about the gearbox oil too much , coolant should be changed maybe as its possible its original ?
Hit them with £400 incl brake fluid & ask for coolant change thrown in :wink:

What Andy says

Most dealers you can haggle with. Get a price for supplying your own oil to. That will save a few quid, like £60 when I had mine done. And that was supplying my own Castrol oil, exactly the same as bmw used at the time.

 

[Fireball]

Just had brake fluid changed by BMW dealer in South Dorset for £52 inc VAT on my 2010 23i. That is cheaper than changing it on my BMW K1300GT motorcycle, the BMW bike dealer charges around £80 for that privilege and on the bike they recommend it is done every 2 years regardless of mileage.

 

[mr wilks]

Just had brake fluid changed by BMW dealer in South Dorset for £52 inc VAT on my 2010 23i. That is cheaper than changing it on my BMW K1300GT motorcycle, the BMW bike dealer charges around £80 for that privilege and on the bike they recommend it is done every 2 years regardless of mileage.

So glad to hear that , anyone paying £135 for that job deserves to have their pants well & truly yanked down crazy days

 

[R60BBA]

I had the following work done at Munich Legends in February for £360:

Engine oil and filter
Coolant flush
Gearbox oil change
Differential oil change

Funnily, before I bought my car, I got the dealership (whom I bought it from) to do an Inspection 2 at Main Dealer which cost them £409.

The ML service was not only cheaper, but better value for money.

 

[Nictrix]

Just had brake fluid changed by BMW dealer in South Dorset for £52 inc VAT on my 2010 23i. That is cheaper than changing it on my BMW K1300GT motorcycle, the BMW bike dealer charges around £80 for that privilege and on the bike they recommend it is done every 2 years regardless of mileage.

Brake fluid changes on a bike has to be one of the easiest things you can do yourself.
A bottle of brake fluid, an old jam jar, a bit of tubing and a spanner.
Next time save yourself £70 and do it yourself.

 

[R60BBA]

FYI

To uprate your brake fluid to a racing fluid costs £40 at BMS Surrey.

Well worth it if you plan on doing any track driving.

 

[Smartbear]

Just had brake fluid changed by BMW dealer in South Dorset for £52 inc VAT on my 2010 23i. That is cheaper than changing it on my BMW K1300GT motorcycle, the BMW bike dealer charges around £80 for that privilege and on the bike they recommend it is done every 2 years regardless of mileage.

Brake fluid changes on a bike has to be one of the easiest things you can do yourself.
A bottle of brake fluid, an old jam jar, a bit of tubing and a spanner.
Next time save yourself £70 and do it yourself.

Some bikes are a nightmare, my 2006 r1200gs with servo assisted brakes was awful & the fluid had to be added to the abs block and not the reservoir
Rob

 

[Nanu]

Just had a quote from a very reputable Porsche specialist who after researching oil and parts needed said £330 plus VAT for the same service. One more recommendation to try in Newcastle who does work for the local Ferrari club. They all say he is reasonable but what is reasonable when your looking at a service for a Ferrari. Worth a try though.

 

[step_change]

How can you be sure the work has been done? Such things as "coolant flush" could just be glossed over and not performed, I mean, how could you tell?

 

[ihadablackdog]

How can you be sure the work has been done? Such things as "coolant flush" could just be glossed over and not performed, I mean, how could you tell?

This is the exact dilemma I am in now! The supplying dealer says they changed the oil....but didn't stamp the book. So if I leave it till its next due in 2 years time, that could be 4 years with no oil change. Considering the con job they did with the brakes, I doubt they did the oil, which is why I want a full service, to be sure it has all been done.

You are completely right, how will I know my local dealer has done the work? I guess, I won't, but I trust them more than the selling dealer (well, as far as you can trust a main dealer)

Its the same with any garage though, so I am stuck because I won't attempt it myself (people might say its easy, but I'm not even going there).