Service Costs

[ed335d]

I have a number of service items due over the next couple of months and was wondering what I should expect to get charged. Any idea on costs for:

• Front pads
• Front pads and discs
• Rear pads
• Rear pads and discs
• Oil service (will supply own oil)
• Vehicle inspection

Car has about £21k miles on it

Will there be much difference between dealer and indy prices?

[hugehead]

och!!!....expect mega bucks

[KadeSdad]

Ouch expensive

[taylorsjt]

Best bet is to ring round as many main dealers as you can asking for prices for each item; also get an overall labour rate. You can then either go for the cheapest or try and get your preferred dealer to match the cheapest. Can't comment on the independent front; the main thing with non main dealers is to find a reputable outfit. Main dealers are of course no guarantee of quality of service however if and when service does end up in complaint, you have the brand to fall back on.

An hour or two's time invested on the phone will save you '£££'s......

[ROCKYJET]

hi there,

Apparently, a lot of the guys on the e90 forum swear by BMW Battersea which I agree with; what with the work they did on my old Z4.

Your not going to save bundles if at all but I did get the impression that they were not there to rip me off.

Furthermore, they are owned by BMW UK and get a lot of support from them. (Spoke to Paul who is one if their master techs, I understand)

That's the ONLY place my M3 is going to for work

Good luck!

[M3-FAST]

Ed, I would defo have the engine service done by a BMW dealer, mainly for the resale hassle. Not sure I would buy an M3 that had been serviced by an Indy?

As for the brakes, I would buy OEM parts (try and use a discount from BMW club if you are a member, would be worth joining if not, or through Aneka at Sytner?) and then supply to an Indy. You would have the receipt for all the BMW parts to complete the 'BMW' service history.

Prob save a couple of hundred this way in labour costs?

[Ant Man]

Originally Posted by ed335d

I have a number of service items due over the next couple of months and was wondering what I should expect to get charged. Any idea on costs for:

• Front pads
• Front pads and discs
• Rear pads
• Rear pads and discs
• Oil service (will supply own oil)
• Vehicle inspection

Car has about £21k miles on it

Will there be much difference between dealer and indy prices?

Front brakes approx £800 all in. Don't know about the rest.
Will you use Birds? Far cheaper than BMW.

[Donbona]

Originally Posted by Ant Man

Front brakes approx £800 all in. Don't know about the rest.
Will you use Birds? Far cheaper than BMW.

For that kind of money I would go for a BBK kit... I know the D2 kit is around £900

[s99ane]

Wow.

First off get discs checked by any spanner monkey, don't think they will need changing unless the car has been tracked a bit.
Pads can be fitted by anyone same for discs so will save on labour costs. If the car is a keeper then quickfiit do a life time guarantee so will replace them free next time if they can supply the parts.
Some upgrade pads are better and a lot cheaper than oem pads.
Rears should not need changing yet as car is forward brake bias.

The service indicator can be reset easily enough after you have these done. Drop me a line I can show you how to do it.

Hope this helps

[ed335d]

Cheers fellas - still got a few k miles to go, so I'm just forward-budgeting!

Ant -I was thinking about Birds, it's the only Indy I'd touch. BMW Battersea isn't too far away either.

Just out of interest, how many miles should discs last under normal circumstances?

[Anneka @ Sytner]

I can give you a quote too if you like?

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by Anneka @ Sytner

I can give you a quote too if you like?

Thanks Anneka - I'll keep that in mind

[rosino]

I have service coming up too... and honestly I will try to avoid BMW Nine Elms (battersea) as much as I can... for the second time around they REFUSED even to check my DCT lag issue.. and wanted to CHARGE me to plug onto the car to check the software version..

Very disappointed to say the least. I will give my car to dealer who at least has the decency of recognising that an update is available and should be fitted on my car.

[Ant Man]

Originally Posted by ed335d

Cheers fellas - still got a few k miles to go, so I'm just forward-budgeting!

Ant -I was thinking about Birds, it's the only Indy I'd touch. BMW Battersea isn't too far away either.

Just out of interest, how many miles should discs last under normal circumstances?

Ed, there are some other good ones as far as magazine review / forums go and they are Higham Park and Cooks Ferry. I not used either.
I can personally recommend PMW in Chelmsford though. They certainly know there way around the M3 and Peter really looks after his customers.

[lambobambo]

BMW Battersea (Stewarts lane branch). Did my service and i cost £100!!

Originally Posted by ROCKYJET

hi there,

Apparently, a lot of the guys on the e90 forum swear by BMW Battersea which I agree with; what with the work they did on my old Z4.

Your not going to save bundles if at all but I did get the impression that they were not there to rip me off.

Furthermore, they are owned by BMW UK and get a lot of support from them. (Spoke to Paul who is one if their master techs, I understand)

That's the ONLY place my M3 is going to for work

Good luck!

[rosino]

Guys,

Finally booked my car to a local dealer (will avoid name and shame for now) to get software upgrade for the DCT (was driving me mad..) and get the first "real" service done (16k one to be clear..).

I had a very nasty surprised with the bill and would like to know what you think, because I feel a bit ripped off here...

Basically service included :
- oil and filter change
- microfilter
- brake fluid
- air filter

That's it.. no brake pads, no brake discs, no nothing else...

Total comes to a very cool 600 quid !!!

9l of oil @ 17 pounds/l..

total parts 288 / total labour 235 without VAT..

For my 911 997 C2S I had paid similar to get the MAJOR service done, including spark plugs.. and much more stuff..

I mean "service" I received was very good.. but I can't help feeling massively ripped off here..

What are your experiences on the matter ?

Thanks in advance.

[DJP]

Should have spoken to Anneka..

I got precisely that work done for under £400.

[rosino]

You are right.. should definitely have gone that way.. except it was impossible for me to get there as it's too far away.. and with the programming would have needed to leave it for a few days..

but boy I did not see this coming. will teach me a lesson, if only a very dear one.

[AM3]

Basically service included :
- oil and filter change
- microfilter
- brake fluid
- air filter

[AM3]

Sorry, typo

knights Stoke Staffordshire - £350 for above with E92 M3
If any of you want to ring ask for Paul

Cheers
Arun

[bej]

Just had my discs and pads done all round by Sytner Sunningdales...thru Anneka - £1,200 all round..front and rear good for another 34k miles but definitely not another track day....

couldn't get any other dealers' close to this price....even though they were advertising various 10% off parts....

Thanks Anneka!!!!

one gripe though is the obc which also told me I needed an oil service...what the obc doesn't tell you though is when plugged into the service desk computer, that it was also the recommended time for spark plugs change and changing the oil in the m's rear axle differential..

OIL - wasn't cheap - only saw the opie oils offer on the day - COST £148+VAT
MICROFILTER - £95 + VAT
REAR AXLE DIFF OIL SERVICE - £92 + VAT
SPARK PLUG CHANGE - £241 + VAT ????!!!??? - 8 plugs at £15 each + £140 labour....

- so all in a cool £1900...that was a surprise...

MORALS - will definitely use my own oil and source own plugs if poss...

With the diff service - car does feel different though and with the winter tyres - acceleration is noticeable improved even on damp services....

apologies if someone's already vented about the subtle add-ons which aren't always displayed on the obc...

oh and if you're car needs a service soon - worth getting it done before 1 Jan before VAT goes up another 2.5%....

[swanny71]

What age and mileage is you car Bej? - wonder if I'm gonna get stung with plugs and diff oil at my upcoming oil service?
Will BMW stealers allow you to supply your own oil?

Cheers