Dealership inspection results -- what's real what's BS?

thegad · 11-28-2013, 12:22 AM

Unfortunately I threw a CEL while fairly far away from home, so rather than risk limping back so I could go to my regular (trusted) shop, I took it to the local BMW dealer. It ended up being a coil pack which they ended up charging just shy of $550 for finding the CEL cause, parts, and labor (after checking the threads I see I could have bought the part for $60 and done the install myself one weekend...)

While they had my car they performed the standard Free Courtesy Inspection and came up with the following. I'm wondering a) how much of this is something I should be worried about and b) what (if any) items would be easy for a relatively inexperienced person to DIY:

-Rehose cooling hoses with expansion tank and cap*
-A/C Evap Service
-Power steering fluid service, both hoses leaking from reservoir*
-Belt driven component noise on cold start, most likely idler on passenger side belt*
-Fuel Injection service
-Brake fluid
-Microfilter

*These are the three that were unexpected and that have me mildly concerned., I was already planning on having the brake fluid & microfilter changed out.

dparm · 11-30-2013, 04:12 PM

I would definitely get those leaks verified by an indy shop, and have them replaced/repaired. Can't comment on the cold start noise since that's pretty vague.

Not sure what you mean by A/C evap service. Do they mean recharging the system?

Fuel injection service = pass. Easy moneymaker for the dealer. Minimal benefit on a port-injected car that gets 91+ octane.

Brake fluid should be changed regularly, yes. Microfilter (cabin filter) needs to be changed too. You could do both of those yourself in under an hour in your own garage. BMW specifies change intervals for those two things, so yes, you need to have those changed.

thegad · 12-04-2013, 03:13 PM

Thanks for the reply, I'm getting some quotes now and am going to get everything fixed up!

thegad · 12-21-2013, 11:22 PM

Good news, I took it to my trusted shop. Turns out there were no issues with my power steering or cooling hoses, and the belt driven component noise was just a loose pulley. I got that and everything else need fixed up for a fraction of what the dealer quoted, and things are running great now!

tinman831 · 12-21-2013, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegad

Good news, I took it to my trusted shop. Turns out there were no issues with my power steering or cooling hoses, and the belt driven component noise was just a loose pulley. I got that and everything else need fixed up for a fraction of what the dealer quoted, and things are running great now!

smellfish · 12-22-2013, 01:02 PM

Glad you got it sorted on the cheap. If you had to do those things they aren't too tough. Had to replace a leaking PS line on my 335. Changed and bled the whole system DIY. Had to disassemble and clean out the coolant res after I broke the bleed screw. All easily DIYable. Just messy.

11-28-2013, 12:22 AM	#1
thegad Private 4 Rep 60 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E92 M3 (sold) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA iTrader: (1)	Dealership inspection results -- what's real what's BS? Unfortunately I threw a CEL while fairly far away from home, so rather than risk limping back so I could go to my regular (trusted) shop, I took it to the local BMW dealer. It ended up being a coil pack which they ended up charging just shy of $550 for finding the CEL cause, parts, and labor (after checking the threads I see I could have bought the part for $60 and done the install myself one weekend...) While they had my car they performed the standard Free Courtesy Inspection and came up with the following. I'm wondering a) how much of this is something I should be worried about and b) what (if any) items would be easy for a relatively inexperienced person to DIY: -Rehose cooling hoses with expansion tank and cap* -A/C Evap Service -Power steering fluid service, both hoses leaking from reservoir* -Belt driven component noise on cold start, most likely idler on passenger side belt* -Fuel Injection service -Brake fluid -Microfilter *These are the three that were unexpected and that have me mildly concerned., I was already planning on having the brake fluid & microfilter changed out.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

11-30-2013, 04:12 PM	#2
dparm Stop the hate, get a V8 3850 Rep 8,625 Posts Drives: C7 Corvette GS, AMG C63 S Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Frisco, TX iTrader: (1)	I would definitely get those leaks verified by an indy shop, and have them replaced/repaired. Can't comment on the cold start noise since that's pretty vague. Not sure what you mean by A/C evap service. Do they mean recharging the system? Fuel injection service = pass. Easy moneymaker for the dealer. Minimal benefit on a port-injected car that gets 91+ octane. Brake fluid should be changed regularly, yes. Microfilter (cabin filter) needs to be changed too. You could do both of those yourself in under an hour in your own garage. BMW specifies change intervals for those two things, so yes, you need to have those changed. __________________ Now: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, 2021 AMG C63 S sedan Past: 2011.5 M3 sedan ZCP
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-04-2013, 03:13 PM	#3
thegad Private 4 Rep 60 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E92 M3 (sold) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the reply, I'm getting some quotes now and am going to get everything fixed up!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-21-2013, 11:22 PM	#4
thegad Private 4 Rep 60 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E92 M3 (sold) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA iTrader: (1)	Good news, I took it to my trusted shop. Turns out there were no issues with my power steering or cooling hoses, and the belt driven component noise was just a loose pulley. I got that and everything else need fixed up for a fraction of what the dealer quoted, and things are running great now!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-22-2013, 01:02 PM	#6
smellfish No one on the corner has stagger like us 50 Rep 343 Posts Drives: '11 AW E90 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: COS iTrader: (2)	Glad you got it sorted on the cheap. If you had to do those things they aren't too tough. Had to replace a leaking PS line on my 335. Changed and bled the whole system DIY. Had to disassemble and clean out the coolant res after I broke the bleed screw. All easily DIYable. Just messy. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote