[Suckr4Straight6s]

Hello folks,

I recently purchased a 2006 bmw e90 330i. It currently has 70k miles and needs some maintenance work. I just got an email back from a highly reputable independent bmw performance shop in my area with a quote on the maintenance work needed. I'll leave the name of the shop anonymous as thats not what's important to the story. Anyways, here's what they quoted me as follows.

- flush brake fluid: $164.10
- change diff. fluid: $120.52
- flush coolant: $184.91
- Change spark plugs: $354.17
- change gear oil: $120 (car is a manual transmission)

TOTAL: $944.22

Is it just me, or does this seem pretty steep for some basic maintenance work??? Like I said, they have a strong reputation and seem to be a very popular shop. Though please however share your thoughts. I'd really like to know whether I'm getting scammed or if this is a pretty normal price for the listed work on an e90 3 series through an independent shop?

Thanks in advance

-Will

[DrPMR]

The price doesn't seem that far off. Also, if the shop has a sterling reputation and you've personally seen they take excellent care of their customers cars, I'd say go for it. I'd also recommend getting estimates from other shops and compare them to the first shop and see if they're way off or not. It's hard bringing a new car to a shop you're unfamiliar with. Good luck!
Cheers

[John 070]

Never serviced a BMW out of free maint as my car is 3 1/2, but those prices seem about quadruple what a Nissan would cost, so if a BMW is double that of a Nissan, yes, they sound steep. But then again, I didn't get the definitive, but one guy said $1700 for front brakes on a 335, and another said $900, so prices in general sound steep....

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by Suckr4Straight6s

Hello folks,

I recently purchased a 2006 bmw e90 330i. It currently has 70k miles and needs some maintenance work. I just got an email back from a highly reputable independent bmw performance shop in my area with a quote on the maintenance work needed. I'll leave the name of the shop anonymous as thats not what's important to the story. Anyways, here's what they quoted me as follows.

- flush brake fluid: $164.10
- change diff. fluid: $120.52
- flush coolant: $184.91
- Change spark plugs: $354.17
- change gear oil: $120 (car is a manual transmission)

TOTAL: $944.22

Is it just me, or does this seem pretty steep for some basic maintenance work??? Like I said, they have a strong reputation and seem to be a very popular shop. Though please however share your thoughts. I'd really like to know whether I'm getting scammed or if this is a pretty normal price for the listed work on an e90 3 series through an independent shop?

Thanks in advance

-Will

Prices are about right, they are not a church, they need to make a profit. I know its cheaper than the stealer. If you want to save $800 than I have three letters for you
D I Y

[Spydeputy]

at least do your own plugs. it will cost you the price of a BMW plug socket. and about 2 hours of fun, w/ you getting to know your engine. you can do it.

[F32Fleet]

Sounds about right for Calif. the problem is all the crap they ahve to get through to do the work (Coolant and Plugs esp). On the pluse side you'll probably never do most of that work again.

[sn0wwhite335]

Originally Posted by Suckr4Straight6s

Hello folks,

I recently purchased a 2006 bmw e90 330i. It currently has 70k miles and needs some maintenance work. I just got an email back from a highly reputable independent bmw performance shop in my area with a quote on the maintenance work needed. I'll leave the name of the shop anonymous as thats not what's important to the story. Anyways, here's what they quoted me as follows.

- flush brake fluid: $164.10
- change diff. fluid: $120.52
- flush coolant: $184.91
- Change spark plugs: $354.17
- change gear oil: $120 (car is a manual transmission)

TOTAL: $944.22

-Will

I am a service advisor at a Hyundai dealership and those costs are abuot 20$ more than we charge for each service probably altered by the labor rate in Cali, which is high as with Florida. the spark plugs seem a little steep tho.

BMW spark plugs are about 22$ a piece. $132 dollars in parts and should cost about 1.5 - 2 hours in Labor tops. They are charging you over $100 per hour, i would definitely attempt to negotiate or ask for a discount, they is definitely room for them to knock off a couple bucks.

heres our prices (and were a dealership) so you can compare -

- flush brake fluid: $139.95
- change diff. fluid: $229.95 (but this is a flush, not drain and fill)
- flush coolant: $189.95
- Change spark plugs: $237.00
- change gear oil: $99.95

hope that helps. good luck !

[nogard13]

Ok, here is what I think of this:

Originally Posted by Suckr4Straight6s

- flush brake fluid: $164.10
- change diff. fluid: $120.52
- flush coolant: $184.91
- Change spark plugs: $354.17
- change gear oil: $120 (car is a manual transmission)

TOTAL: $944.22

Brake Fluid Flush: Buy some brake fluid and a turkey baster. While the car is cold (probably in the morning), take your turkey baster and remove half the fluid in the Master Cylinder and refill with the new fluid. Drive it for a day and do the same thing on two consecutive days. By that time, you should have used all the brake fluid and your car will have almost new fluid in the system. Savings: $150

Spark Plugs: Purchase a BMW Spark Plug socket (about $15 plus shipping online) and 6 BMW plugs ($18 each at Tischer). Follow the instructions HERE. Savings: $230

The differential fluid and gear oil changes can be done at home, too. Sometimes people don't have jack stands or ramps, or they just don't have anywhere to take the used oil to, so I can understand taking it in for service for these two (the same with the coolant flush).

[BKV122]

Spark plugs you can deff do your self and safe some money other than that the other work seem to be at a decent price.

[a32guy]

Originally Posted by nogard13

Brake Fluid Flush: Buy some brake fluid and a turkey baster. While the car is cold (probably in the morning), take your turkey baster and remove half the fluid in the Master Cylinder and refill with the new fluid. Drive it for a day and do the same thing on two consecutive days. By that time, you should have used all the brake fluid and your car will have almost new fluid in the system. Savings: $150

That is not a brake fluid flush. Your car shouldn't consume any brake fluid.

[a32guy]

And OP, the prices seem a little on the high side (especially the plugs), but not terribly far off.

[jaybird124]

Originally Posted by a32guy

That is not a brake fluid flush. Your car shouldn't consume any brake fluid.

I think he was saying all the old fluid will have cycled through the Master Cylinder allowing it to be replaced through the process.

[cb1111]

Originally Posted by jaybird124

I think he was saying all the old fluid will have cycled through the Master Cylinder allowing it to be replaced through the process.

That is like saying that you never need to change the oil in the car if it is burning oil and you have to add a quart every 500 miles.

The "turkey baster method" does not remove moisture from the system. Remind me not to buy a car from the fellow who posted this "advice."

[jaybird124]

Originally Posted by cb1111

That is like saying that you never need to change the oil in the car if it is burning oil and you have to add a quart every 500 miles.

The "turkey baster method" does not remove moisture from the system. Remind me not to buy a car from the fellow who posted this "advice."

Agreed. They have Brake Bleed kits that work pretty well. Plus if you could find a programming module that allows you to bleed the brakes like the techs do (using the DSC pump), it would be twice as easy.

[a32guy]

Originally Posted by jaybird124

I think he was saying all the old fluid will have cycled through the Master Cylinder allowing it to be replaced through the process.

It won't though, it will just stay at the ends of the lines / in the calipers.

[mike3000fl]

baster method works with power steering fluid because that fluid is constantly recirculating, there is a return line. it would not work on brake fluid, for this you are best off removing all 4 wheels and just doing a bleed/flush, very simple if you follow directions. even if you buy a bleeder kit you would still come out ahead.

i would DIY all of it, coolant is probably biggest pain in the ass because you have to get under the car and unhook hoses from the waterpump but well worth the savings.

[Blk07335i]

Bring your car down to Orange county and I'll change the plugs for free!. Probably cost you $50-60 bucks for the parts. $350 is way too much for plugs. The other quotes don't look too bad.

Go to AEPerformance.com
They charged me 100 bucks to do the spark plugs, 90 to do the brake fluid.

There in shop labor rate is 90 a hour.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by sn0wwhite335

I am a service advisor at a Hyundai dealership and those costs are abuot 20$ more than we charge for each service probably altered by the labor rate in Cali, which is high as with Florida. the spark plugs seem a little steep tho.

BMW spark plugs are about 22$ a piece. $132 dollars in parts and should cost about 1.5 - 2 hours in Labor tops. They are charging you over $100 per hour, i would definitely attempt to negotiate or ask for a discount, they is definitely room for them to knock off a couple bucks.

heres our prices (and were a dealership) so you can compare -

- flush brake fluid: $139.95
- change diff. fluid: $229.95 (but this is a flush, not drain and fill)
- flush coolant: $189.95
- Change spark plugs: $237.00
- change gear oil: $99.95

hope that helps. good luck !

That's amazing, Nissan sent a coupon booklet in the mail for a $49.95 coolant flush. I never deal with brake fluid (nasty) and they charged $59.95. Maybe Hyundai is cheap to buy but not to maintain. I know when my brother got one in 2000 lots of junk wasn't covered under the 5/60 warranty which made no sense.

In the pecking order imho Nissan > Hyundai, and if a Nissan is cheaper to maintain, that's even more power to them.

[Alexander]

diy

[Kilgore Trout]

Originally Posted by John 070

That's amazing, Nissan sent a coupon booklet in the mail for a $49.95 coolant flush. I never deal with brake fluid (nasty) and they charged $59.95. Maybe Hyundai is cheap to buy but not to maintain. I know when my brother got one in 2000 lots of junk wasn't covered under the 5/60 warranty which made no sense.

In the pecking order imho Nissan > Hyundai, and if a Nissan is cheaper to maintain, that's even more power to them.

Hyundai has basically caught up to Nissan, at least in terms of mainstream vehicles. The Sonata does as well as the Altima in most road tests, and CR rates the reliability of most Hyundai vehicles quite highly.

[HPIA4v2]

Reputable indy shop that specializing BMW charge pretty close to BMW dealer in my area. Hard to make decision sometimes, I'd like to maintain relationship with dealer for (once in a blue moon) "goodwill" out of waranty work from BMWNA so most of the times I go to dealer but also DIY if I can do it.