BMW Service costs!

[BigGuy]

The dealers are not selling so many cars these days, so they make up the shortfall from servicing.

 

My Volvo recently needed the same treatment, new discs and pads all-round. Dealer quote = R12000 (with discount ), private Volvo mechanic = R4500. Exactly the same OEM parts. And somehow he could get the job done in an hour, whereas the dealer quoted 2 hours labour.

 

Then shortly after I had to get new front shock strut mounts. Dealer quote = R5500. Private mech = R1200. He did the job while I waited, roughly 30 minutes. The dealership quoted 3.5 hours labour, explaining how complicated it is to remove the front shocks. Which was not the case. Go figure.

 

My wife's Mazda Drifter is much cheaper to maintain, maybe I should make the next one a bakkie as well.

[Tieffels]

Rant on, people who are sensitive about having coughed up for a maintenance plan do not read...

 

You guys must be taking the pi$$ with a maintenance plan? How much does that work you out over your 100000km? Have you ever asked what you get for that plan? Piece of mind my hairy bum. They replace your air/fuel filters, maybe a sparkplug or 2 and your oil every now and again. Oh yes, and your wipers. This takes them at most half a day to do.. The expensive stuff that hurts all happens after the motor plan expires.. A german/japanese engineered car needs very little expensive maintenance for the first 100 000km, just replacing fluids/filters. Basically it comes down to financial planning/responsibility, take that money and manage it yourself and find a good mechanic that is not a dealer. Again, a fool and his money is soon parted.. or something like that..

 

Rant off..

[Tieffels]

The dealers are not selling so many cars these days, so they make up the shortfall from servicing.

 

My Volvo recently needed the same treatment, new discs and pads all-round. Dealer quote = R12000 (with discount ), private Volvo mechanic = R4500. Exactly the same OEM parts. And somehow he could get the job done in an hour, whereas the dealer quoted 2 hours labour.

 

Then shortly after I had to get new front shock strut mounts. Dealer quote = R5500. Private mech = R1200. He did the job while I waited, roughly 30 minutes. The dealership quoted 3.5 hours labour, explaining how complicated it is to remove the front shocks. Which was not the case. Go figure.

 

My wife's Mazda Drifter is much cheaper to maintain, maybe I should make the next one a bakkie as well.

 

I rest my case and well played!!

[Bman]

The dealers are not selling so many cars these days, so they make up the shortfall from servicing.

 

My Volvo recently needed the same treatment, new discs and pads all-round. Dealer quote = R12000 (with discount ), private Volvo mechanic = R4500. Exactly the same OEM parts. And somehow he could get the job done in an hour, whereas the dealer quoted 2 hours labour.

 

Then shortly after I had to get new front shock strut mounts. Dealer quote = R5500. Private mech = R1200. He did the job while I waited, roughly 30 minutes. The dealership quoted 3.5 hours labour, explaining how complicated it is to remove the front shocks. Which was not the case. Go figure.

 

My wife's Mazda Drifter is much cheaper to maintain, maybe I should make the next one a bakkie as well.

unbelievable how they rip you off!!! and you pay for it just to get there stupid delaer stamp to keep up the full service history with the dealers in your service book for resale value.. but is it really worth it?? dammit they making a fortune out of us.. most car delears are the same, but these expensive fancy cars do come with even higher expenses when maintanence plans run up and would never purchase one like that myself!!

[Jackes]

I've since moved to a golf 5 and the services are WAY cheaper (golf = 2x value of clio)

 

I'm planning on keeping the golf till the end of next year and then I'm buying a cheaper but safe car. like a polo.

Oh I miss my golf 5 daily... We had both, and althought the new one is VERY nice, the polo is way inferior to the golf, can't compare the two.

 

 

Dealers Stealers ALWAYS try rip you off for new brake pads during a service.

[Jackes]

I think i need to trade it in for a new out the box one.

 

That has 100 000km plan.

 

Which you will spend more than 10 times the R11,000 just on interest for the buggers, not to mention the cost price. That makes the R11,000 small change. I will never trade a vehicle every 4 years, the service costs does not compare to monthly installments

[BigGuy]

Sorry for the hi-jack, but just got to share this.

 

I was fortunate to get a good deal with extending the Volvo Motorplan from 100000 to 140000. I paid about R3500 for that.

 

What was really funny or maybe not was that at exactly 102000 the radiator went south. Phoned the dealership to come tow me and first thing they asked was how much on the clock. I said 102000 and they said "then you realise it is out of warranty, it is going to cost you to come fetch and repair". To which I said "whatever". To cut a long story short they also found a problem with the turbo, which did not exist 2000km prior at the 100000 service. I just said replace whatever you have to, do whatever is needed, make it 100% again. The bill was nasty at the end of the day, around R25000. So I said thank you very much and took the keys to drive off, but I was firmly grabbed by the arm by security. Sorry, had to pay first before I could leave. Informed them about the extended warranty and then it was all hustle and bustle behind the computer. They could find no trace of the extention, so I presented them with the warranty booklet. Back to computer and then they came back with the story that when I took out the warranty they forgot to enter it on the computer so it has expired now, I still had to pay. Which was ridiculous of course. Fortunately the dealer principal was on hand to resolve the issue.

 

The really funny thing was at the 120000 service it was a repeat of the whole story again. My being reminded that warranty is finished etc, cambelt must get replaced, spark plugs, battery etc etc. LOL. And let's not get started with the 140000 service story...

[mark ellis]

Car Dealers just &^%% me off. My wife took her Peugeot 207 for its 30000km service 3 weeks ago. They wanted to charge her R5500.

They said the battery is flat (yeah whatever) and the wiper blades needs replacement.

 

These @SSholes see a female comming and rub there hands together.

 

I told them i will replace the battery the day the car doesn't wanna start and will replace the wipers (R800) when they crack and break and dont work anymore.

 

Think its tiem for Carte Blanche to start knocking on doors again.

[Caerus]

unbelievable how they rip you off!!! and you pay for it just to get there stupid delaer stamp to keep up the full service history with the dealers in your service book for resale value.. but is it really worth it?? dammit they making a fortune out of us.. most car delears are the same, but these expensive fancy cars do come with even higher expenses when maintanence plans run up and would never purchase one like that myself!!

 

When I mentioned this when I wanted to trade my car in at a dealers he said it actually meant nothing in a roundabout kind of way Maybe it will get you a bit extra in a private sale, just like your extras on a car, means nothing to dealer.

[Starvin' Marvin]

BMW Brutal Money Waster

Or Broke Maar windgat

[Bman]

When I mentioned this when I wanted to trade my car in at a dealers he said it actually meant nothing in a roundabout kind of way Maybe it will get you a bit extra in a private sale, just like your extras on a car, means nothing to dealer.

Wierd as im pretty sure if you traded your car in with 80 000km on it and no service history they would not offer you near as much as a car with the same milage but a full service history with it?? makes common sense really.. i know the meaningless extras that were added by yourself mean nothing to them though, anything not added by the dealer factory adds no value what so ever even if it cost you a fortune to install

[Stoffel76]

Bankrot

Maar

Windgat

 

Bring

Mechanic

With

 

Problem with modern cars is they often require specialised tooling to work on them. Back in the 90's my dad used to own a motor workshop and they specialised in Beemers. Even back then you needed special equipment... Even silly things like reseting the Service Warning lights needed an electronic gadget. Neat way of the manufacturers taking the home mechanic out of the loop.

[Ashchest]

11K!! wow

 

I paid 11K for a 90 000km service plan on my VW diesel.

[Delgado]

Go to Sav Speed in Edenvale and avoid the agents completely as I do. I also know they will no doubt do a better job job. Alternatively you can also try Tune Tech who also specialize in Bm's. Both are well respected in the Bm fraternity. I sent my car in for the 80,000km minor service which with brakes came to around R2,300....

Edited December 7, 2010 by Delgado

[Caerus]

Its scare tactics that you should have to get your car serviced by the dealer

 

 

[aleksandar]

Its not a new one.

 

Bought a 2004 BMW 318i.

 

First second hand car ive ever owned. Only bought BMW cos i can find out everything about the car before i buy - i am not very mechanical minded.

 

I could understand those costs for a top of the range model, but that service cost me 10% of the cars value!

 

My wifes little mazda2 is worth more!

Wife has same year, model and mileage car. Replacing front discs with brakes at independent is R2600 i guess same is for rear. You need to replace spark plugs (every 100000Km) and that is around R600. Oil and other bits should not be more than R1500. My advice is find good independent mechanic and avoid stealers.