Went for state inspection...... and ouch

[youngbimmer]

My dad took my car today for state inspection at a local indy shop. Turns out it needed a lot more than a simple inspection. Heres the bill:
16$ for state inspection
70$ for oil chance (Castrol Synthetic)
532$ to "replace rear bushings on front lower control arm"

Did I get screwed over on that last bit?

[BoldUlysses]

My dad took my car today for state inspection at a local indy shop. Turns out it needed a lot more than a simple inspection. Heres the bill:
16$ for state inspection
70$ for oil chance (Castrol Synthetic)
532$ to "replace rear bushings on front lower control arm"

Did I get screwed over on that last bit?

$16 for state inspection is good.
$70 for an oil change is too much. Do it yourself.
$532 is "bend over" territory for CA bushings.

Yes, I'd say you got screwed.

-Matt

[youngbimmer]

fantastic. Oil change, my dad will not let me do because he fears, even with jack stands, that the car may still fall. He is ok with paying 70$ to let other people change the oil, since its a once-a-year thing. However, the felt really screwed over the bushings. I'm pretty sure they used those crappy OEM ones too. Now we know to avoid that shop in the future :(

[E36BMW3series]

fantastic. Oil change, my dad will not let me do because he fears, even with jack stands, that the car may still fall. He is ok with paying 70$ to let other people change the oil, since its a once-a-year thing. However, the felt really screwed over the bushings. I'm pretty sure they used those crappy OEM ones too. Now we know to avoid that shop in the future :(


Woah, you didn't approve the repair before they did it? If they just did it and handed me a bill for it I'd tell them to take them off because it wasn't approved. You asked for an inspection and an oil change and they just decided u needed new bushings?

I mean, it doesn't sound ridiculous to me depending on what bushings they were, RTABs?? They take quite a bit of time, some know how, and some special tools to get it down.

If you feel screwed over why don't you call around to some other shops and see what they would have charged you.

[New2]

I just bought a 1995 530i and took it to a well respected private shop that specializes in german cars and wow!! I asked for them just to go over the car and give me a list of things that need immediate or very near future attention and the estimate was $6500!! Good thing the car itself was cheap! Feels like a new car now though!! Complete new susp, steering, flush of all fluids, new o2 sensors, alignment, diagnostics, etc. Money well spent.

[youngbimmer]

It was my dad who had it at the shop, while I was at school. Had I known about the bill, I would have done some calling around. But because the registration was up the day before, he felt pressured to get it done right there and then. Oh well. and I'm pretty sure they used the OEM garbage that will fail again in the next 35K miles.

[ThreeD]

It was my dad who had it at the shop, while I was at school. Had I known about the bill, I would have done some calling around. But because the registration was up the day before, he felt pressured to get it done right there and then. Oh well. and I'm pretty sure they used the OEM garbage that will fail again in the next 35K miles.

OEM garbage :rolleyes

Aftermarket is not always better.

[BavTuner]

Its Actually not as crazy as it sounds....

List price is...
Upper Control Arm
Inner Bushing $16
Outer Bushing $64
Lower Control Arm
Inner Bushing $16
Outer Bushing $64
Total $160

Labor 3.5 hrs X $70.00 hr ( just a guess) $255

Grand Total $455 + tax

So honestly you didnt get totally ripped off, but you really didnt get a good deal either

[Philz BMW]

OEM garbage :rolleyes

Aftermarket is not always better.


+1. I guess might as well scrap the entire car then, if it's OEM. :lol

But state inspection? That sucks. Just another way to make cash.

[Charlie]

$16 for state inspection is good.
$70 for an oil change is too much. Do it yourself.
$532 is "bend over" territory for CA bushings.

Yes, I'd say you got screwed.

-Matt

Not really..

Figure Mobil 1 is 6.50/quart now or so, x6, that's 40 bucks, figure another 11-15 bucks for a filter at the dealer, you're up to 50-55, toss on labor and you're really not gouging too much. List price on CA parts isn't far off of what he's quoted plus you figure ~4 hours labor.

-Charlie

[BoldUlysses]

Not really..

Figure Mobil 1 is 6.50/quart now or so, x6, that's 40 bucks, figure another 11-15 bucks for a filter at the dealer, you're up to 50-55, toss on labor and you're really not gouging too much. List price on CA parts isn't far off of what he's quoted plus you figure ~4 hours labor.

-Charlie

Fair enough; I think I was looking at it a bit through the "DIY lens," where any cost above and beyond the parts themselves is superfluous.

-Matt

[GunnerNell]

Dealer charges over $100 to change oil. (And yeah, they use that crappy OEM stuff,:D)

[Dave95M3]

he is ok with paying 70$ to let other people change the oil, since its a once-a-year thing.

wat?

[slocar]

Its Actually not as crazy as it sounds....

List price is...
Upper Control Arm
Inner Bushing $16
Outer Bushing $64
Lower Control Arm
Inner Bushing $16
Outer Bushing $64
Total $160

Labor 3.5 hrs X $70.00 hr ( just a guess) $255

Grand Total $455 + tax
All they changed on his was the bushings themselves ... you have to undo the 2 bolts per side on the lollipop, pull the thing off, press the new bushing in and push it onto the end of the arm and tighten the 2 bolts. Working slowly, it's a 30 minute job.

[Dirtsquirt]

You got hosed kid, I charge $80 (including bushings) to do that job. It takes no longer than an hour.... een less if you buy the lollipops and bushings already pressed together.

[g00dwagen]

This opinion is from a guy that services German cars for a living, the last person who'll tell you you paid too much because he likes being well compensated:

E46 right?

You didn't get screwed on the LCABs, you got anally pummeled.

The synthetic oil change was cheap. If it was Castrol Syntec, that doesn't even meet LL-98 spec for BMW though. I wouldn't run it past 5k miles.

[youngbimmer]

They did use castrol synthetic, unfortunately :( . How much SHOULD I have paid for the bushings to be done? And I call the OEM bushings crap because they are known to fail within 35K miles on the E46 vs the polyurethane aftermarket that's made to last much longer than that. And now I find smoke coming from underneath my hood, and some oil on a few screws, so would I be correct in assuming my valve cover gasket is on its way out? How much should i be expecting for the valve cover gasket to be repaired? I got a quote for 220 from one guy.

[BoldUlysses]

They did use castrol synthetic, unfortunately :( . How much SHOULD I have paid for the bushings to be done? And I call the OEM bushings crap because they are known to fail within 35K miles on the E46 vs the polyurethane aftermarket that's made to last much longer than that. And now I find smoke coming from underneath my hood, and some oil on a few screws, so would I be correct in assuming my valve cover gasket is on its way out? How much should i be expecting for the valve cover gasket to be repaired? I got a quote for 220 from one guy.

Smoke under the hood and oil on the screws means the guy filling up the oil spilled some on the exhaust manifold.

If you're totally convinced it's a valve cover gasket, that's a DIY job, seriously. The gasket is dirt cheap, on top of the engine and there's absolutely no reason to get under the car for the job. If you can replace your car's air filter you can do a valve cover gasket.

-Matt

[g00dwagen]

Well, I'm a bit surprised.

Looked up billable hours on AllData for LCABs & they say 3.4 hours billable. That is beyond generous. With my thumb firmly up my ass I can do the job in 1hr. I think we bill 2 at my shop.

So, lets add it up:

3.4 hours at a presumed $100/hr = $340
Bushing kit part# 31 12 6 783 276 MSRP = $163.24 Cost for oem Boges is ~$80
Sales tax at a presumed 9% = $14.69

Add it up & you get $519.00

Unbelievable.

[IWannaBMW]

Inner and outter bushings? wtf never heard of that , maybe tie rods?

[slocar]

Well, I'm a bit surprised.

Looked up billable hours on AllData for LCABs & they say 3.4 hours billable. That is beyond generous. With my thumb firmly up my ass I can do the job in 1hr. I think we bill 2 at my shop.

So, lets add it up:

3.4 hours at a presumed $100/hr = $340
Bushing kit part# 31 12 6 783 276 MSRP = $163.24 Cost for oem Boges is ~$80
Sales tax at a presumed 9% = $14.69

Add it up & you get $519.00

Unbelievable.
First off the hours are blown out of proportion because it takes no time, and second, you don't need that part number ... you need just the bushings themselves and they're 20 dollars a pop. Any decent shop will have a press to press them in and out of the bracket.