DIY vs dealership prices for 3 common repairs.

[OnTheFence]

I am making this thread to use as a reference for us to show newcomers how to manage costs.
Even if you do not DIY, the key to used car ownership is having an honest yet skilled local indy mechanic.
This way you avoid inflated dealership genuine parts prices AND padded labor hours.


I changed out my exhaust cam sensor the other day. The part cost me $45 from FCP.
I was also investigating if my intermittent headlight was a ballast issue. A new ballast will cost me about $145. A used ballast will cost about $50.
Two no big deal kind of repairs. It got me wondering what it would cost me at the dealer.


SAMPLE COST OF PARTS (Not labor, just parts)


BMW ballast 63128387114
The "BMW" ballast is $550
The Hella is $145. (identical to above, without logo)
DEALER: $612 (11% more than online BMW)

BMW Rear Struts (33521093646)
Genuine BMW rear strut is $236
Sachs is $86.
DEALER: $276 (17% more than online BMW)


Intake cam sensor (A) 12147539165
Bosch for $45
BMW version $125
DEALER: $147 (17% more than online BMW)


So, then I decided to find out the cost of these three repairs at the dealer.


SAMPLE COST OF DEALER REPAIR


For rear struts, they quoted me $1655. ($900 labor and $600 parts)
DIY is $170. I then called Honda, and got a $700 estimate for a strut job on a 2006 Civic. $375 labor and $240 for the struts.
That seems fair. Not a big markup on the parts, either ($150 retail?) Not sure how much cheaper an indy would be for struts.


For BMW cam sensor, $395 labor (That is a 20 min. repair for a pro) Here, it's the excessive labor markup, not the parts markup.
So, entire job would be $600 with labor/tax. (DIY was $48)


For headlight ballast, they said $150 labor. I think $150 must be the hourly rate, and they just flatline any job at 1 hour.
For this job, it's the insane part cost ($650), not the labor. You'd be around $800 for a new ballast.
DIY is $145 or $30 used


Later that day, I was thinking those estimates can't possibly be right.
I called BMW dealer #2 for a second opinion.
I could not believe it; The 2 dealers had little consistency for the hours of of labor and even the parts themselves!


Dealer #2: Struts $2100 ($740 parts, $1225 labor)
Dealer #1 was $1655. ($900 labor and $600 parts)


Dealer #2: Cam Sensor: $236 part. $504 labor. (Total ~ $800)
Dealer #1: For BMW cam sensor, $395 labor


Dealer #2: Ballast, she could not even quote me the $600 ballast, and quoted me $1457 for an entirely new headlight assembly.
"If we need to remove headlight, labor will be something like $420".
With tax, the ballast problem would cost TWO GRAND for a $150 driveway repair.

I felt sick. This was not what you want in a 2nd opinion.
"So, 2nd doc, do I actually have testicular cancer? No, in fact, you have pancreatic cancer"

Maybe this is what fuels the new car sector.
The masses can spend $300/mo but aren't nearly as prepared to drop $1000 here and there on a repair.

[pleeson]

Agree with your premise that high prices fuel new car sales, especially leasing. People know what their expenses will be; no additional costs.
But, if things change in their job, etc, and they can't make payments -- no car, only receipts.
I like having a nice selection of pre-depreciated vehicles!

[Eaglesail]

I say that if you are a good backyard mechanic, you can manage any German car, including BMW...Parts are affordable on-line...just be careful with certain after-market parts suppliers....Meyle...proved twice to me to never order any German part from them...for example!

[MIKYZZ4]

A good simple rule of thumb for replacement parts is:
For electrical parts, particularly sensors, use ONLY Genuine BMW OE or OEM replacement parts.
For Mechanical parts, most QUALITY aftermarket manufacturers parts can work just as well as OE-OEM.
Quite simply-Electrical, Electronic parts=OE,OEM
Mechanical parts=afterMarket

Following this simple suggestion can prevent many, many, instances of chasing electrical gremlins and electronic anomalies, SERIOUSLY!

[325bob]

A good simple rule of thumb for replacement parts is:
For electrical parts, particularly sensors, use ONLY Genuine BMW OE or OEM replacement parts.
For Mechanical parts, most QUALITY aftermarket manufacturers parts can work just as well as OE-OEM.
Quite simply-Electrical, Electronic parts=OE,OEM
Mechanical parts=afterMarket

Following this simple suggestion can prevent many, many, instances of chasing electrical gremlins and electronic anomalies, SERIOUSLY!

My Chinese abs sensors are going strong after 2 years, all 4 cost 50% of one
new factory part,with free shipping.

[MIKYZZ4]

Right, yours are going strong, I'm speaking about the countless others that aren't, as witnessed through this and other forums.
Forum members and techs here waste countless hours chasing there tails, when this one aspect is ignored. Here is a very recent example,
right from our own BMW Mechanical Help Forum:https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...2#post29649562
People only care that they gambled and won, when the cheap imitation parts worked in their instance, and saved them money,
but they don't mind gambling other peoples, by recommending cheap imitation parts. If you are going to decide on a cheaper, lower quality part,
at least purchase from a reputable supplier, like FCPEuro, with a lifetime warranty on parts. This advice truly can save a lot of wasted time.
My rant is over, as always you all are free to choose the quality and price of part that suits you, just don't complain when you lost your bet, and it doesn't.

[BimmerBreaker]

I'd rather an electronic sensor fail than a critical mechanical suspension component...

[MIKYZZ4]

So true BimmerBreaker, but I read the countless posts on here and other forums-l replaced with all new sensors, why am I still getting codes?,
or it's working, but not running right.Then after reviewing the symptoms, and going through the diagnostic procedures, it all points back to the newly purchased part.
Then after all that, they admit to purchasing a cheap imitation part on EBay, and arguing on why replace a new part, then want to replace it from the same supplier?

[montaillou]

Keep in mind that not all dealers charge the same for parts. I've called dealers 40 miles apart and found widely varying prices, as much as half price on some things.

While I'm not a proponent of using dealers for repairs, there are some things I've told my indy mechanic that they were totally unaware of. I put this down to numbers, my indy probably doesn't work on many z4's (probably not more than 1 or 2) whereby a dealer probably sees many more.

I still only go to an indy.

[OnTheFence]

Dealer #1: Cam sensor, $395 labor
Dealer #2: Cam Sensor: $504 labor.

I have a friend in the business and I told him about these inflated dealership book hours.
He looked up the official book hours for the cam sensor job.


Here is what he found:
Intake cam sensor is .6 hours
Exhaust cam sensor is .2 hours


This is proof that stealership are inflating their labor charges.
Unless their published hourly shop rate is $2520/hr
.2 * $2520 = $504

[TostitoBandito]

Find a good independent shop, preferable one who only works on BMW.

Use them for anything you don't want to DIY. Shops like this are usually happy to take your parts if you want to supply them and just pay for their labor. It's handy when you want a specific aftermarket or upgraded part installed rather than the OEM/BMW part the shop would use.

[BimmerBreaker]

Find a good independent shop, preferable one who only works on BMW.

Use them for anything you don't want to DIY. Shops like this are usually happy to take your parts if you want to supply them and just pay for their labor. It's handy when you want a specific aftermarket or upgraded part installed rather than the OEM/BMW part the shop would use.

Yup. This is the correct answer for someone who doesn't have the skill, time, or ability to fix their own car but who doesn't want to break the bank on over-inflated dealership prices.

[Luftwaffe1O1]

I mean, outside of warranty and maintenance plan, you have got to be mad going to a dealer.

But as far as branding of parts, don't assume just because a company is an oem manufacturer that the part you are buying is of equal quality. Lemforder for instance has a couple of variants that can be made in various factories around the world, same goes for Bosch.

Had a friend with a Volvo whose Bosch fuel pump kept failing, replaced it 3 times finally went with a Volvo branded (still made by bosch) pump. That one worked.

You have to take a bit of extra effort when sourcing parts aftermarket. Certain things I don't care whether they are oem or not, but critical parts, engine components, suspension components, anything safety related I wouldn't mess around. When an oem part is 140 and a knockoff is 50, yes it's a big difference on oaper, but to me it really isn't that huge of a difference to warrant a risk. I saw that first hand with a giubo. Bought one from a supposedly "reputable" site. Didn't think to double check it before installing, even at the measly power levels my z3 makes, tore that thing in half within a week. Ordered an oem one, and just holding them side by side you can see the difference in materials quality. I could bend the Chinese one by hand strength relatively easily, where as not the oem one.

[montaillou]

I mean, outside of warranty and maintenance plan, you have got to be mad going to a dealer.

If you know nothing about cars and you don't have the time/ability/inclination to do any research there is certainly peace of mind to be had by going to a dealer.

[TostitoBandito]

If you know nothing about cars and you don't have the time/ability/inclination to do any research there is certainly peace of mind to be had by going to a dealer.

There shouldn't be. Dealer service departments are very inconsistent, and often crap. Good independent shops, especially specialty shops that specialize in particular cars like BMW's, generally have more skilled and higher-paid technicians and do a higher quality of work. All with a better customer experience and lower price.

[Luftwaffe1O1]

There shouldn't be. Dealer service departments are very inconsistent, and often crap. Good independent shops, especially specialty shops that specialize in particular cars like BMW's, generally have more skilled and higher-paid technicians and do a higher quality of work. All with a better customer experience and lower price.

Yeah there is no guarantee that a dealer will do better work, the only real benefit is that a dealer has deeper pockets if something goes wrong. Not all dealers are the same, my 2 series is still dealer maintained and my dealer is pretty good overall. But finding a good independent shop saves you a lot of money if you aren't doing the work yourself.

[BimmerBreaker]

There shouldn't be. Dealer service departments are very inconsistent, and often crap. Good independent shops, especially specialty shops that specialize in particular cars like BMW's, generally have more skilled and higher-paid technicians and do a higher quality of work. All with a better customer experience and lower price.

+1

I'll trust a good indy over a good dealer any day of the week. The indy near me hires all their best people out from the BMW dealerships, pays them more, yet can charge the customer less... how 'bout that?