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Thread: 550i repairs sticker shock

  1. #1
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    550i repairs sticker shock

    Hi All -

    Recovering from just receiving my first service estimate of my '12 550i out of warranty and need some advice.

    56k miles, got the service needed indicator and Friday the brake service indicator came on.

    Atlanta BMW wants:
    $1079 for Front Pads/Rotors
    $2508 for upper Oil pan gasket leak. Stated heavy oil leak; oil pan is covered in oil. No signs of oil leak in garage in 5 years.
    $1075 for Turbo Coolant Lines that are leaking. No previous signs of this issue.

    which is...$2874 for labor, $1495 for parts, $4663 total.


    Would love some advice...my response was to sit on it and don't touch anything until I get back to them...then probably find a shop and not the stealership. It feels egregious.

    I have needed to add oil - but it has not seemed to be excessive based on what I've read. Certainly no stains in my garage or driveway... Thanks in advance.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  2. #2
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    the brakes are factory parts, they marked them up. Find independent shop that uses factory brakes and get estimate. I would get a second opinion on the oil leak, the more common leak is the turbo oil return line plate deep in the v of the engine under the turbos and exhaust manifolds. Which when done you would be removing the turbo coolant lines. Or valve covers. You have belly pans under the engine and transmission so nothing can hit the ground, certainly they are fishing for work. Take the recommendations and get a second opinion like I said

  3. #3
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    Brakes are stupid expensive no matter where you get them done, but I wouldn't get anything done off warranty from the dealer. I shopped around and was able to beat the dealer price for fronts and rears by over 25% from a private shop that specializes in German imports. Lots of BMW trained mechanics out there.

  4. #4
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    Go to Bimmer's in Kennesaw. Ask for Kyle, tell him Russ sent you. We've been friends for 7 years, and one of the best tech's I know. He used to work with me here at United BMW.
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  5. #5
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    Upper pan leaks are very common. Turbo oil return block is also common. Turbo coolant lines leaking common.
    1000$ for brakes sounds pretty average. That's a big boy car- probably near 70K or more new. Did you expect a 70K car to have a 400$ brake job?
    Gotta pay to play but maybe it's just me

  6. #6
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    I work for an independent, and sell those same jobs frequently. Those prices are extremely reasonable particularly coming from a dealer.

    The primary issue I see with all of that is you finding it unreasonable. Those aren't excessive or heavily marked up prices, they are right in line with what is to be expected.

    As Slack said.,.. this is a big boy car you're driving. It costs big boy money to maintain it.
    Tenured Automotive Service Professional - Avid BMW Enthusiast

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stück View Post
    I work for an independent, and sell those same jobs frequently. Those prices are extremely reasonable particularly coming from a dealer.

    The primary issue I see with all of that is you finding it unreasonable. Those aren't excessive or heavily marked up prices, they are right in line with what is to be expected.

    As Slack said.,.. this is a big boy car you're driving. It costs big boy money to maintain it.
    No question it isn't a cheap car to maintain but most will agree there isn't a compelling reason to do any non warranty work at the dealer. Plus there isn't really a jobber market for this particular boat so every part option is pricey. Brakes are not something you want to cut corners on anyways when a car is this heavy and this fast.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by nuck View Post
    No question it isn't a cheap car to maintain but most will agree there isn't a compelling reason to do any non warranty work at the dealer. Plus there isn't really a jobber market for this particular boat so every part option is pricey. Brakes are not something you want to cut corners on anyways when a car is this heavy and this fast.
    youll let me know when that Indy shop cracks the upper oil pan when reinstalling it due to not knowing BMWs latest recommendations...or neglects to blow out the oil supply/return holes and allows the sledged holes to pack up and cause oil starvation....or doesn't adjust the oil pump correctly ( which is NOT easy and requires special tools ).
    Also your gonna trust an Indy to remove your turbos and reinstall them and get everything right to replace your upper oil return block?
    i guess a VERY few Indy shops maybe get be able to do it ok and some are EXCELLENT...but most don't know N63 engines very well, don't have the tooling or training and the understanding of how that motor works and what the quirks are. The days of going to an Indy for non warranty repairs are coming to an end with the introduction of F and G cars. Indy techs just don't have the resources available to keep up with BMWs b.s. These days. Hell DEALER techs struggle to keep up trust me. Sure they can do a valve cover gasket on your M54 or N52 but you gotta be a moron to let an Indy attempt to replace your upper oil pan on your N63 without some serious investigation into that shops reputation and skills. A good example is that if the engine harness hold down 10mm bolts are not torqued it will fry your DME as soon as you try to start it...

    At the end of the day it's everyone's free choice as to where they get their vehicle repaired but BMW is trying to eliminate the aftermarket shops being able to repair their new cars unless the Indy shops are willing to invest big coin on keeping up with things like programming on F and G cars with ISTA 4, repair instructions integrated into AIR and being removed from public websites like TIS, HDD Update to reactivate entertainment systems and constantly changing repair procedures based on what BMW is finding based on returned repair parts. Not to mention Indy shops are always a few years behind the dealers on the repairs/information they have. Usually to maintain the ability to repair newer and newer and more advanced cars they scout for disgruntled dealer techs to hire which come with the know-how already installed curtesy of dealership training.

    Do yourself a favor and take your F or G car to the dealer warranty or not. Of course it will cost you more but you bought a 70K + car and you get what you pay for concerning service work. My personal feeling were that if you didn't stretch your budget anyways to get a car you can't really afford then you wouldn't be tryna risk unsatisfactory or damaging repairs to save a few hundred bucks.
    again it's everyone's free choice and right to go wherever they want. This was just the rant of 1 asshole so do what makes you happy. Just plz if you go Indy, investigate them thoroughly before letting them tear into your SENSITIVE engine.
    Last edited by SlackTube; 05-29-2017 at 06:29 PM.

  9. #9
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    Well said. Agree whole heartedly.
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  10. #10
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    I’m just curious what the OP ended up doing.

  11. #11
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    Personally I would start with the turbo return lines, which is a common repair, clean and recheck we never did one upper oil pan gasket but a lot of turbo lines. Oil leaks travel down on to things and could make them look like there leaking. A good independent can work on your car your not stuck with going to the dealer. also the dealers can only do things with in the BMW guide lines, a good independent shop is not limited by that. Put it this way bmw issued a sib telling dealers don't remove the engine when looking for the turbo oil return plate gasket oil leak that's funny, it said to use a bore scope to look down in to that area. We never had to use a bore scope to find it, we knew where it was coming from and we are an independent shop. It's really comes down to the excellent tech and the updated software diagnostic and programming tools which we have. So don't be fooled by the dealer. That's just my two cents.

  12. #12
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    Any good independent techs in the Chicago area? Feel free to guide me if I should post elsewhere or PM me, new to forum. Don’t mean to hijack the thread either as it’s been stagnant for a while.

  13. #13
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    Yep, Tony at Autobahn Motorworks Inc, in Mundeline. Great place.

    Quote Originally Posted by home4sale2 View Post
    Any good independent techs in the Chicago area? Feel free to guide me if I should post elsewhere or PM me, new to forum. Don’t mean to hijack the thread either as it’s been stagnant for a while.

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