BMW - E3,600 repair bill!!!!!!

IrishZeus

Hi all,

I've just had a call from a BMW garage in South Dublin where i dropped my 2006 BMW 318i in today. It was in recently (4weeks ago) to have coils replaced with no previous issues. 126,000km on the car.

The CEL, DTC and ABS lights came on since the car was in 4 weeks ago so dropped back in today. They ran the diagnostic today and they came back with:

CEL: Catalytic Converter is "aged - cost to repair E1400 (no mention of anything wrong with it - just "aged")
DTC: Apparently the traction control is not working - no reason given
ABS - said ABS is not working - no reason given.

The two error codes that the car itself is giving are CD-35 and CD 24.

There were other small things too like tyres etc that needed to be replaced. The total they gave me to take care of everything was E3600. (The car is worth about E5000!)

I have driven the car for the past few days due to being away and not having a choice and it is running absolutely fine - have had no issues at all!

Does anyone know anything about the above? Any advice appreciated as there is no way I'm paying that much to fix a car worth 5k.

I was hoping to drop the car into Nissan Doc for a second opinion but see his account is closed... Anyone know his whereabouts? Can anyone recommend someone else that could have a look and let me know what actually needs to be done?

Thanks,

Z.

Alanstrainor

You're mad to take that car to a BMW stealer. Take it to an Indy and you'll get a much better price.

IrishZeus

Aye, I know that but just wanted the official explanation of what was wrong.

Any recommendations on an indy? Is Nissan Doc still about?

Truckermal

Jaysus they are having a laugh, George Dalton in Portlaoise is brilliant if that's not too far. He is a mountain of knowledge!!!!

Hal1

Tell them to go and shíte. That's outrageous even for a main stealer. Ask for a detailled printout of work needed and reason and go to a reputable indi garage.

Supergurrier

1400 to repair a cat ???

Lol

randy hickey

IrishZeus, if you're based in Dublin drop me a PM and I'll give you the no. of an indy who is ex -BMW.

IrishZeus

PM sent, thanks!

mondeoman2

IrishZeus wrote: »

Any recommendations on an indy?

Hi I Would Recommend Baldoyle Auto Centre,The BMW Mechanic has 17 years experience In Main BMW Dealers including maxwells.:)

http://www.baldoyleautocentre.ie/

JOSman

Let us all know how you get on.

Hope it works out a lot better than that price.

randy hickey

IrishZeus, PM sent!

Scortho

Mark Allen out in straffan.
There's a person in rathgar somewhere who gets recommended quite a bit.

dr.fuzzenstein

Supergurrier wrote: »

1400 to repair a cat ???

Lol

Fcuking outrageous.
When the cat failed on the MX5 (I know, not the same), I got a replacement cat from online automotive for £80. Fitted it myself, passed, happy days. The Beemer one might be more, might just have a look around...
Main stealers are nothing but robbin' bastids on occasion, this is just treating the customer with contempt and when they whinge about business being down, I wish nothing more on them as a very rapid demise.

dr.fuzzenstein

http://www.eurocarparts.com/bmw-catalytic-converter

This is already an improvement.

Technoprisoner

byrne motor works http://byrnemotorworks.com/ is ex bmw and very good...the faulty abs and traction control is more than likely the same problem and is usually a faulty abs sensor which aren't that expensive. It would be unusual for a bmw cat to go...if the cat was broken up you would hear it and if the cat was blocked the car would be way down on power so i would get a second opinion on the catalytic conveter

rowanh

I asked some time ago for recommendations for a mechanic to work on bmws on an Irish bmw forum and a good few people were really highly recommending Valdas at Motor Confidence off the Nangor Rd in Dublin. Might be worth a shot.

Turner

Cat converter - 150 euro
ABS sensor - 30 euro
diagnostic reset 30 euro
Labour 3 hrs 270

Total 480 euro, give or take with anywhere between +- 50 euro.

Get yourself to an indy garage specialising in BMW as the lads here have posted.

corkgsxr

Turner wrote: »

Cat converter - 150 euro
ABS sensor - 30 euro
diagnostic reset 30 euro
Labour 3 hrs 270

Total 480 euro, give or take with anywhere between +- 50 euro.

Get yourself to an indy garage specialising in BMW as the lads here have posted.

Grand to lash out prices without knowing whats wrong. Could be alot dearer it its not simple

Turner

corkgsxr wrote: »

Grand to lash out prices without knowing whats wrong. Could be alot dearer it its not simple

They said his cat was aged, that is the price for a new cat.

ABS and Traction control lights usually come on due to a bad wheel speed sensor, a new sensor is 30 quid.

Im giving an example of how cheap it could be with advice to contact a independent garage.

I'm not aware of any issues with the bmw abs modulator but most problems that turn on the dash lights are down to sensors or reluctor rings.

swarlb

IrishZeus wrote: »

Hi all,

I've just had a call from a BMW garage in South Dublin where i dropped my 2006 BMW 318i in today. It was in recently (4weeks ago) to have coils replaced with no previous issues. 126,000km on the car.

The CEL, DTC and ABS lights came on since the car was in 4 weeks ago so dropped back in today. They ran the diagnostic today and they came back with:

CEL: Catalytic Converter is "aged - cost to repair E1400 (no mention of anything wrong with it - just "aged")
DTC: Apparently the traction control is not working - no reason given
ABS - said ABS is not working - no reason given.

The two error codes that the car itself is giving are CD-35 and CD 24.

There were other small things too like tyres etc that needed to be replaced. The total they gave me to take care of everything was E3600. (The car is worth about E5000!)

I have driven the car for the past few days due to being away and not having a choice and it is running absolutely fine - have had no issues at all!

Does anyone know anything about the above? Any advice appreciated as there is no way I'm paying that much to fix a car worth 5k.

I was hoping to drop the car into Nissan Doc for a second opinion but see his account is closed... Anyone know his whereabouts? Can anyone recommend someone else that could have a look and let me know what actually needs to be done?

Thanks,

Z.

You mention the car is running fine, with no issues !!! Why do you need to have it fixed ? Or am I missing something.

daRobot

Motor Confidence in Blanchardstown. Val (russian guy) has an exellent reputation on bmw forums. Knows the marque inside out.

Take it there.

GTE

swarlb wrote: »

You mention the car is running fine, with no issues !!! Why do you need to have it fixed ? Or am I missing something.

You will not notice problems with traction control or ABS until you need them with the latter being a bit problematic.

dr.fuzzenstein

bbk wrote: »

You will not notice problems with traction control or ABS until you need them with the latter being a bit problematic.

Perfectly possible to survive without both, unless the driver is a hamfisted, lead footed moron.
Not saying he shouldn't get them fixed, of course.

swarlb

bbk wrote: »

You will not notice problems with traction control or ABS until you need them with the latter being a bit problematic.

Would there not be some kind of warning light on the dash, if there were a problem with these systems.

listermint

daRobot wrote: »

Motor Confidence in Blanchardstown. Val (russian guy) has an exellent reputation on bmw forums. Knows the marque inside out.

Take it there.

He's moved to Naas Road near woodies diy. High recommendation

GTE

swarlb wrote: »

Would there not be some kind of warning light on the dash, if there were a problem with these systems.

Maybe I misread but it sounded like he had 3 warning lights on at one stage.

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Perfectly possible to survive without both, unless the driver is a hamfisted, lead footed moron.
Not saying he shouldn't get them fixed, of course.

Absolutely, many a year cars didn't have them of course but I think the moron comment is a bit, well, it is over the top for possible ABS situations.

Idbatterim

what is that car doing in a main dealership, the quote for the work would be over half the value of the car...

Notch000

no wondering the main dealers are all folding

dr.fuzzenstein

Idbatterim wrote: »

what is that car doing in a main dealership, the quote for the work would be over half the value of the car...

So that's how they price their work. It explains a lot.

JohnBoy26

Turner wrote: »

Cat converter - 150 euro
ABS sensor - 30 euro
diagnostic reset 30 euro
Labour 3 hrs 270

Total 480 euro, give or take with anywhere between +- 50 euro.

Get yourself to an indy garage specialising in BMW as the lads here have posted.

Where did you get those prices? Have you a link?

dgt

Surely a cat at 150 is a half cat... A good cat is worth that in scrap by contrast. Realy only for a shortish use, won't last long.

There's one on my 520 I've been meaning to bin

dr.fuzzenstein

dgt wrote: »

Surely a cat at 150 is a half cat... A good cat is worth that in scrap by contrast. Realy only for a shortish use, won't last long.

There's one on my 520 I've been meaning to bin

Sorry, what is a half cat?

Alanstrainor

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

So that's how they price their work. It explains a lot.

Yup, went to a dealer to buy some bolts to replace lock nuts and asked if they could take the old ones off, as they were far too tight. They wanted 200 quid or some madness to do it. I just laughed.

ljpg

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Fcuking outrageous.
When the cat failed on the MX5 (I know, not the same), I got a replacement cat from online automotive for £80. Fitted it myself, passed, happy days. The Beemer one might be more, might just have a look around...
Main stealers are nothing but robbin' bastids on occasion, this is just treating the customer with contempt and when they whinge about business being down, I wish nothing more on them as a very rapid demise.

that cat you bought will probably only pass one nct,2 if your lucky.

GTE

ljpg wrote: »

that cat you bought will probably only pass one nct,2 if your lucky.

Why? How long should they last?

bmstuff

You don't understand, this is called preventive maintenance. Let's replace everything in case it brakes down 3 years later.

dgt

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Sorry, what is a half cat?

A cheap version of a cat that only lasts maybe 2 to 3 years tops before you replace it. Rubbish if I'm honest

KwackerJack

The ABS and DTC could be the result of a cheap speed sensor.....but they wont tell you that and replace god knows what.

An aged CAT?? So every single car on the road will need there CAT changed because its 'aged'!!

Normal service work in a dealer is fine as long as you mark the old service parts first after that stay away.

JohnBoy26

dgt wrote: »

A cheap version of a cat that only lasts maybe 2 to 3 years tops before you replace it. Rubbish if I'm honest

and there was me thinking a cat had nine lives

dr.fuzzenstein

ljpg wrote: »

that cat you bought will probably only pass one nct,2 if your lucky.

Well, I changed the cat in the MX5 in 2008, it has passed so far and fingers crossed for the next one. Not bad for £126.16.

burke027

Turner wrote: »

Cat converter - 150 euro
ABS sensor - 30 euro
diagnostic reset 30 euro
Labour 3 hrs 270

Total 480 euro, give or take with anywhere between +- 50 euro.

Get yourself to an indy garage specialising in BMW as the lads here have posted.

Silly saying things like that. .Moore then likly it's the abs pressure sensor which required the abs pump changed. In which case it's a lot more then 30euro. Give me a pm if ur near naas I work for a bm specialist

kenobee

Motor Confidence is a BMW expert just off the Nass rd. I have used him for 3 years and found him to be excellent.

ShadowHearth

ljpg wrote: »

that cat you bought will probably only pass one nct,2 if your lucky.

I got an uprated cat for non UK cars in to my MX5 and it worked out about 120eu.

There are cheap cats, but thing is people forget that UK is a MX5 heaven country. The amount of enthusiasts mean a huge supply in very high quality low price products for MX5. Its really one of the coolest things about MX5, you dont need to use dealership at all.

Even so, in this BMW situation I would just buy a cheap cat which will last 2-3 NCts and get a new one again, Instead of buying expensive one. It will be cheaper to replace it even yearly. Specially when you dont know how long you will stick with the car.

lomb

The way main dealers work is you get a few big bills or estimates and you think the car is collapsing and panick. You then sign on the dotted line next door after passing all the shiny new warranted machines. They usually put the service desk after the new car showroom.
In reality your problems could probably be fixed for 3-400 euros+ tyres (a wear item). The car could easily and economically last another 20 years if maintained at the rate of 3-500 a year+wear parts. Of course the Government have skewed the economics with co2 road tax rates and of course diesel is cheaper at the pumps than petrol so likely that car will be scrapped in the next 5 years. Old new motors are rolling onto the road all time to take its place. Shame really.