BMW service costs

Deepman

Hi - I am looking for feedback for future reference when I come to have my BMW serviced again. I took it yesterday to a main BMW Service & Sales Garage in South Dublin. It is a Diesel 5 series Estate and has over 200k kms on clock. I was charged almost 400 Euros but when I asked and probed about what was actually done it just seemed to be the following (i) oil change (ii) oil filter (iii) air filter and (iv) a so called "Pollen filter" for the cabin ie interior of Car. Now this last filter cost Euro 120 but I was told it was in a "kit form" - had to be assembled and installed . When I asked why it was changed without notification or reference to Me I was told it was because BMW instruct dealers to change them as part of the normal service ( They would at 120 euros - would'nt they). Now I think this is wrong and I do not suffer from Hay Fever so a Pollen filter is useless and expensive - is this a rip off ? The total filter costs were - I am told 65 + 80 + 120 = 265. From what I understand there is no actual adjustments to or servicing of the engine which seems to be "self servicing " with onboard computer - is this correct. I was left feeling that if I had gone to an independent servicer who used generic parts rather than BMW parts and if they skipped on the "pollen filter" that my service could have cost less than 200 Euros .

Atlantic Dawn

Non BMW pollen filters would be much cheaper, not sure of how much work is involved to fit them, here's Micks Garage pricing for non BMW for 2010 5 Series cheapest is €20, dearest €38...

http://www.micksgarage.com/search/pollen%20filters/bmw/bmw%205-series/5%20series%20touring%202010%20onwards/520d/184

grogi

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Non BMW pollen filters would be much cheaper, not sure of how much work is involved to fit them, here's Micks Garage pricing for non BMW for 2010 5 Series cheapest is €20, dearest €38...

http://www.micksgarage.com/search/pollen%20filters/bmw/bmw%205-series/5%20series%20touring%202010%20onwards/520d/184

1:42 for F10 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OGTR3T9iXU
1:22 for E60 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U48nLRDPCrE

In fairness it is not more that 15 minutes job, with getting the new from the parts reception and trowing the old one to the bin.

FrontDoor

Deepman wrote: »

Hi - I am looking for feedback for future reference when I come to have my BMW serviced again. I took it yesterday to a main BMW Service & Sales Garage in South Dublin. It is a Diesel 5 series Estate and has over 200k kms on clock. I was charged almost 400 Euros but when I asked and probed about what was actually done it just seemed to be the following (i) oil change (ii) oil filter (iii) air filter and (iv) a so called "Pollen filter" for the cabin ie interior of Car. Now this last filter cost Euro 120 but I was told it was in a "kit form" - had to be assembled and installed . When I asked why it was changed without notification or reference to Me I was told it was because BMW instruct dealers to change them as part of the normal service ( They would at 120 euros - would'nt they). Now I think this is wrong and I do not suffer from Hay Fever so a Pollen filter is useless and expensive - is this a rip off ? The total filter costs were - I am told 65 + 80 + 120 = 265. From what I understand there is no actual adjustments to or servicing of the engine which seems to be "self servicing " with onboard computer - is this correct. I was left feeling that if I had gone to an independent servicer who used generic parts rather than BMW parts and if they skipped on the "pollen filter" that my service could have cost less than 200 Euros .

I'm beginning to think people who buy these things suffer from some sort of Stockholm syndrome.

robbie99

Deepman wrote: »

I was charged almost 400 Euros but when I asked and probed about what was actually done it just seemed to be the following (i) oil change (ii) oil filter (iii) air filter and (iv) a so called "Pollen filter" for the cabin ie interior of Car.

BMW do change the cabin filter at every oil service and the air filter would be due every third or fourth oil change. And obviously the oil filter.

All of this is clear in the iDrive or the manual - depends what model/year car you have.

Even with the older e60, the service adviser can see that all the above is due to be done by reading your key. Did you ask beforehand how much the service was going to cost? They usually print out an estimate giving a full breakdown of the costs when asked. You can also enter your reg in http://www.bmwservice.ie/ and price the individual service items.

Stallingrad

You got charged BMW prices at a BMW main dealer. Maybe enjoyed a coffee and pastry. An Independent would have been half that, but with no pastry, lesson learned.

kirving

Sorry, but what on earth are you doing going back to a main dealer after the brake discs were changed on you last time without notification?

An independent garage would likely charge around the 200-250 mark, and to be honest each of those jobs require no prior knowledge or experience of that particular make or model.

Have a think about who is paying for that nice white tiled floor

Voodoomelon

Something not right with the breakdown, no oil filter costs €65 and no air filter costs €80.

It's €42inc VAT for my 740 air filter from BMW and I buy the OEM Mann ones from Mister Auto for €11.

The breakdown is probably more akin to :

€32.50 air filter
€13.00 oil filter
€70 oil
€100 pollen filter
€49.50 VAT

---

€265

€110 labour
€15 VAT

---

€125

€390 total.

Sound about right?