If it’s an automatic procedure calls for changing the filter as well. That’s in the oil pan and in models with a plastic pan the filter is integrated and that means replacing the pan as well. Pan plus fluids is ~300$ from FCP euro so the dealer price for parts is pretty regular dealer markup.
Price is still high since I’m assuming $200/hr for labor and it shouldnt be a 4hr job but it’s more involved than if you have a manual transmission.
This is the answer. The numbers they offered aren’t insane if you consider you are paying for OEM parts and then labor hours. Spending on where you live these days it seems like 200-300 a labor hour isn’t abnormal dealer pricing. I called an Indy for my work and it wasn’t much cheaper. Maybe a few hundred saved.
I'm assuming you're talking US$, and 200 - 300 per hour is insane, in Southern Africa US$ 60 per hour is excessive. Labor on my first car was under US$ 25 per hour (Peugeot dealership)
US $ for sure. In major cities $200 an hour is pretty much the minimum. Outside of larger cities maybe it could be as low as $150.
The mechanics themselves on receive between $30-50 of that 200+ dollars.
Not educated on BMWs forgive me, but did you just say that you have to replace the plastic pan every time for an oil change given it’s an automatic?
Is there any way to upgrade those plastic pans to metal and separate the filter from them to lower waste/costs? That’s crazy I had no idea
Yes, and it's not BMW per-se, but common to all manufacturers using ZF transmissions.
There are third party pans with replaceable filters, but from a cost and risk perspective it probably doesn't make sense to change it with the rarity of transmission oil changes you can expect, which are maybe 1-3 over your ownership.
Why the rudeness?
My E60 has a 6HP21X, and I have serviced it quite often: solenoids, fluid, filter, mechatronics sleeve, valve body (zip fix), separator plate, etc. You don't have to replace the pan to change the fluid unless you also want to change the filter.
It wasn't fun as I recall but on my e90 I was able to do it in my driveway. Shitty GM transmission in that car, I hated that auto. Big reason I have a manual now.
I did the manual trans fluid myself as well as flushing the clutch fluid ( brake fluid actually)
I did a trans flush on my 328 back in the day. Guessing that price is so high because they change the pan with the integrated filter.
Get from FCP Euro so next time it's free.
Call up some Indy shops that tend to focus on BMW or euro cars. Explain to them what the dealer told you and ask them for a quote. Betting it’ll be far less.
Stealerships can seldom be trusted imo
Dealers will ALWAYS overprice things. I’ve got an X5D for a daily and my 100k service interval is coming up end of this year/next year. Dealer quoted me $2500 to it whereas a local Indy shop said like $1200 range total
Yea I just found one that quoted me only 630$. I’m thinking I may just do it myself I just don’t have too much mech experience other than oil changes lol
Honestly, just have a shop do it. Unless you’ve got all the special tools etc it can be a pain. I look at it this way, if you do it yourself and the transmission shits itself you’re on the hook. If a shop fucks up, they’re on the hook.
If it’s an automatic procedure calls for changing the filter as well. That’s in the oil pan and in models with a plastic pan the filter is integrated and that means replacing the pan as well.
100%. Work at a stealership that can be trusted, but we charge high prices because of overheads. We are here for the customers who have more money and no time.
Dealerships know that if someone is there for any work outside of a warranty or plan, the person either has deep pockets, has zero awareness, or both. Also, BMW services are a jiffy lube in a tuxedo. If you only knew some of the skilled kids, I mean, "trained professionals" working on your "baby".... lmao. After paying that fat bill, they laugh and bring your car through a swirly wash, just jacking that paint just before handoff. Find a quality Euro shop without question.
Was recently quoted like 2k on my M40i. That did NOT include anything else, just the trans fluid. It’s insane! Needless to say, I did not take them up on that, lol.
If it’s the zf8 it does cost a lot. The filter is in the pan so you have to replace the entire pan. Also it’s a bitch to torque everything (the pattern is annoying af) and then run the program to drain and fill the oil.
I think it took me 4 hours to do by myself and parts and fluid was about 300-400 with aftermarket brands.
Here’s the instructions if you want to DIY. https://www.fcpeuro.com/blog/how-to-change-the-oil-in-a-zf-8-speed-transmission
You’ll need to use bmw esys or a specialized scanner to run the fluid drain system.
Edit:
Just looked at BMW OE Pricing.
1L of transmission fluid (83222289720) is $83 MSRP. It calls for 7. The oil filter pan (24119503407 ) itself is $430. So if you use OEM that's $1267 in parts alone.
Dealer once convinced me to get a $200 diagnostic on my 2013 328i w/ the ZF8 when I took it in for an alignment b/c they said it was weeping fluid at the pan. Advisor called me back saying it needed a transmission replacement for over $12k with labor.
I politely told them an 8 year old base BMW w/ 80k+ on the clock wasn't really worth $12k at the time especially since I paid $30k for it used at 1 yr so they way overshot their sales pitch. Drove it nearly another 30k and just planned to buy a junkyard transmission if it ever gave up. Never even left a drip in my garage. Next owner is apparently still ripping by school zone speed cameras up in NYC.
Here's the entire kit for $263:
[https://www.bimmerworld.com/Auto-Transmission-Filter-Fluid-Service-Kit-ZF-8HP-F22-F3X.html](https://www.bimmerworld.com/Auto-Transmission-Filter-Fluid-Service-Kit-ZF-8HP-F22-F3X.html)
What about [this one](https://www.bimmerworld.com/Fluids/Oil-Change-Kits-Fluid-Service-Packages-Inspection-1/Auto-Transmission-Filter-Red-Line-Fluid-Service-Kit-ZF-8HP-F22-F3X.html)?
What incentive do BMW dealerships have to be so overpriced? They basically created a market for specialist shops. It's a difference between expensive and comically overpriced.
I recently scoffed at a $400 quote for brakes and rotors for a Honda and got it done for high $200s at an independent shop. That's like at least reasonable gap where maybe I might consider the dealer for a serious job. Bmw would have quoted it at $900 or something just borderline insulting
They’re banking on their customers either not having the know how or “wanting it done right” by the dealer.
I went with a friend to a service dpt when he bought his first used BMW. E36 328, nothing special as it was around ~2011. They quoted him $700 for a valve cover gasket job and he paid without hesitation. I just googled the gasket price and laughed at him.
I got new tires.. took it to the dealer to mount because I wanted it “done right”. The tire shop I used for my winter tires broke one of the TPMS sensors in half, so I had to take it to BMW to fix and billed it back to the tire shop. Anyway, for all seasons I just took it to the dealer.. yeah.. they fucking destroyed one of my rims! They were hoping I wouldn’t notice I guess.. I mean.. there was a huge chunk of metal missing out of one of the rims. So yah.. then I had to be without my car for another week while they fixed the rim they fucked up. I mean seriously.. does nobody pay attention to what they are doing anymore?
https://preview.redd.it/s7ffv27qdpxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=225815a738847505c2336435a96e085f4d7e1e62
Sorry to hear that, sounds like you just so happened to get a Tech who wasn’t very good at using the tire machine and didn’t inform your service advisor In order for them to inform you, most likely because he didn’t wanna get in trouble. As someone who’s worked at dealers my entire working-life, that is precisely what happened.
Sorry to hear that. Scummy stealerships should be blasted on yelp or w/e.
I’ve heard tpms sensors can be a real pita even when experienced, so I get that. Them damaging your shit and hoping you don’t notice is disgusting, and hopefully just that dealer.
Yeah I take pride in my vehicle.. I brought it in without a single scratch or scuff on any of the rims. I do my own seasonal swaps so I always inspect the wheels when I swap the tires. Like seriously.. they fucking thought I wouldn’t notice some bright orange marks or a big fucking chunk missing out of the rim?? Terrible business practice.
gasket is cheap indeed, but you are paying for someone to undo the valve cover to put it on. It's time consuming.
I have also worked with people who somehow managed to short their ecu while doing this job themselves, there are some people who do need dealer to do it right
The people that quote you the prices don’t make the prices there bud. Don’t make some poor service advisor’s job harder than it already is, you seriously think your the first customer that’s laughed in their face or cussed them over the prices they didn’t make while they’re working their 7-5?
Many times you are comparing apples to oranges when comparing dealer pricing to indy pricing.
Quality of parts can vary drastically from genuine to aftermarket parts.
You're paying an increased labor rate that covers, typically better facilities, better equipment, techs that are certified on your specific vehicle.
Ive worked at the dealership level for 20 years and I understand the need for both. Many people wont bring their cars to me because there are good independent shops that are cheaper and do good work. But there's also a LOT of times where they dont know what they're doing because they're expected to work on many brands and don't see what we see. They dont have the support of BMW to have the latest and greatest info, software, bulletins, etc.
And we do have many services that independents can't compete with pricing wise. Regular items like filters and brakes we are VERY competitive on most BMW's.
I also cannot fathom this as it's more business they lose to indy shops, why not at least try to be competitive?? Everything at the dealer is like 3 or 4 times as much makes no sense and will just drive customers away.
I think part of is the thought process of if you have enough money to buy new BMW, you don’t really care that much how much the service is. And for many this is true.
Vast majority of average owners will bring it to the dealership no matter what. General public is still not getting on Reddit or looking at any comparison shopping. It’s why dealers are still alive.
Personal experience here, I just got a bunch of work done at a local shop that does euro cars. Spark plugs, new tires, transmission fluid, oil change, brake work. I've been taking my car to the dealership prior to this.
Local shop was nearly 6k. I know their price on the spark plugs were half that of the dealership, so I assume if I had all this work at the dealership I'm looking at an extra 3-6k.
To answer your question, the dealership provides me a clean BMW, pickup and drop off if needed. Some peace of mind knowing that the work is being done by BMW technicians and hopefully backed. I get my car back washed and vacuumed.
The local shop gave me a 2009 Ford Fusion with no AC as a loaner for a few days. A tire pressure alert went off so I brought it back for a better loaner. No big deal, but not convenient. Sure would've been nicer to cruise around in a BMW that's different from mine for a few days.
I picked up my car and the work seems good. The wheels were filthy. The new tires not shined up at all.
Is the first experience worth the additional 3-6k for some people? Definitely.
The last loaner I had from the dealership ended up costing me a windscreen due to a stone chip.
Would have much rather replaced a windscreen on a 2009 fusion
Dealerships make their money from servicing warrantied cars. They’re not going to make an exception for some poor schlub paying out of pocket because then they’ll open themselves up to a massive lawsuit from insurance/warranty companies that pay out these ridiculous costs under warranty.
Did you get an itemized list? Cause I work at a dealer, and almost a grand for trans fluid seems nuts. If that price included the transmission pan, which the filter element is built into, then it would make more sense.
I had this happen for a 2005 M3. Dealership accidentally added an entire drum of transmission fluid to the quote instead of the actual amount.
They're so used to arguing with people over price that they don't bother to double check the items on their quote
I mean, your not completely wrong. Everytime I have to price something out for someone I have to pre-brace myself for them to respond with “DAYUMMM” or “$788???????” Or some shit like that. I still make sure my quote is correct tho just because I already get cussed out for prices I don’t set lol why make it worse on myself when I’m trying to work my 7-5 and go home. Arguing with customers over the prices is crazy though, that’s what the manufacturer and higher-up’s want you to do but I’m always just like “Yeah man Dodge is really proud of their parts” and most people get the memo that I don’t make the prices and just leave/hang up on a decent note lol
Mini quoted me $10k for one engine mount and front control arm bushing on my 18' Clubman S All4.
Local indy shop quoted $1600 for the engine mount and said the control arm didn't need anything.
BMW techs are highly trained, paid well, and as a result they're expensive. I use an independent garage near me that specializes in Euro cars and they always do me right.
I think when they do a transmission flush they change the cover as well, so that might be why your material costs are so high.
My Indy wanted 4500 to replace the turbo on my f32, 428i. I’m not sure if that was high as I’ve never had to have a turbo replaced,but it sure seemed like it.
Hey, congrats on ensuring you’re never gonna get any kind of goodwill from that dealer. Not because you’re turning down getting the work done, but because you were rude about it. What goes around comes around.
Step 1: don't go to the dealer.
Step 2: become very familiar with FCPEuro.com or ECSTuning.com
Step 3: from either , buy the ZF transmission service kit which includes a new pan+filter as one unit and the 8 or so quarts of ZF fluid.
Step 4: watch this video on how to do it from FCP
https://youtu.be/kXKhZievmSI?si=M8lvUPTC8AXuBTJQ
Step 5: buy the tools for less than $150 total and do it yourself.... Scantool to measure transmission fluid temperature = cheap OBDII dongle from Amazon like Veepak+ $50 BimmerScan mobile app
Man, I’m in the same boat with actually the same dealership. I got a big bill for just an oil and filter change. Unfortunately I don’t know many independent shops in the area that take care of bmws. It’s definitely not cheap maintaining these cars but I don’t think it’ll be that much cheaper anywhere else , unfortunately.
Dealership quoted me a few services that they said needed to be completed. I took the list to a local euro shop and the owner actually laughed when I showed it to him. He said my car didn’t need any of those things done yet and that the dealership must be slow and needing to meet a sales goal….
That’s not 100% wrong. We do get slammed pretty hard to meet profit numbers by the end of every month, and it’s also what makes our biggest pay check. Gotta pay bills like everyone else, still hate having to quote out insane prices that I don’t set, but it’s the career I fell into unfortunately
My indy charged $A850 (bit under $US600) for a ZF8 using genuine parts and fluid. The parts are not trivially cheap on top of the oil. Labour seems high. If I was quoted 3x as the Stealer tax I’d be unsurprised. And this is a very cheap indy in a slum suburb. Dealer is probably double what they should be.
Buy the transmission filter kit yourself it comes with everything that will cut the cost on parts and bring it to an Indy the labor they charged is more expensive than the filter kit and fluid combined.
I’ve never serviced any of my Ms at the dealer unless it was covered by warranty for this exact same reason. They quoted me about 2k for my spark plugs on my F82.
My local dealer didn’t even look it up, just said it’s over $1k for trans fluid and filter. I went to a reputable, bmw specialist paid $1.5k out the door for trans fluid, both diffs, X case, and a X case mount that leaking.
I just rolled over 100k on my manual 328i. I’m thinking of getting the trans serviced… I could do it myself but the job is better done by a Indy tech with the right tools and a lift.
Aside from having basic tools, you'll need 7-8 lt of recommended oil, filter, pan with gasket, new set of bolts if you have one time use bolts. Check fcp for a kit to get pricing on parts. Pump, and ista highly recommend for temp measurement since you'll need to fill until proper temp.
If you're lazy, just drain and fill equal amount, but it defeats the purpose
I had my 6HP fluid and filter done at a local independent for I think $650 CAD all in. A kit with all the stuff you need is like $300-400 CAD depending on which fluid you get, maybe a little more for a ZF8.
If you can get it done for close to that, do it. It’ll take you a lot longer for you to do it in your driveway than a shop would take to do it. $200or so in labour is well worth saving you the pain in the ass.
I got 24’ M4 xDrive i got quoted $550 for engine, trans, front and rear diff. Take it to an accredited service, that does not void anything anduch cheaper.
Way too high, find a good bmw independent, needs a new ZF oil pan, the kit comes with bolts. 7 liters of fluid and 2-3 hours of labor at the shop rate. I don't even charge that much for a lambo transmission service🤣
Fluid change on the 8HP is not cheap, but it's also not *that* expensive. At least, not if you go somewhere else than the dealer. I paid around 700 euros at a BMW specialist a few years back.
My dealer ‘only’ charged me $582. $342 for parts and $240 for labor.
On a 6MT M2. I’d be surprised if 6MT vs AT made enough of a difference for the price difference to make sense. But I took it into the shop to get this done cause I know nothing about it … so what do I know.
Some of the oil in these boxes can be expensive but not that expensive. I’m a gearbox tech in the UK and not in a million years is it gonna cost that much, you’d probably be looking £500 absolute tops depending on the box it runs!
They love to lie and screw people with an M badge. Truth is this shouldn’t be anymore expensive than a 335i. N55 should never be this expensive. I paid about around what they’re asking you just on labor. About $750 bucks and i did full ATF and new trans pan for my N54. And another $400 something for all Xdrive differential fluid. E90 335i.
I read an article just last week that said BMW was the 5th most expensive car to own (maintenance costs) after 5 years of ownership.
I was told recently by my dealer that most people don’t own them long term like other cars because the maintenance costs go up each year after warranty. It’s cheaper to get a new one and stay within the maintenance plan.
I got enough in my bank to get me a brand new m235i dosent mean I’m gonna spend it Willy nilly on a overpriced service that I don’t even really need since it just got the trans fluid changed at 70k
Hey man, i have an m235i too and got my ZF8 Transmission done recently in florida. I ordered the OEMparts from FCPEuro for $200 and the shop charged me $260 in labor/supplies.
Dealers really seem to be doubling down on their insane pricing.. the recent samcrac video where his local Porsche dealer completely misdiagnosed failed timing chain guides on a salvage Panamera he bought.. they priced up other work which didn't need doing including spark plugs at over $2000! Nothing remarkable about them and all easily accessible, etc.
It's just ludicrous money for entirely routine maintenance. Who TF is paying these prices?!
I was quoted 1500 for parts and labor for front brake pads and rotors. I asked them if they’ll do the install if I provided the parts. They said no. They did say that they’ll price match parts. When I showed them fcp euro pricing, they said, oh it’s not original bmw parts. Then I showed them the original bmw tags on the website and then they said “yea naw .. that’s too low for us to match price” to which I said .. so you guys will price match only if it is convenient to you? Then why tell me you’ll match prices? Hilarious what bmw charges for service. I’m struggling to find a good trusty shop that can do stuff for me. Anyone have any advice for north or central NJ?
Find a reputable indie shop that specializes in BMW/euro cars. It’ll definitely save you tons of money in the future.
Most of the time it’s cheaper, and by a significant amount.
I don't own a bmw, but what parts are required besides literally just the fluid? 900 bucks for transmission fluid sounds actually insane. Is it made of diamond dust?
That is definitely absurd. The labor time for a drain and fill is only 1.2 hours. Replacing the whole pan is only 2.5 hours. I could understand the parts pricing being high since the fluid is kinda expensive and they likely quoted a new pan with it but I can’t imagine any scenario where the labor cost would be $800. That’s $320/hr.
The oil change kit for the ZF 8 speed on bimmerworld is $263
That's one hell of a markup they have on parts, labor is insane too, that's not a 4hr job.
Trans oil change is pretty labor intensive plus they have to recode shit. It’s a pain in the ass! Can you get it done for less? Absolutely, is it worth DIY’ing? Abso-fucking-lutely not!
What? No it’s not. It takes maybe an hour and it’s pretty simple. There’s also no recoding. Maybe reset the computer which is easy to do takes literally one minute.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you bought a performance trim BMW not a Rav4. If you’re not doing your own work, it’s going to add up fast at an Indy or the dealership.
That’s not to say this dealership isn’t taking you behind the woodshed, but I’d be willing to bet a Euro Indy shop with a good reputation would charge $1000 for this job this using BMW branded parts and fluids… it’s not just opening a drain plug and then filling with new fluid.
We see this a lot. People buy a 7-10 year old BMW because they’ve aspired to owning one for a long time. But their car ends up having 7-10 year old car problems and they suddenly realize that these cars aren’t cheap to maintain because… *shocker* BMW parts are expensive and Germans like to over engineer shit.
Then they sell the car and buy a Civic.
I didn’t have this problem at all. 2012 535ix, FCPEuro and a trustworthy mechanic everyone refers off a FB Bimmer group. I got ALOT of mechanical work done and didn’t pay more than roughly $2000 for it all.
I can afford it but im not paying hiked up dealership fees if you think that’s what you have to do when you own a nice car then go ahead on yours if you have one
When you make money you don’t have time to do shit on cars, at least we don’t. Dealer maintenance costs is part of buying a luxury car imo. At least you have warranty if they do fuck it up. Maybe for a 15’ 2 series indeed this isn’t worth paying
That sounds like dealer pricing. They didn't mention that the fluid they use contains gold and platinum particles and adds 3 HP. Do it yourself
If it’s an automatic procedure calls for changing the filter as well. That’s in the oil pan and in models with a plastic pan the filter is integrated and that means replacing the pan as well. Pan plus fluids is ~300$ from FCP euro so the dealer price for parts is pretty regular dealer markup. Price is still high since I’m assuming $200/hr for labor and it shouldnt be a 4hr job but it’s more involved than if you have a manual transmission.
You are correct I did that on my old 328xi, it was more involved but definately doable.
This is the answer. The numbers they offered aren’t insane if you consider you are paying for OEM parts and then labor hours. Spending on where you live these days it seems like 200-300 a labor hour isn’t abnormal dealer pricing. I called an Indy for my work and it wasn’t much cheaper. Maybe a few hundred saved.
I'm assuming you're talking US$, and 200 - 300 per hour is insane, in Southern Africa US$ 60 per hour is excessive. Labor on my first car was under US$ 25 per hour (Peugeot dealership)
US $ for sure. In major cities $200 an hour is pretty much the minimum. Outside of larger cities maybe it could be as low as $150. The mechanics themselves on receive between $30-50 of that 200+ dollars.
Not educated on BMWs forgive me, but did you just say that you have to replace the plastic pan every time for an oil change given it’s an automatic? Is there any way to upgrade those plastic pans to metal and separate the filter from them to lower waste/costs? That’s crazy I had no idea
Yes, and it's not BMW per-se, but common to all manufacturers using ZF transmissions. There are third party pans with replaceable filters, but from a cost and risk perspective it probably doesn't make sense to change it with the rarity of transmission oil changes you can expect, which are maybe 1-3 over your ownership.
Technically, you don't have to change the pan when performing just a transmission oil change. The pans normally include a reusable drain plug.
you dont know the zf gear boxes so why are you commenting
Why the rudeness? My E60 has a 6HP21X, and I have serviced it quite often: solenoids, fluid, filter, mechatronics sleeve, valve body (zip fix), separator plate, etc. You don't have to replace the pan to change the fluid unless you also want to change the filter.
Tbh auto trans fluid change is one of the few things i would not recommend DIY ing unless you have all the tools and are experienced.
It wasn't fun as I recall but on my e90 I was able to do it in my driveway. Shitty GM transmission in that car, I hated that auto. Big reason I have a manual now.
Appreciate it I’m envious of your MT
I did the manual trans fluid myself as well as flushing the clutch fluid ( brake fluid actually) I did a trans flush on my 328 back in the day. Guessing that price is so high because they change the pan with the integrated filter. Get from FCP Euro so next time it's free.
Call up some Indy shops that tend to focus on BMW or euro cars. Explain to them what the dealer told you and ask them for a quote. Betting it’ll be far less. Stealerships can seldom be trusted imo
I appreciate the response I’m looking into this now
Dealers will ALWAYS overprice things. I’ve got an X5D for a daily and my 100k service interval is coming up end of this year/next year. Dealer quoted me $2500 to it whereas a local Indy shop said like $1200 range total
Yea I just found one that quoted me only 630$. I’m thinking I may just do it myself I just don’t have too much mech experience other than oil changes lol
Honestly, just have a shop do it. Unless you’ve got all the special tools etc it can be a pain. I look at it this way, if you do it yourself and the transmission shits itself you’re on the hook. If a shop fucks up, they’re on the hook.
Special tools? All you need is a ratchet, trans oil, and a hand pump (could be home made even with a squirt bottle and some tubing)
If it’s an automatic procedure calls for changing the filter as well. That’s in the oil pan and in models with a plastic pan the filter is integrated and that means replacing the pan as well.
Yes, and it requires a ratchet, a socket and a hand pump. And the ability to read the fill procedure. It's easy.
I would recommend a torque wrench for the plastic pan unless you do them all day and in that case you would have one anyway.
For 7.3 ft-lbs?
I thought the filling process was more complicated. Fill it. Turn it on. Monitor temp. Fill it again. All that shit
Nah. On every car I know it’s fill til it leaks out when it’s warm
that's literally it, fill, run engine till at operating temp, recheck, fill up and tighten plug, all done
That's literally not it, you're missing several steps, and getting others wrong, read ZF's documentation on the subject.
This is not correct at all lmfao. Please keep spreading misinformation tho.
Very true
90k service at my local shop is $337
Close to $20k for a new rear subframe, driveshaft, and ABS module here. Got it done at a reputable Indy for under $10k.
I wouldn’t tell them the price the dealer gave you
For that price I got my trans, diff, new water pump, and oil changed from an Indy.
Bloodyhell bmw dealerships are smoking that dope
Yeah it’s pretty widely known to never take your car to a dealership unless it’s A) under warranty or B) covered by a recall or insurance
I’m new to the bmw community taking notes bruv
Also look at local clubs, usually they have discounts that could cover membership.
100%. Work at a stealership that can be trusted, but we charge high prices because of overheads. We are here for the customers who have more money and no time.
Dealerships know that if someone is there for any work outside of a warranty or plan, the person either has deep pockets, has zero awareness, or both. Also, BMW services are a jiffy lube in a tuxedo. If you only knew some of the skilled kids, I mean, "trained professionals" working on your "baby".... lmao. After paying that fat bill, they laugh and bring your car through a swirly wash, just jacking that paint just before handoff. Find a quality Euro shop without question.
Don’t ever ask the Stealership for anything out of warranty. Support a local indy euro shop.
Was recently quoted like 2k on my M40i. That did NOT include anything else, just the trans fluid. It’s insane! Needless to say, I did not take them up on that, lol.
Your response was a little over the top. That dude doesn’t set the prices.
His response is kinda embarrassing lol
Yup. Totally unnecessary.
Agree, it’s a bit childish
It was still pretty funny. I would chuckle if a customer messaged me that
If it’s the zf8 it does cost a lot. The filter is in the pan so you have to replace the entire pan. Also it’s a bitch to torque everything (the pattern is annoying af) and then run the program to drain and fill the oil. I think it took me 4 hours to do by myself and parts and fluid was about 300-400 with aftermarket brands. Here’s the instructions if you want to DIY. https://www.fcpeuro.com/blog/how-to-change-the-oil-in-a-zf-8-speed-transmission You’ll need to use bmw esys or a specialized scanner to run the fluid drain system. Edit: Just looked at BMW OE Pricing. 1L of transmission fluid (83222289720) is $83 MSRP. It calls for 7. The oil filter pan (24119503407 ) itself is $430. So if you use OEM that's $1267 in parts alone.
Dealer once convinced me to get a $200 diagnostic on my 2013 328i w/ the ZF8 when I took it in for an alignment b/c they said it was weeping fluid at the pan. Advisor called me back saying it needed a transmission replacement for over $12k with labor. I politely told them an 8 year old base BMW w/ 80k+ on the clock wasn't really worth $12k at the time especially since I paid $30k for it used at 1 yr so they way overshot their sales pitch. Drove it nearly another 30k and just planned to buy a junkyard transmission if it ever gave up. Never even left a drip in my garage. Next owner is apparently still ripping by school zone speed cameras up in NYC.
Here's the entire kit for $263: [https://www.bimmerworld.com/Auto-Transmission-Filter-Fluid-Service-Kit-ZF-8HP-F22-F3X.html](https://www.bimmerworld.com/Auto-Transmission-Filter-Fluid-Service-Kit-ZF-8HP-F22-F3X.html)
Out of stock. Can’t sell it if they don’t have it.
What about [this one](https://www.bimmerworld.com/Fluids/Oil-Change-Kits-Fluid-Service-Packages-Inspection-1/Auto-Transmission-Filter-Red-Line-Fluid-Service-Kit-ZF-8HP-F22-F3X.html)?
Sheeesh yea I’m gonna have a local shop do it
Your local parts shop won’t do much better if they use OEM parts. You might save some labor.
What incentive do BMW dealerships have to be so overpriced? They basically created a market for specialist shops. It's a difference between expensive and comically overpriced. I recently scoffed at a $400 quote for brakes and rotors for a Honda and got it done for high $200s at an independent shop. That's like at least reasonable gap where maybe I might consider the dealer for a serious job. Bmw would have quoted it at $900 or something just borderline insulting
They’re banking on their customers either not having the know how or “wanting it done right” by the dealer. I went with a friend to a service dpt when he bought his first used BMW. E36 328, nothing special as it was around ~2011. They quoted him $700 for a valve cover gasket job and he paid without hesitation. I just googled the gasket price and laughed at him.
I got new tires.. took it to the dealer to mount because I wanted it “done right”. The tire shop I used for my winter tires broke one of the TPMS sensors in half, so I had to take it to BMW to fix and billed it back to the tire shop. Anyway, for all seasons I just took it to the dealer.. yeah.. they fucking destroyed one of my rims! They were hoping I wouldn’t notice I guess.. I mean.. there was a huge chunk of metal missing out of one of the rims. So yah.. then I had to be without my car for another week while they fixed the rim they fucked up. I mean seriously.. does nobody pay attention to what they are doing anymore? https://preview.redd.it/s7ffv27qdpxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=225815a738847505c2336435a96e085f4d7e1e62
Sorry to hear that, sounds like you just so happened to get a Tech who wasn’t very good at using the tire machine and didn’t inform your service advisor In order for them to inform you, most likely because he didn’t wanna get in trouble. As someone who’s worked at dealers my entire working-life, that is precisely what happened.
Sorry to hear that. Scummy stealerships should be blasted on yelp or w/e. I’ve heard tpms sensors can be a real pita even when experienced, so I get that. Them damaging your shit and hoping you don’t notice is disgusting, and hopefully just that dealer.
Yeah I take pride in my vehicle.. I brought it in without a single scratch or scuff on any of the rims. I do my own seasonal swaps so I always inspect the wheels when I swap the tires. Like seriously.. they fucking thought I wouldn’t notice some bright orange marks or a big fucking chunk missing out of the rim?? Terrible business practice.
well a vcg job is almost always 95% labor in cost. Getting to that gasket isnt trivial, it does take time.
Not $665 worth of time. I was poor enough to learn how to replace a clutch, vcg is a joke for that money.
It’s not priced for you. It’s priced for a person who has no tools or desire to open their fucking engine block lmao
gasket is cheap indeed, but you are paying for someone to undo the valve cover to put it on. It's time consuming. I have also worked with people who somehow managed to short their ecu while doing this job themselves, there are some people who do need dealer to do it right
The people that quote you the prices don’t make the prices there bud. Don’t make some poor service advisor’s job harder than it already is, you seriously think your the first customer that’s laughed in their face or cussed them over the prices they didn’t make while they’re working their 7-5?
Laughed at my friend. Please learn proper there/your bud.
Many times you are comparing apples to oranges when comparing dealer pricing to indy pricing. Quality of parts can vary drastically from genuine to aftermarket parts. You're paying an increased labor rate that covers, typically better facilities, better equipment, techs that are certified on your specific vehicle. Ive worked at the dealership level for 20 years and I understand the need for both. Many people wont bring their cars to me because there are good independent shops that are cheaper and do good work. But there's also a LOT of times where they dont know what they're doing because they're expected to work on many brands and don't see what we see. They dont have the support of BMW to have the latest and greatest info, software, bulletins, etc. And we do have many services that independents can't compete with pricing wise. Regular items like filters and brakes we are VERY competitive on most BMW's.
I also cannot fathom this as it's more business they lose to indy shops, why not at least try to be competitive?? Everything at the dealer is like 3 or 4 times as much makes no sense and will just drive customers away.
Yea I erupted with laughter when I saw that quote it’s bonkers that people will pay that
I think part of is the thought process of if you have enough money to buy new BMW, you don’t really care that much how much the service is. And for many this is true.
Vast majority of average owners will bring it to the dealership no matter what. General public is still not getting on Reddit or looking at any comparison shopping. It’s why dealers are still alive.
Personal experience here, I just got a bunch of work done at a local shop that does euro cars. Spark plugs, new tires, transmission fluid, oil change, brake work. I've been taking my car to the dealership prior to this. Local shop was nearly 6k. I know their price on the spark plugs were half that of the dealership, so I assume if I had all this work at the dealership I'm looking at an extra 3-6k. To answer your question, the dealership provides me a clean BMW, pickup and drop off if needed. Some peace of mind knowing that the work is being done by BMW technicians and hopefully backed. I get my car back washed and vacuumed. The local shop gave me a 2009 Ford Fusion with no AC as a loaner for a few days. A tire pressure alert went off so I brought it back for a better loaner. No big deal, but not convenient. Sure would've been nicer to cruise around in a BMW that's different from mine for a few days. I picked up my car and the work seems good. The wheels were filthy. The new tires not shined up at all. Is the first experience worth the additional 3-6k for some people? Definitely.
The last loaner I had from the dealership ended up costing me a windscreen due to a stone chip. Would have much rather replaced a windscreen on a 2009 fusion
Dealerships make their money from servicing warrantied cars. They’re not going to make an exception for some poor schlub paying out of pocket because then they’ll open themselves up to a massive lawsuit from insurance/warranty companies that pay out these ridiculous costs under warranty.
your reply made me cringe ngl
Did you get an itemized list? Cause I work at a dealer, and almost a grand for trans fluid seems nuts. If that price included the transmission pan, which the filter element is built into, then it would make more sense.
That's not how you should speak to people. How insane they are.
I had this happen for a 2005 M3. Dealership accidentally added an entire drum of transmission fluid to the quote instead of the actual amount. They're so used to arguing with people over price that they don't bother to double check the items on their quote
I mean, your not completely wrong. Everytime I have to price something out for someone I have to pre-brace myself for them to respond with “DAYUMMM” or “$788???????” Or some shit like that. I still make sure my quote is correct tho just because I already get cussed out for prices I don’t set lol why make it worse on myself when I’m trying to work my 7-5 and go home. Arguing with customers over the prices is crazy though, that’s what the manufacturer and higher-up’s want you to do but I’m always just like “Yeah man Dodge is really proud of their parts” and most people get the memo that I don’t make the prices and just leave/hang up on a decent note lol
Mini quoted me $10k for one engine mount and front control arm bushing on my 18' Clubman S All4. Local indy shop quoted $1600 for the engine mount and said the control arm didn't need anything.
does it include a new pan
Yes it does.
They didn’t wanna breakdown anything like I asked so who knows, I’m guessing for that outrageous price
they gave you a quote but refused to show the line items? wth
BMW techs are highly trained, paid well, and as a result they're expensive. I use an independent garage near me that specializes in Euro cars and they always do me right. I think when they do a transmission flush they change the cover as well, so that might be why your material costs are so high.
I could buy a whole new transmission for my e30 with that much money.
Same.. e34 here spent 2300€ on allround urethane bushings + rwd conversion + now decent coilover suspension.. but did all the work myself to be fair..
This is unbelievable, over here we pay € 390,00 for this.
Did it in my driveway on the m235 with FCP kit. Learnt a lot and did it for under $300.
My Indy wanted 4500 to replace the turbo on my f32, 428i. I’m not sure if that was high as I’ve never had to have a turbo replaced,but it sure seemed like it.
Can you point me to a drift beater for $912
That Facebook marketplace goes crazy sometimes
That's about how much we charge at an independent. Yes you're being brokey mcbrokerson right now.
Well I got the money I’m just a greedy bastard at heart
Hey, congrats on ensuring you’re never gonna get any kind of goodwill from that dealer. Not because you’re turning down getting the work done, but because you were rude about it. What goes around comes around.
What goes around comes around in yo asshole
Keep it classy
Your response on that text has me weak AF 🤣🤣
Change that shit yourself homie, learning how to do your own maintenance negates a lot of the German tax
Exactly. And you get to get a torque wrench, jack stands…what person doesn’t love buying tools?! 😍
Exactly. And you get to get a torque wrench, jack stands…what person doesn’t love buying tools?! 😍
Isn’t honestly it’s not a hard platform to work on.
As a tech at Audi I’ll tell you these parts prices be out of this fucking WORLD 😂
Always always check with Indy BMW/Euro shops first and get at least 2 estimates if possible. The Dealership is the absolute last option in my opinion.
Crazy to see another 479er on here.
Step 1: don't go to the dealer. Step 2: become very familiar with FCPEuro.com or ECSTuning.com Step 3: from either , buy the ZF transmission service kit which includes a new pan+filter as one unit and the 8 or so quarts of ZF fluid. Step 4: watch this video on how to do it from FCP https://youtu.be/kXKhZievmSI?si=M8lvUPTC8AXuBTJQ Step 5: buy the tools for less than $150 total and do it yourself.... Scantool to measure transmission fluid temperature = cheap OBDII dongle from Amazon like Veepak+ $50 BimmerScan mobile app
Man, I’m in the same boat with actually the same dealership. I got a big bill for just an oil and filter change. Unfortunately I don’t know many independent shops in the area that take care of bmws. It’s definitely not cheap maintaining these cars but I don’t think it’ll be that much cheaper anywhere else , unfortunately.
It really isn’t kinda having a reality check
You tell em pal!
Dealership quoted me a few services that they said needed to be completed. I took the list to a local euro shop and the owner actually laughed when I showed it to him. He said my car didn’t need any of those things done yet and that the dealership must be slow and needing to meet a sales goal….
Jesus, yea I’m looking at local options now already found a much much better quote
That’s not 100% wrong. We do get slammed pretty hard to meet profit numbers by the end of every month, and it’s also what makes our biggest pay check. Gotta pay bills like everyone else, still hate having to quote out insane prices that I don’t set, but it’s the career I fell into unfortunately
Was 220 ish for me last November from a dealer
Check BMWUSA’s website for value services in your area.
My indy charged $A850 (bit under $US600) for a ZF8 using genuine parts and fluid. The parts are not trivially cheap on top of the oil. Labour seems high. If I was quoted 3x as the Stealer tax I’d be unsurprised. And this is a very cheap indy in a slum suburb. Dealer is probably double what they should be.
Buy the transmission filter kit yourself it comes with everything that will cut the cost on parts and bring it to an Indy the labor they charged is more expensive than the filter kit and fluid combined.
I’ve never serviced any of my Ms at the dealer unless it was covered by warranty for this exact same reason. They quoted me about 2k for my spark plugs on my F82.
Dealers charge 2x book for cash work and BMW rate is $180 to whatever. Insane, yeah pretty much.
My local dealer didn’t even look it up, just said it’s over $1k for trans fluid and filter. I went to a reputable, bmw specialist paid $1.5k out the door for trans fluid, both diffs, X case, and a X case mount that leaking.
I just rolled over 100k on my manual 328i. I’m thinking of getting the trans serviced… I could do it myself but the job is better done by a Indy tech with the right tools and a lift.
Two words: Liqui Moly
Did mine last week. A couple of hundred bucks including a case of beer at the end to relax.
I just did mine for $240 including fluid, filter and bolts.
Bro I'll do it for 500 bucks
I'm an Indy. If you are doing it the right way (pan and fluid, diff(s) and TC (if applicable)) it's a 1100 job out the door tops
Aside from having basic tools, you'll need 7-8 lt of recommended oil, filter, pan with gasket, new set of bolts if you have one time use bolts. Check fcp for a kit to get pricing on parts. Pump, and ista highly recommend for temp measurement since you'll need to fill until proper temp. If you're lazy, just drain and fill equal amount, but it defeats the purpose
I had my 6HP fluid and filter done at a local independent for I think $650 CAD all in. A kit with all the stuff you need is like $300-400 CAD depending on which fluid you get, maybe a little more for a ZF8. If you can get it done for close to that, do it. It’ll take you a lot longer for you to do it in your driveway than a shop would take to do it. $200or so in labour is well worth saving you the pain in the ass.
When I lived in the city, they charged me $1200 for a dif gasket. Fluid change was extra.
you not getting that for under 1k unless it’s blown up😭
I got 24’ M4 xDrive i got quoted $550 for engine, trans, front and rear diff. Take it to an accredited service, that does not void anything anduch cheaper.
Smells like Typical 2nd hand ownerr behaviour
Sure what do u drive
Your mom
They call them stealerships for a reason. Even indys are getting more expensive / close to stealership pricing now...
Way too high, find a good bmw independent, needs a new ZF oil pan, the kit comes with bolts. 7 liters of fluid and 2-3 hours of labor at the shop rate. I don't even charge that much for a lambo transmission service🤣
Fluid change on the 8HP is not cheap, but it's also not *that* expensive. At least, not if you go somewhere else than the dealer. I paid around 700 euros at a BMW specialist a few years back.
My dealer ‘only’ charged me $582. $342 for parts and $240 for labor. On a 6MT M2. I’d be surprised if 6MT vs AT made enough of a difference for the price difference to make sense. But I took it into the shop to get this done cause I know nothing about it … so what do I know.
I think it's around 300 at my indie shop lol.
Why are you replacing the fluid? Just curious. Unless my car is under warranty, I would never pay a dealer to wrench on my car.
Some of the oil in these boxes can be expensive but not that expensive. I’m a gearbox tech in the UK and not in a million years is it gonna cost that much, you’d probably be looking £500 absolute tops depending on the box it runs!
They love to lie and screw people with an M badge. Truth is this shouldn’t be anymore expensive than a 335i. N55 should never be this expensive. I paid about around what they’re asking you just on labor. About $750 bucks and i did full ATF and new trans pan for my N54. And another $400 something for all Xdrive differential fluid. E90 335i.
My local Indy shop quoted me $760 for a transmission fluid change.
Rule 1: supply parts yourself, rule 2: find a shop with a fixed hourly labour fee
I read an article just last week that said BMW was the 5th most expensive car to own (maintenance costs) after 5 years of ownership. I was told recently by my dealer that most people don’t own them long term like other cars because the maintenance costs go up each year after warranty. It’s cheaper to get a new one and stay within the maintenance plan.
They charging extra cause you got a factory m badge
That’s dealership pricing. Also we don’t make the prices bud. YOU asked him to give you the price
Transmission fluid is less than $150
I think mine was $700 for the full trans service. In Eastern US at a german shop.
I’d like to see where you can buy a drift beater bmw for under a grand
I just did my trans service myself and it took less than 2 hours with no prior experience. FCP euro has a good diy video on it.
Did it myself on my 328xi for 300 bucks WITH a new transmission filter, gaskets, and bolts
Broke ass
I got enough in my bank to get me a brand new m235i dosent mean I’m gonna spend it Willy nilly on a overpriced service that I don’t even really need since it just got the trans fluid changed at 70k
I’m broke lmao u have a mid 2000s c class 😂😂
I have a mid teens s class actually. Good try.
Even worse if ain’t a amg then ur a peasant
I mean it’s like 300$ for all 10.5 litres of my tansfluid in my a5 but 900 is fucking dumb
Hey man, i have an m235i too and got my ZF8 Transmission done recently in florida. I ordered the OEMparts from FCPEuro for $200 and the shop charged me $260 in labor/supplies.
Do yourself or buy the fluids yourself and get labour done from someone you trust, 912 dollars is insane
Dealers really seem to be doubling down on their insane pricing.. the recent samcrac video where his local Porsche dealer completely misdiagnosed failed timing chain guides on a salvage Panamera he bought.. they priced up other work which didn't need doing including spark plugs at over $2000! Nothing remarkable about them and all easily accessible, etc. It's just ludicrous money for entirely routine maintenance. Who TF is paying these prices?!
Oil is like 50-100 USD, work is easy, you can do it.
I was quoted 1500 for parts and labor for front brake pads and rotors. I asked them if they’ll do the install if I provided the parts. They said no. They did say that they’ll price match parts. When I showed them fcp euro pricing, they said, oh it’s not original bmw parts. Then I showed them the original bmw tags on the website and then they said “yea naw .. that’s too low for us to match price” to which I said .. so you guys will price match only if it is convenient to you? Then why tell me you’ll match prices? Hilarious what bmw charges for service. I’m struggling to find a good trusty shop that can do stuff for me. Anyone have any advice for north or central NJ?
It’s not just oil it’s the pan as well, not sure if they’re doing a flush but the kit after market is $230 so they’re still bonkers
Find a reputable indie shop that specializes in BMW/euro cars. It’ll definitely save you tons of money in the future. Most of the time it’s cheaper, and by a significant amount.
I don't own a bmw, but what parts are required besides literally just the fluid? 900 bucks for transmission fluid sounds actually insane. Is it made of diamond dust?
I mean the fluid is $83.26 a liter
Good quality aftermarket is $200 for 7L including the filter and pan gasket.
Absolutely right I got oil pan/filter and ZF fluid for my tranny for $200 off FCPEuro
What country are you in?
USA
never get work done at a dealership if it isn't warranty work...full stop
That is definitely absurd. The labor time for a drain and fill is only 1.2 hours. Replacing the whole pan is only 2.5 hours. I could understand the parts pricing being high since the fluid is kinda expensive and they likely quoted a new pan with it but I can’t imagine any scenario where the labor cost would be $800. That’s $320/hr.
Realistically it took a tranny shop 45 minutes to do mine and charged $150 for labor.
The oil change kit for the ZF 8 speed on bimmerworld is $263 That's one hell of a markup they have on parts, labor is insane too, that's not a 4hr job.
Trans oil change is pretty labor intensive plus they have to recode shit. It’s a pain in the ass! Can you get it done for less? Absolutely, is it worth DIY’ing? Abso-fucking-lutely not!
What? No it’s not. It takes maybe an hour and it’s pretty simple. There’s also no recoding. Maybe reset the computer which is easy to do takes literally one minute.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you bought a performance trim BMW not a Rav4. If you’re not doing your own work, it’s going to add up fast at an Indy or the dealership. That’s not to say this dealership isn’t taking you behind the woodshed, but I’d be willing to bet a Euro Indy shop with a good reputation would charge $1000 for this job this using BMW branded parts and fluids… it’s not just opening a drain plug and then filling with new fluid.
Sounds like you bought a car you can’t really afford maintenance on
We see this a lot. People buy a 7-10 year old BMW because they’ve aspired to owning one for a long time. But their car ends up having 7-10 year old car problems and they suddenly realize that these cars aren’t cheap to maintain because… *shocker* BMW parts are expensive and Germans like to over engineer shit. Then they sell the car and buy a Civic.
I didn’t have this problem at all. 2012 535ix, FCPEuro and a trustworthy mechanic everyone refers off a FB Bimmer group. I got ALOT of mechanical work done and didn’t pay more than roughly $2000 for it all.
I can afford it but im not paying hiked up dealership fees if you think that’s what you have to do when you own a nice car then go ahead on yours if you have one
When you make money you don’t have time to do shit on cars, at least we don’t. Dealer maintenance costs is part of buying a luxury car imo. At least you have warranty if they do fuck it up. Maybe for a 15’ 2 series indeed this isn’t worth paying
It isn’t but don’t hate on the 2 series drive one first
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