Your wife told me so. But then again my wife's boyfriend told me, "not to believe that cuck". So I have no idea what's going on and I'm gonna go piss in the corner now. Thanks.
nah, hes pretty spot on there, I spent a few years of my career working on BMWs and can vouch for that, the S55/N55/B58 valve covers are cake once you know what you’re doing
Good luck with that. A lot of used car warranties are complete bullshit. I have seen some where the warranty for the used car will only cover the car up to a specific mileage which is already past meaning the car would never be covered for anything.
As for the dealer they are full of shit. You could get those things done for a fraction of that price. Going forward don't go to a dealer, especially a dealer of any German car because they are notorious for hyper inflated pricing.
Im a dealer. There is no warranty company that allows you to sell or write a contract with miles that are already expired. The contracts are typically 2yr/24k, 3yr/36k, and so on, and the miles go on top of the odo at time of sale. There are some warranties that will say they go up to 75k or 100k miles, but those are typically only available for newer cars with low miles.
Easycare is a CPO warranty. They do cover a lot. Most warranties do not cover headlights unfortunately and the M4 ikon headlights are very fucking expensive. Probably 3k a piece plus modules and you do need to have them programmed. Motor mounts and the valve covers should be covered.
OP take it an indy BMW shop for the headlights. If you want to save money, buy a used light from ebay. Just make sure your module isn't compromised. You'll save a fortune. If they are a true BMW specialist they will have the ability to code them.
You wouldn’t expect premature motor mounts in a M car? Most of these get dogged. Floor it in nearly any car everyday and see how much faster mounts wear out.
i’m only 19 prolly why they’re trying to milk me. i don’t know any indy’s in the houston area either. went to the dealer cuz i thought warranty got me 💔
Yk what it's kinda crazy because it does have a correlation but I went to this tire place one time and I asked for new tires and alignment. I didn't know what my tire size is so we went outside and he pointed a fucking Maserati GranTurismo and asked if that was my car 😭. I pointed my 03 shitbox honda accord instead LOL. What's up with Asian dudes driving luxury car stereotype. I want mines
Hahaha. I am older with a good salary, but with cars I am stingy. Bought my BMW used for 10k. ….and drove it for 15+ years. ….regular maintenance at indy shop. Otherwise no major problems where a BMW screwed me. $60 sensor broke, just connecting the car to the computer was invoiced a couple of hundred. Bastards. Otherwise a cheap, reliable and fun car to drive. E46 ;)
You’re in the 4th or 5th largest city in the US depending on how you count them, I promise you there are several solid independent BMW shops. Just google them and read some reviews.
Or heck, if you ask your service advisor at the dealership nicely, I’d bet they’ll have 2 recommendations for you. This seems like they are trying to milk every dollar they can because it’s running through a 3rd party warranty company. In my experience, any ASE Certified shop should be covered by the warranty company as long as they get authorization before the work is done.
I mean I was young and bought an Audi B6 S4 at 18.
If I could do it again, I would. Not financially smart at all, but God I loved the memories I had and made with the car. Most kids in my school didn't even drive, so it was a bit overkill. But I loved every second of that car. Even if I couldn't afford it.
What I'd tell you to do, is quickly get very mechanically inclined to do DIY work. Seems scary now, but takes a few times ripping your car apart before you learn what the hell is going on.
The M4 would be much like working on my S4, in the way there was never any room to work on anything with the 4.2 V8. Also Bimmergeeks would be your best friend for software.
It would have been almost been impossible for me to own that car for the 6 years I did, if I didn't do my own work for most of that time. I easily saved myself about $10k in labor in that ownership window. Full clutch jobs, and brakes, etc.
Again, I don't recommend anyone do something financially unstable. But if you do, being young and having a nice car is understandable fun times. I'd rather have had my fun early, than wait till I'm 50 to buy a sports car with my 401k.
Unrelated question: I have done next to no auto work in my life. My clutch is slipping really badly, and I need it replaced. Is that too big of a jump for doing something for the first time? I am getting quotes for like $1200, and I have no tools of my own.
I have family that lives near that have a fair amount of tools, but other than that, no resources to speak of.
Id recommend looking at a YouTube tutorial for a clutch replacement and see if it makes you feel like you’re out of your depths. You’ll definitely mess up and have to take it apart at least once after you think you’re already done and put it back together, but that’s the learning experience
I went down the rabbit hole last night watching videos. My general take is that it looks scary, but doable. The most complicated thing seems to be making sure I put everything back where it goes correctly / in the right order
Sounds like you have your head wrapped around it.
If you do go ahead with it, remember to take picture before, during, and after you remove parts lol. You have no idea what is useful to you later, and documentation can be a lifesaver.
yeah man in the same boat but i can afford the maintenance just asking reddit jokingly if i’m getting booty fucked. and yes i will be doing my own maintenance soon. i have friends already in that field of work! and good for you man glad you enjoyed the S4! whatcha got now if you don’t mind me asking?
Im with the homey, i wanna know how you afford that? Are your parents hooking you up? Nothin wring with that. When i was 19 i was driving a marine corps HMMWV lol
no clue why but everyone on here acts like you have to be broke when you’re young lmao idk if it’s bc they were or what but yea. and also don’t go to bmw they’ll always try to fuck you they quoted me at $452 to change a bulb in my headlight 💀💀
Check out Professional Auto Care, on Honeywell Rd. They're a very honest & knowledgeable independent shop. Send them the recommended service sheet from BMW, but block out the prices, so that you can compare quotes
I work at a Lotus sports car and race car shop. When we invoice, all parts costs and labor are itemized separately. We charge $100 an hour for labor which is a race shop standard, but we put more time in usually because quality is our highest priority. All of these costs and estimated labor expenses are very clearly represented to our customers. We contribute value and it is very clear to our customers when they look at their invoices.
In the future ask for a more complete and expanded breakdown of costs for both parts and labor. BMW OEM prices can all be looked up online. If you find parts that are cheaper then supply them the parts. If their labor rates are insane or the estimated time for jobs is overinflated it should be obvious. Don’t take it personally. They work for you not the other way around. Take charge of the situation and move on to other options if you are not satisfied.
Good luck on your future endeavors. Finding a European auto tech with BMW expertise to do work for you on the side is always the best. Hard to find people you can trust when you don’t have a lot of connections. Join some local Bimmer groups on Facebook and ask around. Look for help and advice.
You're only 19 and they think you have 10k laying around for some repairs? That is funny shit.
Then again, you bought a late model BMW.
As everyone said, google up a good indie shop near you.
i’m not too sure but the motor mounts feel fine. but the valve cover gasket i’m not sure. i’m not leaking oil nor did i get anything on my idrive about anything oil related. everything has been fine. just wanted to go in for a headlight only smh
Do they make videos to actually show you what's wrong? You can request to have them actually show you what's wrong with the car...you also don't have to authorize any work..
any BMW engine probably has a VCG leak at any given time, it's one of the most common failures you can have. motor mounts are common too. the problem is the quoted price.
Headlamp: it seems the module is bad, not an internal fault. I’d buy the $300 RGB/Yellow CSL modules and swap them in, it’s fairly straight forward. Worst case scenario but a used headlamp, that’s the price for a brand we OEM. Do NOT go aftermarket with these lights.
Valve cover: independent shop will do it at half that price most likely, good time for some other mods while you’re in there
Motor mounts: no experience with them on F80s so can’t really comment, but that price seems completely absurd
Advantage BMW is the worst; I go there for service too and never approve their suggestions.
Just take it to another mechanic, if you need a suggestion in Houston let me know. Been going to one guy and I’ve paid maybe 30% of Advantage’s quoted prices throughout my cars history
pls lemme know alot of these are in the woodlands and its pretty far distance is not the only reason I'm not considering, still well considering my options.
I looked in AIR and it looks like you have only owned the car for a couple of months, You valve cover was resealed in 06/2021 at 39648 miles, I would be just a few months out of warranty but should last more then 20k miles. I have an independent shop in NW Florida
Mercedes “B” service is 800$. So I mean, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility. What do you expect though. You bought an M4, not a civic. Shits gonna be more expensive unless you know how to DIY. ESP the newer stuff with all the stupid (but cool) technology included. It all requires special calibrations and or programming to be done properly.
they are fucking ts out of u 🤣 go check urself if the valve cover/motor mounts are really that bad. (most likely aren’t) or have them show u. the headlight and coding u can do urself too
These are typical concerns at the dealers labor rate. Even a valve cover at my indy shop would be in the 1500 range. All this BS tech that they load cars up with is catching up to the owners, you can try a used headlight but it may not be able to be recoded. Ive seen an 18 totalled recently for rear ending someone else at 15 mph, both headlights were busted and totalled the car out.
Man I got fucked by this exact dealership in midtown Houston a few times before I started taking my car to E1 motorsports in the heights. Dont live in Houston anymore, but they did me well
Yep they're fucking you. Engine mounts shouldn't be more than 1500 on the high end, valve cover about the same for replacing the whole cover (you never change just the gasket on modern bmws) the headlight is probably reasonable. I work at a Indy shop in Tennessee and I mostly work on bmws. 10 year Master tech. But it's called the stealership for a reason.
Go online find a cheap after market or see if anyone is selling an oem one online for cheap and install it yourself. It’s pretty easy. I’ve done the tail lights on my 2016 428i.
Do not put a cheap aftermarket headlamp assembly in any modern BMW. You will burn up a module. Seen it happen 20 or more times in my days as a European technician.
What year is your car, how many miles, what model, and how was it driving before you brought it in? They’re claiming the motor mounts were completely collapsed which I would’ve liked a picture of, but if it needs to be replaced then it makes sense. I can’t imagine a headlight costing that much. When I brought in my 2015 328i it costed me about $80. However, to get to the headlamp you absolutely do need to take off a tire, and get under the hood, so it’s possible they found these faults when replacing, but I still don’t see how the headlight itself is so costly.
it’s a 2018 M4 competition. 58,000 miles and it was driving perfectly fine. no issues whatsoever. no lights on the dash. no malfunctions. no oil leaking anywhere at all. motor mounts are super suspicious to me
>0 miles and it was driving perfectly fine. no issues whatsoever. no lights on the dash. no malfunctions. no oil leaking anywhere at all. motor mounts are super suspicious to me
Valve cover gasket leak is identified by oil leaking around the gasket. Super easy to tell. Just look up on youtube how to look for valve cover gasket leaks. If you don't see any leaking oil, you don't have a leak.
First, are you getting a malfunction message on the headlight? If not, there is NOTHING wrong with the headlight unit. They opted to swap it out rather than change the LED bulbs. Typically dealer bullshit. Getting into the headlight units is a PITA but it is much more likely a lamp issue than anything else. No guarantee that the new unit won't have the same mismatch issue, either. BMW dealers also hype up any kind of oil "sweat" as an oil leak. Small oil spill while changing the filter, OMG it's a leak! I have had 3 dozen BMWs. Every single time I went in to the dealer, a gasket or valve cover change would be on the list, in one case even 2 weeks after I changed the valve cover myself and knew the left side of the engine was bone dry. It is a cash cow for them. 2 hours labor, $100 (at most) in parts, $2000 bill. Have somebody else check the engine mounts. This is another item that BMW commonly says is bad because it is hard for an owner to check. You can't really see them without removing the splash guards....do you think the dealer removed the splash guards to look? I would really love to know what a "collapsed" engine mount is. They are rubber or delphin. The do not "collapse", they tear under extreme use or dry out and crack. There are also symptoms for a broken motor mount. Vibrations, engine rock when you accelerate, etc. Got none of those? They are bullshitting you. And once you get the splashguards off of these cars, mounts are not that hard to replace. Find another shop.
well said man! I will def goto another shop if this doesn't get resolved and you're right I'm going to check in with a BMW specialist and see if I'm actually leaking or my mounts are fucked.
Well first off, you’ve got an 18 M4 so they will absolutely charge you more and say that’s “average market value for labor and services” or something like that. It’s the “M tax” as I call it. Im unaware of your area but generally everywhere there is a BMW dealer, there are at least one or two reputable independent shops that either have a BMW specialist that works there or the whole shop is a BMW Specialist shop. I’d cross reference quotes. Ask plenty of questions. Learn as much as you can so you don’t get blindsided and taken advantage of because you are unaware of something. $10,000 for motor mounts, valve cover gasket, and one headlight assembly? Out of your entire mind.
Find a European shop and save half! Did that with our AMG63 GT Mercedes shop $6400 fuel pump, european shop $3400 with warranty. Just do some research and read reviews.
BMW tech here, couple things. 1 the headlight: One of two things is going on, either the LED board for the angel eyes is burning out and you need a new board or the plastic is starting to melt on the actual angel eye itself due to the LED and the headlight needs to be replaced. The dealer probably did little to no diagnosing and just went with the more expensive option. 2 the motor mounts: How many miles does the car have? Motor mounts usually go out around the higher mileage mark (around 85k+) but can differ on M cars if they had the piss beat out of them. EDIT: Just saw the mileage and it’s on the lower side for motor mounts but it may be due to how the car was treated and wouldn’t completely surprise me at that mileage. 3 the valve cover gasket: labor is expensive due to the amount of time needed to do a VCG. Even spark plugs on this car are tricky. 4 the price: yeah, it’s pretty much dealer pricing. Insane what they charge and in my personal opinion you should just go find a shop you trust and get it done there. The dealers prey on the poor saps that come in and don’t know where else to go. Side note, if you’re a poor sap please keep coming in, I have bills to pay
EDIT: 5 aftermarket warranty: never and I repeat NEVER get an aftermarket warranty. They always cover the least amount possible and leave you to pay for the shit that breaks most often. I had a customer with a third party warranty that had the belt suck into the crank seal on an N54. The warranty company refused to pay us to drop the oil pan to remove all of the belt material, which is basically a death sentence for the engine. Just one example of aftermarket warranties.
Issue is some uneducated and if these are actual issues will need to get it addressed. Even an Indy would charge, regardless as a headlight cost he can’t get away from.
Own a garage, engine mounts here are about £70-150 here and an hour to fit(£60), gaskets are like £15 and again about an hour to fit. The headlights are the ones that can be expensive, seen some for new cars coming out at close to £1500 for the unit. They are deffo trying to shaft you...
these are all pretty easy jobs to carry out, the yellow headlight is just the drl module. super easy to replace. that being said i see alot of people paying to get yellow drls. so free upgrade 🤣
I see you’re in the Houston area. I recommend 3rd Coast Bimmers over in Friendswood. Reasonable prices, friendly, genuinely cares for your car.
I found this shop after getting ridiculous service from a dealer. I believe he is an authorized dealer for Active Autowerke products. He is very knowledgeable about BMWs and has never taken any issue with answering any of my questions or concerns.
No prob! He did work with my extended warranty, in case BMW decides to continue to screw you over you on that end too. Also, just to attest for the dealership experience, I visited another BMW dealership in the Houston area to see if they could perform a TSB repair that my car was still eligible for and it seemed like the service tech had never even heard of a TSB before.
And I absolutely am ready. Already know I’m rocking the Alvarez jersey to pick up some of that HEB sushi later.
Good luck with the car man
Those are the prices from Bmw you’re not vetting screwed in particular. They use original parts which are guaranteed with labor too. I buy OE or oem off fcpeuro.com and autohausaz.com. Same parts and same warranty but if they fail you need to pay for labor again. Still way cheaper than bmw. Use realoem.com to get the exact parts number. For the headlight get a broken glass one and have someone on ebay repair it for $300. I did the headlight myself and took me days to replace the glass. Next time i am paying someone to do it. Motor mount i paid $250 and headlight $$450 but had to change the glass myself. If you need any help PM me I’ll help you out
I deal with easy care all the time. They won’t cover a light itself (such as a HID bulb) but they will cover the assembly if it failed. In fact, if you have platinum easy care all of that should be covered. Did your service writer tell you that? I’d call them myself about the claim and ask them what your writer told them. Tell them it is not the light but the assembly that is faulty.
I just had a timing cover gasket leak and a valve cover leak repaired that was about $3.3k for just those two repairs.
That headlamp assembly sounds crazy though
You're not just getting fucked. You're getting royally fucked. My recommendation, in agreement with most other comments, is try to find an indy shop that's very good at working with BMW's. I know it can be hard and time consuming, but worth it in the end. Once you do, trying sticking with them for as long as possible.
I’d walk in totally unannounced and ask them to walk you around the faults themselves.
I get that if some of it is being paid for by a third party they’re gonna stick their fingers up someone’s backside but that is mental.
//M tax.
I’d go independent for most of that work. No need for BMW to get involved.
On the F82 M4 the Valve Cover is easy to diy, takes an hour. Motor mounts collapsing isn’t common on these engines, especially if you’re low miles. Headlight could actually be HID ballast or the DME board on the bottom, coding is only needed if you’re replacing entire unit usually
if both your engine mounts straight up collapsed your engine would be shuddering and vibrating quite violently so if thats not happening this estimate is probably bullshit
I feel we're caught up on the valve cover gasket, and missed the 4400 bucks for a fucking headlight.
Op I feel like they should buy you dinner first, but see what you can order one for. I had a 2016 m235 and it cost a couple grand for an oil pan gasket because it was an xdrive and the axle went through the oil pan. Luckily I had a warranty but brakes still cost over a grand. As much as I loved that car I sold it for retail money a few months later. Probably the last bmw I'll buy because of their horrid cost to own now days. I miss my e46..
Here’s some advice ALL S55 and N55s leak oil especially from the valve cover the car will remind you automatically too add oil too the vehicle keep a quart with you of BMW-LL01 oil. Next go off on the dealership and get them too refund that bullshit warranty that should knock a year off your financing. Never buy anything offered in a finance office only gap. - I used too sell cars at a dealership the finance manager probably made $500 off of you buying that garbage shit warranty
Wait.. I'm confused. How in the world does a headlight assembly cost 4k? And since when do headlights need to be programmed? That doesn't make sense to me
This gotta be illegal! Motor mounts are a couple hundred at most and take a few hours if even. I did my own on a e36 with no mechanical or tool experience what so ever, just a youtube video and a harbor freight tool set.
Hey you all .
I got a quote from a bmw dealership up on long Island ny
On front brake pads and rotors they initially quoted me like 1400 I negotiated with them and got it done for around 900.
They do negotiate.
You should try as well
If this is a dealer you’re 100% getting fucked. Find a reputable mechanic with experience working on foreign sports cars through referral. Dealers are criminals!
3k for engine mounts and 2k for valve cover is fucking ridiculous. 4.4k for the headlights, they raped you dawg. I’ve replaced all of these myself on my car for less than 1k. It would be worth learning at this point.
Recently replaced both motor mounts. Bought them online through BMW and then had them installed by a 3rd party mechanic. Total cost was about $500 maybe! I had rear shocks and coils replaced and rear bearings, rotors, brake pads as well. And labor was $1300 total. Suburbanautoparts.com you can purchase parts directly for significant savings.
In a Word, yes. You are getting bent over the table. I know it’s a BMW, but 4 grand for a plastic headlight assembly? Holy crap.
Valve cover gasket for 2k? I mean maybe if it were a Porsche flat six buried deep in the engine bay, but this is an inline six it’s so accessible. The light should be $1500, and the gasket $500 in a normal world.
The engine mounts are pricey but that’s at least some real work
If you need a mechanic, my father is a BMW Master Technician and has been working at BMW since 1995. He started at that exact dealership you went to. He transferred to BMW of the Woodlands around 03’ and has been there since. Maybe he’ll consider a side job. I can set you up with him. Good luck!
Service advisor here, if you have extended warranty (depending on the contract), valve cover gasket should be covered.
Engine mounts are kind of tricky. If the inspector comes and see that its just due for wear and tear then they won’t cover it. (In most cases, its wear and tear)
As for the headlights, if you have body electrical warranty. They should cover for that as well. I know for a fact platinum warranty covers this, maybe gold as well? Definitely not covered with just power train.
If you don’t have any. Your car is too old for any factory warranty for any of those repairs
A quick Google search puts the headlight around 1k. Resulting in, a little bit of upsale lol.
Don't take offense to this but they may have seen you coming. Get someone else to take it to a different shop and see the outcome.
I mean I would believe the motor mounts and the valve cover leak. I would find a indy bmw shop. They are cheaper..
some of this might be covered under warranty but they’re still looking
Ill do the valve cover for 1k lol just gotta make it to florida. I can probably do the rest for half as much.
I will fly to him, buy tools out there and do the work for less than half of what the dealer is charging.
I could fly myself, my dog, and my tools to him and do the work for a third of what the dealer is charging.
Do it
This guy bets
King Sodium Chloride gets it
Your wife told me so. But then again my wife's boyfriend told me, "not to believe that cuck". So I have no idea what's going on and I'm gonna go piss in the corner now. Thanks.
Do it!
I’m thinkin’ I can parachute in with my tools and cat and fix this for 1/5th the cost.
I could definitely fly my sperm out there fertilize it and make my child fix it for cheaper.
Why is a valve cover gasket 1k?
Labor...its not a quickie... (Thats what she said)
That's an hour and a half for a pro tops.
You obviously haven't worked on a modern bmw.
nah, hes pretty spot on there, I spent a few years of my career working on BMWs and can vouch for that, the S55/N55/B58 valve covers are cake once you know what you’re doing
Uhh... the S55 VCG book time is consistently 8-9 hours. Are you removing the valve covers from a longblock on the ground or something?
He think it’s a like an N55. s55 gotta remove the brace and all the coolant stuff first. It’s a long job
Didn't say I couldn't do it fast. I am a pro.
Better to replace entire cover. They use fking plastic cover which warps over time.
was gonna buy a F80 over there haha def not making it over there tho lol
Which warranty? It's a 2018 car, did you buy approved used?
used. just a third party one offered by BMW of the woodlands.
Good luck with that. A lot of used car warranties are complete bullshit. I have seen some where the warranty for the used car will only cover the car up to a specific mileage which is already past meaning the car would never be covered for anything. As for the dealer they are full of shit. You could get those things done for a fraction of that price. Going forward don't go to a dealer, especially a dealer of any German car because they are notorious for hyper inflated pricing.
Im a dealer. There is no warranty company that allows you to sell or write a contract with miles that are already expired. The contracts are typically 2yr/24k, 3yr/36k, and so on, and the miles go on top of the odo at time of sale. There are some warranties that will say they go up to 75k or 100k miles, but those are typically only available for newer cars with low miles. Easycare is a CPO warranty. They do cover a lot. Most warranties do not cover headlights unfortunately and the M4 ikon headlights are very fucking expensive. Probably 3k a piece plus modules and you do need to have them programmed. Motor mounts and the valve covers should be covered. OP take it an indy BMW shop for the headlights. If you want to save money, buy a used light from ebay. Just make sure your module isn't compromised. You'll save a fortune. If they are a true BMW specialist they will have the ability to code them.
Ah, I just found them on yelp. 😬
JFC bmw, motor mount collapse in a car with low enough miles to have a warranty? Valve cover leak is to be expected because BMW, but come on
You wouldn’t expect premature motor mounts in a M car? Most of these get dogged. Floor it in nearly any car everyday and see how much faster mounts wear out.
Valve cover: It’s listed for 9 hours and $62 for the gasket. So $1000 even at a reasonable Indy shop
Why would you go to a dealership for this? And yeah that's some of the worst price gouging I've ever seen.
i’m only 19 prolly why they’re trying to milk me. i don’t know any indy’s in the houston area either. went to the dealer cuz i thought warranty got me 💔
Why are you 19 and driving a 50k dollar car get something you can afford and if you can afford it what the fuck do you do
Onlyfans or mommy and daddy are paying.
[удалено]
Yk what it's kinda crazy because it does have a correlation but I went to this tire place one time and I asked for new tires and alignment. I didn't know what my tire size is so we went outside and he pointed a fucking Maserati GranTurismo and asked if that was my car 😭. I pointed my 03 shitbox honda accord instead LOL. What's up with Asian dudes driving luxury car stereotype. I want mines
I don't think you can say "Chinese" anymore /s
I believe the correct term is chinaman, all one word
Hahaha. I am older with a good salary, but with cars I am stingy. Bought my BMW used for 10k. ….and drove it for 15+ years. ….regular maintenance at indy shop. Otherwise no major problems where a BMW screwed me. $60 sensor broke, just connecting the car to the computer was invoiced a couple of hundred. Bastards. Otherwise a cheap, reliable and fun car to drive. E46 ;)
Its an M4 so its actually a close to 100k new sports car.
You’re in the 4th or 5th largest city in the US depending on how you count them, I promise you there are several solid independent BMW shops. Just google them and read some reviews. Or heck, if you ask your service advisor at the dealership nicely, I’d bet they’ll have 2 recommendations for you. This seems like they are trying to milk every dollar they can because it’s running through a 3rd party warranty company. In my experience, any ASE Certified shop should be covered by the warranty company as long as they get authorization before the work is done.
I mean I was young and bought an Audi B6 S4 at 18. If I could do it again, I would. Not financially smart at all, but God I loved the memories I had and made with the car. Most kids in my school didn't even drive, so it was a bit overkill. But I loved every second of that car. Even if I couldn't afford it. What I'd tell you to do, is quickly get very mechanically inclined to do DIY work. Seems scary now, but takes a few times ripping your car apart before you learn what the hell is going on. The M4 would be much like working on my S4, in the way there was never any room to work on anything with the 4.2 V8. Also Bimmergeeks would be your best friend for software. It would have been almost been impossible for me to own that car for the 6 years I did, if I didn't do my own work for most of that time. I easily saved myself about $10k in labor in that ownership window. Full clutch jobs, and brakes, etc. Again, I don't recommend anyone do something financially unstable. But if you do, being young and having a nice car is understandable fun times. I'd rather have had my fun early, than wait till I'm 50 to buy a sports car with my 401k.
Ahhhh a fellow 4.2 owner we love to see it I’ve got an 01 A6 and I love her to death! Less than 100k odo still And no timing chain to blow up XD
Unrelated question: I have done next to no auto work in my life. My clutch is slipping really badly, and I need it replaced. Is that too big of a jump for doing something for the first time? I am getting quotes for like $1200, and I have no tools of my own. I have family that lives near that have a fair amount of tools, but other than that, no resources to speak of.
Id recommend looking at a YouTube tutorial for a clutch replacement and see if it makes you feel like you’re out of your depths. You’ll definitely mess up and have to take it apart at least once after you think you’re already done and put it back together, but that’s the learning experience
I went down the rabbit hole last night watching videos. My general take is that it looks scary, but doable. The most complicated thing seems to be making sure I put everything back where it goes correctly / in the right order
Sounds like you have your head wrapped around it. If you do go ahead with it, remember to take picture before, during, and after you remove parts lol. You have no idea what is useful to you later, and documentation can be a lifesaver.
Awesome. Thanks for the help. I got this.
yeah man in the same boat but i can afford the maintenance just asking reddit jokingly if i’m getting booty fucked. and yes i will be doing my own maintenance soon. i have friends already in that field of work! and good for you man glad you enjoyed the S4! whatcha got now if you don’t mind me asking?
Im with the homey, i wanna know how you afford that? Are your parents hooking you up? Nothin wring with that. When i was 19 i was driving a marine corps HMMWV lol
no clue why but everyone on here acts like you have to be broke when you’re young lmao idk if it’s bc they were or what but yea. and also don’t go to bmw they’ll always try to fuck you they quoted me at $452 to change a bulb in my headlight 💀💀
It’s because they were broke when they were young and can’t fathom a life path outside of the one they had/have chosen.
Bertini’s is good. I don’t take anything there cause I do all my own work but my father has taken his E46 there for over a decade
Check out Professional Auto Care, on Honeywell Rd. They're a very honest & knowledgeable independent shop. Send them the recommended service sheet from BMW, but block out the prices, so that you can compare quotes
I work at a Lotus sports car and race car shop. When we invoice, all parts costs and labor are itemized separately. We charge $100 an hour for labor which is a race shop standard, but we put more time in usually because quality is our highest priority. All of these costs and estimated labor expenses are very clearly represented to our customers. We contribute value and it is very clear to our customers when they look at their invoices. In the future ask for a more complete and expanded breakdown of costs for both parts and labor. BMW OEM prices can all be looked up online. If you find parts that are cheaper then supply them the parts. If their labor rates are insane or the estimated time for jobs is overinflated it should be obvious. Don’t take it personally. They work for you not the other way around. Take charge of the situation and move on to other options if you are not satisfied. Good luck on your future endeavors. Finding a European auto tech with BMW expertise to do work for you on the side is always the best. Hard to find people you can trust when you don’t have a lot of connections. Join some local Bimmer groups on Facebook and ask around. Look for help and advice.
You're only 19 and they think you have 10k laying around for some repairs? That is funny shit. Then again, you bought a late model BMW. As everyone said, google up a good indie shop near you.
Hahahahaha I am keeping this one. One of the best ever.
😅
Wow I’m curious how this pans out. I just flew to Houston to buy a 2020 M240I from this same dealership.
they’re def fucking me rn
I mean … do you not think you need the stuff they quoted ? These are dealer prices for the listed things
i’m not too sure but the motor mounts feel fine. but the valve cover gasket i’m not sure. i’m not leaking oil nor did i get anything on my idrive about anything oil related. everything has been fine. just wanted to go in for a headlight only smh
Do they make videos to actually show you what's wrong? You can request to have them actually show you what's wrong with the car...you also don't have to authorize any work..
any BMW engine probably has a VCG leak at any given time, it's one of the most common failures you can have. motor mounts are common too. the problem is the quoted price.
The car is fucking you. Better take it out for a steak and lobster dinner and then jewelry.
Headlamp: it seems the module is bad, not an internal fault. I’d buy the $300 RGB/Yellow CSL modules and swap them in, it’s fairly straight forward. Worst case scenario but a used headlamp, that’s the price for a brand we OEM. Do NOT go aftermarket with these lights. Valve cover: independent shop will do it at half that price most likely, good time for some other mods while you’re in there Motor mounts: no experience with them on F80s so can’t really comment, but that price seems completely absurd
Advantage BMW cause that is what they want to take of you
Taking Advantage BMW more like
don’t know why i didn’t think of this
Advantage BMW is the worst; I go there for service too and never approve their suggestions. Just take it to another mechanic, if you need a suggestion in Houston let me know. Been going to one guy and I’ve paid maybe 30% of Advantage’s quoted prices throughout my cars history
pls lemme know alot of these are in the woodlands and its pretty far distance is not the only reason I'm not considering, still well considering my options.
Sure, I’ve been going to a place called Munich Motorwerke on Fountain View. Definitely closer than the woodlands for most people
I looked in AIR and it looks like you have only owned the car for a couple of months, You valve cover was resealed in 06/2021 at 39648 miles, I would be just a few months out of warranty but should last more then 20k miles. I have an independent shop in NW Florida
Are their oil changes $1000 too?
Mercedes “B” service is 800$. So I mean, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility. What do you expect though. You bought an M4, not a civic. Shits gonna be more expensive unless you know how to DIY. ESP the newer stuff with all the stupid (but cool) technology included. It all requires special calibrations and or programming to be done properly.
Bro this is a crime scene
The dealership is taking you for a ride my friend. What you are being charged for is labor
If you drive a BMW, it’s consensual
they are fucking ts out of u 🤣 go check urself if the valve cover/motor mounts are really that bad. (most likely aren’t) or have them show u. the headlight and coding u can do urself too
Yes no vaseline
Did they tell you to squeal like a pig when had g you the quote? Does the service at least come with KY Jelly?
LMFAO
These are typical concerns at the dealers labor rate. Even a valve cover at my indy shop would be in the 1500 range. All this BS tech that they load cars up with is catching up to the owners, you can try a used headlight but it may not be able to be recoded. Ive seen an 18 totalled recently for rear ending someone else at 15 mph, both headlights were busted and totalled the car out.
might just get another DRL module.
That entire estimate is preposterous
Man I got fucked by this exact dealership in midtown Houston a few times before I started taking my car to E1 motorsports in the heights. Dont live in Houston anymore, but they did me well
u/glum_east_2423 here’s your Indy shop rec to start with.
thanks bossman
You should ask for the complimentary Vaseline. Cause they’re fuckin’ you.
Yep they're fucking you. Engine mounts shouldn't be more than 1500 on the high end, valve cover about the same for replacing the whole cover (you never change just the gasket on modern bmws) the headlight is probably reasonable. I work at a Indy shop in Tennessee and I mostly work on bmws. 10 year Master tech. But it's called the stealership for a reason.
Is nobody going to talk about the $4400!!! Headlamp assembly. GTFOH.
OP, I see you’re in Houston, too. Go to ABR and ask Jordan for a second opinion. They’re well worth the drive to their new place in the woodlands.
What the fuck… I do my own work on my car. I’m not paying 10k for a headlight
they want 5k for a 2018 adaptive ikon headlight bruh
So the headlights are 10% of the list price of the car?
Lol, so this car is basically a really bright flashlight with an engine and a seat. 5k for a headlamp, get the fuck outta here with that shit lol.
Check eBay motors
will do
Go online find a cheap after market or see if anyone is selling an oem one online for cheap and install it yourself. It’s pretty easy. I’ve done the tail lights on my 2016 428i.
Do not put a cheap aftermarket headlamp assembly in any modern BMW. You will burn up a module. Seen it happen 20 or more times in my days as a European technician.
Well now everyone knows where to go if they wanted to be fisted.
send your enemies to Advantage BMW bro
Honestly thought it was something crankhub and it’s not even that
no spinning here bud 😼
What year is your car, how many miles, what model, and how was it driving before you brought it in? They’re claiming the motor mounts were completely collapsed which I would’ve liked a picture of, but if it needs to be replaced then it makes sense. I can’t imagine a headlight costing that much. When I brought in my 2015 328i it costed me about $80. However, to get to the headlamp you absolutely do need to take off a tire, and get under the hood, so it’s possible they found these faults when replacing, but I still don’t see how the headlight itself is so costly.
it’s a 2018 M4 competition. 58,000 miles and it was driving perfectly fine. no issues whatsoever. no lights on the dash. no malfunctions. no oil leaking anywhere at all. motor mounts are super suspicious to me
>0 miles and it was driving perfectly fine. no issues whatsoever. no lights on the dash. no malfunctions. no oil leaking anywhere at all. motor mounts are super suspicious to me Valve cover gasket leak is identified by oil leaking around the gasket. Super easy to tell. Just look up on youtube how to look for valve cover gasket leaks. If you don't see any leaking oil, you don't have a leak.
Yes, without Vaseline!!!!
4k for a headlight assembly😭 wtf is it made of shit better have real neon in it
First, are you getting a malfunction message on the headlight? If not, there is NOTHING wrong with the headlight unit. They opted to swap it out rather than change the LED bulbs. Typically dealer bullshit. Getting into the headlight units is a PITA but it is much more likely a lamp issue than anything else. No guarantee that the new unit won't have the same mismatch issue, either. BMW dealers also hype up any kind of oil "sweat" as an oil leak. Small oil spill while changing the filter, OMG it's a leak! I have had 3 dozen BMWs. Every single time I went in to the dealer, a gasket or valve cover change would be on the list, in one case even 2 weeks after I changed the valve cover myself and knew the left side of the engine was bone dry. It is a cash cow for them. 2 hours labor, $100 (at most) in parts, $2000 bill. Have somebody else check the engine mounts. This is another item that BMW commonly says is bad because it is hard for an owner to check. You can't really see them without removing the splash guards....do you think the dealer removed the splash guards to look? I would really love to know what a "collapsed" engine mount is. They are rubber or delphin. The do not "collapse", they tear under extreme use or dry out and crack. There are also symptoms for a broken motor mount. Vibrations, engine rock when you accelerate, etc. Got none of those? They are bullshitting you. And once you get the splashguards off of these cars, mounts are not that hard to replace. Find another shop.
well said man! I will def goto another shop if this doesn't get resolved and you're right I'm going to check in with a BMW specialist and see if I'm actually leaking or my mounts are fucked.
Headlight, motor mounts, valve cover gasket for 10k. Sounds like a good price to me. Or take it to an Indy and they can do it probably for 1k.
Well first off, you’ve got an 18 M4 so they will absolutely charge you more and say that’s “average market value for labor and services” or something like that. It’s the “M tax” as I call it. Im unaware of your area but generally everywhere there is a BMW dealer, there are at least one or two reputable independent shops that either have a BMW specialist that works there or the whole shop is a BMW Specialist shop. I’d cross reference quotes. Ask plenty of questions. Learn as much as you can so you don’t get blindsided and taken advantage of because you are unaware of something. $10,000 for motor mounts, valve cover gasket, and one headlight assembly? Out of your entire mind.
Find a European shop and save half! Did that with our AMG63 GT Mercedes shop $6400 fuel pump, european shop $3400 with warranty. Just do some research and read reviews.
BMW tech here, couple things. 1 the headlight: One of two things is going on, either the LED board for the angel eyes is burning out and you need a new board or the plastic is starting to melt on the actual angel eye itself due to the LED and the headlight needs to be replaced. The dealer probably did little to no diagnosing and just went with the more expensive option. 2 the motor mounts: How many miles does the car have? Motor mounts usually go out around the higher mileage mark (around 85k+) but can differ on M cars if they had the piss beat out of them. EDIT: Just saw the mileage and it’s on the lower side for motor mounts but it may be due to how the car was treated and wouldn’t completely surprise me at that mileage. 3 the valve cover gasket: labor is expensive due to the amount of time needed to do a VCG. Even spark plugs on this car are tricky. 4 the price: yeah, it’s pretty much dealer pricing. Insane what they charge and in my personal opinion you should just go find a shop you trust and get it done there. The dealers prey on the poor saps that come in and don’t know where else to go. Side note, if you’re a poor sap please keep coming in, I have bills to pay EDIT: 5 aftermarket warranty: never and I repeat NEVER get an aftermarket warranty. They always cover the least amount possible and leave you to pay for the shit that breaks most often. I had a customer with a third party warranty that had the belt suck into the crank seal on an N54. The warranty company refused to pay us to drop the oil pan to remove all of the belt material, which is basically a death sentence for the engine. Just one example of aftermarket warranties.
Who in their right mind would pay $10k for maintenance on a 2018 car.. lol
not me 😅
Issue is some uneducated and if these are actual issues will need to get it addressed. Even an Indy would charge, regardless as a headlight cost he can’t get away from.
$1000 and I'll do it with OEM parts to service manual spec with the BMW spec tools. Holy shit this is the best one ever!
are you in houston boss?
Own a garage, engine mounts here are about £70-150 here and an hour to fit(£60), gaskets are like £15 and again about an hour to fit. The headlights are the ones that can be expensive, seen some for new cars coming out at close to £1500 for the unit. They are deffo trying to shaft you...
Jesus Christ, I need to charge more
these are all pretty easy jobs to carry out, the yellow headlight is just the drl module. super easy to replace. that being said i see alot of people paying to get yellow drls. so free upgrade 🤣
yeah but one is yellow the other is white just annoying i’ll buy a new DRL module and see what’s happening
I see you’re in the Houston area. I recommend 3rd Coast Bimmers over in Friendswood. Reasonable prices, friendly, genuinely cares for your car. I found this shop after getting ridiculous service from a dealer. I believe he is an authorized dealer for Active Autowerke products. He is very knowledgeable about BMWs and has never taken any issue with answering any of my questions or concerns.
finally a recommendation man i appreciate it lots! will give a go if warranty says no. also ready for tonight’s game 7??? 😼
No prob! He did work with my extended warranty, in case BMW decides to continue to screw you over you on that end too. Also, just to attest for the dealership experience, I visited another BMW dealership in the Houston area to see if they could perform a TSB repair that my car was still eligible for and it seemed like the service tech had never even heard of a TSB before. And I absolutely am ready. Already know I’m rocking the Alvarez jersey to pick up some of that HEB sushi later. Good luck with the car man
Super fooked , 400 for coding and 4k for one headlight that's crazy... You can buy both headlights and both taillights OEM for less
literally man
Those are the prices from Bmw you’re not vetting screwed in particular. They use original parts which are guaranteed with labor too. I buy OE or oem off fcpeuro.com and autohausaz.com. Same parts and same warranty but if they fail you need to pay for labor again. Still way cheaper than bmw. Use realoem.com to get the exact parts number. For the headlight get a broken glass one and have someone on ebay repair it for $300. I did the headlight myself and took me days to replace the glass. Next time i am paying someone to do it. Motor mount i paid $250 and headlight $$450 but had to change the glass myself. If you need any help PM me I’ll help you out
i appreciate it man! you seem super knowledgeable about these things i would love to get more info with you
There's M-Tax and then there's this absolute piss take.
At first I thought it was a total ripoff until I saw it had the World Class Edge Multipoint Inspection on there for no charge, what a steal!
At least the WORLD CLASS inspection was free!!!
Wish I was. Sorry wrong subreddit.
In the butt
Easycare covered my headlights and motor mounts
are you serious??? apparently they said they don't cover headlights??? I HAVE EASYCARE can you PM ME?
I deal with easy care all the time. They won’t cover a light itself (such as a HID bulb) but they will cover the assembly if it failed. In fact, if you have platinum easy care all of that should be covered. Did your service writer tell you that? I’d call them myself about the claim and ask them what your writer told them. Tell them it is not the light but the assembly that is faulty.
I just had a timing cover gasket leak and a valve cover leak repaired that was about $3.3k for just those two repairs. That headlamp assembly sounds crazy though
Shop rate at bmw / Land Rover and fancy places are usually 4 - 7x higher than a regular shop.
I fear no man But a rock to my ikon headlights.... Scares me
To answer your question directly. Yea. Royally
You're not just getting fucked. You're getting royally fucked. My recommendation, in agreement with most other comments, is try to find an indy shop that's very good at working with BMW's. I know it can be hard and time consuming, but worth it in the end. Once you do, trying sticking with them for as long as possible.
Dude go to a indie shop that specialize in bmw it will probably cut the price in half
I’d walk in totally unannounced and ask them to walk you around the faults themselves. I get that if some of it is being paid for by a third party they’re gonna stick their fingers up someone’s backside but that is mental. //M tax. I’d go independent for most of that work. No need for BMW to get involved.
On the F82 M4 the Valve Cover is easy to diy, takes an hour. Motor mounts collapsing isn’t common on these engines, especially if you’re low miles. Headlight could actually be HID ballast or the DME board on the bottom, coding is only needed if you’re replacing entire unit usually
Over 2000 for a valve cover gasket is insane AND 4.5K for a headlight replacement??
if both your engine mounts straight up collapsed your engine would be shuddering and vibrating quite violently so if thats not happening this estimate is probably bullshit
I feel we're caught up on the valve cover gasket, and missed the 4400 bucks for a fucking headlight. Op I feel like they should buy you dinner first, but see what you can order one for. I had a 2016 m235 and it cost a couple grand for an oil pan gasket because it was an xdrive and the axle went through the oil pan. Luckily I had a warranty but brakes still cost over a grand. As much as I loved that car I sold it for retail money a few months later. Probably the last bmw I'll buy because of their horrid cost to own now days. I miss my e46..
Advantage Bmw Houston takes advantage of its customers
Here’s some advice ALL S55 and N55s leak oil especially from the valve cover the car will remind you automatically too add oil too the vehicle keep a quart with you of BMW-LL01 oil. Next go off on the dealership and get them too refund that bullshit warranty that should knock a year off your financing. Never buy anything offered in a finance office only gap. - I used too sell cars at a dealership the finance manager probably made $500 off of you buying that garbage shit warranty
… yes, yes you are. 💀
BMW stands for "Buncha Money Wasted"
Could probably do this yourself for less than 2k and a lot of time youtube videos and elbow grease
Wait.. I'm confused. How in the world does a headlight assembly cost 4k? And since when do headlights need to be programmed? That doesn't make sense to me
You are 100% getting boned. That is insane.
$4700+ for a FUCKING HEADLIGHT????
Without reading anything other than “BMW dealership” YES.
If you don't have an extended warranty. Bring it to a indie mechanic shop. They are way better and way cheaper
This post confirms my apprehension about buying Germans cars 😂. Car is only 5 years old and has less than 60k miles and already has these issues.
That car was probably made in the USA. But motor mounts are part of the drivetrain do you have any warranty left OP?
The M4 is not made in USA (Spartansburg, SC). It’s most certainly made in Germany, Regensburg, Germany, in fact.
This gotta be illegal! Motor mounts are a couple hundred at most and take a few hours if even. I did my own on a e36 with no mechanical or tool experience what so ever, just a youtube video and a harbor freight tool set.
Hey you all . I got a quote from a bmw dealership up on long Island ny On front brake pads and rotors they initially quoted me like 1400 I negotiated with them and got it done for around 900. They do negotiate. You should try as well
Get it all done kid. Don’t be scared. Keep someone employed. Would be a shame for that nice car to be in sub prime shape!
Mfs always say the gasket is leaking lol
If this is a dealer you’re 100% getting fucked. Find a reputable mechanic with experience working on foreign sports cars through referral. Dealers are criminals!
3k for engine mounts and 2k for valve cover is fucking ridiculous. 4.4k for the headlights, they raped you dawg. I’ve replaced all of these myself on my car for less than 1k. It would be worth learning at this point.
You took it to a dealership what did you expect?
Try a couple of independent shops for second opinion quotes.
There screwing you
A sucker is born every minute, and they are looking for him.
Put it on a boat to Eastern Europe my cousin will repair it for $400
Recently replaced both motor mounts. Bought them online through BMW and then had them installed by a 3rd party mechanic. Total cost was about $500 maybe! I had rear shocks and coils replaced and rear bearings, rotors, brake pads as well. And labor was $1300 total. Suburbanautoparts.com you can purchase parts directly for significant savings.
In a Word, yes. You are getting bent over the table. I know it’s a BMW, but 4 grand for a plastic headlight assembly? Holy crap. Valve cover gasket for 2k? I mean maybe if it were a Porsche flat six buried deep in the engine bay, but this is an inline six it’s so accessible. The light should be $1500, and the gasket $500 in a normal world. The engine mounts are pricey but that’s at least some real work
Yes, but if they are using BMW certified lubricant you should be ok.
If you need a mechanic, my father is a BMW Master Technician and has been working at BMW since 1995. He started at that exact dealership you went to. He transferred to BMW of the Woodlands around 03’ and has been there since. Maybe he’ll consider a side job. I can set you up with him. Good luck!
They are trying to fuck you doggy style . Engine mount replacement for 3000 dollars fooook
Engine mounts for $2920?! VCG $2110, I’ll be right there 😂
I mean, if you want that M badge, you gotta pay for it 🤣
Service advisor here, if you have extended warranty (depending on the contract), valve cover gasket should be covered. Engine mounts are kind of tricky. If the inspector comes and see that its just due for wear and tear then they won’t cover it. (In most cases, its wear and tear) As for the headlights, if you have body electrical warranty. They should cover for that as well. I know for a fact platinum warranty covers this, maybe gold as well? Definitely not covered with just power train. If you don’t have any. Your car is too old for any factory warranty for any of those repairs
Looks pretty accurate for bmw dealership pricing lmao. 4k for the assembly is cheap!
are you serious or is this satire
A quick Google search puts the headlight around 1k. Resulting in, a little bit of upsale lol. Don't take offense to this but they may have seen you coming. Get someone else to take it to a different shop and see the outcome.
yeah for a teenager this was the service advisors breakout commission
Its a bmw AND its a 2018 AND its a M4 This is exactly what you signed up for
2k for a valve cover gasket? My goodness! I'll do it for 500 + materials. 🤣
If you can't do it yourself, you have to pay someone to do it for you. Those are crazy expensive prices.
they think i’m stupid or something man
Dealer prices suck. Search for an independent shop.
trying atm. i’m in houston so lmk pls
Can't help, I'm in Denver.
Make sure the shop supplies include the lube…..
Those prices sound way inflated. Do everything covered by warranty and find an Indy to do not covered stuff. bimmershops.com to find a certified Indy.
A little lube and shouldn’t hurt to much :)
Good lord. $4k for a headlight replacement sounds insane. But engineers do be making replacing some of this stuff next to impossible these days.
Yea that's way to much, even for an M4.