BMW Inspection 2? dealer or no?

Question

dealer = $750, others range <100 (regular mechanic) to ~$350. who to choose? The regular mechanic said it was just basically an oil change and air filter change with check ups. should i trust any schmo to do it since it's printed out what the service includes? or should i go with a place that specializes in BMWs/ foreign autos

Answer 1

OMG, the previous attempt at an answer is so riddled with flaws:

1) It is a logical fallacy to equate the fact that someone with a Lexus took their car only to the dealer for service and that's why they got 300,000 miles out of it.
2) It's also a logical fallacy to state that the aunt took her car to "other places" and voila! she had problems.

I'm sure the person means well, but the reasons for going to the dealer are not holding water.

What I would suggest is that you compare apples to apples. By that I mean call the dealer and find out what you get for your money. You didn't mention what year or model you have but either way JUST AS AN EXAMPLE: Let's say the dealer performs an oil change, air filter, and cabin filter for $500. Find out if there's a BMW independent repair faciltiy in the area and call them. If they perform the exact same services for $250, take your research a little farther: check local internet boards for reputation, get referrals, etc.

Many independent repair facilities are actually owned by former dealer employees, Master Technicians who are as good as or better than those at the dealer. If you find a shop like this, which has lower overhead and lower prices to you, but are much less expensive for the same service, why would you go to the dealer?

Hope this helps, good luck!

Answer 2

The inspection 2 is a big one -- and, depending on your model and year, it can involve a large number of services beyond changing oil and air filter.

There is a list, in your owners manual, of all the fluids and parts that the mechanic should check. A good mechanic should be able to perform all of these tasks. The only catch is that the mechanic will need, however, proper BMW-specific tools, including a computer to communicate with your car's computer and the service indicator reset tool.

Whether your dealer, BMW specialist, or some other non-specialist machanic is more likely to do everything required is a matter of trustworthiness, not one of specialization. There are stories both positive and negative of both dealers and non-dealers.

It would be best to separate these issues:

1) competence (is the mechanic equiped and knowledgeable enough to do the work?

2) is the person doing the work trustworthy?

These are totally different questions.

Answer 3

Bmw Inspection 2

Answer 4

2 choices here really. IMO... It's not a LAW that you have to take your car in for the #2 Inspection. It's "recommended" maintenance, but it's no cure all for anything. You can just simply wait until something breaks or goes wrong. It's not like a #2 service is going to prevent any problems in the future from ever happening. Alternative 2 is to take it to a reputable BMW mechanic that is NOT, NOT, NOT the Dealer and you'll likely pay about 1/2 to 2/3 as much for the same service. Dealers are always more because they know you feel comfortable with them so they charge you more. Just like Banks.

Answer 5

I wonder why you have to pay. It should be covered by warranty and free from the dealer. Did you buy it used?

I would never take my car to a dealer for a paid service but I would also be very careful who I would use for a BMW. I'm on my second BMW and got 125,000 on my first (which was running fine, by the way, when I sold it).

Use this opportunity to find a good BMW shop. Ask other BMW owners for recommendations -- join sites like bimmerforums or one of the others that are specific to your model and ask for people who live near you to recommend a good mechanic.

It probably won't matter all that much for this inspection but down the road, when something does wear out, it could make a big difference. The one downside of owning a BMW is that the parts they use are different enough from other manufacturers that you will suffer if repairs aren't made correctly. (It's worth the trouble, by the way).

So think of this inspection as a way of finding a good BMW shop. Typically, a good BMW shop fixes only BMWs -- or, at most, only European cars (Audi, Volvo, Saab, too).

Answer 6

I would suggest an independent BMW shop. The best ones are members of the International Association of Independent BMW Service (should be at http://www.iaibmwsp.org/ but the site isn't active for some reason); at least ask them if they are a member. Depending on the year and transmission type, an inspection II could be a glorified oil change (late model with automatic trans) or it could be almost every fluid in the car (earlier car, manual trans). If you can provide the year and model of your car as well as your area the answers can be much better. Also, whether the car is a lease or under any remaining BMW warranty. A 'normal' Insp II consists (at a minimum) of the following:
Engine oil and filter
Coolant flush and fill
Differential Oil flush and fill
Brake Fluid flush with new fluid (incl clutch on manual trans)
Trans flush and fill (Manual trans only, A/T serviced with Insp I)
Fill Power steering fluid
Replace engine air filter(s)
Replace fuel filter(s)
Replace cabin air filter(s)
replace spark plugs (early cars <96ish)
adjust valves (early cars <93ish)
check battery levels
check all lights
fill window washer
check wiper blades
check and adjust tire pressures
check all bushings and bearings for excessive play
check entire car for problem areas

Remember this is an INSPECTION service, not the american term "tune up." If the shop you take it to uses the phrase "tune up," RUN.

Hope this has been helpful. BTW, $700 is about what to expect even at a good independent for dooing all of this.

Answer 7

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
BMW Inspection 2? dealer or no?
dealer = $750, others range <100 (regular mechanic) to ~$350. who to choose? The regular mechanic said it was just basically an oil change and air filter change with check ups. should i trust any schmo to do it since it's printed out what the service includes? or should i go with a place...

Answer 8

I don't have a bimmer, but ever since I owned a new car, it goes to the dealer. When I turn the key, I want it to perform. I have never had a problem with taking my car to the dealer so that I do not encounter problems. These people know what they are doing, period.

Nevertheless, keep up the service records, your car will be good to you. Treat your car bad by not getting the proper check-ups, it will let you down when you least expect it, too.

Like some of the other advisors here, do not cut corners on your car, maintian its resale value with dealer certified service for parts. Keep good oil records, anyone can change oil and filter. Change them regularly.

One other item, the dealer will put back every nut and bolt like it came from the factory. If they work on your car, they most likely return it to you in the proper working manner.

So, do your home work and compare the bang for the buck!

Answer 9

Yes go to the dealer. I have a Lexus and the only place I take it to is the dealer, and here is the reason why I think you should also only take your car to the dealer. First off my dad did all of his services for his Lexus only at the dealer and he ended up getting close to 300,000 miles out of it. The second reason is that my aunt also has a Lexus. She took her car to "other" places for maintenance, oil changes, etc...and she ended up having a lot of mechanical issues that these "other" places didn't look or mention to her. In the end she ended up having to take it to the dealer and spending close to $7000 on repairs that could have been upkept with just a few hunderd dollars through regular checkups with the dealer.

Moral of the story: If you have that expensive and nice of a car it's best to keep it up as you should and spend the extra money now instead of paying over double what it would cost you in the end if you end up with major problems. Hope this helps and good luck!

Edit: I agree that doing your research would be the best thing to do; however, I must say that I was only speaking from experience. My aunt had also taken it to "authorized" independent Lexus mechanics and she still had problems. It's up to you who you decide to trust, but I still wouldn't take the chance.

Answer 10

Many mechanics are able to check the car properly, but as new cars advance in technology, so do the tools they use to repair or diagnose. Dealers are required to have all of the newest up to date tools and information, and are constantly trained on the new technology, where an independent mechanic may not be.

IMHO take it to the dealer, if for nothing else, peace of mind.