What should I do?

[bimmer 07]

Just got the result back from BMW.
I just wanted to get my front brake pads changed, but they found some other problems. This could cost me up to $3000. Any suggestions guys? Should I get it fixed at other shop? Ignore it? Sell the car? Please help! Thanks!

[m34SPD]

Take it to an independent BMW service shop. You would really sell your car for what looks like $1500~ worth of work?

[Jet in Oz]

WTF?? $448 for a radiator hose? No way. I know it's a BMW but that's ludicrous. I'm hoping those costs are inclusive of labour? I would definitely get a second quote from another shop as BMW charge an absolute premium for labour. I'm sure you could trim that by at least 25%.

Bud, if I may be the voice of reason, everyone needs to bear the cost of brakes and rotors as that's pretty standard. The other issues are unfortunate, but what you need to determine is how much you love your current ride. Would it cost you more than $3K to get into another vehicle (the answer is inevitably 'Yes'). If you don't love it enough to spend the money then it might be time to trade. Unfortunately the brakes will need doing before you can offload it as you wouldn't get a roadworthy certificate required from the DMV to legally sell it (at least that applies to us here in Oz)

[neversummer78]

I usually do brake myself after free maintenance is over, and it costs only a few hundreds including new rotors, sensors, and pads. I usually order my parts from http://www.bavauto.com/. They can get you hoses for your coolant and pretty much everything else. As for bushing, I have never done it since I'm not comfortable working on springs/suspension which I usually pay for independent mechanics to do it.

[Brazz]

It is reasonable to think this may be typical of a 7 year old sports sedan and the cost is typical of a German "high-end" sports sedan. This is the cost of German luxury/sports ownership after warranty. Most dealers would recommend trading these types of performance cars once the warranty has expired because of the service cost. Traditionally, I hold on to them for 3 years (warranty) and trade for this reason. I have not had good experience with German luxury/sports cars after warranty. My 2 cents...

[GreyCoupe]

Although these look like high bids and can likely be done for less, e63 maintenance is expensive.

[neversummer78]

I have owned a few cars during the past 15 years, and I kept some over 100k miles. BMW doesn't cost more than other cars, including Japanese, to maintain once free maintenance is over. Just don't go to dealer to get them done. There is no point for sending your car to dealer once your warranty expires. I would recommend DIY if you don't mind getting dirty and some heavy lifting. It isn't difficult, plus I get sense of satisfaction doing it myself. I love working on my cars. I love taking it apart and putting it back together. If I were you, I would do everything myself beside bushing. However, bushing is like $10 a pop, independent mechanic would charge you probably less than half including parts. I can probably work on bushing myself too, but I always feel that loaded spring/suspension is like loaded death.

BTW, radiator hose leaking, BavAuto has tape that can seal it and will last for years if you don't want to replace the hose. However, it probably depends on the location of the leak too.

[///M3THOD]

First things first, get the part numbers and purchase them from an online retailer like Tischer BMW. You will probably save ~40% over the dealer mark up on the parts alone, you can also choose to upgrade the parts with aftermarket pieces in several cases, i.e. pads, urethane thrust bushings.

BMW labor is expensive on M cars, since the cars out of warranty, there is really no reason to have BMW do the work considering and standard independent shop could work on the components listed.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by MMG640

Take it to an independent BMW service shop. You would really sell your car for what looks like $1500~ worth of work?

+1. Buy your parts from PartsGeek.com, then take them to the certified BMW mechanic. You'll save 30-50% for sure... =)

[E90Fleet]

That hose replacement price is just ridiculous.
A search shows the most expensive M6 hose is $72 from BMW and they are generally pretty easy to replace.