Andrew Posted February 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 A guy on an M3 specific forum did a fair bit of research on the parts required for the expensive 3rd oil service and posted the following so thought I'd share: "I've researched and sourced all the parts myself. Oils / fluids and Mahle oil filter were from Opie. Spark plugs from ebay £70. The rest sourced from BMW. NGK LKR8AP spark plugs x8 Gearbox holds 2.2L Fuchs Titan Sintofluid SAE75W-80 synthetic MTF 1L = £9.25 BMW approved 2300 1434 404 / 7533 513 / 7533 818 and API GL-5 Diff holds 1.1L Castrol Syntrax Limited Slip 75W 140 (formerly SAF-XJ 75w-140) fully synthetic and specifically designed for BMW differentials. BMW approved - API GL-5 1L = £12.52 Redline limited slip differential friction modifier compatible with synthetic gear oils - only add enough to eliminate diff chatter (grinding noise). Add a quarter at a time. API GL-5 & GL-6 0.118L £13.18 gearbox filter gasket ring7119963300 pollen filters pack 4 active carbon charcoal64319159606 For the cabin pollen filters and air filter, try and buy the parts from your dealer with a discount. Most give at least 10%." I'll be supplying the engine oil and spark plugs myself which should bring the bill from the dealer down to £650 or so I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 whats normal for this mate? think my car needs this service now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted February 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 It is about a grand without providing anything. Mac had it done on his last M3. Surprised yours needs the third oil service already, isn't it fairly new and low in miles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 sorry didnt read third. mine is only 12.5k miles now, (done 2k already!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted May 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 Just had the third oil service done which included: Oil (supplied almost 9l myself at about £100) Gearbox oil Diff oil and additive (I supplied oil but not the additive and they said they could not use it) Spark plugs All filters Total price, £650. Next service in 2 years so actually not too bad at all. All done and dusted by Eastern in Edinburgh who are always pretty good. Was a bit miffed about the diff oil as I was told the additive it needed was separate (as per the info above actually) but they said they needed the newer stuff so I could not really argue. So, if anyone could use 2l of Castrol Syntrax Limited Slip 75W 140 (formerly SAF-XJ 75w-140) then do shout! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 I've no idea about BMW servicing costs having been used to Audi's ass-raping but fook me, that sounds expensive. £650 for labour for an oil change (sweet FA as they do other stuff while it drains and fills), couple of litres of diff oil and gearbox oil + labour, plugs and a couple of flters (oil/pollen/air?). Plus the usual "99 point check" which involves spraying white gunk on hinges , topping up fluids and kicking the tyres. No idea if that's good or bad but for [a bit less than] that money, I got a service + cam belt/tensioners + brake fluid change + wiper blades + MOT last year on the A4. I know it's not an M3 but why would 6 cylinders mean double the cost (and some) of 4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 Purely and simply the pricing is down to perceived wealth, i.e. you can afford an M3 so you can afford to pay more to service it, simple as that. Plugging a computer in and checking for error codes, draining and refilling oil, changing the filters etc, is no more complicated or specialised on an M3/RS4/911 etc etc, than it is on a Mondeo or Corsa etc, ok so the oil may be better quality, and in the case of the oil and plugs, higher quantities, but in terms of doing the actual work, there is no more labour involved. Just seems to be the way it is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 The servicing costs (had I been paying) were more expensive for a 1.6 2WD Qashqai than Audi are charging me for my A4. How does that work? edited to add- I think Nissan are stupidly expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted May 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 Actually, it was the parts that were filthy expensive. Filters etc. The missus got her MX5 done and that was about £500 for a major. Now, BMW charged me £15 a plug and you can source them for £10. Mazda charged £24 a plug and I found them online for £3 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 Oh. I have to admit, the last time I bought spark plugs was for my Orion I think, and they were about £5/set. One day, I will clock up enough miles to justify buying some more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 The M3 is a very, very complex car. Labour at £100 an hour minimum is going to add up. If you try buying E92 M3 spark plugs online you'll find they're £15-17 each so the fact a dealership has charged £15 is a good deal in my book. p.s. swap your panel filter to a K&N. The sound alone is well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 The M3 is a very, very complex car. Labour at £100 an hour minimum is going to add up. The point is though, that no matter how complex the car is, changing the oil is still changing the oil, it's no more difficult or complex a procedure than it is on a VW Polo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 How's that? Draining the oil on one car could be a lot more time consuming from an access perspective. Spark plugs and access to them - altogether different on different cars. And so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 You've never changed the oil on a car have you? Remove undertray, undo sump plug, drain oil, replace oil filter, replace sump plug, replace undertray, refill oil, not rocket science, and the oil drain and filler are always in the same place, bottom and top of the engine respectively. Yes, sometimes accessing the rear most spark plugs can be tricky, but any decent mechanic will know the quickest way of getting them out, or like most main dealers, they simply won't bother changing them, as they know you'll never be able to check. Simple servicing really isn't difficult, they make things easilly accessible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 I'm just saying I don't think your gauge of "they've got more money, therefore services cost more" is true. Bentley offer fixed price servicing. Look at the rise of Service Inclusive packages too. Yes I have changed oil, on my first 2-3 cars as it happens. I won't say how long it took me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 I'd imagine that given the theory is that M mechanics are specialists, that training must cost more and is reflected in anything I pay. I too used to service my 1987 Fiesta - filters, sparks, HT leads, rotor arm thing, dist cap and oil. Incidentally the BM oil change is charged at about £50 (labour alone) which I suppose is quite alot. They do get rid of the oil. Oh, and given its electronic dip stick might that take a bit more time to sort? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuits Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 The M3 is a very, very complex car. Labour at £100 an hour minimum is going to add up.If you try buying E92 M3 spark plugs online you'll find they're £15-17 each so the fact a dealership has charged £15 is a good deal in my book. p.s. swap your panel filter to a K&N. The sound alone is well worth it. I'm not condoning why dealers charge what they do, but if you look at what's involved to get to the spark-plugs, you can see why they charge a lot. Back when I tinkered with car maintenance, the hardest bit of getting to a spark plug was removing the HT lead, on the E92 M3 you need to remove a LOAD of bits (top air box, trims, etc...) to get to the individual coil pack per plug. I went for a BMC filter, odly you couldn't hear much difference from the driver seat, but sat in the passenger seat you could really hear it. BMC - FB536/08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Before I had the remap on the Z I changed the filter to a K&N and the noise difference is very noticeable indeed. For £55 and no impact on insurance (I rang them and they said no change, which isn't what they said when I had the remap done ) it was a bargain modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 p.s. I already happen to know there is an induction kit for the 911T for £300 that takes it up to 505 bhp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuits Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 p.s. I already happen to know there is an induction kit for the 911T for £300 that takes it up to 505 bhp. Pretty sure they remap to at least 550bhp too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 They can, but that's £1,700. Not that I've been looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuits Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 They can, but that's £1,700. Not that I've been looking. Ha ha ha....... it was a DMS tuned TurboS PDK at VMax....... feck it was fast ! One of the reasons I've never driven a Turbo is I know I'd then buy one at any cost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Try parr or fernsport for a remap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now