03grey5

Hello,

I have about 74k miles on my car and it's an 04 530i. I don't know if the car has ever been in for service since I haven't been driving it that long. (my dad drove it around)

Anyways, I went to Ronin Autowerks and they told me that I need a Service 2. I was wondering if anybody can chime in with some advice or information. Can service tech's know which service I need without even looking at my car? All I told him was that I drive 2004 530i with 74k miles and never been in for service.

Well anyways, the guy quoted me low $500's and someone at Bavarian Autotechs quoted me mid $400's. (prices are subject to change depending on their scanners). Does anyone know other places I can check out in the O.C. (Fullerton, Buena Park, Irvine, etc. or places around Rowland, Diamond Bar)

Thanks for looking!

pjinca

Hey Nick, find out what the service involves - shouldn't be that bad. I can go to your house with the tools we would need and we can go and get the parts needed. I would never spend that much for something called a "service" you can usually get all the parts for less than $200 and a few hours of work and you're done.

luigi524td

You should first and foremost determine what services have been performed (at least during the past 24 months / 24K miles). That would eliminate the possibility you'll replace parts that are still serviceable.

The "Service II" concept is no longer applicable and has been replaced with Condition-Based Service intervals determined by driving style and usage. The iDrive will report miles to each action.

That said, I'm sure your Father did at least the minimum service on the BMW when he was the driver. (Oil changes and filter replacements- micro filters can get clogged in as few as 12K miles!)

As for check and inspect - most of those are pretty easy ... inspect brake pad thickness (you'll get sensor warnings when they are worn to the point of replacement), inspect other fluid levels, brake reservoir, ww washer, etc.; Inspect and confirm coolant level. As for the last two (brake and coolant) it is recommended that the brake system be flushed every two years and if you want to keep the radiator and related parts in good spirits I'd flush and replace coolant (use BMW Coolant) at least every 3-4 years max!

Inspect rubber suspension parts, lube door and trunk/hood hinges.

Spark plugs should be replaced every 60-100K miles - depending on how the car is driven. Inspect wheels and tires for even wear (be advised that BMW suspension settings often result in uneven rear tire wear. That is normal but can fool you if you see the outer tread wear as OK but fail to notice that the inner tread is worn thin thin!! It would not be unwise to have the wheel alignment checked by a competent shop with BMW experience. That is not a job for Sears Auto!!

That's it for me for now - If I missed anything someone will surely chime in!

One last thing - these "bundled service prices" are a real money maker for service shops. You should specify exactly what you want done and what you want inspected. Stay away from independents not experienced with BMWs. I think the BMWCCA still lists shops that are in the know. Forum members may also recommend one to you in the local area. It's still (in my opinion) your responsibility to confirm the shop is able to do work to your satisfaction. No matter how well one customer is treated, customer service is a very individual situation. An educated and informed customer is always prepared!

TakmaN

Matt at Ronin Autowerks seems to be getting some good reviews on E46 fanatics but you could also try out EMW in Arcadia (www.emw1.com) which is a shop that a lot of m3forumers swear by. Their prices aren't the cheapest but they do an excellent job from what I hear and will not bs you for servicing or items that are not required. Give them a call and see what they think.

On a side note, I'm not sure what Service II is, but I know for the E46 M3 there is Inspection I and II which are major service tune-ups done every roughly 20-25k miles and are expensive because they involve a valve adjustment. I would just follow your iDrive system or search for a pdf on recommended service intervals that someone posted on here. I have it saved on my laptop if you want a copy of it.