[Mfreakin5]

Let me guess, you took it to Fairfax BMW? You were better off leaving your car parked in the bad part of town with the keys in it.

Your rotors aren't warped, rotors don't warp, generally. You probably have pad deposits on them. Take it to a competent independent mechanic and have them see if the rotors are still within spec to be resurfaced. If so, $100 later you could have rattle free brakes.

As for the thrust arm bushings, yeah that probably needs to be done if they say so, it's hard to BS that.

 

[timmay77]

That sucks bro! I would have another mechanic look at it like Freakin said. Thrust arms aren't too bad. Rotors are even easier.

 

[getbent]

Dude run away from that dealer

Probably was FF - those price quotes are totally out of line. You can buy a complete front & rear brake kit for less than that and install is very easy DIY. I'd get the thrust arms replaced (go ahead and buy the whole arm, not just the bush) and that will probably cure the shake. At least do that before spending the cash on the rotors.

And people wonder why dealers have such a bad rep. Front brake parts are maybe $500 plus 2 hrs labor. It is one thing to charge $100/hr for labor and just plain wrong to mark up the parts 100% and jack the book hours.

 

[ATLZHP6M]

nothing beats DIY, with all the work I have done to my beast, I have probably kept many thousand dollars from going to the dealer's pockets! :grinyes:

I wonder how much they charge for replacing your OEM coilovers with new ones? (labor)

 

[lanza360]

Freakin, I actually took it to BMW sterling.

Tim, I will take to another shop for a second opinion and take it from there.

getbent, thanks for the heads up on the bushing. I hear just replacing the bushing is a pain as you need some kind a press to install them.

Their rate is $ 133 per hr but they have an special for $99 per hr until the end of the month. LOL

 

[Mfreakin5]

Probably was FF - those price quotes are totally out of line. You can buy a complete front & rear brake kit for less than that and install is very easy DIY. I'd get the thrust arms replaced (go ahead and buy the whole arm, not just the bush) and that will probably cure the shake. At least do that before spending the cash on the rotors.

And people wonder why dealers have such a bad rep. Front brake parts are maybe $500 plus 2 hrs labor. It is one thing to charge $100/hr for labor and just plain wrong to mark up the parts 100% and jack the book hours.

yeah no kidding.

My fiance's E46 M3 wouldn't pass emissions. Took it to a BMW dealer (shall remain nameless). They diagnose the MAF as being bad....after having the car for 2 days. They want $665 to replace it. I literally laughed at the SA over the phone. She says "the part itself is $430 so you're only paying 1 additional hour of labor". I laughed some more.

The MAF, as I suspected, was $268 from Tischer and I replaced it in literally 3 minutes by myself in the parking lot. I paid the $140 diagnostic fee and the $288 for the MAF and I was still ahead $257...for 3 minutes of my time. Oh, and she recommended replacing the air filter too b/c it was "really dirty" for $65. I rolled my eyes (over the phone, not sure why) because I changed it before I took the car in for service the day before.

Gotta love stealerships.

 

[getbent]

$665 for a MAF?! Unreal

I love this board b/c it has definately saved me thousands over the last couple years and I've learned a lot about the car. An hour of labor to change out the MAF is criminal. Sad thing is there are probably lots of owners out there who would say "well, Ok" and just eat it. I honestly think dealers would make a lot more and have more repeat customers if they just kept things reasonable.

 

[lanza360]

I only took as because of the free check up offer but I never let them fix anything.

as Getbent mention this board really help member to save money with all the DYi's posted.

I always get treated nice over BMW sterling regradless whether I use them or not.

 

[NogginM5Beast]

e39 m5 + dealer maintenance = bad news bears. Sometimes I wonder what would life be like if I just took my car in to get serviced, signed whatever bill they presented to me and then shrugged it off as 'it costs what it costs'. Then again, there are enough people like that for dealerships to stay in business the way they do. Unreal.

 

[OptimusPrimeM5]

I love free checkups. You can ALWAYS count the dealer will find something to justify their "free" service.

Im very close to BMW Sterling and quite frankly very disappointed in their Customer Service in Service. I don't plan on using them as I heard of an Indy in FFX and have lift and tools at home for DIY but is there a dealer that people would "recommend" in the area? MD or VA?

 

[Beemer Guy]

I get a little upset at all of the dealer bashing. Yes, their prices are outrageous and their SAs can occasionally be less than optimal. However, they have a very high overhead and sometimes we have no alternative for diagnosing and reprogramming some of the obscure electrical problems. The later model cars are even worse in this regard. It's a necessary evil, keeping them around.

I bought an E38 from a guy who loved the car but got fed up with his last visit to a dealer, a $1600 brake job. They really stick it to you on those, but everyone does! And yes, that's no excuse, but there is a certain amount of liability involved in a brake job that you can't ignore. I've done brakes for many friends in their inferior non-BMW products, and trust me that Honda and Toyota and Lexus and Chevy and everyone is just as bad.

I've met some really good dealership mechanics who love the cars and make an effort to do a good job. And there are even some SAs who know their stuff. The problem really lies in the management and ownership of these places, these incredibly rich people who just want to get richer.

I've got nothing against rich people. I hope to be one someday.

 

[Mfreakin5]

I get a little upset at all of the dealer bashing. Yes, their prices are outrageous and their SAs can occasionally be less than optimal. However, they have a very high overhead and sometimes we have no alternative for diagnosing and reprogramming some of the obscure electrical problems. The later model cars are even worse in this regard. It's a necessary evil, keeping them around.

I bought an E38 from a guy who loved the car but got fed up with his last visit to a dealer, a $1600 brake job. They really stick it to you on those, but everyone does! And yes, that's no excuse, but there is a certain amount of liability involved in a brake job that you can't ignore. I've done brakes for many friends in their inferior non-BMW products, and trust me that Honda and Toyota and Lexus and Chevy and everyone is just as bad.

I've met some really good dealership mechanics who love the cars and make an effort to do a good job. And there are even some SAs who know their stuff. The problem really lies in the management and ownership of these places, these incredibly rich people who just want to get richer.

I've got nothing against rich people. I hope to be one someday.

You are correct but the problem is that the no-nothing douchebag money-hungry owners, manager, and SA's are in the overwhelming majority. If they were a small minority, we could avoid a certain dealership or SA and be treated fairly and keep going back to the dealer. And for electrical and diagnosing issues, the dealer is often the only game in town. I don't mind paying $140 to diagnose a problem (or even the $256 they charged to diagnose bad coil plugs on the E46) but I don't like paying 2-3 times more than an indy for labor and a 100% markup for parts.

But no, not all dealerships are bad, just most of them.

And I have nothing against douchebags, I'm a lawyer after all. :thumbsup:

 

[OptimusPrimeM5]

And I have nothing against douchebags, I'm a lawyer after all. :thumbsup:

Priceless. I love this :goldcup:

 

[palemud]

I actually took it to BMW sterling.

No good can come of this. Ever. :nono:

 

[Clemster]

So Adam I think I will need to spend some time in you garage yawnnnn

No need to be taken to the cleaners for easy stuff like that. Hit me up, we'll get you square away.

 

[lanza360]

I hear you guys, just wanted to let you you guys know about my experience. Adam will let you as soon as I am ready to tackle those issues, my friend Raj has an extra pair of bushing and gave them to me. so I am going to check to see how much an Indy shop will charge to replace the bushing if it cost the same as replacing the control arm and bushing I will do that.

 

[navyguy22]

Your rotors aren't warped, rotors don't warp, generally. You probably have pad deposits on them..

Uh... What!, rotors DO warp, and Quite often ESPECIALLY STOCK ROTORS under heavy use IE spirited driving, hard braking etc.. and also if are not warmed up at first and then having a hard braking ie slamming on breaks will almost always cause some warping as the metal heats up so quick and then cools, its basic molecular chemistry of metals, my god, please take them to get checked with a micrometer, and yet sometimes you can get them turned on a lathe but generally not recommended, think about it, your shaving off part of your brakes.

 

[Cemessi]

Uh... What!, rotors DO warp, and Quite often ESPECIALLY STOCK ROTORS under heavy use IE spirited driving, hard braking etc.. and also if are not warmed up at first and then having a hard braking ie slamming on breaks will almost always cause some warping as the metal heats up so quick and then cools, its basic molecular chemistry of metals, my god, please take them to get checked with a micrometer, and yet sometimes you can get them turned on a lathe but generally not recommended, think about it, your shaving off part of your brakes.

So who's going to tell him...

 

[ard]

So who's going to tell him...

No energy.

ouich