The BMW UUC Digest Volume 3 : Issue 358 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Misc E28 parts...cheap Re: dealership service Re: dealership service Re: dealership service Re: dealership service Re: dealership service Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... <WTB> DME Red label 413 Re: so I found this cheap little 750il...
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 07:48:06 -0600 From: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'David Thomas'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Brake pads are in no way a 'gang of work'. They are extremely simple to install and, IMO, anyone can do them. Alex > Playing devils advocate here: If someone brought their car to me and it > needed > a gang of work, I would also tell them they could not do the job, and lets > face it...who takes a car to a shop when they are capable of doing it > themselves? Not many. At least on this list. Who on here has a car that is > not a hobby? I would be most of these shops hear 'I can do it myself' all > the > time, but I doubt most of those people are actually qualified, if they > were...they would not need someones opinions on what needed to be done ;-) > At > the least, they would know how to find a good wrench that could do the job > at > a decent rate. > > Dave T ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 09:06:54 -0800 From: David Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Friday 05 January 2007 5:48 am, Alex Cagann wrote: > Brake pads are in no way a 'gang of work'. They are extremely simple to > install and, IMO, anyone can do them. > > Alex You would be wrong about that. Dave ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 09:43:42 -0500 From: "Walker, Scott" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Misc E28 parts...cheap Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have a box of misc E28 parts...oils filters/dash parts/switches and a set of gray carpet mats....if anyone needs anything let me know and we can workout a deal. Scott ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 09:31:54 -0600 From: "John Bunda" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > and lets > face it...who takes a car to a shop when they are capable of doing it > themselves? Not many. At least on this list. Who on here has a car that is > not a hobby? Whoa, wait a minute, I'm on this list, and I take my car to a shop all the time for stuff that I "could do myself." It's a question of saving time, aggravation, lacking correct tools, and maybe knowing the limitations of my own patience. Hell, I don't even change my own oil, mostly because the oil filter is nearly inaccessible without a lift. Of course it helps that I have a great independent who charges fairly for his services, and I have come to realize that I just don't enjoy doing all these things myself like I used to. This comes down to the fact the dealership service departments - at least at high-line dealerships - have figured out a couple of things. One is that most of their customers care more about convenience and the "service experience" than about price. Most high-line car buyers seem to be willing to pay quite a bit for being treated like a Vegas high roller, even if it means paying borderline outrageous prices. This has all been made worse by the "free" maintenance offered these days where the relationships with the dealership are cemented for a couple of years before the boom is lowered. And, stepping out of your car into a new loaner and being on your way is admittedly very nice, compared to the minivan shuttle or begging rides. My own story - I was quoted $2k for new tires, and $1500 for brakes - yes, that's $3500 - by a dealer not all that long ago - but that was for a 993 (long since sold). Naturally, they didn't get my business, but then, I didn't get the free latte and Boxster loaner either. The lack of decent local alternatives for Porsche service has somewhat soured me on that marque. Makes BMWs seem downright affordable! As was pointed out, someone has to pay for that tile floor and air conditioning in the service bay. And many people are willing to accept those prices without question. Ain't it beautiful? John '89 M3 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:59:23 -0500 From: Mark Alan Selleck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> John's right. I used to do everything as regards maintenance, and mechanical work short of getting into major component stuff. Not anymore. I don't enjoy laying on my back under a car as much as I used to (I just passed the big 60, and I'm not as limber as I used to be.) My son likes the cars, but his time is more valuable to him (and his employer) than what he pays out for service. However, forget the dealer. He just got a dealer quote for $3k to do work that my independent will do for just over half of that. Mark Selleck John Bunda wrote: >> and lets >> face it...who takes a car to a shop when they are capable of doing it >> themselves? Not many. At least on this list. Who on here has a car >> that is >> not a hobby? > > > Whoa, wait a minute, I'm on this list, and I take my car to a shop all > the time for stuff that I "could do myself." It's a question of > saving time, aggravation, lacking correct tools, and maybe knowing the > limitations of my own patience. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:51:53 -0500 From: KMS- Brett Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUC Digest <[email protected]> Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I could tell many a story, but I'll keep it to two. 1999 323i E46. Dealer quoted $1000 per axle for brakes ($2000 + tax). We did the job for under $700 total, all factory BMW parts, and made good money on it. E46 325Xi, 17K miles. Under warranty. Dealer charged customer almost $600 to replace rear springs. Told customer that the springs were broken due to incorrect towing procedure....... I found this one out when the customer came in for the first time. I mentioned that we would check his rear springs because ALL 325Xi's break their original springs. He told me they'd been replaced, and that he'd been charged for them............. Oh, and those fancy clinker tile floors going in at the BMW dealerships are REQUIRED by BMW. Don't do it, you'll lose your franchise.... Yup, gotta pay for them somehow. We don't advertise to be cheaper than the dealer, but we do what's needed, not what might be needed in 5K miles. We usually are cheaper though, because we also charge real time (rounded up to nearest 15 min.) vs flat rate x 1.5, which is what most BMW service departments bill customer pay work at. Brett Anderson KMS > My own story - I was quoted $2k for new tires, and $1500 for brakes - > yes, that's $3500 - by a dealer not all that long ago - but that was for > a 993 (long since sold). ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 14:12:58 -0600 From: "Allen Skillicorn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "UUC Digest" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Wait a minute, most BMW dealers charge 1.5 x booktime at there >$100 per hour rate? That's crazy! Allen Skillicorn 847/417/5611 847/271/8175 www.allenskillicorn.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of KMS- Brett Anderson <We usually are cheaper <though, because we also charge real time (rounded up to nearest 15 min.) <vs flat rate x 1.5, which is what most BMW service departments bill <customer pay work at. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 12:40:42 -0500 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "John Bunda" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I do the other extreme. I do everything, and take on more through unnecessary car projects. Paying for car service is after tax money, so one has to earn considerably more than the $100/hr or whatever the dealer charges to make it not worth the time. Dealers also charge top dollar for parts, so there is another 30-50% savings. As a car hobby guy, I really enjoy working on my cars, and that allows me to drive some very very nice cars for less money than a new Hyundai. Stopping that sort of work means I have given up and consigned myself to being old. The point is one should do what one likes, no need to rationalize it with statements such as saving time. It takes me practically no time to change my oil, I can come home from work, pull the drain plug, eat dinner, finish up and still watch Jeopardy. Gary Derian > > Whoa, wait a minute, I'm on this list, and I take my car to a shop all the > time for stuff that I "could do myself." It's a question of saving > time, aggravation, lacking correct tools, and maybe knowing the > limitations of my own patience. Hell, I don't even change my own oil, > mostly because the oil filter is nearly inaccessible without a lift. Of > course it helps that I have a great independent who charges fairly for his > services, and I have come to realize that I just don't enjoy doing all > these things myself like I used to. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 12:23:22 -0500 From: "Mike Frank" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: "'Alex Cagann'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Alex, Ahhh, Tom Wood Lexus... where to start? They will try to get every dime out of you that they can (unfortunately not unlike most dealers and independents). I can only assume that they have plenty of wealthy customers that just pay what they're told. No time for long stories now, but one of the service reps did try to get me to do a $600 transmission fluid change as part of the normal maintenance schedule. Hmmm. If anyone knows a good/reasonable independent mechanic around Indianapolis that works on Lexuses, or Lexi, whatever, foreign cars, I'm all ears. Mike Frank > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:bmwuucdigest- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alex Cagann > Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 12:10 AM > To: 'David Thomas'; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [UUC] so I found this cheap little 750il... > > Well...ok, let's hear some franchise dealer quote stories from listers. I > have one from last week to begin this. Car is a 2003 Lexus, dealer is the > local Indianapolis Lexus dealer. I sold him this car about a year ago. It > is > time for tires and brake pads...his wife is pregnant (more on that in a > minute). He goes to Tom Wood, drops it off for a quote. Goes back later > that > day with his wife to pick it up because the quote...now get this...(again, > we are talking four new tires and 4 brake pads)....$2,000. They wanted > $800 > to put new pads on and $1,200 for new tires. WHAT THE???? What the hell > kind of tires are these I wonder...this car has 16 inch by 7.5 wheels. > $1,200???? Wait...what about the $800 for pads. I'm trying to figure this > out. Well, I got him four tires for $65 each ($260) and we got the brake > pads at Autozone for $75 and installed them in about 1 our. Total price > for > parts and another $40 for mounting and balancing the tires: $375. He would > have paid $2,000 plus $120 in sales tax at the dealer. Well, you see these > new fancy buildings all these franchise dealers are building...someone has > to pay. It wasn't too long ago that I was up at the local BMW dealer and > they were putting in a beautiful ceramic tile floor in the service > area...and we are talking huge square feet here. Well, there is one > story...I've got plenty of them, this is just the most recent laugh I had. > > Wait, I almost forgot the best part. Remember the pregnant wife? Well, > when > he goes in to pick the car up, and refuses the job...they nag him. He > tells > them he is going to do the brakes himself with a mechanically inclined > friend for a far more reasonable price. They say, "You are doing your own > brake job?" He says hell yes. OK, here's where the pregnant wife comes > in...they say, to him, in front of her, "Do you feel that is safe? This > job > should be left to a professional...do you really want your pregnant wife > and > unborn child driving around in that car?" I'm really not sure what to > think > about all that rot. If they said that in front of my wife under the same > circumstance, I would probably call my attorney and give them hell. > > Alex ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 12:30:12 -0500 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Avoiding dealer rape is one thing, using crap parts on a top of the line Lexus is quite another. $65 tires? I wouldn't use those for dock bumpers. Gary Derian > we are talking four new tires and 4 brake pads)....$2,000. They wanted > $800 > to put new pads on and $1,200 for new tires. WHAT THE???? What the hell > kind of tires are these I wonder...this car has 16 inch by 7.5 wheels. > $1,200???? Wait...what about the $800 for pads. I'm trying to figure this > out. Well, I got him four tires for $65 each ($260) and we got the brake > pads at Autozone for $75 and installed them in about 1 our. Total price > for > parts and another $40 for mounting and balancing the tires: $375. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:19:59 -0800 From: Kazuto Okayasu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> At 09:30 AM 1/5/2007, Gary Derian wrote: What's wrong with $65 tires? I've been putting $65 Dunlop SP Sport 4000s from TireRack on my parents' cars for the good part of a decade now. >Avoiding dealer rape is one thing, using crap parts on a top of the >line Lexus is quite another. $65 tires? I wouldn't use those for >dock bumpers. >Gary Derian > > > >>we are talking four new tires and 4 brake pads)....$2,000. They wanted $800 >>to put new pads on and $1,200 for new tires. WHAT THE???? What the hell >>kind of tires are these I wonder...this car has 16 inch by 7.5 wheels. >>$1,200???? Wait...what about the $800 for pads. I'm trying to figure this >>out. Well, I got him four tires for $65 each ($260) and we got the brake >>pads at Autozone for $75 and installed them in about 1 our. Total price for >>parts and another $40 for mounting and balancing the tires: $375. > >Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > >__________________________________________________________________________ >In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > >UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate >Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! >908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com Kazuto Okayasu Manager, Desktop Support Services Administrative Computing Services, University of California, Irvine [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 14:21:17 -0500 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Kazuto Okayasu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Nothing, as long as they have nylon cap plies and preferably an AA traction grade. I ran the SP Sport 4000 about 12 years ago and I liked it then. Where do you get them for $65? Gary Derian > At 09:30 AM 1/5/2007, Gary Derian wrote: > > What's wrong with $65 tires? I've been putting $65 Dunlop SP Sport 4000s > from TireRack on my parents' cars for the good part of a decade now. > >>Avoiding dealer rape is one thing, using crap parts on a top of the line >>Lexus is quite another. $65 tires? I wouldn't use those for dock >>bumpers. >>Gary Derian ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 14:32:33 -0600 From: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Gary Derian'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Since I am a dealer, I buy tires at the local wholesale warehouse. Those tires were goodyear's...yes, the same tires that cost $130 or so a piece at tire rack. Alex > -----Original Message----- > From: Gary Derian [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 11:30 AM > To: Alex Cagann; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [UUC] so I found this cheap little 750il... > > Avoiding dealer rape is one thing, using crap parts on a top of the line > Lexus is quite another. $65 tires? I wouldn't use those for dock > bumpers. > Gary Derian ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 10:12:50 -0800 (PST) From: Kyle Sanchez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: <WTB> DME Red label 413 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hey guys I need a Red label 413 DME for my S52 swap into my E30. Anyone got a good place to buy on from? eBay has one for $299 plus shipping. Anyone got a better deal? Thanks Kyle Sanchez 89' 325i --> soon to be 332i __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 13:01:36 -0500 From: "Mike Frank" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: so I found this cheap little 750il... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dave, I do almost all of the work on all of my cars; but there are some times when I'm busy or something comes up that needs to be fixed quickly and I'll consider having someone else fix it. The few times I've gotten quotes from stealers (and some independents) to do the repairs, they gave me the go to hell price. So, I did the work myself. Here's a quick example of Tom Wood Lexus bending people over. Trust me, it's even worse on things like brake jobs. BTW, the Tom Wood Audi/Porsche/Rover? stealership down the street is well known for ridiculous service costs as well. Dead battery - 3 years old with some ridiculous 84 or 96 month warranty. Stealer says new battery is $120 (high - more than I paid for my much larger M3 battery from BMW stealer), but it'll cost me $60 w/prorated warranty. I can get a new one (JCI, likely better than the notoriously shitty Lexus OE batteries) for $48, but would have paid it if the wife could just drive in and have them swap it. Low hassle factor is good. Then he tells me it'll cost $60 to have it installed. What? Sixty bucks to install a battery? It doesn't get much easier than that (maybe a headlight bulb), assuming you can lift it. Every place I've ever talked to installs them for free. I got the same battery for the QX4 (group 24/575CCA/130RC) from the Nissan dealership next door for $80 w/ free install the week before. I guess my point is that sometimes capable people do go to others for repairs, but it's just unfortunate that every time you turn around someone is trying to rip you off. Mike > Playing devils advocate here: If someone brought their car to me and it > needed > a gang of work, I would also tell them they could not do the job, and lets > face it...who takes a car to a shop when they are capable of doing it > themselves? Not many. At least on this list. Who on here has a car that is > not a hobby? I would be most of these shops hear 'I can do it myself' all > the > time, but I doubt most of those people are actually qualified, if they > were...they would not need someones opinions on what needed to be done ;-) > At > the least, they would know how to find a good wrench that could do the job > at > a decent rate. > > Dave T ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(15 messages) **********
