Is this normal for an auto mechanic?

[saluki9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny Nothing in a BMW is easy to do. I *hated* doing work on mine. I wasnt sure if they employed a team of people to determine the most complicated maintenance strategy prior to general vehicle engineering or it just fell together that way. I wonder how many guys they employ to sharpen all the metal parts around things you need to put your hands into. My fondest recollection was replacing the fuel pump. Normally this is a pretty straightforward job on an american or japanese car. The BMW service manual started "Remove exhaust system. Remove drive shaft. Remove fuel tank.". I removed the back seat and cut a hole in the sheet metal under it. Carefully.

What's funny is to see how the service schedule has changed for BMW now that they are paying for all of it.

My 3 series' first oil change isn't scheduled until 15,000 miles and around once a year after that. Somehow all the extra stuff that dealers like to include in their "suggested tune ups" aren't worth BMW having to pay for them.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Thats because by the time any problems show up from 15k oil changes, the car will be out of warranty and they can charge you plenty for out of warranty repairs. Theres no profit in selling a car anymore unless you get a buyer that isnt paying attention to the 32,934 information sources and tools to buy a car cheap. All the money is in maintenance and repair.

Now that they're footing the bill for early maintenance, I'll bet they stopped using those tension clamps to secure all the fuel and vacuum lines that require retensioning every 6-12 months and went to the ratcheting screw hose clamps that never need anything at all ever.

I really appreciated how they used those on the fuel line connected to the top of the fuel pump, which of course you couldnt retension without disassembling half the car. But it does make for a nice raw fuel smell within 30-50k miles so you think theres a problem and the dealer can charge you a brazillion dollars to replace a fuel pump... :

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 What's funny is to see how the service schedule has changed for BMW now that they are paying for all of it. My 3 series' first oil change isn't scheduled until 15,000 miles and around once a year after that. Somehow all the extra stuff that dealers like to include in their "suggested tune ups" aren't worth BMW having to pay for them.

Don't confuse the *manufacturer's* recc service with the *dealer* recc service. The dealer is often recc more stuff, because they can charge for it.

Has the manufacturer changed their schedule? If so, maybe it is due to having those new oil change monitors built in? Those give a much better indication of oil life. W/O those, they had to err on the conservative side with more frequent oil changes.

-ERD50

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 Don't confuse the *manufacturer's* recc service with the *dealer* recc service. The dealer is often recc more stuff, because they can charge for it. Has the manufacturer changed their schedule? If so, maybe it is due to having those new oil change monitors built in? Those give a much better indication of oil life. W/O those, they had to err on the conservative side with more frequent oil changes.-ERD50

Not to mention cars today are built better, lowering the "need" for the same oil change interval they had when most cars were crap.

60,000 miles was a "high-mileage" car in the 60's........

[Peaceful_Warrior]

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Originally Posted by FinanceDude Not to mention cars today are built better, lowering the "need" for the same oil change interval they had when most cars were crap. 60,000 miles was a "high-mileage" car in the 60's........

True. When I bought my Toyota Rav4 in 2001, the dealer said, "Most places recommend every 3,000 miles. Manufacturer says you can go as long as 7,500 miles. We recommend every 5,000 miles."

As it stands, once I get to 5,000 I then start saying, "I should get an oil change." It then happens before 7,500, but very rarely at 5,000... and never before.

[REWahoo]

I think Consumer Reports and NPR's Click & Clack both recommend 5,000 miles for non-synthetic oils. With those two sources, why would you look anywhere else?

[Nords]

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Originally Posted by REWahoo I think Consumer Reports and NPR's Click & Clack both recommend 5,000 miles for non-synthetic oils. With those two sources, why would you look anywhere else?

I still try to change our oil every 6-9 months just to let out the water and other accumulated low-mileage gunk.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords I still try to change our oil every 6-9 months just to let out the water and other accumulated low-mileage gunk.

So you don't really live in paradise after all?

[tightasadrum]

When did they start putting cabin filters in cars?? I've owned many cars and have never even seen one. What does it filter out, rats and cockroaches?

[cantlogin]

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Originally Posted by tightasadrum When did they start putting cabin filters in cars?? I've owned many cars and have never even seen one. What does it filter out, rats and cockroaches?

Cabins, I guess. No?

[travelover]

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Originally Posted by tightasadrum When did they start putting cabin filters in cars?? I've owned many cars and have never even seen one. What does it filter out, rats and cockroaches?

Dust and pollen. For some with allergies, it really helps.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo I think Consumer Reports and NPR's Click & Clack both recommend 5,000 miles for non-synthetic oils. With those two sources, why would you look anywhere else?

Not a bad recommendation, although I'd add "or within one year, if you havent reached 5000 miles by then".

Consumer reports tested oils in taxi cabs in manhattan, all idling and stop and go driving with a lot more hours of engine run time to miles driven than most people do in their personal cars. IIRC none of the oils showed any significant breakdown or loss of additives packages until after 5000 miles.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny Consumer reports tested oils in taxi cabs in manhattan, all idling and stop and go driving with a lot more hours of engine run time to miles driven than most people do in their personal cars.

Especially among ERs, I'd be more concerned about the cars that sit in garages for 3-4 days between five-mile trips that barely even warm up the engine (let alone the crankcase).

[jazz4cash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 What's funny is to see how the service schedule has changed for BMW now that they are paying for all of it. My 3 series' first oil change isn't scheduled until 15,000 miles and around once a year after that. Somehow all the extra stuff that dealers like to include in their "suggested tune ups" aren't worth BMW having to pay for them.

Wow! 15k is a long long time unless using synthetic. Oil life will vary significantly depending on the type of driving, so the 3k mile interval is worst case severe duty. Our cars all have oil life monitors in them and the computer tracks engine speed, hrs, temp, etc. so the light turns on much much later if your doing highway driving. Owner's manual also has a note not to exceed 12 months regardless of miles. I picked up a new company car and was doing nearly 100% highway driving and went about 9k miles before the light came on.

[FinanceDude]

I just read an article about the 2008 Honda Accord...apparently their 4 cylinder engine can go 10,000 miles between oil changes...........

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude I just read an article about the 2008 Honda Accord...apparently their 4 cylinder engine can go 10,000 miles between oil changes...........

My Escape Hybrid has 10,000 mile oil change intervals, as well. Of course the engine doesn't idle much....

[saluki9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz4cash Wow! 15k is a long long time unless using synthetic. Oil life will vary significantly depending on the type of driving, so the 3k mile interval is worst case severe duty. Our cars all have oil life monitors in them and the computer tracks engine speed, hrs, temp, etc. so the light turns on much much later if your doing highway driving. Owner's manual also has a note not to exceed 12 months regardless of miles. I picked up a new company car and was doing nearly 100% highway driving and went about 9k miles before the light came on.

Yeah, the BMW comes loaded with Castrol full synthetic. It also changes the service schedule based on how you drive. It's supposed to go 15K between changes. However, after seeing me drive the car has decided that 9K is a better interval

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 It also changes the service schedule based on how you drive. It's supposed to go 15K between changes. However, after seeing me drive the car has decided that 9K is a better interval

Why is it always company cars that folks beat the crap out of? I'll be tyou don't treat your S2000 like that!

My neighbor's son bought a WRX Subaru, and put about $10,000 in performance parts in it..........

He's now running high 12's in the 1/4 mile.........

[saluki9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude Why is it always company cars that folks beat the crap out of? I'll be tyou don't treat your S2000 like that!

Are you kidding? I drive my S2000 like it's stolen and i'm running from the cops!

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 Are you kidding? I drive my S2000 like it's stolen and i'm running from the cops!

Then again, it's a Honda,so it's better equipped to be "beat on" that a Beemer............