hello! I have a 05 mini s and recently took it in because I was due for scheduled maintenance. They told I was due for the 30k inspection, that I am out of coverage for that, and it will cost 650!

This sounds like alot for an inspection and wanted to get some opinions on what my options would be. Do I have to do this at the dealer or would it be ok to have this done elsewhere? If so, where?

Thanks so much for anyones help!

 

Knowing where you're located might help people make recommendations for independent mechanics

Also, what is the build date of your MINI?

 

I'm in LA. Where do I find the build date? The car is at the dealer now so I may not be able to get that info

 

...little black plate,driver's side door frame,on the car body,1/2 way up ...voila

 

Still, even if it were an '04 build, it should still be covered under the warranty. Didn't the '05's come with a 4yr/36k mile warranty?

 

mine's 03 with 27.5k miles. ive been doing the inspection myself
little by little.

over the course of the 5yrs of ownership, the main things i changed are
oil, coolant, brake fluid, airfilter (cleaning since aftermarket).
otherwise it's mostly inspections. ive done the rear section, going
to do the front section probably next season while i do the oil change
again next spring.

i might have a slight tranny leak seeping at the seals. not sure yet.
not enough to drip but monitoring since the last oil change earlier
this spring.

 

well my car is at the dealer, so I can't get the build date. Why does that matter?

The dealer told me it's not a warranty issue. I am still under warranty, but this is just scheduled maintenance, which was only covered up until last may. I guess it's a 3 year thing.

Sooooo, they say I need this inspection. They say it costs $650. How could inspecting ANYTHING cost $650??

I don't want to do it myself. What options do I have to get it inspected? Do I need to do it?

 

Oil and Inspection Services are only covered for 3 years or 36K miles. The first brake fluid flush (two years after build date) is also covered.

 

Call Danny at Minicorsa in NoHollywood.

He's knowledgable and very reasonable.

 

Great, I called Danny, taken the car in saturday. Thanks for the reccomendations!

 

Before I'd pay for any $650 inspection I'd ask the dealer for a list of what exactly was included in the inspection (check brake lines, fluid levels, transmission and differential for leaks, etc?)...

...then I'd go home and do it myself for free

Seriously, if there's any part of the inspection that you couldn't do yourself that warrants $650 of labor fees they should be able to tell you exactly what that is.

UPDATE:

Never mind...I did a search on this forum and found what it includes...FWIW, it appears it consists of mostly nothing followed by topping off a couple of fluids and resetting the service indicator.
About the only thing you couldn't do yourself would be checking the rollover protection system. You could have a brake shop check your brakes and grease your hubs (for much less than $650) and be good to go...

Inspection I Undercarriage

• Change motor oil and filter
• Check transmission for leaks
• Check rear axle for leaks
• Visually check fuel tank, lines and connections for leaks
• Check condition, position and mounting of exhaust system and check for leaks
• Check power steering system for leaks. Check fluid level and add fluid if necessary
• Check steering for absences of play, condition of suspension track rods, front axle joints, steering linkage and joint disc
• Examine brake disc surfaces. Clean brake pad contact points in calipers. Grease wheel centering hubs
• Check front control arm bushings for wear
• Check brake system connections and lines for leaks, damage and incorrect positioning
• Check for free movement of the parking brake cables. Adjust parking brake if necessary
• Check and correct all tire pressure (including spare). Check condition of tires, tire wear and pattern; in case of uneven tread wear, adjust wheel alignment if requested (billed separately)
  
  Engine Compartment
• Read out diagnostic system
• Check engine cooling system/heater hose connections for leaks. Check coolant level and antifreeze if required
• Check level of brake/clutch fluid in reservoir. Add if required
• Check windshield washer fluid level and antifreeze protection. Add if required
• Check air conditioner for operation
• Reset service indicator
  
  Body / Electrical
• Check battery electrolyte level and add distilled water if required
• Perform battery load test
• Check lighting system. Including headlights, fog, parking, reverse, license plate, interior (including map reading lights), glove box, flashlight, illuminated makeup mirrors and luggage compartment area lights.
• Check instrument panel and dashboard illumination
• Check all warning/indicator lights, check control
• Check turn signals, hazard warning flashers, brake lights, horns, headlight dimmer and flasher switch
• Check wipers and washer system, wiper blades and washer jet positions
• Check condition and function of safety belts
• Visually examine the airbag units for torn covers, obvious damage or attachment of decals, decorations or accessories
• Check central locking/double locks
• Replace batteries for alarm remote controls in all master keys
• Oil hood, trunk and door hinges. Grease hood, trunk/tailgate and door latches. Check operation of all latches.
• Replace microfilter
• Check heater/AC blower, rear window defogger
• Check rear view and side mirrors
• Activate automatic roll-over protection system (if equipped) via diagnostic link. (Note: First remove hardtop/lower top)
  
  Final Inspection
• Road test with check of brakes, suspension, steering clutch/manual transmission or automatic transmission

__________________

 

yeah it's a rip off. Makes me a little dissapointed in them

 

totally! i thought i was gonna bring it in the dealer and on second thought decided to just bite the bullet and DIY.....for close to $700 I can do an oil change and complete brake job (which I also need) so no thx....

 

I feel your pain... for a recent oil change (my last one at the dealer), a 10 point inspection and an added "Cabin Filter" replacement (at $90.00 buckaroos) my total came out to $214.00. A serious reaming if you ask me.
My paperwork said it was a 40K service when my MINI had over 75,000 miles on it.

 

Oh yea, my first oil service from the dealer cost me $240. Holy Moly~
No Thanks from now on, will only back to the dealer for warranty service!!

 

oil and filter service at midwest in columbus,oh was $ 89
i thought that was high..

 

I took my MINI into the Brecht MINI dealer for oil change / inspection service right after i bought it used with 65k miles so they could check everything out... $375!!

The worst part? They didn't even check the battery. A couple weeks later my car wouldn't start at a gas station and I found a loose positive battery cable and the little battery vent hose wasn't even connected.

Another thing is that I explained I just bought that care and wanted to know anything and everything that may be worn or needing replacement. They failed to notice and inform me of the mushroomed strut towers on the car.

My recommendation? Take it to a independent BMW/MINI shop and give the mechanic a $40 tip before he starts. You'll get an EXTENSIVE inspection and still come out ahead. =]

 

The potential costs of maintenance was one of the reasons we sold Quentin after 3 years. I don't know what it would cost, but I was pretty sure it wouldn't be cheap from the dealer.

 

We had to drive our MINI hard the last few months in the 3-years of included maintenance to sneak in under the time limit. It was worth it because we saved $575.

We won't be due for a while now, though we'll probably drive the car a lot so that we synchronize the time and mileage warranties.

We also dread paying full MINI prices for this kind of "service".

 

We've got a local shop (Autoscope) in Plano (Near Dallas, TX) that will do a free track inspection for BMWCCA members... a good 30 minute look-over to check almost all of the systems mentioned above. That done once a year, along with my own regular maintenance, makes me feel pretty good about the condition of my MINI.

It's a regular thing for folks to be charged $800+ for a brake job that requires about $250-300 in parts (probably less at the dealer's cost). I can do the work in 2 hours in my garage with hand tools, including time to get everything ready. I can't imagine that it would take much over 90 minutes for a pro in a garage with a lift to do the work. What's that... $333/hour?

 

Your car is fully covered for anything until it reaches 35,000. On mine the brakes and rotors were replaced at 32,000 as the tech said one caliper was stuck. It was all covered. I can't imagine what they would inspect for $650 and then fix under warranty.

They are ripping you off plain and simple. There is nothing that they can look at that they shouldn't be fixing under warranty. What could they say, you need brakes and then charge you another $400? Or that you have mushroomed strut towers and fixing that is another, say $400. Or you need tires? They should be changing your brake fluid and your wiper blades for free and washing your car too.

And if they won't an independent shop can do a general inspection if in fact you actually need one.

Rich

 

I just ordered a 09 and it is on its way to the VDC at this time, I just found out that when I ordered it I wanted the mud flaps a $62.00 option, Then I find out that the dealer wants $182.50 to install them! $182.00 to install four mud flaps!...all that is involved is eight little clips and four screws! I've told them to either place them in the back seat and I'll do it myself or just forget it and I'll get them from ebay. I get the feeling their taking advantage of owners thru labor cost. Not a very good business practace!

 

Some dealerships are stealerships.

 

They do it because most people just bend over and say okay.

 

Was it Universal City Mini? AKA The worst dealership on the planet?