Is this an outrageous quote? Or is this an average price I'm looking at having to pay for install bc it seems ridiculously steep to me. Please give me some feed back.

 

That is just way up there. Just take it to a local shop.
Minus the alignment and cornering balancing I estimated about 4 hours plus or minus.

 

Wow! Save the money and do it yourself. Simple bolt on items.

 

Seems reasonable for "dealer" pricing. However, there is nothing on your list a local reputable garage mechanic in your area can't handle for a fraction of the price. Doesn't even need to be a MINI guy, springs and swaybars are pretty much universal knowledge.

 

Exactly, or find another shop to compare prices.

 

I had a line on the sports suspension package (sway bar, springs.) really cheap here in the marketplace. For kicks I asked the dealership how much to install, it was over $2k if I recall.

I am not a mechanically inclined guy, so when I wanted coilovers/control arms I took it to the shop that does my wheel and tire stuff. ~$500 including mounting and balancing my summer rubber.

 

Ya this isn't a dealership giving me that quote, was a local mechanic shop.

 

If that was from an independent mechanic, your area must be suffering for work, because they obviously are trying to pay the bills on your dime. Find another shop ASAP. Or just find a guy that can set you up on the side when he is not at work (cash, 100% in his pocket, under the table)

 

Yes an independent mechanic and that quote came with an email saying they included a 10% discount. Haha

 

Dang, i was just u there in Palo Alto. I could have hook you up for a six pack.
Its not hard doing what you needed done. Get on You Tube for some idea how how to do the swap/install.

 

Well come back up and I'll give you a 24pack instead

 

I'm over 500 miles away from you bud

 

Well if there is any NorCal people reading this, please reply with reliable shops and possible pricing because I got no tools to do this myself.

 

Do you all have any idea how shops come up with pricing? It's called flat rate. They look up the job in a book or on the web. Every job is listed with the # of hours it gets billed at. # of hours times shop rate equals what they bill you for, even if it takes less time.

Anyway, in reality, it should take 4 or 5 hrs all in. Maybe less if they know what they're doing.

 

Alright we'll if that's the case why are there such vastly different quotes from different shops? Seeing how you know how all this pricing works, are you saying the quote I got is accurate to the supposed time it should take to install?

 

Damn if you were not so far away and could wait a couple of weeks I will buying coilovers and I could help you install yours and vice versa.

 

I'm not in any hurry, where you located? I wouldn't mind gaining some mechanical knowledge.

 

Assuming you're in Discovery Bay as in your profile, two to consider are Edge Motorworks in Dublin and Bay Bridge Motors in Oakland. Both are very knowledgeable about MINI and have good reputations in the MINI community.

 

I am all the way in San Clemente, Ca.

 

That estimate was from edge motorworks so they are a bit unreasonably priced for me, but I'll def. check out that other one, thanks for the reference

 

Good time for a road trip, pch would be a fun mini ride.

 

Well order them up I will be ordering mine tomorrow.

 

I think the labor rate at Bay Bridge Motors would be similar to Edge Motorworks. Both are higher end independent shops but still much cheaper than the dealer.

Am I reading that right? $625 for coilover installation is reasonable. However the most expensive item is $820 for sway bar install? That should be the lowest item! There must be some mistake and you should ask them to verify it. Also ask them about hours of labor for each of the items.

 

Ya that's what I thought too! You would think the sway bar would be an easier job, I did ask them about pricing and hours for labor and they responded by saying the charge based off recommended prices given by BMW/MINI, which I think is lame because wouldn't you just rather go to the dealer if they're going to chArge the same exact thing?

 

What coil overs did you get anyway?