So I recently bought a used 2005 mini cooper 5spd 50k miles and I love it. I took it into a BMW/MINI independent specialist (found on Yelp, it had good reviews) to have it looked at and simply do a maintenance overhaul so that I can start from a clean slate. Although the service was nice, the bill came to be a WHOOPING $1900!!! I got 4 new tires (continentals $800 total), new belt tensioner, new battery, new drain plug (mine was stripped) and a general complete maintenance change (oil change, transmission, radiator fluid etc...) Is this normal or what other's have experienced? Is it safe to just go to a non-BMW/MINI specialist next time (like any other mom-pop shop, or even something like pep boys that is most likely much cheaper)? I knew that maintenance was going to be steep but I didnt anticipate this steep! (I probably should have just gone with cheaper tires too )

 

I'd stay away from dealers and non-Mini shops. I'd also stay away from traditional BMW and BMW/Mini shops. Obviously, the Mini-only shops will have a lot more Mini-specific experience and will likely offer the quickest repairs and the best prices.

If you live in a major metropolitan area, there's bound to be at least one well-regarded independent Mini specialist in the area. I'd suggest getting recommendations via this forum. I only trust Yelp for restaurant reviews!

 

Should have not bought new run flats and stuck to conventional tires. I have a pump and some slime in my boot and my tires are only 90 a piece. As for the maintenance, you need to find a good local mechanic. He doesn't have to be MINI specific (it is only a car) but he does need to be trust worthy.

 

Where are you located? There's a thread somewhere on this site that lists recommended mechanics. Unfortunately, you learned the hard way that dealership=stealership.

 

That price doesn't seem that far out of the box to me. I took my 2000 VW Passat in last year for 100,000 maintenance and it cost me about the same as you spent. Granted, I didn't buy any new tires, but did get a new timing belt. Was most of your bill labor?

 

Yup...but at least you know the car has a clean bill of health. If you had just gotten the tires elsewhere....it would not have sounded so bad!! Still, now you know...but you could have saved close to 50% at a good independent shop.....one that is MINI centric!!

 

I just paid $1450 for my "60k" service done at 80k. $275 for inspection/oil change, $150 for the same oil thing, $650 for rear brake job (I should have bought in my own parts), $150 for finding leaks, and $50 for extra misc. stuff.

$1900 is a lot, but yeah, buy tires online and ship them to a tire place - you can get runflats for $150 installed each. A full inspection should run $250 - $350 even with a full synthetic oil change. And if you can buy parts online you can save money, or get better parts. Not all places bring in your own parts though I did that with my front brakes and got dustless pads for much cheaper than what the dealer just charged me for Mini's OEM dusty ones on the rear.

 

WOW with these prices I need to up mine.

Definetly stay away from non MINI shops. I can tell you so many stories from shops that replace engines without telling you cause the screwed up an oil change to, them using cheap parts were a 50cent 0-ring cost them a $300 tow to me. and of course the whole you need this, but really don't, but heck we have lots of cars come from the dealer with that story " the dealer told me I need ........" And really not need it. So be careful and check around.

 

I second WMW's opinion and recommendation. Find yourself a good independent mech who's familiar with Minis. Dealers are expensive because they have 3-4 layers of employees to pay - dealer general manager, service manager, service adviser and then the tech, which can be a rookie.

 

Guys he did take it to an independent BMW/MINI shop not a dealer.

With all of the work done (minus the tires) and the going rate for labor ($150/hr) it really doesn't seem to far out of line, a bit high maybe but w/o a location it is hard to tell.

 

C'mon, now this isn't true of all shops. I know of a few very reliable shops that can easily handle the MINI that work on a multitude of cars. Heck, we have one here in Hyannis. That being said, if you can find a "MINI guy" you will be better off but it isn't always a necessity. You just need to find a mechanic that you can trust and that won't work on something that he isn't sure about. They are out there....

 

Wow! Way too high for my blood. I'm not sure of your mechanical ability, but personally, i do all of my maintenance myself and avoid the stealer like i avoid ghonnarea (sp). I was fortunate to find a mechanic that has worked at the BMW dealer for the last 15 yrs. He does work on the side and weekends and charges me very minimal and he is very trustworthy. I think i'd ask your fellow Mini owners and see if anyone of them has a mechanic that is willing to work with you. good luck!

 

Yea, I think I learned it the hard way this time. and Yes, it was an independent BMW/MINI service shop, not a dealer. I am located in the metro DC area. I also have heard about ordering tires from tirerack and having them shipped to the shop...definitely something i will look into next time; could have save me at least 200 bucks this time i think. I usually would definitely do oil changes and stuff myself, but currently i am a grad student and dont honestly have time to do these things (neither do i have a garage since im living in the city), nor time to research how to do it, or what exactly i need to change at which miles. (I used to be super **** and all about DYI when i was much younger with my first car - now, im simply too old and lazy ). Any one from the DC with good recommendations on shops? Also, i probably will buy my own parts from now on and bring them to the shop and simply pay for labor, good advice!

 

That sounds about right for the DC area in regards to the labor charges. With what you had done it seems about right (minus the tires of course.....)

 

Old and lazy... that's how I'm beginning to feel.

Didn't want to say anything regarding cost in my previous post but if you were a DIY'er, you could save a lot.

A comparison.... although for a different car, they're in the same class in terms purchase price and dealer repair cost (slightly more for Mini). $1900 is 33% of $5756, which is what I've spent to-date on my '01 VW New Beetle (1.8 turbocharged), excluding Reg, Insurance, gas. The car now has 168k miles and $5756 includes:

major stuff...
- 3 sets of tires (225/45/17) & 1 alignment job
- 1 set of rotors / 1 set of front pads / 2 sets of rear pads / a few flushes (Ate fluid)
- 1 timing belt job (incl. coolant pump, coolant, t-stat, hydraulic tensioner)
- 1 set of Bilstein HD dampers, strut mounts
- 1 electro-hydraulic Cam Chain Tensioner.
- 2 Oxygen sensors, 2 MAF sensors (1 is spare)
- 2 batteries
- 3 sets of Auto Trans fluid & filters

*All parts are OEM supplier or better.

The remaining consists of filters, fluids, spark plugs, vacuum hoses, spare inventory (filters, oil, coolant) and various tools.

Like you, I bought my Mini 2nd hand ('06 MCSc/28k, relatively new tires, new front brakes). So far I've spent $462... of which, $315 is for a back-up supercharger and about $50 worth of spare inventory. Too soon to say how well the Mini will fare against the New Beetle. From reading NAM, I get the impression the Mini has a longer list of (costly) weaknesses.

 

If you are in LA try Steve's Auto Clinic

 

Lessons learned:

#1 - get an estimate/quote before works begins
#2 - shop tires before "accepting" the shop's recommendations - and (2-B) tire specialists usually give better rates and service than general repair shops or dealerships (in my experience)
#3 - (2cents) I wouldn't give a found penny for Continentals - they screwed my Dad over on his so bad I was ready to go postal on 'em

BTW - dealership's steep costs don't necessarily come from multiple salaries, but from all the rest of the overhead, including mortgages, property taxes, lights and heat, INSURANCE, etc.

 

I hate to mention the obvious, but perhaps its time to invest in some Craftsman tools and join a Mini club where you can learn how to do a lot of things for yourself (and except for WMW obviously, you'll probably do highere quality work).

I really think that there is a strategy out there to convince us that this little car is so complex that only NASA can understand it. That's probably true for the computer, but things like oil changes/plugfixes/filter replacement/battery replacement, and even tire replacement are commonplace operations that cost a fortune at a shop -- Mini or otherwise. Very good tires can be had from the Tire Rack gurus (regular contributors here) for under $400 shipped and installation typically costs about another $100.

Minis can be expensive if you let'em be. Don't let'em be.

 

I tried going this route once. Called around to the shops recommended on Tire Rack for install. It was amazing how quick the install price went from $10 per corner if I bought the tires from them to $80 per corner if I had them shipped from Tire Rack.

I ended up having them installed by a guy at the Infiniti dealer where my friend works for the price of lunch.

 

I really have never seen the $80 per corner thing. Here in the Daytona/Orlando area, there are a whole bunch of shops on the tire rack list. I picked one who was an SCCA racer who could do the thrust balance thing. He charged me $100 and reset the TPMS thing so that I'd have no issues there. The other shops ranged from a low of $80 to a max of $120. One of T/Rs competitors told me they would install carry-in tires for $22. $320 to mount and balance a set of tires would be outrageous to me, and I clearly see why you would forget that option quickly. I'm not trying to butter up T/R (they are actually on my bad list right now) but rather to illustrate that paying an independent shop $800 for a set of tires on a Mini is a good bit over the top as far as I am concerned. My point was only that maintenance is as expensive as you let it be -- nothing more.

 

In the past I did work myself then I tried the expert dealer route.I brought my car to Chicago, and after over $4000, I'll have to do more myself.

 

Tell you what, pal: get your training (not free or cheap), your certifications (years of being an underpaid apprentice), open your own shop (buy/lease it - in a proper commercial zone - and pay utilities, insurance, etc), then your tools, then the truck or van to carry them (plus insurance, fuel, and maintenance), plus advertising so somebody actually calls you so you can work. Then go pull someone's backed-up toilet, find a way to get it out of the house without messing up the carpet, and dispose of it (transportation time + disposal costs), figure in the cost of getting a new one (again time for shopping and transportation), maybe replace the ****-soaked flooring so the "customer" doesn't end up in the living room or basement the next time they sit on it (more disposal costs), plus repairs to sewer and supply hook-ups so it works the way they expect it to - and then have someone (like you) look you in the face and tell you you charge too much because it "only" took you 3 hours (the time in the house).
(/rant)

 

deleted by me as too rude

 

 

I'm going to edit my post, sorry to have offended you.