I need to take my 08 MCS in for its first oil change since I bought it, and I wanted to get everything else checked while it's in the shop. The local european specialty mechanic shop quoted me just shy of $200, but that seems a bit excess for just an oil change, tire rotation, and a 21 point inspection.

Am I getting ripped off, or is that just how much it costs now?

EDIT: Bought the car at 41000 miles, it now has 48000 miles on it.

 

It sounds a bit high. I do my own oil changes and tire rotation at home and my cost on oil and filter is about $45 at the most. Of course the tire rotation is just labor and the 21 point inspection.....well I just generally look things over. I do this every 5K miles and it works for me.

I see you are in the Bay area, and it seems everything is just more expensive there.

 

Yeah, I think this place is a little more expensive because the specialize in BMW/Mini and other european cars. If I just took it to somewhere, like Precision Auto Tune, for example, I think I could save about $75, but part of me likes the idea of having a mechanic who knows more about MINIs work on it.

 

I think if the shop really understands your unique brand of car, and is honest with you, it is worth paying a premium for the ordinary stuff so that when you have a hard problem you already have a place to go to etc.

 

if you have a MINI savy mech' in the Bay area, with references and credentials, and there is NO way you can do this work yourself (San Fran .... prob'ly you can not) this is not a bad price.

You are paying the standard Bay Area premium tax and the dif' 'tween a wrench turner and a mechanic....

 

Its cheaper for that service at a MINI dealer.

 

I was going to say the same thing!