Took my 2004 MCS w/ 148K to my local MINI dealer's free service clinic. One of the items on their long list of recommended service jobs was 'replace charge air pipe, $816.' What is that?

 

My guess is they are talking about the supercharger inlet pipe. But that price is pretty high


They are plastic so sometimes they leak, but very common for the great gasket on the end to leak. We keep them in stock.

 

Way: Thanks; so with the 'green seal' its about $150, correct? If so, how does my dealer justify $650 in labor to install? What needs to be removed in order to gain access to this?

 

You have to put the car in 'Service Mode', meaning that the front bumper cover and support need to be removed. It's not that hard, and you can find plenty of how-tos on it. If you're handy with tools and like a Saturday project, the charge pipe would be a good DIY activity.

 

Yes, the green seal is fairly inexpensive 11-61-0-020-836 here. Some info in this NAM thread here.

 

"MINI dealer's free service clinic" is designed to drum up business. You might want to make sure you really need to do this. Every time I took my BMW's into dealer for service they always came up with thousands of dollars in things I should be doing.

 

Assuming that the part at issue is the 'supercharger inlet pipe' as Way suggests, what are the symptoms of one that is leaking?

 

Talked about here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nlet-pipe.html