[raj55]

my E91 "service warning" reminder has turned red from previous yellow. It was due during the month of January. Service is scheduled on the 18th Feb with BMW garage (a costly affair of 420 Euros on a car that has hardly done 25000Km in the last 4 years!). They are going tyo change the oil and filter and do some sort of inspection for that money and change the ignition coils free, under BMW recall thing. Can I still drive it till 18th of Feb or must I stop since it has turned red? The car runs perfect.

[JS-NA.E92]

No harm done just make sure you do it a.s.a.p when you have the money, i've heard some people going 3 months beyond their cars service warned and didn't have problems but I don't recommend doing that. Maintenance is cheaper than buying broken down parts

So keep up with your maintenance!

[ChasVS]

Drive it until your appointment. No worries mate!

[Wires]

+1. Yellow means "book the appointment", red means "why haven't you booked the appointment yet ?!?!".

[raj55]

Thank you for your reply. i feel peace of mind coming on.

[AWil335i]

You're fine.... although I'm surprised BMW doesn't give you a limp mode unless your GPS is pointing in the direction of the dealership.

[07lilredwagon]

Originally Posted by AWil335i

You're fine.... although I'm surprised BMW doesn't give you a limp mode unless your GPS is pointing in the direction of the dealership.

lol....good one!...

One question, why so much money for an oil change?...if the coils are being replaced under recall...then its just an oil change, right?...is that really 600.00US dollars or so? Is your car under warranty still?...it sounds like its not...

I might consider taking the car in for the recall, and finding a good independent mechanic who will do the oil change and inspection of all belts, hoses, wiring, brakes and coolant health, power steering fluid health, ect for a lot less...

just my 2 cents...or .15 euros

[Red_Bean_Bun]

420 euros for servicing .....that's a true stealership ....

[gaza01]

ask them for the price if you supply your own oil. There's a big saving there.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Red_Bean_Bun

420 euros for servicing .....that's a true stealership ....

He also mentioned an Inspection which is about 2 hours of labor. And I suspect he's also due for a brake fluid flush.

Tom

[Verbatim]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

He also mentioned an Inspection which is about 2 hours of labor. And I suspect he's also due for a brake fluid flush.

Tom

more like 0.5 hours... MAX
my local dealership does free inspections with their oil changes, which are currently at a discounted price of 79.99
too bad i'm not due for an oil change for some time

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Verbatim

more like 0.5 hours... MAX
my local dealership does free inspections with their oil changes, which are currently at a discounted price of 79.99
too bad i'm not due for an oil change for some time

No way can an oil change cost $600 at the dealership. It costs $57.95 where I go, even if you double that, it's under $120. Now multiply by 5 to arrive at $600?

edit: Oh S***! My dealer no longer offers the $57.95 oil change LOL I just checked my email newsletters and that price stopped in Dec. Doesn't matter, by the time I need the next one I'll DIY.

[techwhiz]

Originally Posted by Wires

+1. Yellow means "book the appointment", red means "why haven't you booked the appointment yet ?!?!".

Exactly

[Wires]

My dealership is over $150 for an oil change. Personally, just do it yourself. It's a joke to change the oil on this car. Filter is changed from under the hood, and there are no grease points.

Getting the dealer to do this is a total rip off.

[JasonDCarton]

For those that are out of warranty and doing all you work at a good indy shop, what do you do about service light

[Verbatim]

Originally Posted by JasonDCarton

For those that are out of warranty and doing all you work at a good indy shop, what do you do about service light

there's a DIY for resetting the service lights through the dash with no tools/cables/computers. Just your fingers

[AWil335i]

Originally Posted by JasonDCarton

For those that are out of warranty and doing all you work at a good indy shop, what do you do about service light

a good indy shop knows how to reset your service light

[JasonDCarton]

Originally Posted by AWil335i

a good indy shop knows how to reset your service light

Touche, but doesn't have the prices this one does Been with them for 8 years now and know our whole family by first names

[JasonDCarton]

Originally Posted by Verbatim

there's a DIY for resetting the service lights through the dash with no tools/cables/computers. Just your fingers

Yeah I know how to do all that but still have the red service light, probally because I still need to reset the one icon for one item, havent done it yet though so don't really want to reset. Maybe once I do that all the icons will be orange the service light will go away.

[Verbatim]

Originally Posted by JasonDCarton

Yeah I know how to do all that but still have the red service light, probally because I still need to reset the one icon for one item, havent done it yet though so don't really want to reset. Maybe once I do that all the icons will be orange the service light will go away.

You obviously do not "know how to do all that" if you are still having it pop up. It is a timed interval by the OBC, and once you check off that the service is completed, the reminder will not appear until it is due again. This is done through a hidden menu, which is what I was referring to.

I am not talking about just temporarily removing the message from view by clicking the BC button once

[JasonDCarton]

Originally Posted by Verbatim

You obviously do not "know how to do all that" if you are still having it pop up. It is a timed interval by the OBC, and once you check off that the service is completed, the reminder will not appear until it is due again. This is done through a hidden menu, which is what I was referring to.

I am not talking about just temporarily removing the message from view by clicking the BC button once

Yes I am aware of that, I was talking about the menu regarding the brakes, micro filter, etc.. where you reset when completed.

[raj55]

OK let me try and answer your many questions one by one! My car is out of warranty.
1. The dealer is a stealer, that I am convinced. I had initially booked a service thro' an independant garage (which has a very good reputation with other BMW owners here) and it would have cost me 180 Euro for oil change and inspection included. The stealer dangled the bait of coil recall and that it would only be done in cars that were booked for service at their workshop so i felt obliged. I had to cancel my appointment with the independant garage.
2. The brake fluid on my car was changed by the same independant garage at 60 Euro a month before. He even reset the brake fluid warning light. BMW garage wanted 120 Euro!
3. For approx. 420 Euro BMW garage is going to change the oil, oil filter, microfilter, and spark plugs (on a car that has only done 23000 kilometres and still smells new!). I asked him, why change spark plugs at just 23000 km and he says because these thrifty BMW engines foul their spark plugs a lot quicker and that I drive too little so they do not get hot but get sooty. I think he is pulling a bull here. I am personally convinced that I could have easily reset the service warning light by myself and driven the car another 20000 km before doing anything with it, but I have to get those older model bosch coils changed, if they are as bad as the dealer suggests. Secondly, I have to get the service book stamped with the workshop, showing that oil change and inspection one was carried out. After 2 years there is inspection number two but then I will get that done with the independant garage.
4. The coil change is absolutely free and will be financed by the BMW.
5. I am pretty handy and have done oil changes in other cars before and can even do it here but how do I get a stamped service book.
Thank you all for your suggestions. In the long run BMW garages are going to loose out on customers with their high service cost. The so called inspection is a joke. It is a way of telling BMW garages to make quick money, and seems to be built into the system