BMW Inspection 1

Scuzi · 29 Jun 2010 at 17:22

My car, a Z4 3.0Si Coupe, is coming up to the Inspection 1 in a few hundred miles and I've been getting prices. I remember someone (probably Fox) saying prices vary massively.

My local dealer's standard price is £325. The lowest they would go was £300, £200 if I supplied my own oil. Is this a reasonable price? I have been looking at oil on eBay and 4l of Castol Edge 0w-30 can be had for as low as around £25 but seems to mostly be around £50+. Is there a catch with the sellers flogging it for £25?

So assuming I get 8l of oil for £70 (factoring in postage), that'll bring the total price to £270. Apart from oil, are there any other areas I can save in?

Also, is the car likely to need any other consumables like brake pads for example? It has 33k on the clock so I'd bloody well hope not!

Yeah, I'm a skinflint. Blah blah blah. Times are tight! I'm even considering putting FK452s on it

Duke · 29 Jun 2010 at 17:32

How much further away is the next dealer? Worth comparing the two.

Scuzi · 29 Jun 2010 at 17:33

Duke said:
How much further away is the next dealer? Worth comparing the two.

The next closest dealer is about 30 miles away and they had the same standard price but wouldn't budge from it.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 17:37

The problem here is that your Z4 is unfortunately too new for Value Servicing so you are at the mercy of your local dealer.

I'd be happy with £200+oil.

Though I have just got back from booking an Inspection 2 at £319 inc oil and a 318d M Sport

mejinks · 29 Jun 2010 at 18:40

Surely its CBS on something so new?

Oil service + standard scope at Sytner cardiff was just shy of £200, so I guess you pay more for a faster car even though its the same oil? Or is it different oil Fox? Mine was 5w-30 Edge.

Felix · 29 Jun 2010 at 18:52

Scuzi said:
Is there a catch with the sellers flogging it for £25?

I was trying to work this out and if the oil was genuine castrol edge. Anyway I ordered some and all seems fine, bottles look genuine, oil is the same golden colour as the real stuff. I can only assume they are buying it from Tesco when the £3 offers are on.

mejinks · 29 Jun 2010 at 19:26

Felix said:
I was trying to work this out and if the oil was genuine castrol edge. Anyway I ordered some and all seems fine, bottles look genuine, oil is the same golden colour as the real stuff. I can only assume they are buying it from Tesco when the £3 offers are on.

It might also be old stock with a limited or expired shelf life.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 19:41

mejinks said:
Surely its CBS on something so new?

Z4 is E46 based.

Oil service + standard scope at Sytner cardiff was just shy of £200, so I guess you pay more for a faster car even though its the same oil? Or is it different oil Fox? Mine was 5w-30 Edge.

BMW dealers don't use Edge they use Castrol SLX Longtec II, though it's near as makes no difference identical. The main issue here is the car isn't old enough to qualify for any discounts, whereas yours presumably is.

mejinks · 29 Jun 2010 at 20:07

[TW]Fox;16851434 said:
Z4 is E46 based.

BMW dealers don't use Edge they use Castrol SLX Longtec II, though it's near as makes no difference identical. The main issue here is the car isn't old enough to qualify for any discounts, whereas yours presumably is.

Ahh right. Saying that, my my04 530 has the older 231 engine and is CBS. Does that mean they automatically qualify me for value servicing?

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 20:09

The BMW Value Range is only for E39 and E46 based cars, though some dealers run similar schemes which they extend to all cars over a certain age. Scothall Hampshire for example do ServicePlus for 6+ year old cars, you get 50% off labour and discounted oil.

TS7 · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:03

Why buy the oil for a car which you've spent several thousand pounds on from eBay to make a grand saving of £30?

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:12

TS7 said:
Why buy the oil for a car which you've spent several thousand pounds on from eBay to make a grand saving of £30?

Why not if its the same oil :confused:

TS7 · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:16

[TW]Fox;16852012 said:
Why not if its the same oil

How do you know? It's from eBay. They can package what they like. I wouldn't risk ruining a Z4 to save £30. Everyones different - I wasn't critsising him for doing it, just something I'd never do to save £30.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:16

TS7 said:
How do you know? It's from eBay. They can package what they like. I wouldn't risk ruining a Z4 to save £30. Everyones different - I wasn't critsising him for doing it, just something I'd never do to save £30.

It's genuine SEALED Castrol Edge :confused:

It's just like buying it from any other shop :confused:

Wicksta · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:25

Weirdly I've found Halfords seem to be the cheapest at the moment with Castrol Edge 5W-30 - £45 for 5 litres, and that's before I've asked my dad to get a price on his trade card.

TS7 · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:26

[TW]Fox;16852050 said:
It's genuine SEALED Castrol Edge

It's just like buying it from any other shop

How do you know it's genuine, though? There isn't even a ebay link. Something being sealed means very little, it's not difficult to do.

Even the OP doesn't know.

Scuzi said:
Is there a catch with the sellers flogging it for £25?

Felix said:
I was trying to work this out and if the oil was genuine castrol edge. Anyway I ordered some and all seems fine, bottles look genuine, oil is the same golden colour as the real stuff. I can only assume they are buying it from Tesco when the £3 offers are on.

I wouldn't want put something which 'seems fine'' and the ''the bottles look genuine'' - when I could know for certain they are fine and they are certainly genuine for an extra £30.

Wicksta · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:30

TS7 said:
I wouldn't want put something which 'seems fine'' and the ''the bottles look genuine'' - when I could know for certain they are fine and they are certainly genuine for an extra £30.

I can only find one link for '£25' on ebay but that is with £8.99 P&P - that's not really hugely cheap, it's £8.50 a litre whereas Halfords works out at £9 a litre.

Ebay '£25' Castrol Edge 0W-30 (£8.50 per litre)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Castrol-Edge-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f00efd1a0

Halfords (£9 per litre)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_199423_langId_-1_categoryId_165581

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:43

TS7 said:
How do you know it's genuine, though? There isn't even a ebay link. Something being sealed means very little, it's not difficult to do.

Even the OP doesn't know.

I've bought oil from Ebay on numerous occasions. The hassle involved with making fake oil bottles and fake Castrol seals is just not worth it. You could apply your logic to anything you buy, surely?! You'd never buy anything if that was the case.

I wouldn't want put something which 'seems fine'' and the ''the bottles look genuine'' - when I could know for certain they are fine and they are certainly genuine for an extra £30.

But what if the dealer is trying to scam you with teh fake oilz?

TS7 · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:49

[TW]Fox;16852267 said:
I've bought oil from Ebay on numerous occasions. The hassle involved with making fake oil bottles and fake Castrol seals is just not worth it. You could apply your logic to anything you buy, surely?! You'd never buy anything if that was the case.

But what if the dealer is trying to scam you with teh fake oilz?

Fair enough. I didn't say the OP is an idiot for buying oil from ebay, I was voicing my concerns and I, myself still wouldn't buy oil from eBay for a relatively little saving. Perhaps it's an irrational fear.

If the dealer puts dodgy oil in my car and breaks it I can hold the dealer to account and it's far easier to rectify. I can't really track down and hold frisby46589 from China to account for blowing my engine up.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jun 2010 at 21:50

There are many, many reputable large businesses trading on Ebay. Buying from Ebay does not neccesarily mean you are buying from frisby46589 from China.