#Rick Bobby - I'm not pussyfooting around - I detected the problem and took the car to the dealer (it's still there actually) to see what's wrong and not.

I'm trying to get an idea of the costs - and you'll probably agree that, if a BMW dealer charges me $2,200 all-in minus BMW CCA 15% discount on parts (around $200 from what I was told) and an indie wants $1,700 plus tax, then the answer is simple: OFC I'll go to the dealer. If an indie wants $1,300, well, that's another story.

And just to make another point, a third BMW indie gave me an estimate of $2,123 (see attached image below) - that matches the BMW dealer... So, as you can see, it's not all black and white, and doing your homework is necessary.

Plus, sharing these estimates for common problems with other members on this forum, is something I believe is beneficial to all.