Repairs...

[MINIz guy]

So, this will be my first post on this forum. We have a '03 X5 3.0i.

Today, we went in to Morristown BMW to get a few things fixed. We walked out just having our A/C fixed. It was just the freon being low, so they recharged it. The freon was just $9.95, but the labor was $270. Would labor actually be that expensive, or is it just the dealership jacking up the price?

The service guy also made some recommendations that should be fixed. That includes:
Thrust Rod Bushings
Front Outer Axel Boots (Starting To Tear)
Rear Cupholder
Shifter Boot
Fan Clutch
Drive Belts

The rear cupholder was kicked out of place and is broken. It was supposed to be repaired with the shifter boot but my parents declined. The dealer wanted to charge $520 for either just the cup holder or both, (my dad refused to be clear about this.)

To get all this fixed, would it be better to go back to the dealer or go to some independant shop? Also, could anybody tell me any independant shops around the zip code : 07046 ?