Repairs...

[ZsX5o3]

Originally Posted by MINz guy

Well, it isn't my BMW at all, and never will be. I just want to have each of our cars to be in the best possible condition it can be in.

oh come on you know you want to drive that thing in a couple of years

post all you want man, we're all looking to save money here, whether we admit it or not.

[swissfrank]

MINz guy, post away! This is a public forum, without people adding, asking and contributing, it wouldn't be X5world the way we know it.

I'm sure you'll be rolling in the X5 in a couple years, lol. That or you'll pick one up for yourself... =)

[noncom23]

Originally Posted by MINz guy

Well, it isn't my BMW at all, and never will be. I just want to have each of our cars to be in the best possible condition it can be in.

I mean good when I want my parents to spend less money on things like tires, when the tires are actually better than the originals. It isn't just resistance on just some simple thing like cupholders, it's been like that with the A/C that just needed a recharge. It has been like that for about a month with me sitting in the passenger side sweating when the driver is perfectly fine with A/C. It's been like that with a crash that chipped and scratched our bumper one year ago, and the resistance to fix it with the deteriorating condition of our car. It's been like that with washing the X5, that they won't try and wash the car until I actually prepare the soap, pressure washer, towels, and start on one of the cars. It's also the resistance of going to independant specialists with their reason of them using cheaper/non-OEM parts behind our backs.

If you guys knew the whole story, things may change for the better or worse on my side. Anyway, I'll stop posting as much as I seem to have gone too far.

Good luck, keep it up man!

[X5Flyboy]

I, too, went to Morristown since they were a sponsor - hearing your experience, I can now say Morristown charges labor NOT by ACTUAL time to do the job, but some factory estimate of what it should take - most often actual time is much less than estimated time allowed - in my case it was install of mudflaps and rear step protection - actual time 1.5hrs - charged $210 (after waiting 6hrs for the parts I ordered over a week before, to be picked up from the warehouse) - I don't see where they are doing us any favors - I, for one, will never go back

[jbrock]

X5Flyboy:
That's not just Morristown BMW, but most repair shops. They charge by book time, and it's how many mechanics get paid. It's a fair guideline of what it should take to repair or replace a particular item. Experienced mechanics often beat book time and can make good money, and lesser mechanics not so much. You probably would be unhappy paying actual time if you had a poor mechanic taking 6 hours to change a headlamp. Under these guidelines, if the book says it should take an hour, you pay for an hours labor, whether it takes 10 minutes or four hours.

[X5Flyboy]

not all places do that, some places the mechanics are salaried (BMW of Idaho Falls), plus the rates are at least a third less than east coast rates - Now I understand about "book rates", and I probably would not be as irrate if I had not had to wait 6hrs for parts that should have already been there - nobody "paid" me for my lost time - $105-$115/hr labor rate has enough in it that I don't have to be charged at $140/hr

[NJ04e53]

wow..this thread kinda scares me since i'm going to morristown at 8am tommorow to bring my car in for repair. I hope i will not have a bad experience. I'll just have to report back for an update once everything is done. wish me luck.