[roryorchard]

Maybe this is a question for the UK specific forum, but wondering if anyone can educate me as to why it would cost £59 (15%) more for a pad and disk service on a 420d, than is does on a 320d of the same year/millage.

I just did a quick check by grabbing a plate from the same year 3series and my 4. The cost for my 4 is £453 and the cost for the same year 3 is £394.

Are the parts different between the 3 and the 4. I assumed pads and discs are the same.

(P.s, I have the standard wheel/break set up)

Really appreciate the insight before I ask if my local dealer will honor the 3 series pricing.

[Billfitz]

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/

[roryorchard]

Hi Billfitz,

Thanks for the link!

I just did a quick check and the disks are exactly the same part number between a 3 and 4 series of the same year.

Is there a reason that BMW would charge more for the service. Surely if it's exactly the same parts and process to fit they should charge the same.

Very bazzar; anyway thanks for the link!

[Billfitz]

The parts are the same, the labor time would be the same, so there's no legitimate reason why the price wouldn't be the same. In any event never go to a dealer for service if an indy will do it for substantially less. Dealers don't make money selling cars, they make money on service. That being the case dealer service prices are high. Find a well regarded indy, especially with something as basic as brakes. Even home mechanics can handle brake jobs, so paying the BMW premium for brake work is tossing money out the window.

[N420i]

You're getting ripped off basically because you have a "cooler" car and they feel they can charge you more. As stated above, there's no legitimate reasons when the discs, pads, and labour are exactly the same.
Besides that, brake services at an official dealer are one of the biggest BMW ripoffs... I would go to an indy and take the change to upgrade the pads which in my opinion are one of the poorest performing parts on this car (I have a 420i and ditched the stock brakes for a secondhand set of Msport brembos). A set of EBC yellowstuffs or something comparable will make a very noticeable improvement to bite, feel and modulation for a small penalty in dust. Aftermarket rotors specially will be much much cheaper than the OEM ones, too.

[Billfitz]

Aftermarket rotors can be less expensive, though not necessarily. A better reason for aftermarkets is they're available with anti-corrosion coatings that greatly reduce rust. For instance:
https://www.amazon.com/Power-EBR858E...328i+gt+xdrive

What you don't want to spend extra for is drilled and/or slotted rotors. They have their uses on the track, but for a daily driver a plain rotor works better.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Aftermarket rotors can be less expensive, though not necessarily. A better reason for aftermarkets is they're available with anti-corrosion coatings that greatly reduce rust. For instance:
https://www.amazon.com/Power-EBR858E...328i+gt+xdrive

What you don't want to spend extra for is drilled and/or slotted rotors. They have their uses on the track, but for a daily driver a plain rotor works better.

Great advice not to spend money on drilled rotors. They are not needed for daily driving. Drilled holes increase the rotor cooling surface but also lead to cracks around the holes due to metal expanding and contracting. Porsche drilled rotors are well known to exhibit this problem.

AP Racing J hook rotors provide much better airflow to cool the rotor and calipers but AP Racing brakes cost about $3.5K per axle. Again, for daily driving no need to be concerned. If visual appearance and 6 piston caliper in the front / 4 piston calipers in the rear matter, then for a price there are many aftermarket choices.

[N420i]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Aftermarket rotors can be less expensive, though not necessarily. A better reason for aftermarkets is they're available with anti-corrosion coatings that greatly reduce rust. For instance:
https://www.amazon.com/Power-EBR858E...328i+gt+xdrive

What you don't want to spend extra for is drilled and/or slotted rotors. They have their uses on the track, but for a daily driver a plain rotor works better.

Not necessarily, I mean you can probably go carboceramic aftermarkets if you want, but I got a pair of VAICO plain steel rear rotors for less than 90€ shipped. I fully expected them to be garbage but at that price I was willing to take the chance.

They've been tracked heavily, to the point where the EBC Blues i'm using were beginning to desintegrate and so far no judder, no vibrations, no noise, no nothing... Thoroughly impressed for the price.

[roryorchard]

Hi Billfitz cfm56d7b and N420i

Thank you for all the advice! Really appreciated. I was told that I needed to have all servicing done at main dealer if I wanted a main dealer to part exchange the car again in the future. Does this run true?

I imagined only a main dealer would be able to put the service data into the car (since everything is electronic rather than service book)?

Thanks again for the advice;

Pros and cons for dealer vs. indi

Thank you!

[Billfitz]

Is your car out of warranty? If so there's no need for BMW to have your service data. Even if it is still under warranty, and if you're having brakes done it shouldn't be for much longer, there's still no reason to have the dealer do anything other than warranty service. Just keep your receipts for any work done on the car. If it is your dealer who's telling you this he's not being truthful and does not deserve your business. I drew that conclusion from the information in your original post.