# Inspection Service



## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

Hello Fellow Festers, 

I've been browsing this board for a couple of months now and I just want to say that this is a great forum with very knowledgable members and I think it's great to have a community where the main focus is what we all love.......Bimmers. 
Well, I currently have a 99 528i (non-sport) with about 82,xxx miles on it. I keep reading how by this time I should be getting an inspection II on my car. Can anyone tell me what actually gets done during this inspection and the average price range when serviced at BMW? Also, can this be covered under an extended warranty? I know it depends on the warranty provider, but is this service usually covered? Thank you in advance.


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

Inspection I and II lists from BimmerZone. Not usually covered under warranty plans.

Not sure the price on a 528i. Much of it can be done yourself and a good independent shop will let you bring in a list of things you already checked and charge a slightly lower rate.


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## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks for the link and the quick reply. Unfortunately, my mechanic skills are not up to par so doing it myself might be a little risky. Also, I've tried to find a good independent shop around here but have been unsuccessful. If anyone out there has any recommendations in the NYC area, I'm all ears (or eyes in this case.)


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

Sweet and timely...I have the yellow Inspection all lit up on my dash. Time to make a purchase from PacificBMW. 54k on my 530i and still a blast to drive!


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## Garik (Feb 15, 2005)

my car is in Shop right now... and they told me if i want the service II done it will run me 550$ its on my 99 528...

as far as what they do...
transmition oil change
motor oil change
check all the fluids
and they check suspension...

hope that gives you some idea...


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## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks for the replys. I actually just took the car in and they said it's going to cost me about $700 since they are going to change the spark plugs. Hope I'm not getting jerked around since the link said it's usually between $400-$500.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

You are about right, it will run in the 500-800 range depending upon what needs changed.

If you do your own oil, oil filter, air filter, and cabin filter (microfilter), and maybe even the fuel filter, you can save a fair amount of money in labor and the parts cost (get them at pacificbmw.com). Also, spark plugs, too, but the ones in our engine are supposed to be 100k ones.


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## ARJMServices (Jan 8, 2005)

ELOVE525 said:


> Hello Fellow Festers,
> 
> I've been browsing this board for a couple of months now and I just want to say that this is a great forum with very knowledgable members and I think it's great to have a community where the main focus is what we all love.......Bimmers.
> Well, I currently have a 99 528i (non-sport) with about 82,xxx miles on it. I keep reading how by this time I should be getting an inspection II on my car. Can anyone tell me what actually gets done during this inspection and the average price range when serviced at BMW? Also, can this be covered under an extended warranty? I know it depends on the warranty provider, but is this service usually covered? Thank you in advance.


M.WONG always provides good smoke on these type questions. I recently had the Inspection II completed on my 97 528i (128K) at a very reputable independant shop in NC. The cost was $675.00 and they gave me a car to dirve for the day. The dealership was $875.00 and no car.


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## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

i'm still in the process of trying to find a good independent shop around NYC. No luck yet. If anyone has any recommendations, I'd greatly appreciate it.


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

ARJMServices said:


> M.WONG always provides good smoke on these type questions.


I have good smoke... that's good, right? 

I can do my own oil, I have done brake pads and calipers. Other than that, I wash and wax the car and that's about the extent of my DIY skills. However, I found that a good independent shop will allow you to itemize the things from the Inspection lists and not charge you the full amount if you tell them what you have already completed.

Sorry, I have no first hand NYC independent information, but you might look at this and check around: 
Independent BMW Mechanics info from another board.

Here was the list I left with my car when Inspection II was due, and the indie shop charged me less than the normal fees:

_

BMW Inspection II

Vehicle is CPO. Please let me know if you see anything that should be brought to the dealer for CPO covered repairs.

Note items that were recently replaced: 
Radiator, water pump, secondary water pump/water valve.
Two main belts.
Power steering hoses.

Would like new spark plugs and fuel filter installed. In addition, possibly need brake fluid flush, see below.

Undercarriage
•Please do not perform oil service. 
(BMW synthetic oil and BMW filter kit 11-42-7-510-717 already changed.)
•I have been setting tires to 33 psi front/spare/rear.

Engine Compartment
•Please do not change coolant.
(BMW coolant recently changed.)
•If brakes have life left in them, please change brake fluid. 
If brakes will need replacement soon, please do not change brake fluid.
•Please do not drain or add washer fluid. (P21S washer boost added.)
•Please do not replace air filter.
(BMW air filter 13-72-1-736-675 just replaced.)

Body/Electrical Equipment
•Please do not remove the following items. If not operational, please let me know.
Fog light bulbs (Hoen aftermarket).
Turn signal bulbs (Frosted amber bulbs).
Brake lights (Quad lights wired).
Wiper blade - driver's side (PIAA driver's blade/insert installed).
Wiper blade - passenger side (New BMW passenger insert just installed).
Rear view mirror - passenger side (Aspherically bent/modified lens added).
•Please do not change HVAC micro filters under hood.
(New BMW filters 64-31-9-070-072 recently installed.)
•Please do not change remote key batteries._

And that saved me a bunch of money! Plus I bought the parts I did myself from Crevier BMW/Mini by mail order and saved even more!


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## ARJMServices (Jan 8, 2005)

M.Wong said:


> I have good smoke... that's good, right?
> 
> I can do my own oil, I have done brake pads and calipers. Other than that, I wash and wax the car and that's about the extent of my DIY skills. However, I found that a good independent shop will allow you to itemize the things from the Inspection lists and not charge you the full amount if you tell them what you have already completed.
> 
> ...


Good smoke is good.........I find the washing and waxing to be more of a problem then the DIY........

Anyway thanks for the good posts....


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

ARJMServices said:


> I find the washing and waxing to be more of a problem then the DIY..


You might consider Zaino products. Easy on, easy off, deep shine, less swirl marks, no white residue. 

Zaino

Looking down: 









Looking up:


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

Here in the South Bay Area (Sunnyvale, CA), I just took my 2001 530i in for Inspection II, at German Motor Specialist

Leaving off the oil and filter change, microfilter (i.e. cabin filters), and air filter but leaving on the diff fluid change and fuel filter change, plus a 10% discount  , I am paying 420.55 for this inspection.

I fully expect that I'll need new rear rotors/pads (brakes) but I can do those myself. I'll get my rear pads from Dave Z. and the rest of the BMW parts from www.pacificbmw.com.


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## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

I definitely need to learn how to start doing some of these things myself. All I have done to the car is change the oil and filter. I just got my car back and the inspection with the replacement of the spark plugs and power steering hose, it came about to about 1k. Hopefully I'll be able to find a shop soon.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

The best way to learn is to join up with other BMW owners. Are you a member of BMWCCA--BMW Car Club of America? That might be a good place to start meeting other owners. Also, this board and others are good ways to set up meets...that is how I met all of my BMW buddies.

Now we help each other with our cars doing mods (stereos, suspensions, etc.), fixing stuff, things like that. I learned how to do brakes from a guy I met at a meet...now he is also my dentist!! :rofl: That discount at GMS I got for the Ins. II came about from another buddy who had a coupon for me. 

Get the picture? :bigpimp:


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## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

Yeah, I got it. I definitely appreciate all the feedback I'm getting from you guys. You've been more than helpful. :thumbup: That's actually one of the reasons I joined this forum. I see what a great community it is. I went to Bimmerfest East in 2003 and had a great time looking at all these different cars and different mods. 
I've noticed that many of you are from California. I wish there were more members on this side of town.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

If you get a chance, meet Dave Zeckhausen (www.zeckhausen.com) as he is in your neck of the woods in Maplewood, New Jersey. Bring him some overseas beer and he'll be your friend for life...and that'll keep you and your BMW much happier!


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## ELOVE525 (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks!  I'll try to get in touch with him. Maplewood is not too far.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

I got a report back on my Insp. II today. Things look very good with only minor stuff.

Check out the PDF I got from them. I'm really liking this indy service center! 

Looks like some bushings, wiper inserts (I have them already...just been lazy to put 'em on), valve cover gasket, drive belts, power steering something or other.

I think the bushings are causing the slight vibration in the steering wheel which I have felt but did not tell them in hopes they might find something. They sure did!

Good place, good place. :thumbup:

Sorry, this file was too big to upload directly here. 

http://members.roadfly.com/agent99/Est_19188_from_German_Motor-1.pdf


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## ARJMServices (Jan 8, 2005)

M.Wong said:


> You might consider Zaino products. Easy on, easy off, deep shine, less swirl marks, no white residue.
> 
> Zaino
> 
> ...


See.... more good smoke.......


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

ARJMServices said:


> See.... more good smoke.......


Ahahaha!!!


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