What do you think of this dealer recommendations at her mileage?

Brake fluid flush is time based because water absorption and corrosion are time based, not mileage based.
Only to a small degree. For the most part, moisture intrusion into the brake system occurs occurs during brake use, when the pistons are moving back and forth, and the brake fluid is hot. Corrosion is caused by moisture in the brake fluid, therefore only a concern if the brake fluid has high moisture content.

If the dealership recommended the brake fluid change based upon using test strips, or a meter, then I would agree that it would be appropriate at such low mileage. But based upon my personal experience with brake fluid testing, I highly doubt that a 3 year old car with 17k miles, in an arid environment, needs a brake fluid change.
 
My sister texted me the other day saying that the dealer wanted to charge her over a $1,000 when she took in her 2019 BMW X3 with 17,000 miles. She took it in for an oil change and they said that she needed to have these other things done.

Oil Change: $250 but they said they would give her a discount and only charge her $160.
Vehicle check: $269. She wasn't sure what that all encompassed.
Air Filter: $251.
Micro Filter: $165.
Brake fluid: $273.

I told her she probably didn't need those other services yet but if the Micro filter is the Cabin air filter, she is probably getting close to needing that. I told her to get in her owner's manual to see what the service recommendations are at what mileage.

I'm not familiar with BMW's or her vehicle so I don't know what the service intervals are for them. I think she refused everything but the oil change.
Question 1: did she buy this new, used or certified??? This is the maintenance warranty language.

Of course, drivers who choose a new BMW won’t just receive an impressive warranty. They’ll also receive BMW Ultimate Care, which covers all regularly scheduled maintenance for up to three years or 36,000 miles.

Question 2: has she been a customer of this dealership prior? I ask because my dealer runs oil change specials about every 6 weeks for $69. The price for the air filter is ridiculous—you can get a OEM air filter and replace it yourself if you can turn a screwdriver (actually a torx bit) for 20-25 bux. She should check out fcpeuro. Cabin filters are a bit more expensive but easily changeable by owner.

As far as maintenance, a lot of it is ‘condition based’ meaning the car will tell you when it needs it. If she has the turbo inline 6 (likely), I would change oil every 5k or 6 months. It is easy to do it yourself, I let my 18yo son do it for his first time changing oil and he was able to with minimal supervision.
 
Ouch! Maybe @edyvw can speak to this post?
Prices are high even for BMW dealership. My dealership here has $99 oil deals and I buy sometimes some stuff from them as they always give me 15% discount. Recently when I was upgrading intake manifold bought all gaskets and bolts etc. from them as they turned out cheaper than FCPEuro.
Once I replaced steering shaft thinking it was bad (guy who I gave car to replace something as I didn’t have time, didn’t torque properly subframe). It was $80 cheaper than Dorman on RockAuto.

So, I personally would shop other dealerships.
I don’t know which X3 that is, but I am assuming G01. Don’t know which engine and is it still under warranty.
If it is under warranty I would do what they recommend, but again I would shop other dealerships.

Brakes MUST be flushed. It is absolutely ridiculous that it is actually even discussed here as to why. If it has Brembo brakes I am thinking it is 4.0i although it could be 3.0i. Brake flush could be done at any shop or DIY, but again, car is probably under warranty.

In the end of the day, it is performance SUV, and unless person is ready to do some research or DIY, comes at price.
 
Question 1: did she buy this new, used or certified??? This is the maintenance warranty language.

Of course, drivers who choose a new BMW won’t just receive an impressive warranty. They’ll also receive BMW Ultimate Care, which covers all regularly scheduled maintenance for up to three years or 36,000 miles.

Question 2: has she been a customer of this dealership prior? I ask because my dealer runs oil change specials about every 6 weeks for $69. The price for the air filter is ridiculous—you can get a OEM air filter and replace it yourself if you can turn a screwdriver (actually a torx bit) for 20-25 bux. She should check out fcpeuro. Cabin filters are a bit more expensive but easily changeable by owner.

As far as maintenance, a lot of it is ‘condition based’ meaning the car will tell you when it needs it. If she has the turbo inline 6 (likely), I would change oil every 5k or 6 months. It is easy to do it yourself, I let my 18yo son do it for his first time changing oil and he was able to with minimal supervision.
I don't know the answer to either of the questions. Like I mentioned before, I didn't even know she owned this car. She had something else the last time I knew. I did ask her some follow up questions but she has not gotten back to me.
 
I don't know the answer to either of the questions. Like I mentioned before, I didn't even know she owned this car. She had something else the last time I knew. I did ask her some follow up questions but she has not gotten back to me.
Don’t suggest too much. My take is to tell her to shop at different dealerships. Leave it at that.
 
There is no way to make this feasible to a properly developed human brain. Either the services are not needed, or the car is a jalopy. Ignore the name and consider what's being asked.

The frequency of a thing does not justify it.


Facts as they are, I agree with edyvw.
 
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The Critic is correct. These are not out of line for a BMW dealer service, except the cabin filter.
Those who think otherwise have never owned a BMW, Mercedes, or Porsche.
...and at those ridiculous prices I never will.
 
My sister texted me the other day saying that the dealer wanted to charge her over a $1,000 when she took in her 2019 BMW X3 with 17,000 miles. She took it in for an oil change and they said that she needed to have these other things done.

Oil Change: $250 but they said they would give her a discount and only charge her $160.
Vehicle check: $269. She wasn't sure what that all encompassed.
Air Filter: $251.
Micro Filter: $165.
Brake fluid: $273.

I told her she probably didn't need those other services yet but if the Micro filter is the Cabin air filter, she is probably getting close to needing that. I told her to get in her owner's manual to see what the service recommendations are at what mileage.

I'm not familiar with BMW's or her vehicle so I don't know what the service intervals are for them. I think she refused everything but the oil change.
Air filter and micro filter must be lifetime free replacements at that price
 
I can see those prices being the case.

The air filter is absolute theft.

The cabin filter, at least on my BMW, requires screws to be removed, and takes a bit longer. Not that price, but longer.

Brake flush isn’t hard but it’s more involved. Getting the machine on, Turkey basting the reservoir, potentially removing the wheels to access bleeders. I can see a dealership charging an hour of labor to do it.

$250 for an oil change is insane, but I can see a luxury dealership charging $160 for it… lots of loners to upkeep, and donuts and coffee to buy.
 
Brake flush isn’t hard but it’s more involved. Getting the machine on, Turkey basting the reservoir, potentially removing the wheels to access bleeders. I can see a dealership charging an hour of labor to do it.
No one removes the wheels to do a brake flush.
 
How else do you do it then? I'm confused.
Well, some vehicles you can turn the front wheels to get to the calipers. For the rear; some cars you can lay on the ground with your head under th car and see and reach the caliper, or reach around the wheel. I've don both, but only because jacking or a lift weren't options.
 
IIRC BMW dealerships do not take the wheels off to perform a brake fluid flush.

The price for a brake flush seems a little high compared to Atlanta.

The owner of the vehicle may or may not have purchased the maintenance package. BMW was starting to do away with free scheduled maintenance around 2019.

The quoted prices seem standard. There's the luxury tax on top of the overhead.
 
She actually ended up not having anything done at the BMW dealer. She had Jiffy Lube change the oil which probably wasn't a good idea but oh well. Her husband changed the cabin and air filter which she said were not that bad to do but that the air filter wasn't that dirty and probably didn't need to be done yet. I tried telling her that but she didn't listen. The brake fluid flush she isn't having done at the moment.
 
She actually ended up not having anything done at the BMW dealer. She had Jiffy Lube change the oil which probably wasn't a good idea but oh well. Her husband changed the cabin and air filter which she said were not that bad to do but that the air filter wasn't that dirty and probably didn't need to be done yet. I tried telling her that but she didn't listen. The brake fluid flush she isn't having done at the moment.
Sounds like a BMW owner who isn't financially committed to proper maintenance of a BMW.
 
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