Dallas Dealers are Screwing us!!! (long)

I'm not new to BMW but I am new to the MSports line and have just purchased a new '04 M3 vert. It is an awesome car and I can hardly wait until I get through the run in period.

Anyway, wanting to have some oil on hand for top offs and for the changes between the dealer schedule ones I starting looking for the recommended oil. Web searches turned up nothing in the USA for the Castrol TWS 10w-60. Very common in Europe but only the BMW dealers in the US are carrying it.

I saw on a few of the forums the guys on the west coast were paying $9.00 a liter. I'm at BMW of Dallas formally John Roberts and it's $11.19/liter. I've got to do better. I left an email to Castrol on their web page and they replied today with an answer confirming BMW is the only importer of the TWS. They also responded with a phone number for the BMW National Distribution Center in New Jersey. I spoke to Bob there and talked about the Castrol oil. He says he is there to service the dealers and couldn't sell directly to me. We discussed pricing and he said the MSPR set by BMW is $8.95.

I'm disappointed to see BMW of Dallas gouging us for $11.19. I made a call to Classic for their price and was even more disgusted, $15.66/liter. Those thieves.... I questioned the man on the phone further and discussed MSRP and his reply was "That's nice but our price is $15.66"

I then spoke to Jeff at Moritz in Arlington and their price is $8.95 just like it should be. He even stated he would give be a small discount if I bought a whole case. Now that's more like it. I'm shopping a Moritz from now on. Don't let the Dallas dealers F___ us anymore.

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And ever since I bought my MZ3 I have taken it to Mortiz on a Saturday morning, dropped it off, walked over to LaMadilan(spelling) and had breakfast, walked back to Mortiz, paid less than $50 bucks and had my oil changed.

What a great way to spend a Saturday morning and get my oil changed to boot. I don’t have to worry about the price of the oil, storing the oil, jacking my car up, crawling under the car, not remembering to get extra crunch rings, oil filter, oil gasket, dropping the canister, getting the canister clean enough, getting dirty, taking way to much of my free time changing oil, trying to figure where to take the old oil and how to get it there.

Worth the $50 bucks every time! By the time you buy the oil, filter, crunch rings, gaskets, disposal fee for getting rid of the oil, my time, you can’t beat the price.

Maryb

<img src="http://members.roadfly.com/bm75204/SigPic3.jpg" height=210 width=510

Dallas, Texas

2003 BMW 540i 6-speed ~ Sterling Gray/Black
M5 Bumpers w/Style-37 18" M-Parallel Wheels
Dinan Stage I Software ~ Hardwired V1 Radar
Eisenmann Exhaust ~ Sunshades ~ CDVectomy
Digital Sound ~ 30% Tint ~ M5 Rear Sway Bar

2004 BMW 330Ci Convertible ~ Triple Black
SMG/Sport/Premium/Xenons/Heated Seats/35% Tint

Retired: E39 530i, SL500 AMG Sport, E46 328Ci

2006 Mercedes CLS500 on order, thanks to Bangle
Black/Black, DVD Nav, Keyless Go, yada yada
April 2005 Delivery

<img src="http://members.roadfly.com/bm75204/SigPic3.jpg" height=210 width=510

Dallas, Texas

2003 BMW 540i 6-speed ~ Sterling Gray/Black
M5 Bumpers w/Style-37 18" M-Parallel Wheels
Dinan Stage I Software ~ Hardwired V1 Radar
Eisenmann Exhaust ~ Sunshades ~ CDVectomy
Digital Sound ~ 30% Tint ~ M5 Rear Sway Bar

2004 BMW 330Ci Convertible ~ Triple Black
SMG/Sport/Premium/Xenons/Heated Seats/35% Tint

Retired: E39 530i, SL500 AMG Sport, E46 328Ci

2006 Mercedes CLS500 on order, thanks to Bangle
Black/Black, DVD Nav, Keyless Go, yada yada
April 2005 Delivery

I'm just as lazy plus I'm no good with anything mechanical.

for a 10/60 oil change. Autobahn charges $100 for 10/60 change. Doing it yourself will cost $75 in parts ($9/liter x 7) + $12 for the filter. I do my own changes for those that are not free under the maint program, it's not a money saving measure but a convience thing for me. I can do my own oil change using a top side changer in less then 20 minutes at home. I drop the used oil off at a service station down the street for disposal.
You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely! - Ogden Nash

Synthetic LOF:

$10.00 labor
Oil filter $9.46
Synthetic 5W30 $4.40 a quart (7 makes $30.80)

Total cost $50.26 plus tax. It would be $40.26 for just the oil and filter and to me it is worth the $10 to have it changed. At $9 a liter it would make the total oil change cost about $83.

being placed in the car?

And if you really ask nice, they'll let you take the 6er out to play while you wait!

Hey, I used to do mine too, but the first time I spilled oil in the trunk on the way to dispose of it, I quit.

BTW, I only use synthetic in mine.

later

maryb

I have a $6 oil container from pep boys that seals tight and then I take it to disposal in the bed of my truck. I don't eat breakfast and wouldn't be caught dead driving a new 6 (or 5).
You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely! - Ogden Nash

I jsut wen tthru this with my car ( 84 635) I know its different for various cars. What are you runnign that in?

Im jstu a curious george.

http://www.bavauto.com/

It was mineral from the factory but I switched to synthetic. BMW lists three different BMW oils they sell:

15W-40 mineral
5W-30 synthetic
10W-60 synthetic

The 10W is the really expensive one.

No shipping and handling charges, but you have to pay tax instead.

A friend of mine was in Classic the other day and checked on the price. The parts guy after checking in the computer said it's now $8.95.

I would hope this price rolled into the service department and an oil change is now 50% cheaper as well.

your order.93 525ia