[chmura]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

The real questions (IMO) are; does it makes any real-world difference (extremely unlikely), and is it a safety issue if they aren't replaced (also extremely unlikely).

BMW can keep their TTY bolts, I won't replace them unless I consider them to be a safety issue.

Yup same here. No reason to buy new ones. Seems like a waste of money and unnecessary for this application.

[asiflicious]

I just took my 2018 M2 to the BMW of Murrieta in SoCal for an oil change. I have 33k miles. They said spark plugs are due (last time it was done was at 15k miles). Quoted me $1100. The car is driving perfectly fine and I have no misfires so I declined. I’ll get them done elsewhere for cheaper but I’m in no hurry to get it done

[doughboy]

At those prices you can see why they want to change unnecessarily.

$$$$$$

[chmura]

Originally Posted by asiflicious

I just took my 2018 M2 to the BMW of Murrieta in SoCal for an oil change. I have 33k miles. They said spark plugs are due (last time it was done was at 15k miles). Quoted me $1100. The car is driving perfectly fine and I have no misfires so I declined. I’ll get them done elsewhere for cheaper but I’m in no hurry to get it done

Good job to reject their recommendation.

[MVista]

Long Beach BMW changed the spark plugs under maintenance warranty on the 3rd oil change, the car only had 6k miles.

[m2zcp]

I just did this service myself yesterday. It is straight forward but involved as you have to remove the CF strut tower brace, aluminum strut brace, charge pipes and right side of the air intake to gain access to the S55 coil packs/plugs. My car is a little over 32k miles/50k km, stock tune, Shell V-Power exclusively.

[KevinC]

Aha, they look absolutely fine to go another 30k miles to my eye. That 30k interval has always seemed ridiculously short, and all these reports of dealers doing them at silly-low mileage based on time or whatever other stupid factor is nothing more than a money grab by the dealership - whether the owner is paying, or they're billing BMW under the 3/36 free maintenance.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by KevinC

Aha, they look absolutely fine to go another 30k miles to my eye. That 30k interval has always seemed ridiculously short, and all these reports of dealers doing them at silly-low mileage based on time or whatever other stupid factor is nothing more than a money grab by the dealership - whether the owner is paying, or they're billing BMW under the 3/36 free maintenance.

Not the dealers. BMW is recommending spark plug changes every third oil change. The dealership is following BMWs recommendation.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by DanG

Not the dealers. BMW is recommending spark plug changes every third oil change. The dealership is following BMWs recommendation.

Yes, but for BMW on average the oil change would be every 10-15k miles or so, or every two years, whichever comes first. (thats uk spec).

So 3rd oil change / plugs would be anywhere between 6 years max & 45k miles max "on average", but sure a lot of M2C do less that that.

Doing it at 6k miles is daft, but who are the dealers to point that out and lose the fee?

[ssabripo]

Crud... I am definitely subscribed to this thread now.

I have to do mine at 60K (currently sitting at 51k), and just did my oil change a week ago. I was hoping to find a place (non-dealer) to get it done around $500-600, but it it's going over $1.5k, screw that... I'll see if I can find another BCCA member, or another M2C owner here in S FL that will help do it over a bottle of Reserva de la Familia.

ps- I saw a couple of folks recommending FCP Euro spark plugs over OEM... is this the recommendation, or stick with OEM?
I am tuned (Stg 1) since 20k, and car has been running immaculate so dunno.

[medphysdave]

Originally Posted by ssabripo

Crud... I am definitely subscribed to this thread now.

I have to do mine at 60K (currently sitting at 51k), and just did my oil change a week ago. I was hoping to find a place (non-dealer) to get it done around $500-600, but it it's going over $1.5k, screw that... I'll see if I can find another BCCA member, or another M2C owner here in S FL that will help do it over a bottle of Reserva de la Familia.

ps- I saw a couple of folks recommending FCP Euro spark plugs over OEM... is this the recommendation, or stick with OEM?
I am tuned (Stg 1) since 20k, and car has been running immaculate so dunno.

Id go with what has been working. Especially with spark plugs.

[doughboy]

How, can it be that much?

£80 for 6 plugs.

3hrs labour at most, £75/hour.

£300 plus VAT total

Or do what i did get the exhaust cam knock fixed and they fitted plugs for free while they were doing that.

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by ssabripo

ps- I saw a couple of folks recommending FCP Euro spark plugs over OEM... is this the recommendation, or stick with OEM?

FCPeuro is a supplier, not a brand. Usually they have a choice of true BMW, BMW-supplier but not branded, and OEM grade aftermarket. They are reccommended because they will replace parts forever for free, so you only buy them once. I think some other suppliers have also copycatted this lifetime return policy (Turner and ECS?).

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by DanG

Not the dealers. BMW is recommending spark plug changes every third oil change. The dealership is following BMWs recommendation.

I get that - what I was referring to was when dealers do them at 5k miles and stupid-low similar mileage - based on time. Which has nothing to do with spark plug wear. But since BMW apparently will pay for it, they're happy to do it. Total waste.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by KevinC

I get that - what I was referring to was when dealers do them at 5k miles and stupid-low similar mileage - based on time. Which has nothing to do with spark plug wear. But since BMW apparently will pay for it, they're happy to do it. Total waste.

Why wouldn’t a dealer do it regardless of mileage when BMWNA is paying for it? Mine was done with about 15,000 miles on it. Means I don’t have to worry about paying for it until about 45,000 miles. In my case my M2 will be about 9 years old.

[Oliv]

Originally Posted by doughboy

How, can it be that much?

£80 for 6 plugs.

3hrs labour at most, £75/hour.

£300 plus VAT total

Or do what i did get the exhaust cam knock fixed and they fitted plugs for free while they were doing that.

In Switzerland the hourly rate is around 200/hr (in CHF but quite close to GBP/EUR/USD anyway), and the dealer spent 4.5 hrs doing that lately (on a 20k km car...). was told a 1.5/2k job

Very happy that we have 10-year service plan included here as I plan to keep the car long-term, after the 10 years are gone, I'm not going to replace perfect plugs every 20k km though...

[doughboy]

Wow 10 year plan.

Mine was our of 3yr warranty so no need to use expensive and lower skilled dealer service centres.

[maxcbrdriver]

I expect to have about 6k miles on the car when the 3rd oil change is due in May. Is the consensus to not have the spark plugs changed on BMWs dime? I get that's it's early, but if I've effectively already paid for it, then why not?

[DanG]

Originally Posted by maxcbrdriver

I expect to have about 6k miles on the car when the 3rd oil change is due in May. Is the consensus to not have the spark plugs changed on BMWs dime? I get that's it's early, but if I've effectively already paid for it, then why not?

No consensus say have them change the spark plugs. Doesn’t do any harm to change them early. It isn’t necessary to get them change but if they are changed gives you an extra 6K miles before you need to do it again. So next spark plug change would be at 36K miles.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by maxcbrdriver

I expect to have about 6k miles on the car when the 3rd oil change is due in May. Is the consensus to not have the spark plugs changed on BMWs dime? I get that's it's early, but if I've effectively already paid for it, then why not?

Yep you've paid for it, have it done. Just hope they don't break anything.

So many report misfires after plugs, usually due to mishandling of coil packs AFAIK. Have to be super clean and careful with them..

[maxcbrdriver]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Yep you've paid for it, have it done. Just hope they don't break anything.

So many report misfires after plugs, usually due to mishandling of coil packs AFAIK. Have to be super clean and careful with them..

That's my worry.

[thenwood]

i had mine done last year here in germany when i was at around 25,000km on my 2018 car. There is no declining the service here, the hit you take on re-sell value for not keeping up with it is worth spending even the silly amount for the work to be done.

They did however mess mine up completely and it went into limp mode on the way home, and had to be nursed back. I use a different dealership now...