3Series

Sounds crazy to me. I can "maybe" see spark plugs being an issue becuase the plugs cost some money and you have to remove some stuff on the rear to change them out.

But cabin filters? I mean isn't that literally a 15min job?

fast1

I go to Porsche of Towson for service, and for the intermediate and major service, they provide a detailed list of all the specific service items performed. The tech places a check by the items that he performed. Apparently some owners request that some service items not be performed and this is a way of documenting what was and wasn't performed.

ltdodge

the biggest question is WHY change plugs at 40K miles??? that's an overkill, plugs should last 100K miles

leopard print

At least they didn't list so that you could catch it. It would have been worse if they listed it as being done and didn't actually change them out.

LexVan

The biggerer biggest question is why you're not aware of your car's proper maintenance schedule. Let us know how that 100,000 mile service interval works out for you.

My car goes in for new plugs Wednesday at about 43,000 miles. Having the 40k service done.

3Series

Plugs are a wear item. When to replace them is when they wear out. Just like brakes. Brakes can last 150k miles if you use them sparingly. So it depends on how you drive the car. If you drive the car like Ferdinand intended, 40k might just be a little long in the tooth.

But, it's not easy to check the wear of spark plugs. If you go through the trouble to check and test them, you might as well just change them. They cost $5-6 each if you get Bosch.

stealthboy

Make sure they did these 40K service items as well:

- Engine air filters (x2)
- Cabin air filters (x2)
- Brake fluid flush
- Oil and filter change (of course)

BTW, plugs are suggested at 40K miles *OR* 4 years, whichever is first. I just changed mine at 19K miles because it has been 4 years.

fast1

Yep, it could be a challenge removing the plugs after 100K and maybe seven or eight years.
Of course the plugs could be removed after five years and then coated with anti-seize compound, but if you have the plug out why not replace it. It's not that difficult to take out threads in the head, while removing a seized plug. On a Porsche I would never go longer than five years without changing plugs, regardless of the mileage.

ltdodge

i did change my plugs at 40K and they looked perfectly fine, not much carbon in them and the gap looked fine. all im saying is the plugs should be able to go longer than 40K unless its a garage queen and you have more years than miles. im already at 65K miles on my car.

3Series

A couple weeks ago I pulled plugs from a 997.2 with the 9A1 engine with a friend. The car has a little less than 40k miles but the car is over 8 years old. No issues unscrewing the plug. We "think" the car runs and idles a little smoother. However, the difference is/was so minor, the plugs could have probably lasted another 8 years.. The plugs didn't look too bad either, they just looked used.

BlazinPond

Same exact thing happened to me when i bought a CPO Cayenne TT (958) a few years back with 29,xxx miles.
During the CPO, they documented completion of the 30k mile service and would not need anything until next 10k service.

In reviewing all the paperwork/service records and CPO sheet, i noticed there was no mention of spark plug (8 double tipped platinum plugs for the beast).

Now mind you, this is one of the largest midwest dealers. When confronted, they simply assumed that all Cayennes had plugs done at 40k, which is correct if it was NOT a Twin Turbo V8.

They changed the plugs quickly and updated the Carfax report. Ticked me off because i know how many times this provably occurs and people don't catch them. On the flip side, being one of the highest volume dealers, increases the potential for errors.

*991*

Good catch on noticing that the plugs were not even done! Just goes to show u what is the CPO really worth if dealer is not even changing a basic maint item

dlbehrns

Parts and labor are high margin $ for the dealers. They want you coming in the door as often as possible whether your car needs it or not. If you drink the Kool-Aid then you’re going to pay the price. Most DIYers know the truth.

luv2sleep

Glad to hear that the dealership is paying for the plug job. I too have had bad experiences with stealerships in the past. Years ago, I was looking at a CPO vehicle. Long story short, every thing on their CPO checklist was pencil whipped. A common scam that some stealerships do is they use a turkey baster to drain the master cylinder and refill it with fresh brake fluid, and call it a brake flush. Air filters, coolant flush, and transmission flush are few others. Buyer beware. As my old man used to say, DIY if you want it done right. Or, find a reputable Indy shop.

crw

I had dealer install a winter wheel set up on a BMW last year.

I had to remove 1 wheel mid winter due to a bubble on the tire.

All of the lug nuts were slightly rounded off and all of the lug nuts had minimal tightness.

The tech either used the wring size socket, clearly used a impact wrench, and I doubt that they used a torque wrench.

Best option - service your own car if you can, other wise find a quality independent shop who takes pride in their work.

Not all dealer techs are poor - but you need to check for the quality of their work.

A MB that I recently sold, need a oil service.

I went to the dealer because the oil change light needed a reset.

The dealer was 1 hour away, had to leave the car.

I picked up the car and when i was almost home - the oil level light went on.

It needed a quart.

I suspect they changed the oil when the motor was cold.

With dealer service - it's buyer beware, and more expensive to boot.