Oil leak gone bad!!!

[Calico_NC]

Okay i don't know much about cars. But i recently had a bad oil leak problem. I took it to the dealer and they supposedly fixed it (almost $1000 or so). They said it was so bad that they were surprised my car started up. They said they had to replace the oil pan gaskets and all the plugs and and stuff. Okay i go home and to my disbelief it is still leaking bad. Today i took it back and they said that when they replaced the gasket that it put too much pressure on the camshaft (or something like that) and basically know it still leaks real bad, and they want to charge me $1200 to fix something i think they should have figured in the first place. What is really the problem here? Did i just get boned by the dealer or are they right. I have no clue so i don't know what to think. I think they should have seen that coming and told me ahead of time to let me decide d whether or not i wanted to precede. PLEASE HELP ME OUT WITH SOME INFO!

[Jon K]

Listen - there is only one gasket that costs $1,000 to replace at a dealership and that's the headgasket - which leaks coolant and oil.

$1,000 for an oil pan gasket and plugs/plug gasket, wow. If you can visually spot where the leak is coming from, we can fix you. An oil pan gasket is something to the tune of $30.

The only gaskets that can leak oil really are the oil pan gasket, the oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gaskets, timing cover gaskets, and front and rear main seal, and that's about it! If it were a rear main seal, I could see that being expensive but thats a transmission removal etc. I dunno man, sounds like you got "took".

[RichG]

they said that when they replaced the gasket that it put too much pressure on the camshaft (or something like that) and basically now it still leaks real bad

I took mine in when I first got it to replace the timing belt (yeah, M20) and a LOT of other stuff. It seemed to be leaking oil from many places, but the main thing that got replaced was the shaft seal. After I got it back it was still leaking oil badly (1 quart per 100 miles or so). I took it back and they said the same thing that because they fixed some leaks, the increased pressure could cause others. Anyway, they found that the pan gasket was leaking and the shop covered it under their warranty and replaced it even though the mechanic said it wasn't leaking when it left. He must not have looked very closely.

Anyway, I guess that fixing one leak can make another place "let go" and start leaking.

[Kalevera]

Who's a good mechanic in greensboro who can help this brother out?



Did you take it to Crown?

[gale]

Oops, wrong post, my bad

[Calico_NC]

Who's a good mechanic in greensboro who can help this brother out?



Did you take it to Crown?

Yeah I took it to Crown. It seems like they keep trying to screw me alot though. My car has been back and forth there so many times I think they know me on a first name basis. (not in the good way though) Most of the time when i take it there, a few days later im back in there again with another problem that I didn't have before. It's getting real old now. Even though what they said may have been true, I still feel as though they could have predicated something before hand. (But im not a mechanic so...) But anyway, does anyone know of another GOOD mechanic around the Greensboro, NC area?

Thanks,

[Ross]

If you offer some specifics on what was done and why and what is supposedly wrong now we could better help you.
In the meantime you might want to just take your lumps and go somewhere else, sounds like the love has gone from the relationship with "Crown".

[632 Regal]

your definetly getting stiffed... I cant find anything close to you, why dont you look into your local BMWCCA chapter?

[BimmerMeUp]

Here's a link to the local BMWCCA chapter website:

http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org/

Over there, you find links to no less than three independents that work on BMW's in the Greensboro area. Maybe you can give one or all them a call and see if any are a good fit for you. You also may wish to check on the local scene listings and go to one of the gatherings and ask around.

[stargazer_61]

Just for parts, not for repairs. Cheaper than the stealer when I don't have the time to buy online. They seem to be decent enough there. I've seen E30 M3's and a few 5's there for work.

[misfortune]

Hijack attempt.

How long should it take to do an oil pan gasket? I'm getting charged around $500 for this.

[Jon K]

Hijack attempt.

How long should it take to do an oil pan gasket? I'm getting charged around $500 for this.

Sounds reasonable - its about a 3 hr job - 4hr job. I dunno what the BMW bill on hours is, but it took me about 5 hrs each time I did it (yes, multiple times, farq!)