XSeries-forum

From my then local BMW Dealer, who has now gone, in Milton Keynes.

Their quote when my box broke was £7k for the box plus £3k for the Mechatronics Unit inc fitting + vat.

A1 Premier Transmissions did it for £2.2k plus £1500 for the new MU inc fitting, coding and VAT.

Richard

[quote="X5Sport"]

They're what!!  Rare!!!? 
[/quote]

Boy am i glad about that...........

[quote="X5Sport"]
From my then local BMW Dealer, who has now gone, in Milton Keynes.

Their quote when my box broke was £7k for the box plus £3k for the Mechatronics Unit inc fitting + vat.

A1 Premier Transmissions did it for £2.2k plus £1500 for the new MU inc fitting, coding and VAT.

Richard
[/quote]

If I remember correctly the 6hp19 RMFD unit was priced up at around £4500 inc fitting.

So either they didn't want the job, or were chancing their arm.  Perhaps that's why they no longer exist......

Richard

MMMM
Some interesting replies here - thankyou guys.

I will hunt out a couple of these garages to get my Gearbox Oil service done next week.....

I'm wondering If I could actually make a damned good living repairing & servicing E53 gear boxes alone from what I've read here.

I'm an engineer of 30 years experience & recently ended contracts with McLaren & Porsche Stuttgart...
It would be an interesting project/concept to think about in kitting up my workshop to rebuild these gear boxes at a ££ price that isn't a total rip-off & still make a little profit for my time ....

I think I will look into acquiring a few destroyed E53 boxes and get an understanding of them.. I have plenty of evenings & weekends free for this & could easily jig up lifting gear & service tools too maybe...

Just a thought... & I do appreciate how awkward these boxes are....
Regards to all.

Grant B

I have the rebuild manual, and a copy of the design manual for the 5L40E for starters.....

i hate these topics lol , every time i forget about the possible gearbox issue, you guys pop up a post quoting 2-5k+repair bills , i think il be getting rid of my x5 before the 95k mark (would say 99k but they are just a bit harder to sell when near the 100k mark!)

[quote="Jackstrath"]
i hate these topics lol , every time i forget about the possible gearbox issue, you guys pop up a post quoting 2-5k+repair bills , i think il be getting rid of my x5 before the 95k mark (would say 99k but they are just a bit harder to sell when near the 100k mark!)
[/quote]
If you change your car it will cost you a few Grand. And what would you change it to. Another BMW that could or could not throw its gearbox.
If you like the X5 hang on to it, if the box goes its only 2k, then you know once the box has been done it will be sorted for many years to come. Better the devil you know

[quote="Horizon"]
[quote="Jackstrath"]
i hate these topics lol , every time i forget about the possible gearbox issue, you guys pop up a post quoting 2-5k+repair bills , i think il be getting rid of my x5 before the 95k mark (would say 99k but they are just a bit harder to sell when near the 100k mark!)
[/quote]
If you change your car it will cost you a few Grand. And what would you change it to. Another BMW that could or could not throw its gearbox.
If you like the X5 hang on to it, if the box goes its only 2k, then you know once the box has been done it will be sorted for many years to come. Better the devil you know
[/quote]

which is why i have persevered...

But the Mrs disagrees..

the x5 for me is a tow car , thats all iv got it for , that and a daily , as much as i love it id be just as happy buying a passat to tow with , and wouldnt have to worry about a gearbox issue just the injector fault which is a recall item anyway

it does make me think lol

[quote="X5Sport"]
It's because BMW do not allow Dealers to fix the gearboxes, only replace them.  I agree it is an appalling way to treat a customer.  I've been a victim of it too with my gearbox.  BMW wanted nearly £10k for a remanufactured (not new) box.  It cost WD £3k to rebuild it.

I think it also highlights that modern cars are too complicated for a main dealer to fix.  The 'Technicians' are not trained to do it and in too many cases cannot work from 1st principles to identify what the underlying issues really are - why else have a roving band of super specialists.

Part of it may be that the current cop of folks in the service bay need massive amounts of complex training in so many things that Dealers will not pay for it.  BMW probably charge a suitably exorbitant premium for the training.  The folks round the back in my Dealer are all pretty young too and simply do not have the experience needed nor will they get it with the restrictions that BMW place in what can and cannot be fixed.  A number of indies have the needed years of experience and can fix things, but if mine is anything to go by even they struggle with cars newer than around 2006/7.

I'm from the old school of 'K.I.S.S' or Keep It Simple Stupid.  Too often I have spent time with a 'Technician' going through things from the simple level and working up from there.  When my cars go in the Dealer now assigns their most experienced guy and the two of quite often work our way through the issue either face 2 face or on the phone.  I would even train to do that job as a new career but can't afford it (as well as being too old according to some).

I strongly suspect that BMW are far from being alone with this, but given they are now amongst the highest charging dealer network they ought to be that much better than everyone else.

Richard
[/quote]

You've bit the nail on the head there  Richard, my friend has a garage service business, he's extremely clued up on Vaixhall and BMW, both the Vauxhall and BMW dealers send cars to him when their "Techs" aren't able to solve a problem (usually electronic) ... No doubt the customer doesn't know this though  O:-)

Logan

[quote="X5 West Midlands"]
MMMM
Some interesting replies here - thankyou guys.

I will hunt out a couple of these garages to get my Gearbox Oil service done next week.....

I'm wondering If I could actually make a damned good living repairing & servicing E53 gear boxes alone from what I've read here.

I'm an engineer of 30 years experience & recently ended contracts with McLaren & Porsche Stuttgart...
It would be an interesting project/concept to think about in kitting up my workshop to rebuild these gear boxes at a ££ price that isn't a total rip-off & still make a little profit for my time ....

I think I will look into acquiring a few destroyed E53 boxes and get an understanding of them.. I have plenty of evenings & weekends free for this & could easily jig up lifting gear & service tools too maybe...

Just a thought... & I do appreciate how awkward these boxes are....
Regards to all.

Grant B
[/quote]

Rebuilding a transmission is bloody easy. All the cogs come out, few snap rings, couple of press down spaces and replace the clutches and boom. Check your work with the air feed and you're done.

Fixing it is the easy bit, convincing a customer you're the right man for the job is a different ball game.