IMS retrofit..Dealer is the Lowest Cost..what gives?
 

Ok...I just wanted to get it off my mind so I decided to take my 2002 S and have the IMS retrofit done. I took it to the dealer and two other european car specialist(one my normal guy..he does $100 dollar oil change). The two independent euro car specialist were $3900 and $3800....the dealer was $2400. What gives with that? Am I missing something here or do I just need to start going to other independent repair specialist?

I expected the dealer to be the High estimate.

By retrofit you mean the LN Ceramic bearing? You are 2002 so you have a single row IMS which could be retrofitted with the new dual row retrofit that fits in the single row size?

I had mine done for $1300. The previous owner did a clutch already so I did not do anything other than the IMS LN Ceramic retrofit.

Unless those other quotes include a clutch/related components, they all seem way high.

If they include a clutch, $2400 seems like a good deal and the others maybe just a touch high.

Edit mine was done December 2012.

Got mine done for $1250. What's being included in the qoutes you have.

All of these were for the LN ceramic; the only addition was replaced crankshaft seal which is seeping a little but that only added $100. I was expecting around the $1500 range. How long ago were the retrofits you had done?

Well like they said - all depends on what else is being done. I believe by the book time to R&R transmission is like 5-6 hours, then probably another 3-4 to set the car to TDC, pull the valve cover to lock down the cams, replace the bearing etc. Call it 9-10 hours~

Parts are pretty much up in the air cause there is a lot that could be done "while you're in there". But at the very least and oil change plus the valve cover gasket sealant and cam seals which need to be replaced if the camshafts were locked down properly, don't recall the exact number but it is like $100+ at retail. Of course if it has some mileage on it doing the clutch is a good idea, that's another $800~, not to mention the cost of the LN IMS bearing which retails for around $700 I believe~ So...

Labor $1000~
Parts $1700++

Then you have other factors like how much each shop buys/sells at etc... Try to find out exactly what each shop is quoting then you can see what kind of deal you are getting, or not...
J

INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BEARING -
Replace - Includ...
Labor 1 Work Requested - INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BEARING -
Replace - Includes: R&I Transaxle
$946.00
Part 106-08.20 Intermed. Shaft Brg. Set Early Single Row Brg. 1.00 1,725.00
$1,725.00
Part 106-08.2 Intermed. Shaft Brg. Set Single Row Bearing 1.00 650.00
$650.00
Part 997 101 212 01 Crankshaft Seal 1.00 25.10
$25.10

Oil change $110:00

$1700 is the ballpark price for the IMS Solution. IIRC, the Gen 2 and IMS Retrofits are about $800 apiece.

Unless I'm missing something, you should only be charged for one replacement bearing...it looks like they have the IMS Solution as well as the Single row replacement.

Part 106-08.20 Intermed. Shaft Brg. Set Early Single Row Brg. 1.00 1,725.00 $1,725.00
Part 106-08.2 Intermed. Shaft Brg. Set Single Row Bearing 1.00 650.00 $650.00

What's your mileage? Best practice is to replace the flywheel with the LNE IMSB.
Do it once, do it right.

your axle boots are probably torn if you have hard city miles. Add $200-$300 at the "book rate".

also, that's a good price for an oil change. Which makes me think it's Mobil 1, which means you'll be doing it more frequently than using a higher quality oil like Motul 8100 X-Cess 5W-40.
The choice of the engine experts. See Tony Callas' comments in Excellence Magazine. Flame suit on.

And while you are in there, the AOS.

Problem: IMS Failure. Solution: IMS Retrofit

While "The Solution" may be better, you are probably just trying to get the IMS to be better than the other 28 parts that can and do fail. If you were going for more, you'd be completely rebuilding the engine.

If all you are trying to do is get the next 50k miles out of the engine, settle for the LN ceramic. In between the two in LN's offerings is the "Single Row Pro Retrofit" which is a 1.5 row bearing in my mind for a engine that originally came with a single row.

You can't tell what you have until the trans is out of of the car.

Always the cost tradeoff.

Good luck in your decision.

90,000 miles on the car. clutch has a little over 20,000 miles on it. Axle boots and axle have already been replaced about 5000 miles ago. MOTUL Sun is the oil they are using.

PM me the name of the dealer. There's a few who have ridiculously bad reviews for IMSBR processes.

That said, this job is not about price. If the shop isn't carrying out a pre- qualification, sump inspection and etc, then they should not be doing the job.

Go to the cheapest guy and you will pay for it, dealer or not.

OK....finally able to talk with my regular guy and asked him what is up with the price quote. He apologized in that he is trying to teach his daughter in law how to put together quotes. She had duplicate parts. The price is $1650 for the Ceramic retrofit plus a oil change. He inspected my car in September and took me through what all the IMS involved and what he recommended. I know he has done several of these.

I am going with him.

Was the flywheel replaced when the new clutch went in? Mine was toast by 70k miles. Lots of city driving/bozo clutching.