Broke again, towed to dealer, they say maf

[Fetch]

hey guys, car stopped running again, I couldn't mess with it any more, had it towed to the dealer in town here.

They decided it wouldn't run at all due to spark plugs, claimed mine with less than 1000 miles were fouled, which is possible after it broke down this second time, but I was not able to look at them in person and confirm this.

So I let them put new spark plugs in at great cost, and so they could then continue diagnosing.

Whole week went by they couldn't get it to run at all with new spark plugs, now they say they got it to run long enough to get a mass air flow sensor computer code, a code I never got while working on the car, but the car's problems could easily be MAF as many suggested on this forum.


They want to put a new MAF in for $400 bucks. In addtition to $300 for spark plugs and diagnosing fees, in addition to the $130 I paid to get it towed to the dealer.

It takes me 35 seconds to replace a MAF, should I just order one on ebay and put it in myself? Or for $200-300 net additional cost have them do it and have my car supposedly finished and working...

I've never delt with a dealer ever before, don't I have a right to call BS on their part if they charge me for stuff that ends up not fixing the car?

just want to hear your guys' thoughts once more...

[DanDombrowski]

Depends on the dealer, but more than likely, your economic misfortune is none of their concern. By that, I mean that if you throw $400 at a MAF, and it doesn't work, don't expect them to care that they just blew $400.

Now, they MAY be able to put a MAF in, and if it doesn't fix it, to pull it out and return it, but most parts suppliers won't take returns on electrical components, especially MAFs. Depends on the shop. I'd at least ask.

I would be very wary of continuing with the dealer, sorry I don't have any better advice. It sounds like they just want to throw parts at it until you give up, or they get lucky.

[Tiger]

Let them do the work... They will have to eat their own bill if your car stopped working again.

[DanDombrowski]

They should, but often do not, or at least try very hard not to. I wouldn't rush in with $400 under the assumption that its a free guess.

[632 Regal]

the stealer is like doctors, they will profit from adding or removing parts weather it fixes the problem or not. Luck of the draw. Going to the dealer usually means someone has too much money to try or has reached the end of their rope and gave up trying. 300 bux for plugs pretty much says it all.

Good luck whatever you choose to do.

[Ross]

Sad state of affairs this is. I don't mind paying(okay, a little)$100+/hr for expert diagnosis but when they just start throwing parts at it they don't deserve a dime. A monkey can change parts until the problem is cured.
Chances are you were flooded and that's why they changed the plugs. I'm not sure what book time is for that operation but even if you figure $10 each for plugs that leaves $220 in labor. I can do it <30 minutes while chatting with the neighbor and drinking a beer.
Our cars predate the majority of the current dealer "techs" so there is little expert advice available from a BMW store these days. There is also little scrutiny on customer pay jobs, so the house is happy as a clam to let some jr mechanic guess all day on your parts tab. Many customers are pleased just to have a problem resolved and never know how much unneccessary work they have paid for. The repair files for some of the cars that have passed through my hands speak very well to this.

[Ross]

And never forget some wisdom passed on to me from a very worldly former colleague.
Half of doctors graduated in the botttom half of their class.
Makes fixing your car a less scary thought.

[winfred]

V8s do seem to consume maf's and if the mixture is as such that it fowls plugs it is possible, a fun one on v8s to catch though is a dieing fuel pump, it'll make enough pressure to make you think it works but not enough to run the damn thing, had a 740il e32 come from the dealer diagnosed with a bad nic short block that just needed a pump

[Fetch]

V8s do seem to consume maf's and if the mixture is as such that it fowls plugs it is possible, a fun one on v8s to catch though is a dieing fuel pump, it'll make enough pressure to make you think it works but not enough to run the damn thing, had a 740il e32 come from the dealer diagnosed with a bad nic short block that just needed a pump

They can't get it to run at all with the MAF disconnected.

They said it will cost me nothing more if they put a new MAF in and it doesn't fix it (no addtl labor or parts charge).

If it was only the MAF the car should run poorly right?, but it doesn't run at all.......

I asked if they tested fuel pressure (this was a week ago) and he said they did, but who knows what they actually did, and if the above example is happening then they wouldn't have noticed the fuel pump was going bad...

[Black 535i]

You could try a different shop. A $100.00 tow charge would be cheaper than the let's hop ethis works tries at the dealer.