"No Customer Supplied Parts"

[Bimmer-Bob]

Anyone have any issues with shops that don't want to take jobs using customer supplied parts? I'm having a hell of a time finding a reputable shop to do a coil-over installation - and of those willing to even consider it, every one would implement either an increase in labor rate or some sort of "loss of profit" charge on the invoice.

For clarity, I'm not talking about using cheap, no name parts here. And it's not like I'm walking into a shop and saying, "My car is overheating, I think it's the water pump, can you install this one?" But with a well-maintained late model car, I don't think it's a big deal to walk in with my own high-end performance parts. Is it?

[KingOfJericho]

Very common actually.

[ken1137]

Oooops, misunderstood. No problems in the Chicago area. I have access to two shops each within 5 miles of my house. One specializes in e46 mods and the other will work on almost most anything, even if you buy the parts. I assume you did, but try your Regional forum for recommendations. GL...must be frustrating.

[bdoooh]

Yep. Very common. I've asked why & they respond with they don't want the liability. Your best bet for coilovers is going through Tirerack to get them & using their recommended installers & then having the part shipped directly to the installer.. I found that's the easiest way without having to search all over the place for someone to do an install of a basic part.

[Bimmer-Bob]

You know, reading about it online I've seen a lot about the "liability" issue - and frankly, I don't get it. I don't expect them to warranty the part (but I do expect them to warranty their labor) or anything.

We all know it's because they want to mark up the part, which is BS if you ask me. I'm fine with paying a flat-rate fee but I don't want to get raped because I bought expensive parts. For example, if I were having them install OEM shocks and springs, my car would take up the same amount of time and floor space as if they were installing a $3000 coil-over kit - so why should I have to pay a 30% markup? Their overhead didn't increase one cent. If that's not gouging the customer, I don't know what is. [/rant]

[ptack]

If you're just some stranger coming on off the street most places will say "no" because they don't want you to become a huge headache and blame them if the part you give them becomes a problem. I know a shop that would certainly do it for me because I took my previous car there for years. Start with someone you know.

[tracer bullet]

I can understand why they'd want to do it, losing profit on selling parts themselves or taking risks when some people make a return trip asking for rework on failures due to the parts themselves. I haven't seen it personally though. I've even had a dealership install an aftermarket clutch in my last car.

Could be a regional thing?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

You know, reading about it online I've seen a lot about the "liability" issue - and frankly, I don't get it. I don't expect them to warranty the part (but I do expect them to warranty their labor) or anything.

We all know it's because they want to mark up the part, which is BS if you ask me. I'm fine with paying a flat-rate fee but I don't want to get raped because I bought expensive parts. For example, if I were having them install OEM shocks and springs, my car would take up the same amount of time and floor space as if they were installing a $3000 coil-over kit - so why should I have to pay a 30% markup? Their overhead didn't increase one cent. If that's not gouging the customer, I don't know what is. [/rant]

It is because the tech will be learning on your car, with your aftermarket parts. And the aftermarket being the aftermarket... things never go together like OE parts(shocks) do. Maybe missing parts, no instructions or skipped steps. There "will be" a learning curve for the Tech to install your aftermarket coil over kit.

I'm sure the kit you have is good and quite reputable... but Techs are here to make money. They get paid on the max hours they can turn/punch out. You have to look at it from the Tech's or Shop's view... why would they wrench on your car for say six hours... and charge you say eight hours for the job... when that same Tech could work the same six hours and turn fifteen hours in COD (normal) repair jobs - that he has done hundreds of times before.


Your gonna need to find a shop that has done coil over installs before and one that doesn't have a problem with you bringing your own parts. Or... do the install yourself or with friends.



Dack

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

You know, reading about it online I've seen a lot about the "liability" issue - and frankly, I don't get it. I don't expect them to warranty the part (but I do expect them to warranty their labor) or anything.

We all know it's because they want to mark up the part, which is BS if you ask me. I'm fine with paying a flat-rate fee but I don't want to get raped because I bought expensive parts. For example, if I were having them install OEM shocks and springs, my car would take up the same amount of time and floor space as if they were installing a $3000 coil-over kit - so why should I have to pay a 30% markup? Their overhead didn't increase one cent. If that's not gouging the customer, I don't know what is. [/rant]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

It is because the tech will be learning on your car, with your aftermarket parts. And the aftermarket being the aftermarket... things never go together like OE parts(shocks) do. Maybe missing parts, no instructions or skipped steps. There "will be" a learning curve for the Tech to install your aftermarket coil over kit.

I'm sure the kit you have is good and quite reputable... but Techs are here to make money. They get paid on the max hours they can turn/punch out. You have to look at it from the Tech's or Shop's view... why would they wrench on your car for say six hours... and charge you say eight hours for the job... when that same Tech could work the same six hours and turn fifteen hours in COD (normal) repair jobs - that he has done hundreds of times before.


Your gonna need to find a shop that has done coil over installs before and one that doesn't have a problem with you bringing your own parts. Or... do the install yourself or with friends.



Dack

Bimmer Bob... Dack basically covered the bases, but ill add my .02

First you didnt mention if you were taking it to a BMW dealer or an INDY shop... but after re-reading your post, i suspect INDY shops.

Nothing wrong either way, but you answered your own question, but left out some details.

a Dealer will have all types of possible warranty concerns down the road, so we'll just dismiss them for now..

As far as an Indy shop, when i worked at one, we used to accept customer supplied parts... and if i recall ( its been over 15 years ) we charged a slight premium in labor because in reality a business plan for a repair shop is to make a gross profit on PARTS and LABOR to make there monthly nut. It really is that simple.. Second to that is what you mentioned.. Liability.. Until you are sued for 40 million dollars because you were the "shop" you wouldnt understand.. Just think, i take your $3000 coil overs, in stall them and charge you 300.00... 1 week later the shaft breaks and you tee bone a car with a child in the passanger seat... that person sues you... you get your lawyer.. he asks theses 3 specific questions:

where did you buy coil over >>>>>> send law suite

who was the manufacturer of part >>>> send law suite

where did you have it installed >>>> send law suite

and although me you and the rest of the world knows it probably wasnt the installer... the more ins companies get involved, the quicker the pay out and resolution as they all split the cost to make it go away....

you can blame everone that uses an ambulance chaser lawyer for that ..

i hate it and detest it ... but i wish i knew i had a better answer..

its a world of wholesale vs retail resale parts wise.. Labor is so expensive, that the gross profit is small...

my .02

[Bimmer-Bob]

Well, I guess I always thought that shops made their money on labor (btw, I was talking about an indy mechanic - my BMW dealer has actually installed supplied parts/accessories, but not aftermarket obviously). Like I said, though, I wouldn't have minded a bump in labor rate or some sort of surcharge, as long as I thought it was reasonable. I totally get that businesses are in it to make money and I believe in supporting the local BMW independent shop, at least in theory.

My main problem was actually even getting a quote. After a phone conversation and a ton of emails with the SA, I really thought we were getting somewhere. I asked for a quote so we could go ahead and schedule and I kept getting excuses - "I have to look something up, I'll let you know," etc. And then he just stopped responding to my emails. I mean, realistically, it shouldn't take 48-72 hours to generate a quote. If you don't want to do it, just say no - it's not like I'm going to cry about it, but I need to know so that I can find someone else. And no, I wasn't rude in anyway whatsoever. I didn't even question the "loss of profit charge," except to ask how much it would be, roughly. So I gave this guy zero attitude whatsoever. I'm actually not even sure it was about the supplied parts, because I tried to get a quote a few weeks ago for an M3 subframe bushing install and it dragged on for like 3 weeks before he apologized and told me he would "get back on it."

Anyway, I gave up waiting for this guy to get off his ass and found a local performance shop that readily agreed to do the job. I emailed them and got a response in less than 15 minutes - $529 (including 4-wheel alignment) out the door, no problem or extra charges with supplied parts. The BMW place probably would have been in the $1000-$1200 range, judging on my conversation with the SA, but of course I don't know for sure.

The place I found seems to be fairly well known and highly thought of in the VAG/Porsche community, so I hope that's good enough (how different could it be, lol?). Their blog showed that they recently did coils on an M3 and their site says they have a BMW tech on staff, so hopefully it works out.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

...The place I found seems to be fairly well known and highly thought of in the VAG/Porsche community, so I hope that's good enough (how different could it be, lol?). Their blog showed that they recently did coils on an M3 and their site says they have a BMW tech on staff, so hopefully it works out.

That shop sounds good. Let us know how it turns out.

[Section147]

As Mr. Shakespeare so aptly put it:
"First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".

[__ivy__]

I would take your problem as an opportunity to learn how to install parts yourself.

In general, it's not that hard, it only requires a few specialized tools, and, thanks to modern technology, there is ample help available on the internet.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by __ivy__

I would take your problem as an opportunity to learn how to install parts yourself.

In general, it's not that hard, it only requires a few specialized tools, and, thanks to modern technology, there is ample help available on the internet.

Actually, I did my current set of coils myself about 18 months ago. I've got all the tools and everything, but what I don't have so much of these days is time (I'm in grad school).

[__ivy__]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Actually, I did my current set of coils myself about 18 months ago. I've got all the tools and everything, but what I don't have so much of these days is time (I'm in grad school).

So much for my plan to push someone over to the dark side. You're already there.

I spent some time in grad school purgatory as well. College was the best 11 years of my life.

Now get back to your research!

[1911A145]

Keep searching for another shop to do the work. Most shops are just butt-hurt because people are starting to buy everything over the internet saving them thousands in mark-up fess, taxes, and any addition BS charges the shops feel like adding in. Shops want to not only rape you on the mark-up parts you buy from them, but also on the labor. If you are smart enough to buy online they are cry baby's and refuse to do the job and are only hurting themselves in the loss of work and then cry when they go bankrupt. Down here in South Florida I have only ran into maybe one or two shops that have tried pulling that. But everyone else is hurting for money so bad that they are competing for work so bad they dont care what they are installing and work with you. Just tell them that you will never again do, or recomend anyone you know of to do business with their establishment again. Let capitalism weed out those willing to stay in business and the others to fall under their own egos. Dont cater to them...

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted by 1911A145

Keep searching for another shop to do the work. Most shops are just butt-hurt because people are starting to buy everything over the internet saving them thousands in mark-up fess, taxes, and any addition BS charges the shops feel like adding in. Shops want to not only rape you on the mark-up parts you buy from them, but also on the labor. If you are smart enough to buy online they are cry baby's and refuse to do the job and are only hurting themselves in the loss of work and then cry when they go bankrupt. Down here in South Florida I have only ran into maybe one or two shops that have tried pulling that. But everyone else is hurting for money so bad that they are competing for work so bad they dont care what they are installing and work with you. Just tell them that you will never again do, or recomend anyone you know of to do business with their establishment again. Let capitalism weed out those willing to stay in business and the others to fall under their own egos. Dont cater to them...

I'M Gonna guess you dont own your own business, or work in face to face retail sales, or work for commission .... The only way it seems that your theory on how business should be run is as a "Not for profit"...

[RoundelM3]

I had my ER Sport oil cooler installed by a very reputable Indy shop in Austin a few months back. It wasn't a complex job, but not a simple one, either, and they did a good job, considering they had to drop the front bumper and the underside shield. There's just one caveat that I found out about quite a few years ago when I bought some chain tensioners for a Porsche 911SC and had them installed by another Indy shop. One of the tensioners was no good, and the vendor replaced the part, but I had to pay the shop for the additional labor to remove and replace the bad tensioner. Had I bought the parts through the shop, I would have saved quite a bit of money.

[TX78666]

I've got a shop in San Marcos that I bring parts to. I've brought them a diff, subframe reinforcement kit, brake pads, oil, etc.

[brusk]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Actually, I did my current set of coils myself about 18 months ago. I've got all the tools and everything, but what I don't have so much of these days is time (I'm in grad school).

I'm surprised your not jumping to do it again considering the 500 bucks you'll be saving for just a few hours of work. Assuming you already have lowering springs and time is an issue you could take 2 hours one day and do the rears and adjust the height to how it is now and another day when you have another 2 hours do the fronts. And you know it's done right as you can't trust anybody, I had a rear shock top nut cross threaded and tightened to the point of no return with an inch of spare travel done compliments of a dealership. You've got the tools and the experience I'm surprised you want to throw money away especially if you in school.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by brusk

I'm surprised your not jumping to do it again considering the 500 bucks you'll be saving for just a few hours of work. Assuming you already have lowering springs and time is an issue you could take 2 hours one day and do the rears and adjust the height to how it is now and another day when you have another 2 hours do the fronts. And you know it's done right as you can't trust anybody, I had a rear shock top nut cross threaded and tightened to the point of no return with an inch of spare travel done compliments of a dealership. You've got the tools and the experience I'm surprised you want to throw money away especially if you in school.

Well, I am in school, but I'm also in the Navy and getting my full paycheck, so I'm not the typical broke student.

If my only option was the $1200 quote from the Bimmer shop I likely would've just done it myself. But since this other place is going to do it for $529 (including alignment), well, that to me is worth the time saved. Especially considering that, even if I did do the install, I would still have to pay someone to do the alignment. The last one I had done was almost $150 (so I'd be saving, ultimately, $379).

Finally, I'm not going to lie, it's pretty backbreaking work to do in your driveway with jack stands and hand tools. Not worth it to save $379, IMO, especially when I have exams to be studying for over the weekend (the only time I'd be available to do the work).

Now, if it were going to save me $1000, believe me, I would be working on it right now.

[x5mad]

I guess I've been lucky as never gave these things second thought. My BMW dealer has always worked on my car even with supplying them aftermarket parts.