[carlocar]

Hi,

A thread from here back in 2022 came up when I did a Google search on the BMW Ultimate Care Oil Service. I didn't want to bump up a thread that old, so I thought I would start a new one.

I drive a 2015 328i. I bought the Ultimate Care Oil Service plan in October 2023. I went to the dealership yesterday (1/5) for a coolant top off and mentioned that the service notification was going off. The service advisor told me that I should get a new oil change since I bought into the program -- even though I had just gotten one in October.

She charged me $190 to perform a "vehicle check as per CBS information" and said that was the only way to get the service light to turn off. Once they did the oil change, I got the car back and it still said it needs service. She told me that I need to get my spark plugs fixed and the service light won't go off until I do that.

Am I being totally scammed?

[JJ 911SC]

You need to go back and slap her a few time...

[DanG]

For some reason BMW is recommending changing spark plugs every 3 years regardless of miles. So a 2015 BMW could ask for new spark plugs.

[carlocar]

Originally Posted by DanG

For some reason BMW is recommending changing spark plugs every 3 years regardless of miles. So a 2015 BMW could ask for new spark plugs.

Sure, but the $190 just to check why the service light is going on seems off to me? Because that means every time I would need an oil change, I'd be spending $190 just for them to do a full check before the oil change?

[xander_g]

Dealer oil is not something I'd want in my car anyway. Personally, I prefer fuchs which i believe is bmw factory fill.

Some service lights cannot be reset due to wear sensors like brakes but what you're describing is tomfoolery. Next time they'll tell you that the light will only turn off after you've changed the belts and tensioner and that you'll need to change the tires to keep it from coming back on.

Find a trusted local indy shop that specializes in bmws, or german cars in general and I'm sure you'll be in good hands.

[xander_g]

Originally Posted by carlocar

Sure, but the $190 just to check why the service light is going on seems off to me? Because that means every time I would need an oil change, I'd be spending $190 just for them to do a full check before the oil change?

A local dealer charged me 200 diagnostic fee for a warranty issue and did nothing to diagnose or remedy the problem. The did do a terrible job washing the car though after I told them not to touch it lol.

[carlocar]

Originally Posted by xander_g

Dealer oil is not something I'd want in my car anyway. Personally, I prefer fuchs which i believe is bmw factory fill.

Some service lights cannot be reset due to wear sensors like brakes but what you're describing is tomfoolery. Next time they'll tell you that the light will only turn off after you've changed the belts and tensioner and that you'll need to change the tires to keep it from coming back on.

Find a trusted local indy shop that specializes in bmws, or german cars in general and I'm sure you'll be in good hands.

Thank you!

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by carlocar

Hi,

A thread from here back in 2022 came up when I did a Google search on the BMW Ultimate Care Oil Service. I didn't want to bump up a thread that old, so I thought I would start a new one.

I drive a 2015 328i. I bought the Ultimate Care Oil Service plan in October 2023. I went to the dealership yesterday (1/5) for a coolant top off and mentioned that the service notification was going off. The service advisor told me that I should get a new oil change since I bought into the program -- even though I had just gotten one in October.

She charged me $190 to perform a "vehicle check as per CBS information" and said that was the only way to get the service light to turn off. Once they did the oil change, I got the car back and it still said it needs service. She told me that I need to get my spark plugs fixed and the service light won't go off until I do that.

Am I being totally scammed?

Yes, you got scammed. If you got your oil changed in October there is NO WAY ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH you needed another one. The current three year oil change program is $225 and it is a good deal. “Dealer oil” is the same oil BMW puts in at the factory, so there is ZERO reason not to use it. With the three year plan you should get at least four oil changes. One the day you buy it and one at the end of the three subsequent years, unless you are a very high mileage driver, in which case you should get more than four.

[carseatsm5]

Originally Posted by carlocar

Hi,

A thread from here back in 2022 came up when I did a Google search on the BMW Ultimate Care Oil Service. I didn't want to bump up a thread that old, so I thought I would start a new one.

I drive a 2015 328i. I bought the Ultimate Care Oil Service plan in October 2023. I went to the dealership yesterday (1/5) for a coolant top off and mentioned that the service notification was going off. The service advisor told me that I should get a new oil change since I bought into the program — even though I had just gotten one in October.

She charged me $190 to perform a "vehicle check as per CBS information" and said that was the only way to get the service light to turn off. Once they did the oil change, I got the car back and it still said it needs service. She told me that I need to get my spark plugs fixed and the service light won't go off until I do that.

Am I being totally scammed?

So what exactly were you charged $190 for? To diagnose that you need spark plugs? Because they’re bad or because now is the scheduled replacement interval?

I would agree something not making sense.

[srybicki]

Wow what a scam had my oil changed 7 times so far under the oil change special with out any crazy diag fees. Find a different dealer and charge back that 190

[carlocar]

Originally Posted by carseatsm5

So what exactly were you charged $190 for? To diagnose that you need spark plugs? Because they’re bad or because now is the scheduled replacement interval?

I would agree something not making sense.

My understanding is that they turned my oil measuring off so now any time the car says it needs service on the CBS, I have to come in and they have to do a full diagnostics test in order to get the light to go off.

I said I didn't want to do the spark plugs at that exact moment, so she said the light was going to remain on until I do.

[carseatsm5]

Originally Posted by carlocar

My understanding is that they turned my oil measuring off so now any time the car says it needs service on the CBS, I have to come in and they have to do a full diagnostics test in order to get the light to go off.

I said I didn't want to do the spark plugs at that exact moment, so she said the light was going to remain on until I do.

Well that’s not cool. Can’t you look up the sequence to turn the maintenance lights off yourself? For instance I just changed my own oil and found in these forums how to go into diagnostic mode and turn off the lights.

Regardless you have to go to a different dealer. This whole thing smells.

[carlocar]

Originally Posted by carseatsm5

Well that’s not cool. Can’t you look up the sequence to turn the maintenance lights off yourself? For instance I just changed my own oil and found in these forums how to go into diagnostic mode and turn off the lights.

Regardless you have to go to a different dealer. This whole thing smells.

Thank you, I'm going to look for the threads with that info!

[tturedraider]

I’m not sure whether to tell you to go to a different dealer or tell you you need to have your ass in the dealership general manager’s office before the end of the day tomorrow!!! Someone here is seriously crooked!!! I would not even start with the service director. I would go straight to the top of the dealership!!! This puts my trust level of this dealership not just in the toilet. It puts it in the sewer!!! I would have to give serious consideration to going to another dealership before letting this dealer know that you know what they did. The lack of ethics here is absolutely off the charts!!

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

She is full of shit. You can 100% disable the CBS thing without doing plugs. In fact the service has nothing to do with plugs AFAIK, for my E92 it's just a general inspection and they would be supposed to then reset the service thing. They probably forgot to reset the light. Idk why they lie to do spark plugs. Maybe you can google a way to reset it yourself, idk if your 2015 can do that but on my E92 I can reset services using the stalk and odometer button. Actually quick google search from guessing your model, seems like it is done the exact same way.

To be fair though, I seriously doubt they deactivated your oil sensor just like that? Don't think it's possible at all with ISTA. Probably broke and you just notice it now. Or maybe they unplugged it considering the bullshiterry they are doing with the CBS notification... hmmm.

OP I hope you find a way to reset the light yourself and call them back and blast them on how incompetent tey are and how a non bmw mehcanic can reset it after doing a 2 minute google search ahahahhaa.

[carlocar]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

I’m not sure whether to tell you to go to a different dealer or tell you you need to have your ass in the dealership general manager’s office before the end of the day tomorrow!!! Someone here is seriously crooked!!! I would not even start with the service director. I would go straight to the top of the dealership!!! This puts my trust level of this dealership not just in the toilet. It puts it in the sewer!!! I would have to give serious consideration to going to another dealership before letting this dealer know that you know what they did. The lack of ethics here is absolutely off the charts!!

So I called the dealership and spoke to someone -- they said my car was asking for the CBS diagnostics reading and that's a "one and done" payment for now. I told them that I had just gotten oil changed in October and only came in for a coolant top off. They said it came up in their system that I was due for oil.

They say I misinterpreted what I was told. I still feel like something is really fishy....

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by carlocar

So I called the dealership and spoke to someone -- they said my car was asking for the CBS diagnostics reading and that's a "one and done" payment for now. I told them that I had just gotten oil changed in October and only came in for a coolant top off. They said it came up in their system that I was due for oil.

They say I misinterpreted what I was told. I still feel like something is really fishy....

Please forgive give me. I don’t mean to be rude. But they are lying through their teeth to you and you are being a sucker.


By the way, you absolutely should not continue driving under any circumstances with your oil sensor not working!! That is just asking for blown up engine kinds of trouble!!

[xander_g]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

I’m not sure whether to tell you to go to a different dealer or tell you you need to have your ass in the dealership general manager’s office before the end of the day tomorrow!!! Someone here is seriously crooked!!! I would not even start with the service director. I would go straight to the top of the dealership!!! This puts my trust level of this dealership not just in the toilet. It puts it in the sewer!!! I would have to give serious consideration to going to another dealership before letting this dealer know that you know what they did. The lack of ethics here is absolutely off the charts!!

Did you just used the word "trust and "dealership" in the same sentence? But then again, you used the word "toilet" in the same sentence as well. Emotional rollercoaster, good stuff.

[xander_g]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Yes, you got scammed. If you got your oil changed in October there is NO WAY ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH you needed another one. The current three year oil change program is $225 and it is a good deal. “Dealer oil” is the same oil BMW puts in at the factory, so there is ZERO reason not to use it. With the three year plan you should get at least four oil changes. One the day you buy it and one at the end of the three subsequent years, unless you are a very high mileage driver, in which case you should get more than four.

I believe pennzoil is the supplier for north america and shell is the european supplier, neither are factory fill but I could be wrong. For some reason castrol keeps coming to mind as well.

[carlocar]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Please forgive give me. I don’t mean to be rude. But they are lying through their teeth to you and you are being a sucker.


By the way, you absolutely should not continue driving under any circumstances with your oil sensor not working!! That is just asking for blown up engine kinds of trouble!!

Yeah, I just wanted to get someone else's take on what happened so I can put together a comprehensive guide to everything they have told me and present it to a higher up.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by xander_g

I believe pennzoil is the supplier for north america and shell is the european supplier, neither are factory fill but I could be wrong. For some reason castrol keeps coming to mind as well.

I can’t swear to what they put in at the factory. They used to have a deal with Castrol and that’s what they used. It even said Castrol on the engine oil cap. Three or four years ago they switched to Shell (including North America). I can’t remember whether they started putting Shell on the oil filler cap.