Lemfoerder Engine Mounts Failed or Not?? See Post 25 for New Pictures

[Arith2]

200? Shops can get mounts for 50 bucks wholesale, Labor they'll charge what shop hours are but really takes less than 30 mins if you have good experience and good technique. I changed 1 mount on a lift in 15 min on my car. I'm not a tech but do my own work and borrow a lift if I can. If you want to save money, buy the tools needed and you can change it out yourself in about 1 hr, maybe less.

Not sure why that shop would charge 800 to change mounts, that seems really unreasonable.

You're asking a shop to stop paying their employees. Fixing cars is expensive. I did a $450 oil change/brake flush today and understand why. They aren't just getting an oil change, they get freshly ground coffee, quality water, milk, vitamin water, Panera, a video explaining the inspection on the vehicle, a detail job, and sometimes a loaner. It's more than just dropping the car off and leaving.

We fix our own cars and that's why a lot of us are here. It costs ALOT to keep a nice shop open. They need to make a profit. Techs get paid on a set amount of whatever job it is. If the system says the job pays 2 hours, that's what the tech gets paid. It could take 30 minutes or 30 days. It's called flat rate. Most techs aren't hourly but flat rate. Every dealership and most shops are like this.

If you don't want to pay, do it yourself but understand why places charge what they do. Somewhere less reputable might charge half but not care about your car all that much. You get what you pay for 90% of the time.

[enjoy_m3]

Well you're talking about a totally different kind of service there. Normal reputable shops here in California charge anywhere from 120 -200 per hour shop rate. The part only cost 60 bucks from FCP euro, 160 if genuine bmw. I understand shops charge retail for parts and I'm not arguing independent shops ability to make a profit. I'm simply pointing out 800 seems unreasonable to change motor mounts. Just keep it fair. I have friends with shops who are honest and sometimes just charge their time, not by the book. And there's a reason why they are staying busy with loyal customers. Maybe a stealership may charge 800 that but independent shops are much more competitive.

[clawhamm3r]

Yeah, he seems to be describing a dealership experience and not a "shop" haha. There's a reason we call them stealerships. And even $800 at a dealer is robbery lol.

[Arith2]

The hourly rate at my old shop was $145/hr for BMWs. It's 2.2 hours for both engine mounts on an E46 M3. If OE mounts are $160 then the shop pays around $140 for them. There are two.
(2.2hr×$145)+((140×1.3)×2)=683
Tax: 683×1.075=734.23
Add shop supplies which was $15.10

This totals $749.33

The mark up would probably be 35-40% but I wanted to use a conservative number. You also could ask for non OE mounts. This would probably knock off $60 or so.

When you see the numbers, it seems a lot less ridiculous. That shop also had a solid reputation.

[Tbonem3]

Errybody wants Walmart prices

That's why you DIY!

[Redline]

The hourly rate at my old shop was $145/hr for BMWs. It's 2.2 hours for both engine mounts on an E46 M3. If OE mounts are $160 then the shop pays around $140 for them. There are two.
(2.2hr×$145)+((140×1.3)×2)=683
Tax: 683×1.075=734.23
Add shop supplies which was $15.10

This totals $749.33

The mark up would probably be 35-40% but I wanted to use a conservative number. You also could ask for non OE mounts. This would probably knock off $60 or so.

When you see the numbers, it seems a lot less ridiculous. That shop also had a solid reputation.

When I wrenched on these pos’s for a living we had a ksd x 1.9 markup at $140/hr....techs didn’t make shit though as people out of bmw step program were starting at $14/hr and you’d be lucky to get a raise to maybe $18/20 an hour even when finally a level 1. I walked away from it when all of the n63 timing chains started failing and we got fucked on warranty pay every time. Just wasn’t fun anymore.

Shops make stupid money because they rip off the employees as well as the customers. Millions in pure profit after expenses. They charge what they can because they get away with it. There’s dealers in palm beach/Miami/ft lauderdale charging over $300/hr!!!!

[clawhamm3r]

Errybody wants Walmart prices

That's why you DIY!

Well, we've got people scavenging for empty oil bottles to return used oil in classifieds, so welcome to cars of Walmart dot com 😂

[Arith2]

When I wrenched on these pos’s for a living we had a ksd x 1.9 markup at $140/hr....techs didn’t make shit though as people out of bmw step program were starting at $14/hr and you’d be lucky to get a raise to maybe $18/20 an hour even when finally a level 1. I walked away from it when all of the n63 timing chains started failing and we got fucked on warranty pay every time. Just wasn’t fun anymore.

Shops make stupid money because they rip off the employees as well as the customers. Millions in pure profit after expenses. They charge what they can because they get away with it. There’s dealers in palm beach/Miami/ft lauderdale charging over $300/hr!!!!

Orlando is also an area that has stealerships like this. Thankfully I don't worry for any companies in those cities. The STEP and Drive programs were just not for me. I didn't do this to make chump change. The sad part is they are high paying than domestic brands ands asian brands. Volvo actually is the best paying right now but screw China.

[old///MFanatic]

Reading the post again it seems like the OP is actually aware that’s a crazy price. Since he had bought mounts from Pelican and installed about two years ago. So he knows the prices and labor. Then says he hasn’t confirmed the mounts collapse (sounds somewhat skeptical). Then ends post with he prob won’t be driving 40 miles one way to go back to that shop again.

[BubbaTree]

Here are 2 pix of the left engine mount that's 2 years old, and about 7K mile on them. I'm not sure this counts as collapsed, but it looks thinner than I recall when new. My comments about this whole episode are: the mounts should have lasted longer than they appear; this is a respected shop ( I thought) in the Phoenix area, and they should know that the stock SMG reservoir alone on S54 engines isn't replaceable, but that was their recommendation; I asked for an engine oil sample and got trans. fluid instead; I clearly asked for the brakes to be flushed and refreshed, had to catch that at payment time. I don't mind paying the cost for good work or decent parts. Sometime I use OE, sometimes not, and I can do most wrench jobs myself. I'm just giving the results of my experience with this shop.
Since I'm whining, I'll confirm Pelican Parts' response to my complaint to them: the order invoice is dated 8-8-2018, and I called on 10-28-2020. two months out of warranty goes into the TS file. FWIW

NEW PHOTOS ATTACHED:

[8000RPM]

I don’t see a motor mount in the two pictures you posted. I only see the ball joints that are built into the LCA. The motor mounts are higher up.

[old///MFanatic]

Agreed, looks like balljoint on the control arm.

[oceansize]

The below is what you want to see. These are old ones, compressed, when changed at 98k miles on my car.

[clawhamm3r]

Ball joints look great. 🤣

[BubbaTree]

You're right! My bad trying to get a picture without any lifting of the car. Will get to it in the next few days.