Check coolant level woes

[RoadRailer]

After a relatively trouble free year of ownership my facelift late 2000 E39 530i started flashing up the 'check coolant level' - the car would only take a few hundred ml of coolant to top up. the OBC said service time so in she went.

I wasn't expecting a quote for £500 odd quid to put right!

Radiator - £300 fitted
Waterpump - £140 fitted
Multibelt - £40 fitted

The car needs a drivers seatbelt pretensioner loom at £110 fitted and rear ball joint at ~£100 fitted.

These are also independents prices (all approx. as my hearing went a bit funny after i fell off the chair when the service manager gave me the bad news...)

I appreciate businesses have to make a quid but the thick end of a grand for a couple of ml of coolant loss was a bit of a shock!

After hammering google for bits etc I'm still not convinced I'm getting ripped off but was wondering if any other PHer has had similar work done recently to give a sense of perspective on my quote.

I can afford it (just to silence the 'buy a blinking skoda' muppets) - I'm just hearing/reading conflicting things.

Any PHer able to offer experience?

Many thanks.

Low coolant of cheshire...

[Vee]

Get a breakdown of the times and question some more.
A radiator is £150 from ECP so say 2 hours labour at £50 p/h + VAT.
They need to take the rad off anyway to replace it so I fail to see how they can charge £140 for the pump which is a 10 minute job and can be done while the rad is off. The pump is only £40, I know because I bought one on Saturday for the same engine.
The belts price is about right.
They'll need approx £20 of coolant.

Mine needs a new thermostat so I'm having a go at it and the water pump nxt w/e. Looksa straight forward job hence why I can't understand the prices you've been quoted . . . unless they're genuine parts from BMW dealer at full retail value.

Edited by Vee on Monday 3rd November 14:58

[RoadRailer]

Vee said:

Get a breakdown of the times and question some more.
A radiator is £150 from ECP so say 2 hours labour at £50 p/h + VAT.
They need to take the rad off anyway to replace it so I fail to see how they can charge £140 for the pump which is a 10 minute job and can be done while the rad is off. The pump is only £40, I know because I bought one on Saturday for the same engine.
The belts price is about right.
They'll need approx £20 of coolant.

Mine needs a new thermostat so I'm having a go at it and the water pump nxt w/e. Looksa straight forward job hence why I can't understand the prices you've been quoted . . . unless they're genuine parts from BMW dealer at full retail value.

Edited by Vee on Monday 3rd November 14:58

Many thanks for your reply.

I'm told the rad will be genuine BMW (or whoever makes them for BMW...)

Half of me wants to DIY but I've got a touch like a russian midwife.

A quick perusal of ECP gets the parts bill to £300 without wiring harness and rear suspension part.

[Vee]

But £140 to change a waterpump when everything is already out anyway makes me qustion their pricing, unless it includes labour and the fan is parts only, in which case why does it need a BMW supplied part - ECP fopr half the price is more than good enough.

[E30M3SE]

I may have the wrong car, but you want to make sure that the water pump is the metal impelor type, not the plastic as they are weak.

[Fox-]

This is not unexpected - the cooling system on the 530 is made of cheese and its a case of when, not if, it will need changing. It was always going to go.

Make sure you replace:

Header Tank - These crack
Radiator
Thermostat

Waterpump should already be a metal impellor version?

[eliot]

On the 540's at least, its a common message that appears. Mine says it, despite the level being spot on.

[RoadRailer]

Many thanks for all replies.

£784 for all works - radiator,thermostat,thermostat housing, waterpump, rear o/s/r balljoint, seatbelt tensioner loom, multibelts.

At least the pool of coolant will be no more under the car...