X5 oil and brake fluid change in 20min?

[bootleg gucci]

I recently went to BMW service for an oil change and brake fluid exchange on my 35i. My vehicle has a dashcam which records when the vehicle is being driven and the first 10min after being parked.

My dashcam recorded when the vehicle was driven into the service bay, a few minutes of the service tech on the computer and changing wiper blades, and when the vehicle was driven out. At no point in these clips was the vehicle up on hydraulic lift.

Time stamps indicate only a 20 minute period between recordings where they could've had the vehicle lifted up to perform the oil change and brake fluid exchange.

My question 1) can an oil change + brake fluid exchange be done in 20min or 2) can these services be done without the X5 lifted up?

[DuSh]

They lift vehicles to change oil/brake fluid. 20 min is more than enough to change oil. Also, oil/filter cost pennies and is very easy process - meaning it is highly unlikely they will cheat on it.
However, when you add brake fluid to it - then I'm not so sure it can be done together with oil change in 20 min (unless there were several mechanics working on your car).

If you really want to catch them - find a way to keep your dashcam on for longer than 10 min.

[Russmov]

Originally Posted by bootleg gucci

I recently went to BMW service for an oil change and brake fluid exchange on my 35i. My vehicle has a dashcam which records when the vehicle is being driven and the first 10min after being parked.

My dashcam recorded when the vehicle was driven into the service bay, a few minutes of the service tech on the computer and changing wiper blades, and when the vehicle was driven out. At no point in these clips was the vehicle up on hydraulic lift.

Time stamps indicate only a 20 minute period between recordings where they could've had the vehicle lifted up to perform the oil change and brake fluid exchange.

My question 1) can an oil change + brake fluid exchange be done in 20min or 2) can these services be done without the X5 lifted up?

Is it possible that they have a bay designated for oil changes or fluid change, and it's the kind you drive over top with the tech underneath? Like a jiffy lube type deal? Not sure if those are around in the USA, they are all over around my area in Ontario

[Maverik259]

Most dealers use vacuum bleeders and extractors that take minutes to suck the fluid dry. Now only way I can see this being both done in 20 minutes is if they had multiple techs but I doubt that to be honest.

If I were a betting man I'd say they did a full oil change and just topped off your brake fluid. If you have a bleeder at home you could bleed one is the calipers slightly and see if maybe it looks old although not like oil and doesn't show a ton of dirt etc unless there's an issue. So not sure.

[mp25]

well brake fluid you should be able to tell from the resevoir in the engine bay and see if the fluid is clear and light yellow. Any brown and its been baked and is the old stuff. 20 minutes sounds too quick on brakes especially given any liability if they do it wrong by rushing it. without the tapes (lordy) its highly debatable.

[ajshanny]

They could suck the fluid in the reservoir out without actually bleeding the system, so I would not assume the system was flushed just because the reservoir contains clean fluid. As one of the other posts suggested, the only way to be sure is to push some fluid through one of the calipers and see if it looks clean or cloudy. If the later then they ripped you off. That said, I highly doubt they could have done an oil change and fluid flush in 20 minutes.

Don't forget that in addition to bleeding fluid and changing oil and filter, the wheels would need to be removed and remounted onto the vehicle as well. I don't think you can bleed the calipers without removing the wheels. Maybe I am wrong about that but I think it would be tight to get a wrench in there without removing the wheels.

[Maverik259]

I think the bleed screw is on the back side of the caliper and if they use one of those sub surface corridors they "may" be able to access it without removing wheels but ya I refer back to my original statement and the growing consensus....highly unlikely they flushed brake fluid AND oil in 20 minutes.