Help! BMW Dealer: $720.91 to install rear tether anchor straps on 96' BMW.

[Unregistered]

Help!

I went to pay to have my car seat installed with a certified child safety seat specialist. (My daughter is now 24 months old and weighs 28 lbs). I was told my car did not have the top tether anchors needed to turn the car seat around and face it forward. Our car is a 1996 328i BMW. When I called the BMW dealer they said it would cost $300.91 in parts and $420.00 in labor. Safety is a priority for me and my daughter but this seems outrageous. Our car is only 11 years old. Are there government rules about keeping the prices reasonable? Is there another dealer or place I could go to get this done properly? We live in Los Angeles, CA 90064.

[An Aurora]

Well, the problem would be solved for the immediate future by leaving her RF. While tethers are not required, the are definitely recommended and encouraged. I'm sure someone with a LATCH manual can help out with the part # and such :)

[joolsplus3]

Car seats do not *require* top tethers to be forward facing. They just add to the safety of the seat by preventing excessive head excursion in a crash (they lower the risk of the head striking the seatbacks or doors in a bad crash). The official tether manual doesn't give part numbers for BMW's, or I'd tell you them (though they do say you can use a generic anchor, I believe Britax may sell those). I *wish* there were some nationwide plan to make these free :(...but since they aren't a law, dealers are left to their own devices (we just paid $400 for a new seatbelt because a mouse chewed it up... most of it was labor costs :()

[CRS]

Well, the problem would be solved for the immediate future by leaving her RF. While tethers are not required, the are definitely recommended and encouraged. I'm sure someone with a LATCH manual can help out with the part # and such :)

I have a LATCH manual. This would be under BMW 3 series would it?

Of so, it says:

Center: Weld nut or drilled hole
Outboard: Weld nuts or drilled holes

Notes: Indicidual parts are available for certain models, but there is no kit number. Check with a local BMW dealer for applicability. See Owner's Manual, "Installing Child Seats."

Use a generic tether anchor kit (from a child restraint manufacturer) if no nut is welded under the drilled hole. If a weld nut is present in the vehicle, use a 5/16" grade 5 (or better) bolt of appropriate length.

[bombedier]

The only seat that requires a top tether anchor is a Regent when a child reaches 50lbs. However, top tether use is recommended in all cases where possible.

If you cannot afford the retrofit of this, I would recommend getting a Radian car seat as this surpasses crash tests without use of tether and so is one of the best on the market where tether is not available.

[perltea]

Los Angeles is "car country". There are lots and lots of car-related stuff available for cheap. Those prices are outrageous! There ought to be quite a few other BMW dealers you can call.

Are you handy? You can try installing the tether anchors yourself. http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/73826/
These instructions are for a 7-series BMW; 3-series should be somewhat similar? In any case, most BMW dealers have probably never had to retrofit a tether anchor. They're likely charging you for their time to figure it out!

FWIW, the only way I could get a solid install of the Radian in a 5-series BMW was to twist the latchplate 2-3 times. The buckle is embedded into the vehicle's bench seat.