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N55 valve cover / valve cover gasket (PCV): what owners actually paid
N55 (3.0L turbo 6-cyl)
Fair-price range (from sourced prices)
How this is derived: the middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) of the USD prices in the table below for that shop type, using full-job totals only. Labor-only, customer-supplied-parts, warranty cost-share, bundled-extra-work and non-USD prices are shown but excluded. A range is only published with at least 3 usable prices. Scope differs between quotes, so read the notes.
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Graded against the dealer sourced range and independent sourced range.
What this job should cost near you Draft, under review
Labor rates: national medians of 12 reported BMW dealer rates ($255/hr) and 11 independent BMW-shop rates ($175/hr).
How these estimates work
Dealers look up BMW's own warranty labor time for the job, then for customer-pay work most multiply it by about 1.5 to 2, and charge their hourly rate. Genuine BMW parts are typically marked up 20–40% over BMW list price. So: warranty hours × 1.5–2 × local dealer rate + (genuine list price × 1.2–1.4). (source, source)
Independent shops usually quote straight from a commercial labor guide (Mitchell or ALLDATA), with no multiplier. So: labor-guide hours × local independent rate + parts.
Local rates come from labor rates people have reported for BMW dealers and BMW indie shops in your area. Where we have no report, the national median is scaled by how much auto technicians earn in your state or metro (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). Those rates are marked "estimated." Tax, shop fees, fluids and diagnosis aren't included.
BMW warranty time: 3.2 hrs — BMW warranty labor time
ALLDATA/Mitchell time: 5 hrs — 'I believe all data is around 5hrs. That's what I always charge' (r/BmwTech)
Dealer parts list basis: Genuine MSRP: valve cover 11127570292 $660.72 (includes gasket and screws); markup 1.2–1.4× (Typical BMW dealer parts markup of 20–40% over list).
Parts: Genuine cover 11127570292 MSRP $660.72 (getBMWparts); Genuine cover + gasket + hose $671.84 (itemized, r/BmwTech); new VC incl gasket $350–400 (E90Post).
Estimate is for a new cover. A dealer quote of 6.8 hrs matched 4.5 'book' × 1.5 (r/BmwTech).
Symptoms
- Oil leak at the valve cover edge; burning oil smell
- Rough idle / misfire, whistling at idle (failed PCV — integrated in the cover)
- Oil in the spark plug wells
Affected models & years
2011–2018 335i/435i/535i, X3/X4/X5/X6 35i, M235i, 135i (2011–12)
Two different jobs get called 'valve cover': gasket only, or a new cover (PCV is built into the cover, so a failed PCV means a new cover). Both appear below with scope noted; check which one your quote is for.
Sourced price points (14)
| Price | Shop | Vehicle / scope | Location | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,552 | Dealer quote |
2018 X5, 107k mi Valve cover gasket, 6.8 hrs billed |
— | ~2024 | r/BmwTech |
| $1,700 | Independent quote |
N55 Valve cover gasket |
— | ~2024 | r/BmwTech |
| $2,000 | Independent quote |
2015 335i Warped valve cover replacement ($150/hr shop) |
— | ~2023 | r/BmwTech |
| $1,000 | Independent paid |
E9x Valve cover and gasket |
— | ~2023 | r/E90 |
| $1,600 | Dealer quote |
N55 Valve cover gasket only |
— | ~2022 | r/E90 |
| $1,200 | Shop type n/a paid |
N55 Aftermarket cover + labor |
— | ~2022 | r/E90 |
| 770 EUR | Dealer quote |
335i E92 (N55), 85k mi VCG + oil cooler gasket · not used in range: EUR |
Europe | ~2022 | r/E90 |
| $1,600 | Independent quote |
2011 135i, 90k mi New valve cover: $600 parts + $1,000 labor (two shops, same price) |
Vero Beach, FL | ~2020 | 1Addicts |
| $1,000 | Independent quote |
E88 135i Valve cover gasket (+$600 more if a new cover is needed) |
Pacific Northwest | ~2019 | 1Addicts |
| $650 | Independent quote |
'13 135i Valve cover gasket ($1,000 with new cover) |
Oklahoma City, OK | ~2019 | 1Addicts |
| $750 | Shop type n/a paid |
N55 1-series New valve cover, after tax and labor |
Southern California | ~2019 | 1Addicts |
| $720 | Independent quote |
2011 335i New valve cover (PCV failure), Lexus-specialist shop |
— | ~2017 | E90Post |
| $1,000 | Independent quote |
2011 335i New valve cover + gasket, BMW-specialist shop |
— | ~2017 | E90Post |
| $1,300 | Dealer quote |
2011 335i New valve cover |
— | ~2017 | E90Post |
Greyed rows are shown for context and excluded from the range. Years are approximate (date of the post).
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Anonymous. Helps the next owner. Reviewed before publishing.
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