Keep FDSH?

Author
Discussion

Mirinjawbro

Original Poster:

768 posts

71 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
hello all

i know there was always mixed reviews on this before but wondering what everyone's opinion is now as times are changing


i have a car with full BMW SH up until now.

the car is due an oil change which comes in at a lovely £350

my aim is to change car at the end of this year.

is it worth still keeping the FDSH? or shall i go local where i assume itll be almost half?

also can normal dealers put it into the computer so it wipes the messages for service?


EDIT - car is a 2017 640d on 87k miles. autotrader around 16 -17k - part exchange a lowly 11k currently.

thankyou

Edited by Mirinjawbro on Tuesday 27th February 08:50

tomsugden

2,287 posts

235 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
How old is the car and what is the rough value?

J4CKO

42,841 posts

207 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
I would get it done at a specialist that can update the SH, I used one in Stockport called Darren Wood who was excellent. Will be half the price and lets be honest if you spend £350, you arent getting the difference back and likely going to have to let it go nearer the 11 than the 17 grand so an element of damage limitation.

A friend had a 640D, had a sit in it, can see the difference, had an M135i at the time, it all looked familiar but was so,so much nicer, but getting out of it, a combination of low, wide with massive doors which made egress in car park more challenging than expected.

Mirinjawbro

Original Poster:

768 posts

71 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
I would get it done at a specialist that can update the SH, I used one in Stockport called Darren Wood who was excellent. Will be half the price and lets be honest if you spend £350, you arent getting the difference back and likely going to have to let it go nearer the 11 than the 17 grand so an element of damage limitation.

A friend had a 640D, had a sit in it, can see the difference, had an M135i at the time, it all looked familiar but was so,so much nicer, but getting out of it, a combination of low, wide with massive doors which made egress in car park more challenging than expected.
any website i can use to find the nearest one? i am south lincolnshire.

overall its probably the best car i have owned. a few annoying things though. MPG although isn't bad for performance my long term average is around 38 /39 now with 80 or so percent motorway driving.

parking - ridiculous

interior space - for a car so big the interior feels so small

regards to changing im not sure what can come close for no less than double.

Limpet

6,520 posts

168 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
As above, a good BMW specialist indie can update the service history on the car in the same way as a main dealer can. Most of them are ex-BMW main dealer techs with full manufacturer training and brand experience who have become frustrated with the restrictive dealer environment and set out on their own. In other words, good people who weren't satisfied with just turning up and taking the money. And without the official manufacturer endorsement and support, they aren't going to survive by doing shoddy work or ripping people off.

As a secondhand buyer, I would view a service history from a respected independent as being at least as valuable as a dealer history, if not more so.

Not sure where you are, but if you're in the Surrey area, these guys are absolutely fantastic. To the point that it's often a wait of several weeks to get an appointment. They use genuine BMW parts, and their labour rate is a fraction of a main dealer.

https://twgautomotive.co.uk/

EDIT: Sorry our posts crossed, just seen you're in Lincs.

Dog Star

16,490 posts

175 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
There are plenty of indies who can update the digital history; our Mercs go to MPH in Rochdale for example, and they work out at about 30% of the cost of the dealer. All digital.

Another advantage being that they don’t treat you like a clueless idiot or do ridiculous upsells.

Cold

15,576 posts

97 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
Don't fall into the PH trap of thinking that every specialist will be a utopia of service care and consideration for you and your car. Like main dealers, there are good ones and not good ones. The trick is finding the good ones - just like main dealers.

Alickadoo

2,303 posts

30 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
If you are getting rid of the car at the end of this year and all it needs is a £350 service to maintain - Full Main Dealer Service History, I would most definitely go for it.

Mad Maximus

473 posts

10 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
As long as it’s serviced it doesn’t matter. Maybe it’ll make a difference on more exotic stuff like a M6 or e63 etc but I wouldn’t worry as long as it’s don’t properly.

Mirinjawbro

Original Poster:

768 posts

71 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
Alickadoo said:
If you are getting rid of the car at the end of this year and all it needs is a £350 service to maintain - Full Main Dealer Service History, I would most definitely go for it.
that was my thinking. otherwise i wouldn't care.

i guess its whether id gain back more than maybe £150 saved other non main dealer

Sn1ckers

595 posts

65 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
Go to a specialist. Keep the invoice and advertise with Full Main Dealer/Specialist SH. Will not put anyone off the car or reduce saleability.

Harry Rule

185 posts

48 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
Mirinjawbro said:
Alickadoo said:
If you are getting rid of the car at the end of this year and all it needs is a £350 service to maintain - Full Main Dealer Service History, I would most definitely go for it.
that was my thinking. otherwise i wouldn't care.

i guess its whether id gain back more than maybe £150 saved other non main dealer
You might not get the extra £150 back, but it might make the car an easier sell and open it to a wider audience.

I expect many buyers out there will regard full dealer service history as very desirable and for some it will be a must have and they may just skip past cars that don't have it.

I'm with Alickadoo, I would get it done at BMW and maintain the full dealer service history.

Mirinjawbro

Original Poster:

768 posts

71 months

Tuesday 27th February
quotequote all
thankyou for all the replies

its currently already booked in at a main dealer.

maybe ill just keep it for now and see how it goes end of the year.

although with 11k trade in id rather smash it to bits than let it go for that

stewart rix

226 posts

224 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
You could supply your own oil with the service at a BMW MD - they'll take off the price of the oil (c. £18/ltr) from the service charge. As long as the oil has a BMW approval, then it should be accepted.

rassi

2,480 posts

258 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
Alickadoo said:
If you are getting rid of the car at the end of this year and all it needs is a £350 service to maintain - Full Main Dealer Service History, I would most definitely go for it.
This. If the saving is 150 quid, I would definitely continue the FDSH for that measly saving.

Pica-Pica

14,479 posts

91 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
I have a 7 year old 335d. I have kept to main dealer BMW service for the service history. I had a few issues with the dealer at first, but now they seem OK now, and price-competitive.


Jamescrs

4,875 posts

72 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
I think if it has full MD service history so far and as you are planning to sell in the not too distant future i'd go main dealer ad keep that record which will help come sale time.

I'd be more inclined to go specialist if you were keeping it longer

Mr Tidy

24,348 posts

134 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
rassi said:
Alickadoo said:
If you are getting rid of the car at the end of this year and all it needs is a £350 service to maintain - Full Main Dealer Service History, I would most definitely go for it.
This. If the saving is 150 quid, I would definitely continue the FDSH for that measly saving.
Yes, I would too. thumbup

But if I was planning to keep the car for a while I'd use my usual ex-Sytner Indy.