When do you stop caring about full BMW service history?
Discussion
Hi all,
I have a 2014 F10 M5 which currently has a full BMW service history. It's due a major service now at circa £1200 but I can get it at half that at the local German car specialist (they are registered with BMW so can update the idrive/BMW portal with the service but are more of a Mercedes specialist fwiw).
I have been having the same garage carry out an interim oil service in between the BMW services (as I find 2 years a bit long!) so they are familiar and more than capable of doing what's required.
What are everyone's thoughts? The car is now 8 years old so I don't feel a BMW service history adds much but I might be wrong?
I have a 2014 F10 M5 which currently has a full BMW service history. It's due a major service now at circa £1200 but I can get it at half that at the local German car specialist (they are registered with BMW so can update the idrive/BMW portal with the service but are more of a Mercedes specialist fwiw).
I have been having the same garage carry out an interim oil service in between the BMW services (as I find 2 years a bit long!) so they are familiar and more than capable of doing what's required.
What are everyone's thoughts? The car is now 8 years old so I don't feel a BMW service history adds much but I might be wrong?
I stopped caring about full BMW service history 20 years ago when I drove my 4 year old 50k miles e39 in for a service and the transmission suffered total failure while in the care of the dealer. The repair cost was over £4k and nobody could explain what had happened, BMW made a contribution to the cost of a new gearbox but I was still left with a sizeable hole in my pocket.
General servicing is really quite straightforward, I don't think there is any real benefit in paying the extra for a dealer to do it? But some people think a full main dealer history is worth extra money when you sell the car, but it also costs a lot to keep up. So it's a trade off, will you get your money back on the premium you pay the main dealer to change the oil and is the car young enough that you may be able to benefit from BMW's "good will warranty" when something goes wrong? I definitely wouldn't pay a BMW dealer for servicing after 5 years.
General servicing is really quite straightforward, I don't think there is any real benefit in paying the extra for a dealer to do it? But some people think a full main dealer history is worth extra money when you sell the car, but it also costs a lot to keep up. So it's a trade off, will you get your money back on the premium you pay the main dealer to change the oil and is the car young enough that you may be able to benefit from BMW's "good will warranty" when something goes wrong? I definitely wouldn't pay a BMW dealer for servicing after 5 years.
e21Keith said:
I stopped caring about full BMW service history 20 years ago when I drove my 4 year old 50k miles e39 in for a service and the transmission suffered total failure while in the care of the dealer. The repair cost was over 4k and nobody could explain what had happened, BMW made a contribution to the cost of a new gearbox but I was still left with a sizeable hole in my pocket.
General servicing is really quite straightforward, I don't think there is any real benefit in paying the extra for a dealer to do it? But some people think a full main dealer history is worth extra money when you sell the car, but it also costs a lot to keep up. So it's a trade off, will you get your money back on the premium you pay the main dealer to change the oil and is the car young enough that you may be able to benefit from BMW's "good will warranty" when something goes wrong? I definitely wouldn't pay a BMW dealer for servicing after 5 years.
Your gearbox story reminds me that BMW refused to service the DCT transmission on account of it being a sealed for life unit. The Indy I'm considering using for the service ended up doing it. Even the manufacturer of the unit (Getrag) recommend changing the transmission fluid.General servicing is really quite straightforward, I don't think there is any real benefit in paying the extra for a dealer to do it? But some people think a full main dealer history is worth extra money when you sell the car, but it also costs a lot to keep up. So it's a trade off, will you get your money back on the premium you pay the main dealer to change the oil and is the car young enough that you may be able to benefit from BMW's "good will warranty" when something goes wrong? I definitely wouldn't pay a BMW dealer for servicing after 5 years.
I have the BMW insured warranty on the car anyway so any good will from BMW will be moot as they'd be paying for the whole thing!
That's it decided. Indy it is.
I stop going to BMW once the car is out of warranty (whether that's AUC or BMW insured warranty).
As for buying a car, I'd worry if it was still going to the dealer at more than about 80k miles or 8 years...as it says the owner doesn't really car about the car and just want the bare minimum stamps.
As for buying a car, I'd worry if it was still going to the dealer at more than about 80k miles or 8 years...as it says the owner doesn't really car about the car and just want the bare minimum stamps.
mmm-five said:
I stop going to BMW once the car is out of warranty (whether that's AUC or BMW insured warranty).
As for buying a car, I'd worry if it was still going to the dealer at more than about 80k miles or 8 years...as it says the owner doesn't really car about the car and just want the bare minimum stamps.
Interesting observation.. I don't disagree in fact I service my own cars and do a better job than any dealer but some people dislike DIY servicing. I'm curious why the 80k cut off though as surely the same applies to a 50k car? As for buying a car, I'd worry if it was still going to the dealer at more than about 80k miles or 8 years...as it says the owner doesn't really car about the car and just want the bare minimum stamps.
bmwmike said:
Interesting observation.. I don't disagree in fact I service my own cars and do a better job than any dealer but some people dislike DIY servicing. I'm curious why the 80k cut off though as surely the same applies to a 50k car?
Only that 50k cars tend to be younger & more expensive, so more chance of still being in AUC/insured warranty range....and the reason for my decision is due to the amount of crap I've seen dealers do "because warranty says so" - such as making the customer pay the majority (i.e. £500 + labour @ £160/hour) when BMW/warranty will only pay for the broken part (i.e. caliper) when a fault has ruined the disc & pad...which really need to be changed in pairs.
mmm-five said:
I stop going to BMW once the car is out of warranty (whether that's AUC or BMW insured warranty).
As for buying a car, I'd worry if it was still going to the dealer at more than about 80k miles or 8 years...as it says the owner doesn't really car about the car and just want the bare minimum stamps.
I disagree, as I have used my dealer for quite a bit of servicing work, including far more regular oil changes than is specified. As for buying a car, I'd worry if it was still going to the dealer at more than about 80k miles or 8 years...as it says the owner doesn't really car about the car and just want the bare minimum stamps.
The dealer was until recently very competitive on price, but over the last 12 months has upped their prices hugely and so I am looking elsewhere for some servicing work.
I am still under BMW insured warranty and it does not need a full BMW service history to maintain, just a full service history using the correct parts. Any warranty work would naturally need to go back to the dealer.
I bought a pre-registered 1 Series years ago and paid for the 5 year Service Pack. Had the next service done at Sytner as I was thinking of selling it (it was only an oil service anyway) and I was thinking of selling it so I thought it might help me move it on as it wasn't quite 7 years old.
But more recently my BMWs have all been 10+ years old and have already been serviced elsewhere so I just use Indys - I'm lucky to have 2 ex-Sytner ones within 10 miles who are probably more familiar with these cars than current BMW Techs!
Especially jobs like checking/adjusting valve clearances and replacing crank rod bearing shells on an S54 engine.
But more recently my BMWs have all been 10+ years old and have already been serviced elsewhere so I just use Indys - I'm lucky to have 2 ex-Sytner ones within 10 miles who are probably more familiar with these cars than current BMW Techs!
Especially jobs like checking/adjusting valve clearances and replacing crank rod bearing shells on an S54 engine.
OP my car is the same age as yours and just been in for its major service with BMW - cost about £850, sounds like you are being overcharged?
Personally I always take mine to BMW, in no small part because they are very nearby and its convenient but I always just think its one less argument to have with warranty services if something goes wrong.
Personally I always take mine to BMW, in no small part because they are very nearby and its convenient but I always just think its one less argument to have with warranty services if something goes wrong.
Higgs boson said:
My wife bought a 2 series, from BM, at just over 1 year (and 3k miles) old.
It has just had its 3rd birthday. She will likely keep it for a considerable time.
It has not/will not be serviced by them, or anyone else.
Service history - pah!
Does this mean that no one services the car? The oil never gets changed etc?It has just had its 3rd birthday. She will likely keep it for a considerable time.
It has not/will not be serviced by them, or anyone else.
Service history - pah!
The Mad Monk said:
Higgs boson said:
My wife bought a 2 series, from BM, at just over 1 year (and 3k miles) old.
It has just had its 3rd birthday. She will likely keep it for a considerable time.
It has not/will not be serviced by them, or anyone else.
Service history - pah!
Does this mean that no one services the car? The oil never gets changed etc?It has just had its 3rd birthday. She will likely keep it for a considerable time.
It has not/will not be serviced by them, or anyone else.
Service history - pah!
Surely no one would just not service a car, especially if it is driven by someone they care about!
hawker1986 said:
Personally I always take mine to BMW, in no small part because they are very nearby and its convenient but I always just think its one less argument to have with warranty services if something goes wrong.
That is my view too. The saving is too small. In fact the saving is almost non-existent as the OG M2 value service pricing is practically on a par with the M135i so indies don't generate much saving, and my local one is shyte.When selling privately, a FBMW SH is nice and can appeal to a bigger audience (rightly or wrongly, before anyone gets mental).
I think independents are fine for the customer/owner at the time.
But to a buyer of the car, unless they do lots of research, that independent could be utter crap.
FBMWSH and the ongoing BMW warranty make the car a no-brainer to purchase as you can just put a warranty on it that’s as good as having bought AUC.
Then after 12 months just sack it off knowing the car is generally fine.
My 6 yr old 32k mile 335Xd has warranty and BMW service.
I also let BMW do the tyres as they don’t mess up the alloys in my experience, unlike almost every other fitter who manages to treat wheels like crap.
Then independent will do discs/brakes and any other preventative like a gearbox service.
Best of most worlds.
Easier to sell on private. Better price traded in.
Warranty is decent enough and includes good recovery.
Price premium overall is pretty reasonable all considered.
Also a big thing for me these days on a BMW is the warranty tends to mean no remaps.
Last thing I’d want is a w
ky-doodle remap on an M3 or something.
But to a buyer of the car, unless they do lots of research, that independent could be utter crap.
FBMWSH and the ongoing BMW warranty make the car a no-brainer to purchase as you can just put a warranty on it that’s as good as having bought AUC.
Then after 12 months just sack it off knowing the car is generally fine.
My 6 yr old 32k mile 335Xd has warranty and BMW service.
I also let BMW do the tyres as they don’t mess up the alloys in my experience, unlike almost every other fitter who manages to treat wheels like crap.
Then independent will do discs/brakes and any other preventative like a gearbox service.
Best of most worlds.
Easier to sell on private. Better price traded in.
Warranty is decent enough and includes good recovery.
Price premium overall is pretty reasonable all considered.
Also a big thing for me these days on a BMW is the warranty tends to mean no remaps.
Last thing I’d want is a w
ky-doodle remap on an M3 or something.I see little value in paying BMW premium rates to have them carry out the kind of basic service that any competent mechanic can perform.
Common service tasks like changing discs, pads and fluids do not need specialised technicians so use a good independent. For the more complex/challenging tasks seek out a reputable specialist, there's plenty around.
Common service tasks like changing discs, pads and fluids do not need specialised technicians so use a good independent. For the more complex/challenging tasks seek out a reputable specialist, there's plenty around.
Cryssys said:
I see little value in paying BMW premium rates to have them carry out the kind of basic service that any competent mechanic can perform.
Common service tasks like changing discs, pads and fluids do not need specialised technicians so use a good independent. For the more complex/challenging tasks seek out a reputable specialist, there's plenty around.
I did once have a specialist put the wrong diff oil in a BMW.... Very reputable BMW specialist. Dealer sorted it out without any hassle.Common service tasks like changing discs, pads and fluids do not need specialised technicians so use a good independent. For the more complex/challenging tasks seek out a reputable specialist, there's plenty around.
Specialist prices are scarily similar to dealer prices too.
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