[ChrisE91]

Hello, how important would you say BMW service history is?

My friends family owns a garage and they specialise in German cars and I was thinking of taking my car to them instead of BMW purely over price. Would this affect the resale value my car if it doesn't have a BMW service history?

Thanks.

[JLR1969]

For me it would depend on the value and age of the car. If it was 4 years old and cost less than say £10,000 it would not bother me providing the first 3 years were with a main dealer.

If I was buying an M3 or something similar I would walk away if it did not have full dealer history, unless it was serviced by a specialized company such as Birds.

Also depends on the condition.

[Hotcoupe]

I'd be looking for a full BMW service history for at least the first 4/5 yrs or up to approx 80k mls of a cars life.

As the years and mls go on, I think it becomes less important, and people generally understand the lack of BMW service history based on the cost.

I'd still want to see evidence of a service history post BMW, with supporting invoices.

[ChrisE91]

I honestly can't remember if my car has a full BMW history or not, I should have checked really.

It's a 2007 (57) and has currently done about 56000 miles. So what you're saying is get maybe a couple more services from BMW and then I should be OK?

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by ChrisE91

I honestly can't remember if my car has a full BMW history or not, I should have checked really.

It's a 2007 (57) and has currently done about 56000 miles. So what you're saying is get maybe a couple more services from BMW and then I should be OK?

You've just proved my theory incorrect, I'm surprised you don't know, didn't ask!
Did it come from a main dealer (BMW)?

In your circumstances I'd ask your local BMW dealer to price match your friends garage, most BMW dealers these days will get close.

A BMW stamp is worth more (resale) than a Indy stamp, although I suspect an Indy would do as good a job if not better.

[wza]

Originally Posted by ChrisE91

I honestly can't remember if my car has a full BMW history or not, I should have checked really.

It's a 2007 (57) and has currently done about 56000 miles. So what you're saying is get maybe a couple more services from BMW and then I should be OK?

I take it you haven't owned since new or you would remember. Did you buy AUC?? If so, then would have been BMW serviced. I would have thought whilst in warranty, the previous owners would have serviced with BMW to keep warranty valid, and wouldn't have been out of warranty for that long.

[ChrisE91]

In my hurry to get the car sorted, no I didn't ask. I must have looked at 50 BMWs before I chose this one and I honestly can't remember if this one said it did or not.

I'm buying it from Car Shop in Northampton and should collect it today. From what I've heard they often have ex fleet cars here so there is a good chance it will have BMW warranty.

My nearest BMW dealer is Wollaston BMW in Northampton, I've got to go there and get some new number plates (purely because I had the crappy Car Shop ones) so I'll ask them about servicing then.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by ChrisE91

My nearest BMW dealer is Wollaston BMW in Northampton, I've got to go there and get some new number plates (purely because I had the crappy Car Shop ones) so I'll ask them about servicing then.

While you're there, give them your fob, they'll pop it in their reader and if you ask nicely and promise to get your servicing done there, they could print you out any history at BMW your car has.

[wza]

Originally Posted by ChrisE91

In my hurry to get the car sorted, no I didn't ask. I must have looked at 50 BMWs before I chose this one and I honestly can't remember if this one said it did or not.

I'm buying it from Car Shop in Northampton and should collect it today. From what I've heard they often have ex fleet cars here so there is a good chance it will have BMW warranty.

My nearest BMW dealer is Wollaston BMW in Northampton, I've got to go there and get some new number plates (purely because I had the crappy Car Shop ones) so I'll ask them about servicing then.

Will it have the service book when you pick it up, I would be worried if not..???

BMW can tell you what services it has had with them buy running it through computer.

[ChrisE91]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

While you're there, give them your fob, they'll pop it in their reader and if you ask nicely and promise to get your servicing done there, they could print you out any history at BMW your car has.

Can they do that? My these BMWs are clever! LOL

[ChrisE91]

Originally Posted by wza

Will it have the service book when you pick it up, I would be worried if not..???

BMW can tell you what services it has had with them buy running it through computer.

I won't know until I get there. But I will be asking.

[mv57]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

While you're there, give them your fob, they'll pop it in their reader and if you ask nicely and promise to get your servicing done there, they could print you out any history at BMW your car has.

They can alsi give you the complete spec of the car printed out too. So you know all the extras it has.

P.s. Enjoy your drive home today woohoo not been long since i drove mine home.

[mowflow]

It only matters if you plan to keep the car for a year or so in my opinion. If you are keeping it for 3 years or more and plan on doing average mileage then it will be a relatively old car when you sell and nobody buying at that price range will give much of a toss as long as the service looks good.

I bought my car at 4 years old with 52K on the clock and the last service wasn't BMW. I didn't give a stuff. I've since had my car serviced and that wasn't through BMW either. Been the same story with every car I've owned, I always trade in and every time I've traded the garage hasn't given a stuff about the service not being dealer either.

[edowen]

A car in warranty would need BMW services for me.

An older car, I dont mind as long as it has been serviced per schedule on time, stamps in the book by reputable garages.

[ChrisE91]

Thanks guys. Hopefully I'll find out later the score with the service history.

I am financing the car for 4 years so intend to keep the car for that amount of time. I average 20k mile per year so by the time I sell it the mileage would be ITRO 120k miles.

[ChrisE91]

Good news!

It's got full BMW service history from a dealership in Huddersfield.

[mv57]

Originally Posted by ChrisE91

Good news!

It's got full BMW service history from a dealership in Huddersfield.

How was the drive? .

[ChrisE91]

Awesome, only about 10 miles but good enough Still not sure on the RFTs. But they'll do for now.

[gIzzE]

The main reason I like cars with full main dealer history is because it verifies the mileage.

You can call BMW UK and ask when it was last seen, they will tell you what dealer and a date, you can then call the dealer and ask what was done and how many miles were on it.

Three times now I have seen cars with 50-60k miles on them and when I have called the dealers they have seen the cars previously with over 100k on them.

So when getting a car without main dealer history well worth doing a little homework and calling BMW, there may be full service history after all, but not the history you were hoping for.

[ChrisE91]

I guess that's true, I've never been bothered by service history with previous cars I always look for the signs that it's been well looked after by the owner.

[Fox530]

I do not buy cars without full BMW history.

Now, maybe I am right, maybe I am wrong, but thats just what I look for when buying. I cannot be the only one, so it must affect how easy it is to sell your car?

[ChrisE91]

Well for the next two services at least it will go to BMW, after that I'm not so sure. I'll have this can for a few years yet so it would have done a lot more miles by the time I sell it.