Z4 Coupe with "strange" SH - Advice please!

Z4 Coupe with "strange" SH - Advice please!

Author
Discussion

andrewthehat

Original Poster:

11 posts

193 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Hi- I'm test driving a Z4C at my local BMW main dealer (Arden, Maidstone) on Saturday. However - I'm easily spooked by non-perfect service history and this one scares me. After the PDI, the service book shows nothing for 3 years, then its first service at just under 20k miles.

I'm sorely tempted to walk away. Should I be reassured by the BMW Approved label, and go ahead with the test drive?

illmonkey

18,112 posts

197 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
I'd imagine a BMW within the first 3 years or 20k would have been serviced by BMW themselves. Maybe there is no stamp, but BMW can provide a print out from their system.

Phone up and ask, as their 2nd hand cars should have a full BMW history.

andrewthehat

Original Poster:

11 posts

193 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks - I did ask, but they have no records other than the service book. Scary, huh?

illmonkey

18,112 posts

197 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Strange, I'd still go look at the car, if it's done 60k now, a missed service at 10k isn't the biggest deal.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Approved used BMW have full service history (according to T&Cs)
Therefore it shouldn't be listed as approved , with the price premium that will include.
Report to head office to stop a car being missold ...

Vroomer

1,864 posts

179 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
They are breaking the 'Approved Used' rules if they are selling this without a proper service history. BMW HQ would take a very dim view.

mmm-five

11,227 posts

283 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Vroomer said:
BMW HQ would take a very dim view.
You've obviously had better experiences than me over the last 10 years then, as in my experience BMW HQ won't give a damn, and will tell you to take it up with the dealer who will also not give a damn.

I've seen cars with the wrong size tyres, dodgy service histories, bald tyres, etc. up for sale as AUC - and have simply walked away.

andrewthehat

Original Poster:

11 posts

193 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
You guys are clearly having some effect. The AUC badge appears to have parted company with the car on the dealer's website, which presumably means HQ won't mind as much. Needless to say, my enthusiasm for the car - especially at its unchanged price tag - has waned somewhat.

illmonkey

18,112 posts

197 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
andrewthehat said:
You guys are clearly having some effect. The AUC badge appears to have parted company with the car on the dealer's website, which presumably means HQ won't mind as much. Needless to say, my enthusiasm for the car - especially at its unchanged price tag - has waned somewhat.
I imagine your questioning has maybe made them realise it, do dealers really read the BMW forums?

andrewthehat

Original Poster:

11 posts

193 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
quotequote all
Personally, I think they probably do. There is a ghastly little sub-industry growing quickly in the wake of the social media bubble - it's called "reputation management". The theory behind its sales pitch is that "one bad online review can destroy your business" - so you'd better know what people are saying. Complete horse-manure on fundamental terms, but since a whole generation of cowardly marketing directors have swallowed Andy Grove's mantra of "only the paranoid survive", reputation-management (meaning scouring the widely-read forums, blogs, twits and other e-channels for anything remotely negative) grows like Japanese knotweed.

It is for this reason - and no other - that I think the world of braver marketeers like Michael O'Leary, who refuse to waste time listening to the blogosphere, in favour of knowing what his customers actually want to buy from him.

Sorry. Rant over. It's just something I kinda feel passionate about.


paoloh

8,617 posts

203 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
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It may well have just one stamp.

Servicing is controlled by the car.

Vroomer

1,864 posts

179 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
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paoloh said:
It may well have just one stamp.

Servicing is controlled by the car.
But with the caveat that the maximum interval between services is TWO years, and this one wasn't serviced for three.

Sticks.

8,707 posts

250 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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Vroomer said:
But with the caveat that the maximum interval between services is TWO years, and this one wasn't serviced for three.
Is that for any service, or just brake fluid change?

Personally I wouldn't worry too much as long as the price is right and there's not a long list of issues since.

Do you know how long they've had it?

mmm-five

11,227 posts

283 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Sticks. said:
Is that for any service, or just brake fluid change?

Personally I wouldn't worry too much as long as the price is right and there's not a long list of issues since.

Do you know how long they've had it?
It's a max of 2 years for the oil service, and it's a stipulation of the AUC/insured warranty.

It might not cause any problems to the car, but it might let them wriggle out of a warranty claim.

The solution is to get then to provide assurances, in writing, that this abnormal gap will not reduce your warranty coverage.

Vroomer

1,864 posts

179 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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I don't believe it is within the gift of the dealer to say it won't affect any warranty claims – the AUC warranty has to be honoured by ANY BMW dealer.

If it's missed a service, it ain't a proper AUC car!

andrewthehat

Original Poster:

11 posts

193 months

Friday 1st August 2014
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Guys, thank you very much for all your help with this. My search for a good Z4C continues!