Should I get the service book stamped from non-BMW garage?

[Daz507]

Hi,

I have a 2006 E60 M5 which so far I have been very happy with. I knew it needed a couple of things doing within a few thousand miles of purchase so that wasn't an issue.

Brake fluid change was done by a very good friend who owns a garage and builds and races his own cars, so he knows what he's doing.

Next up is the oil change, just oil and filter, not gear box oil, so again I have it booked into my friends place to do the work. BMW are charging £275 + VAT, he'll do it for less than half that and will do just as good a job.

Question is should I have the service book stamped with a non-BMW garage stamp? The previous owner had everything done at BMW and the book shows this, I don't want to ruin things!

It's under BMW warranty and as long as the garage use BMW approved parts there isn't an issue there.

Thoughts / suggestions?

Thanks

[john_p]

Daz507 said:

It's under BMW warranty and as long as the garage use BMW approved parts there isn't an issue there.

Is it the "BMW Insured Warranty" ?

[Daz507]

I think so! I paid around £730 for it directly from BMW when I bought the car, but I didn't receive anything in the post about it now I think about it...

[john_p]

You need to check - but BMW Insured Warranty stipulates that the car must be serviced at a franchised dealer.

It's a stitchup, but there you go. They are able to get around the block exemption rules (which apply to cars within the manufacturer warranty period) as they call it an "insurance" rather than a "warranty". So they can set whatever rules they want..

[mat205125]

I'd say "YES" to a stamp in the book if the car has been serviced in accordance with the BMW service schedule.

I'd say "NO" if your mate has just swapped an oil filter and oil, but is going to stamp a box in the history which gives the impression that some additional work or checks have taken place.

By the time a cars gets old enough (cheap enough) for me to afford it, the stamps in the book are less of a concern than the printed invoices that accompany work, and which list the items renewed. The book is retained to give piece of mind that the car had its scheduled maintenance why it was young.

[Daz507]

Just checked, it's the BMW Insured Warranty, Comprehensive.

[Soovy]

1. You're saving £100 and at the same time wiping a fortune off the value of the car. No one wants an M5 without a FBMWSH, unless it's cheap.

2. You're also invalidating your warranty.


For £100?

Don't be stupid.

[Daz507]

Soovy, I see your point but don't quite agree... I'm not doing this to save money, I'd just rather I had somebody I trust and know doing the work rather than somebody at BMW. Of course BMW are going to do the job right but I could be paying the premium for their work experience guy to do the job.

Paying my friend I know who's working on my car, which is important to me.

However if this invalidates my warranty it will of course go to BMW. Going to call them and find out now.

Glad I asked the question now!!

Thanks :-)

[john_p]

Daz507 said:

Soovy, I see your point but don't quite agree... I'm not doing this to save money, I'd just rather I had somebody I trust and know doing the work rather than somebody at BMW. Of course BMW are going to do the job right but I could be paying the premium for their work experience guy to do the job.

I think for a non-M car, I'd take it to a good independent and forget the warranty. But for an M-car, especially M5/M6, you could be in for some real scary stuff without a warranty, and the used prices will reflect that.

I was going to suggest that you could at least do minor stuff like brakes, belts etc at an independent - but with the condition-based servicing stuff, I have no idea whether BMW would pick that up on their system or not!

[Soovy]

Daz507 said:

Soovy, I see your point but don't quite agree... I'm not doing this to save money, I'd just rather I had somebody I trust and know doing the work rather than somebody at BMW. Of course BMW are going to do the job right but I could be paying the premium for their work experience guy to do the job.

Paying my friend I know who's working on my car, which is important to me.

However if this invalidates my warranty it will of course go to BMW. Going to call them and find out now.

Glad I asked the question now!!

Thanks :-)

Certainly they have no right to invalidate the three year new car warranty if you use an independent, so long as the parts are genuine.

The insurance back extended warranty may very well be invalidated. This is certainly the case with Porsche.

[Daz507]

Just phoned BMW warranty, they advise that the work has to be done at BMW or the warranty is invalid, very glad I asked now!!

[Rags]

The BMW 'Insured' Warranty stipulates that all service work at the stated manufacturers service intervals MUST be carried out by a franchised dealer.

However maintenance and consumables are exempt from this however under the warranty scheme, a lot of items that require replacement are sometimes covered.

For the sake of ensuring your warranty is intact, allow BMW to carry out the work.

The M5 is a complicated beast and has other things such as idrive resets when services are done so best to ensure everything is conducted correctly.

Although I understand your rentiments regarding quality of work, it won't help resale and may render your car unsaleable at market price in the future.

[Daz507]

Mmm, now I'm concerned, the brake fluid was changed by a non-BMW garage and I changed the cabin air filters myself as they were really easy.

Have I already invalidated my warranty? Perhaps as they were done in Jan 2010 I could say they were done before the warranty started in Dec 09, nobody will ever know???

[Soovy]

Daz507 said:

Mmm, now I'm concerned, the brake fluid was changed by a non-BMW garage and I changed the cabin air filters myself as they were really easy.

Have I already invalidated my warranty? Perhaps as they were done in Jan 2010 I could say they were done before the warranty started in Dec 09, nobody will ever know???

Brake fluid might cause you an issue if you have a brake problem.

[john_p]

With the brake fluid change, was the book stamped ?

[Daz507]

No stamp for brake fluid change...

[groucho]

Daz507 said:

Mmm, now I'm concerned, the brake fluid was changed by a non-BMW garage and I changed the cabin air filters myself as they were really easy.

Have I already invalidated my warranty? Perhaps as they were done in Jan 2010 I could say they were done before the warranty started in Dec 09, nobody will ever know???

I remember we were talking about the microfilter change and doing it oneself. I bit the bullet and let BMW do it. For £79 + Vat I got the microfilters changed, OBC reset, car checked over, car washed and a cup of coffee. Bargain I say.

Edited by groucho on Wednesday 3rd February 16:46

[Muzzer]

Daz507 said:

Mmm, now I'm concerned, the brake fluid was changed by a non-BMW garage and I changed the cabin air filters myself as they were really easy.

Have I already invalidated my warranty? Perhaps as they were done in Jan 2010 I could say they were done before the warranty started in Dec 09, nobody will ever know???

If it requires a stamp in the book then take it to BMW and get them to do it.

Otherwise, if it goes pop, they can point to the fact that you haven't had it serviced according to schedule and refuse a claim....

[Daz507]

Hmm, so you paid £65 more than me for a cup of coffee and a car wash!

[sjj84]

If you provide the oil yourself you will save yourself some money, but as said get it done at BMW for the warranty and resale value.