BMW service histories

[Scamp's Walker]

Is there any way to check BMW service histories prior to buying a car from a non BMW main dealer?
There is a gap in the MOTs and so I am wary of going any further with the purchase.

[Chess]

How old is the car? Is the service history logged on the car? If not, any invoices available? Any reason for non continuous MOT? Could be innocent!

[2 GKC]

You can call BMW and they will tell you which dealer it has been into for work and when. I did this and then called the dealers and they sent me the invoices for the work done, with the names and addresses taken off

[Mr Tidy]

They seem to be pretty helpful in my experience.

In March 2018 I bought an E91 325i and the seller had a printout of where it had been and when, but no record of what was done.

I called both dealer groups and they told me what had been done, even down to swapping between winter and summer tyres, and one had a record of a service in December 2017 that wasn't stamped in the book.

So I took the book to their service department and they put the stamp in - result!

[Scamp's Walker]

Car is a 14 plate. Tried local dealer and they are closed so going to try again tomorrow and if not try elsewhere. It still seems to have the original BMW dealer plates on it so will check when au go and have a look at it and then perhaps send them an email.

[2 GKC]

If in doubt just leave it. A 14 plate BMW can’t be that hard to find

[Smuler]

I agree with the above. That’s too new to be special and / or have questions on providence.

But sometimes a MOT gap can come because it didn’t carry through when car changes license plates , has it been on a personal plate ?

A 2014 should have service history in the iDrive.
BMW dealers and independents who subscribe to the BMW system can do it.

Should have quite a few services in that time.

[Scamp's Walker]

Thanks very much. Hopefully going to look at the car during the week before booking a test drive. They have verbally confirmed BMW FSH and going to ask if they can send me screen shots of iDrive as I have seen other garages do.

[Smuler]

Sometimes , it happened to me , BMW dealers forget to upload to the service history section on iDrive even when they’ve reset the countdown to next service. It’s an easy fix, so if the seller is genuine in his or her claim , and yet there are gaps, alls not lost!
If you want , post screen shots here. Any gaps will likely be identified.