BMW Service History Checking - dealer, over the phone?

[AGAR]

Hi,

Is it possible for a none specific BMW dealership to check the service history of a BMW (which i do not own but am interested in buying), over the phone or in person?

And if this is possible, what all can be found out?

Cheers

[jezzaaa]

I've done it before at a Volvo dealer when I was buying my T5R. Mind you that was 1997 and the Data Protection nonsense wasn't so tight. I guess they might have a duty to not release that kind of information to just anyone. If you go into a dealer and ask, I guess they can only say no.

[grahamm]

When I sold my Porsche in 2004 I showed the buyer the service history and relevant invoices and was surprised to learn he had already been read the details of the invoices over the phone by the dealer. I had nothing to hide but was surprised they didn't consider they had a duty of confidentiality to their customer (me)

[exboxster]

I called BMW customer care ahead of buying mine- I just had the number plate from the (non-frnachised) dealer's forecourt. They put me in touch with the servicing dealer who talked me through all the work that had been done. I don;t think they can supply you with copies of the invoices as they will contain the previous owner details.
Thinking about it I did the same for my Range Rover and had the dealer send me a letter with a list of work and how much they cost.
Which was nice

[Slurms]

I did this when I bought mine recently.. Called my local dealer who had serviced the car and they ran me though the service history.

[AGAR]

Thanks guys - thats really useful to know.

[Denis O]

BMW are great at doing history checks for you. Just call HQ at Bracknell with VIN or Reg and they will tell you everytime it has been in the network and give you details of the dealer. Then phone the dealer and they will give you the specific details. They are only supposed to give you details on routine servicing but call at the right time (when they're not too busy) and use a bit of silver on the tongue and you will get full details.

I had full details on my 540 before I went to buy it. They will also give you the initial sale price and mine was £54kConsidering what I paid when it was 6 years old someone lost a packet on depreciation.

Porsche & Mercedes HQ's on the other hand are diabolical when it comes to confirming a cars history. They hide behind the data protection bollox. If you have the invoices for work the dealers will verify but you can't be prepared when you go to do the deal.

[morrisk1]

I've done this - just rang up the BMW main dealer where the car was bought from and serviced (stated in Auto trader advert), gave them reg plate. First thing we confirmed was mileage... advert said 30k, dealer said 50k a year ago. Obviously I didn't go to see this one!

[burriana]

I did that with an 850 CSi that was advertised here. Only 83,000 miles, but it looked a bit shabby ... not surprising when the list of dealer visits was faxed through and it was at about 163,000 miles three years previously!

Did the guy change his ad when presented with this irrefutable fact? ... did he chuff!

Last seen on ebay ... it's a red one.