Query re: way BMW records work done on cars
Discussion
I've managed to obtain details from BMW Customer Services UK of where and when my car has visited BMW dealerships since it was sold in the UK.
Not all of them match up with the stamps in the service book. I appreciate that changes of ownership of some of the dealerships since 2000 would account for the difference in stamp where dates match up and obviously not all visits are for services.
I'm a bit concerned that some of the early service stamps with official BMW dealer stamps don't appear on the list of visits I've got a record of.
Is it common that a service will be done at a BMW dealership and the service department not update the central records?
My particular gripe at present is that the dealership that sold the car to me with particular reference to their familiarity with the car and the previous owner advised on my first query subsequent to the purchase that all their computer records had been deleted and the original owner who "could be contacted quickly for any questions" cannot.
I'm working on building up my knowledge of the work done on the car over the years.
So my query is to anyone with a working knowledge of how dealerships manage this data. Does the BMW central 'data bank' really only record the most basic of information regarding visits and leave each dealership to maintain their own local records for each car?
Surely with things like product recalls etc. the records need to be accessible to other dealerships. Or can one dealership's lack of IT information assurance strategy leave everyone clueless about the car's past?
Cheers
Not all of them match up with the stamps in the service book. I appreciate that changes of ownership of some of the dealerships since 2000 would account for the difference in stamp where dates match up and obviously not all visits are for services.
I'm a bit concerned that some of the early service stamps with official BMW dealer stamps don't appear on the list of visits I've got a record of.
Is it common that a service will be done at a BMW dealership and the service department not update the central records?
My particular gripe at present is that the dealership that sold the car to me with particular reference to their familiarity with the car and the previous owner advised on my first query subsequent to the purchase that all their computer records had been deleted and the original owner who "could be contacted quickly for any questions" cannot.
I'm working on building up my knowledge of the work done on the car over the years.
So my query is to anyone with a working knowledge of how dealerships manage this data. Does the BMW central 'data bank' really only record the most basic of information regarding visits and leave each dealership to maintain their own local records for each car?
Surely with things like product recalls etc. the records need to be accessible to other dealerships. Or can one dealership's lack of IT information assurance strategy leave everyone clueless about the car's past?
Cheers
Edited by 'Yadi on Thursday 2nd July 20:31
BMW will be able to tell you when, where and what mileage you car saw each dealer, they will also be able to tell you whether it was a service or for warranty work or any recall work, they will not however be able to tell you the exact work or outcome of each visit.
Their records will match the stamps in the book, if they don't then something is up.
BMWs are very easy to clock, the old favourite is wind the mileage back, take out the pages on the service book that are after the stamps, then stamp in some new (dodgy ones) to make is look like it has been serviced albeit with very few miles between, using a dealers stamp from a dealer that is no longer in business.
I bought a 530i on a 2001 plate.
It had done 84k miles.
I knew on the way home this car had done more than that. So I started looking into it.
2001 registered.
2002 16k oil
2003 33k ins I
2004 49k oil
2005 61k ins II
2007 72k oil
2008 84k Ins I (september)
All looked ok, however called BMW and they had last seen the car in April 2008 with 164k miles on it.
Called the dealers and it turned out that the last genuine stamp was Jan 2004 with 49k, it had done the other 100k in the 5 years since then.
I took it back and got a refund, but it was not a nice situation to be in and had to take a mate with me to get the money back.
Their records will match the stamps in the book, if they don't then something is up.
BMWs are very easy to clock, the old favourite is wind the mileage back, take out the pages on the service book that are after the stamps, then stamp in some new (dodgy ones) to make is look like it has been serviced albeit with very few miles between, using a dealers stamp from a dealer that is no longer in business.
I bought a 530i on a 2001 plate.
It had done 84k miles.
I knew on the way home this car had done more than that. So I started looking into it.
2001 registered.
2002 16k oil
2003 33k ins I
2004 49k oil
2005 61k ins II
2007 72k oil
2008 84k Ins I (september)
All looked ok, however called BMW and they had last seen the car in April 2008 with 164k miles on it.
Called the dealers and it turned out that the last genuine stamp was Jan 2004 with 49k, it had done the other 100k in the 5 years since then.
I took it back and got a refund, but it was not a nice situation to be in and had to take a mate with me to get the money back.
Yadi
I think its all been said really. My current 550i had no service book so I had to be meticulous with tracking the service history through BMW UK, and then with the dealer servicing it for details. They sent me a duplicate all stamped etc. If there is any discrepancy, I would just walk. Its not like you are buying a Veyron and there are no other cars available
I think its all been said really. My current 550i had no service book so I had to be meticulous with tracking the service history through BMW UK, and then with the dealer servicing it for details. They sent me a duplicate all stamped etc. If there is any discrepancy, I would just walk. Its not like you are buying a Veyron and there are no other cars available
BMW GB Customer Service records are not always 100% accurate. I contacted them recently with regards a 3 series. The BMW GB central records showed that the car had only had 2 dealer visits in its life. When I contacted the individaul BMW dealers the car had been in a total of 5 times with 3 of those being services. It seems you can't just reply on the BMW central database as proof of a cars history. And £1 a minute is a joke.
Cheers
Cheers
It's very sketchy.
I sold my previous BMW (3-series) with 140k miles on the clock. It had had quite a few visits to main dealer and the service history was recorded fine.
I then got my next BMW. Transferred the private plate across and got it serviced at main dealer. I noticed on the invoice that the mileage was listed as 140k (it had only done around 60k at the time). I then queried it further and some idiot had transferred the service history of my old car onto the new.
It took about 3 months and countless phonecalls and dealer visits to get it straightened out and rectified. (I was worried that if the mileage on the car was recorded at 140k at at dealer in somepoint in its life, any prospective purchaser in the future will find this out and (justifiably) run a mile.
I'm told it's all been corrected now, but it still worries me that their mistake is recorded somewhere in the system, and even the slightest discrpancy will cause most people to walk away.
I sold my previous BMW (3-series) with 140k miles on the clock. It had had quite a few visits to main dealer and the service history was recorded fine.
I then got my next BMW. Transferred the private plate across and got it serviced at main dealer. I noticed on the invoice that the mileage was listed as 140k (it had only done around 60k at the time). I then queried it further and some idiot had transferred the service history of my old car onto the new.
It took about 3 months and countless phonecalls and dealer visits to get it straightened out and rectified. (I was worried that if the mileage on the car was recorded at 140k at at dealer in somepoint in its life, any prospective purchaser in the future will find this out and (justifiably) run a mile.
I'm told it's all been corrected now, but it still worries me that their mistake is recorded somewhere in the system, and even the slightest discrpancy will cause most people to walk away.
Thanks for the insight fellas - some nightmares there for some of you 
I'm a little more assured though as there's obviously a lot of scope for human error at the dealership end.
I already own the car but circumstances have prompted me to investigate its background a little further.
A dealer explained to me today that the switch to the new system took place over a long period of time as each dealership decided when to take on the expense of doing so - so some were using the old system as late on as 2005.
As records may or may not exist depending on how each dealership has maintained them and the surest way to get records is to call them direct (which I guess is what you did, christer).
My car has visited a few over the last 10 years so I have some calls to make next week
I'm a little more assured though as there's obviously a lot of scope for human error at the dealership end.
I already own the car but circumstances have prompted me to investigate its background a little further.
A dealer explained to me today that the switch to the new system took place over a long period of time as each dealership decided when to take on the expense of doing so - so some were using the old system as late on as 2005.
As records may or may not exist depending on how each dealership has maintained them and the surest way to get records is to call them direct (which I guess is what you did, christer).
My car has visited a few over the last 10 years so I have some calls to make next week
I am looking to do this on a car I am looking into buying. Will BMW share the service history as recorded with me despite not being the owner and will it also contain any recall information?
It is a 2001 M3 so I want to be 100% the engine recall was done as it was manufactured in Nov 01 when a lot of the faulty engines were made.
Do they just need a reg or will they want a vin?
It is a 2001 M3 so I want to be 100% the engine recall was done as it was manufactured in Nov 01 when a lot of the faulty engines were made.
Do they just need a reg or will they want a vin?
Carfiend said:
I am looking to do this on a car I am looking into buying. Will BMW share the service history as recorded with me despite not being the owner and will it also contain any recall information?
It is a 2001 M3 so I want to be 100% the engine recall was done as it was manufactured in Nov 01 when a lot of the faulty engines were made.
Do they just need a reg or will they want a vin?
Yes, they will share with you - but as others have said they will only be able to tell you the type of visit (service/warranty etc) and the dealer which was visited. I called the dealer and got the details from them. It is safest to use a VIN in case there have been registration changes but if not it should be fine. It is a 2001 M3 so I want to be 100% the engine recall was done as it was manufactured in Nov 01 when a lot of the faulty engines were made.
Do they just need a reg or will they want a vin?
The details are updated centrally overnight from invoices produced. If there was no invoice for any reason (foc as a customer service issue, though this should still be charged internally) there will be no record with BMW. Sometimes, the system fails to download data, so there will be no record.
However, any data they have WILL match, so it if doesn't there's someting amiss.
However, any data they have WILL match, so it if doesn't there's someting amiss.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff