Dubious first oil change - advice needed
Discussion
Hi All,
I'm looking at a 2008 z4 3.0si sport.
Service history looks decent except for one bit. It has the running in service...then it has the oil change early 2011 with no mileage....and next service is inspection 1 at 30k at the end of that year. So unless the previous owner did 15k miles in 8 months (I guess that's plausible) then it seems the first oil change was done late.
Worth worrying about on an otherwise mint car with all the bits I want??
Thanks
I'm looking at a 2008 z4 3.0si sport.
Service history looks decent except for one bit. It has the running in service...then it has the oil change early 2011 with no mileage....and next service is inspection 1 at 30k at the end of that year. So unless the previous owner did 15k miles in 8 months (I guess that's plausible) then it seems the first oil change was done late.
Worth worrying about on an otherwise mint car with all the bits I want??
Thanks
One scenario is that the garage was tardy in that it didn't enter the miles for the oil service (seen that several times) and then , yes, someone did 15k in 8 months and the car was then (15k miles later as is normal) due it's Inspection 1 at 30k
You can assume the Oil service was due around 15k miles, that's my experience on E46 M3s as the closest comparison.
Depending when the car was registered in 2008 seems first oil service was(a little) late as I understand it should be 2 years in any event.
What I'd do, is cross reference with the MOT history , to make sure Miles correspond.
As it does seem a sudden surge in miles (during 2011) , do you know it's the same owner?
Data on V5 together with a HPI check might tell the story.
Or check out the servicing dealer, they could still have records from 2011 to fill in miles.
Any gaps in history are worth checking , inmho, I was very analytical with my M3
But no reason to get worried at the moment.
You can assume the Oil service was due around 15k miles, that's my experience on E46 M3s as the closest comparison.
Depending when the car was registered in 2008 seems first oil service was(a little) late as I understand it should be 2 years in any event.
What I'd do, is cross reference with the MOT history , to make sure Miles correspond.
As it does seem a sudden surge in miles (during 2011) , do you know it's the same owner?
Data on V5 together with a HPI check might tell the story.
Or check out the servicing dealer, they could still have records from 2011 to fill in miles.
Any gaps in history are worth checking , inmho, I was very analytical with my M3
But no reason to get worried at the moment.
Z4MCSL said:
SO....
Garage confirmed the March oil service, which was the first service, was done at 28,276....very high.
Although he did say in reality if anything would have been an issue it would have been an issue by now.
any more thoughts?
Are you wanting someone to say "avoid, it's going to blow up in 200 miles" ?Garage confirmed the March oil service, which was the first service, was done at 28,276....very high.
Although he did say in reality if anything would have been an issue it would have been an issue by now.
any more thoughts?
Everyone so far has said it's going to be fine.
Z4MCSL said:
haha, I know you are totally right. Well actually no Im just hoping more people go: " yeah its fine go for it"
shaking the tree for any scare stories a bit I guess - think I'm ready to go but its that final push
I'm not going to, now, say it'll blow up in 200 miles shaking the tree for any scare stories a bit I guess - think I'm ready to go but its that final push
But :
(1) I'd want a discount off list to reflect poor service history.
(2) There is a possible scenario that the owner at the time didn't give a damn about the car, so also reflect that in a discount.
Like someone else said, I didn't know a non M had a running in service. I actually replied, initially, thinking it was a Z4M
You sure it's the right service book??
yeah I didnt mean running in I meant pre-delivery.
Yeah I guess there are two scenarios:
1. First owner didnt care about it and only serviced it once he realised he was going to have to get the first MOT that year
Obviously this is a bad sign
BUT
it has then been services every 15-17k at the appropriate level.
it is now on 80k and drives well etc as far as I can tell
2. First owner got more than one oil service before the first inspection service at 30,000 but didnt put them in the book etc.
either way I would hope if that had fked the car this would have come out by now??
On another note I wondered if there was a way to find the first owners name and then I can do some due diligence on LinkedIn.
Yeah I guess there are two scenarios:
1. First owner didnt care about it and only serviced it once he realised he was going to have to get the first MOT that year
Obviously this is a bad sign
BUT
it has then been services every 15-17k at the appropriate level.
it is now on 80k and drives well etc as far as I can tell
2. First owner got more than one oil service before the first inspection service at 30,000 but didnt put them in the book etc.
either way I would hope if that had fked the car this would have come out by now??
On another note I wondered if there was a way to find the first owners name and then I can do some due diligence on LinkedIn.
yeah I didnt mean running in I meant pre-delivery.
Yeah I guess there are two scenarios:
1. First owner didnt care about it and only serviced it once he realised he was going to have to get the first MOT that year
Obviously this is a bad sign
BUT
it has then been services every 15-17k at the appropriate level.
it is now on 80k and drives well etc as far as I can tell
2. First owner got more than one oil service before the first inspection service at 30,000 but didnt put them in the book etc.
either way I would hope if that had fked the car this would have come out by now??
On another note I wondered if there was a way to find the first owners name and then I can do some due diligence on LinkedIn.
Yeah I guess there are two scenarios:
1. First owner didnt care about it and only serviced it once he realised he was going to have to get the first MOT that year
Obviously this is a bad sign
BUT
it has then been services every 15-17k at the appropriate level.
it is now on 80k and drives well etc as far as I can tell
2. First owner got more than one oil service before the first inspection service at 30,000 but didnt put them in the book etc.
either way I would hope if that had fked the car this would have come out by now??
On another note I wondered if there was a way to find the first owners name and then I can do some due diligence on LinkedIn.
Z4MCSL said:
yeah I didnt mean running in I meant pre-delivery.
Yeah I guess there are two scenarios:
1. First owner didnt care about it and only serviced it once he realised he was going to have to get the first MOT that year
Obviously this is a bad sign
BUT
it has then been services every 15-17k at the appropriate level.
it is now on 80k and drives well etc as far as I can tell
2. First owner got more than one oil service before the first inspection service at 30,000 but didnt put them in the book etc.
either way I would hope if that had fked the car this would have come out by now??
On another note I wondered if there was a way to find the first owners name and then I can do some due diligence on LinkedIn.
I presume it's had more than one previous owner, therefore s/he's not on V5?Yeah I guess there are two scenarios:
1. First owner didnt care about it and only serviced it once he realised he was going to have to get the first MOT that year
Obviously this is a bad sign
BUT
it has then been services every 15-17k at the appropriate level.
it is now on 80k and drives well etc as far as I can tell
2. First owner got more than one oil service before the first inspection service at 30,000 but didnt put them in the book etc.
either way I would hope if that had fked the car this would have come out by now??
On another note I wondered if there was a way to find the first owners name and then I can do some due diligence on LinkedIn.
Problem with a DD check as you describe is that it can be the most respectable people (often wealthy) who are lax at servicing, cos the car is a plaything and they don't worry about resale.
I found this when checking out M3s, several owned by GPs.
I don't have the mechanical knowledge to know what the (possible) ramifications of a late first oil change is, but I've found N/a Straight Sixes pretty solid.
I'd say price to reflect poor service history is fair, if you're happy with car as it drives now and it's recent service, maintenance, MOT, history.
The only issue I've had with a N/A straight six was poor oil consumption, leaky rocket gasket being the final cause determined.
That car probably wasn't that well looked after, in terms of it having one caring/careful owner, yet it was serviced always on time.
Ha yeah I agree,
I really love it when people add "Dr owned" to their adverts - as if that means anything!
Im waiting for a call back from a couple of people I know who know their 3.0si engines but will see where we get to.
Feels a bit stupid that it is putting me off so much right now but its something to worry about so i am worrying that it may subsequently put people off when I come to sale.
I really love it when people add "Dr owned" to their adverts - as if that means anything!
Im waiting for a call back from a couple of people I know who know their 3.0si engines but will see where we get to.
Feels a bit stupid that it is putting me off so much right now but its something to worry about so i am worrying that it may subsequently put people off when I come to sale.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff