Checking a BMW's service history

[chris116]

Hi all

I have got a question regarding checking the service history on a BMW.

I went to look at a car I was interested in buying over the weekend and while I was there I made a note of the entries in the service book so that I could check that the services listed as being done by BMW were correct.

I have decided not to buy the car but am still checking the service history as this is the first time I have done this and I wanted to make sure I am familiar with the process for the next time I go and look at a car.

These are the entries in the service book:

Running in service - 31/10/03 / 14293 miles / Dealer A
Oil service - 22/08/03 / 11948 miles / Dealer B
Inspection 1 service - 18/09/04 / 22655 miles / Dealer A
Oil service - 01/02/06 / 33473 miles / Dealer C

Everything else is outside the BMW network

This is the information provided by the BMW information line of the visits by the car to BMW dealers:

08/08/03 - Dealer A
31/03/05 - Dealer A
08/07/05 - Dealer A
07/02/06 - Dealer C
13/03/06 - Dealer C

The guy I spoke to explained that he couldn't tell me if the visits were repairs or services and that I should speak to the dealers themselves, which I intend to do on Friday.

My question is does the information in a service book normally tally up with the information line in terms of date or is there normally some difference?

I did check the running in service date / mileage several times in the book to make sure I hadn't read it wrong as it seemed incorrect. I did wonder if it was a typo as the car was registered in Dec 02 so a running in service at 31/01/03 - 1429.3 miles would make sense.

[AOK]

chris116 said:

08/08/03 - Dealer A
31/03/05 - Dealer A
08/07/05 - Dealer A
07/02/06 - Dealer C
13/03/06 - Dealer C

Hi chris. hoping I can help... these entries off our database also carry mileage at point of visit. If you PM the number plate I can look into it, and this should give us an idea of whats what. The dates sometimes are a few days off if the details were only entered onto the database by an admin person a few days after the service, but the mileages should always be exact to those in the service book.

[Total loss]

BMW GB and then the main dealers were very helpful when I was checking the details (service history) on a private sale BMW a few years ago, current mileage as given back then 80k, from BMW last visit 2 years previous then, 120k !!!

[Mermaid]

CSL?

[chris116]

AOK said:

Hi chris. hoping I can help... these entries off our database also carry mileage at point of visit. If you PM the number plate I can look into it, and this should give us an idea of whats what. The dates sometimes are a few days off if the details were only entered onto the database by an admin person a few days after the service, but the mileages should always be exact to those in the service book.

Thanks for the offer, I did wonder if there would be a delay between the work being carried out and the information being entered on the database in terms of date. I'll check with the individual dealers on Friday and leave it there, I think there are better examples of that car out there.

[chris116]

Mermaid said:

CSL?

E46 M3 but not a CSL.