Main dealer vs independent service history
Discussion
We've owned Mrs QQ's BMW X1 from brand new and it's now coming up to 7 years old (Nov 2018). So far, all the services have been at the BMW dealer we ordered the car from. It's now time for its next oil and filter change and the BMW price is £450 for something that'll probably take them 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure that our local independent garage will be a lot cheaper.
We will eventually replace her car, probably in the next couple of years, and we're most likely to trade it in rather than try to sell it privately. Will keeping the service history with BMW main dealer make much of a difference or by the time we're p/xing the car when it's 8-9 years old, will the value be too low to make much of a difference anyway?
We will eventually replace her car, probably in the next couple of years, and we're most likely to trade it in rather than try to sell it privately. Will keeping the service history with BMW main dealer make much of a difference or by the time we're p/xing the car when it's 8-9 years old, will the value be too low to make much of a difference anyway?
t!We have a 7 yr old X1 and a 8 year old G30.
Both have a full service history (with 9000 mile oil changes) and the I drive
Ive changed from a main dealer to a small independent BMW specialist (all ex BMW trained technicians)
They can even update the I drive - the dealer code shows 0000 thats the only difference.
My view is at this age many cars will not have been serviced regularly if at all and i have a full documentary record of every service carried out.
Service and price at the specialist is miles better than main dealer - but there is no free coffee / posh waiting area
Both have a full service history (with 9000 mile oil changes) and the I drive
Ive changed from a main dealer to a small independent BMW specialist (all ex BMW trained technicians)
They can even update the I drive - the dealer code shows 0000 thats the only difference.
My view is at this age many cars will not have been serviced regularly if at all and i have a full documentary record of every service carried out.
Service and price at the specialist is miles better than main dealer - but there is no free coffee / posh waiting area
Last year I traded in a 2016 Mustang at a Ford dealership. It had been serviced by Ford dealers every year until 2024, when it was done by a local independent. The Ford dealer did not care who had serviced it so long as someone had done it every year.
2 years ago I traded in a 2016 Mazda at our local BMW dealership; they also did not care who had serviced the Mazda.
Apart from anything else, the sales team are motivated to sell you the new car, they do not want to create barriers to this if they can avoid it. At least that was the impression I got on both those occasions!
2 years ago I traded in a 2016 Mazda at our local BMW dealership; they also did not care who had serviced the Mazda.
Apart from anything else, the sales team are motivated to sell you the new car, they do not want to create barriers to this if they can avoid it. At least that was the impression I got on both those occasions!
QuickQuack said:
We've owned Mrs QQ's BMW X1 from brand new and it's now coming up to 7 years old (Nov 2018). So far, all the services have been at the BMW dealer we ordered the car from. It's now time for its next oil and filter change and the BMW price is £450 for something that'll probably take them 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure that our local independent garage will be a lot cheaper.
Surprised they're asking that much for it - my 6-cyl petrol 1-series was £250 for basic oil and filter change at local main dealer and ~£450 for the major (including spark plugs) so I stuck with them rather than using my local independent BMW specialist who were asking always quoting more! At resale, I was told the full BMW history made it more desirable but, in real terms, I suspect it's not that significant as long as the iDrive shows a FSH.Chris
ScoobyChris said:
QuickQuack said:
We've owned Mrs QQ's BMW X1 from brand new and it's now coming up to 7 years old (Nov 2018). So far, all the services have been at the BMW dealer we ordered the car from. It's now time for its next oil and filter change and the BMW price is £450 for something that'll probably take them 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure that our local independent garage will be a lot cheaper.
Surprised they're asking that much for it - my 6-cyl petrol 1-series was £250 for basic oil and filter change at local main dealer and ~£450 for the major (including spark plugs) so I stuck with them rather than using my local independent BMW specialist who were asking always quoting more! At resale, I was told the full BMW history made it more desirable but, in real terms, I suspect it's not that significant as long as the iDrive shows a FSH.Chris
Many of us will value a good independent higher than main dealer.
My own experience is that a good independent marque specialist will usually be more knowledgeable about the car, work to a higher standard, service items based in their condition rather than just going by the book.
The main dealers now have such tight controls over workshop throughput & keeping cars moving that the independent, who’s primary business is maintaining cars, not selling them, has the time to do things better.
My own experience is that a good independent marque specialist will usually be more knowledgeable about the car, work to a higher standard, service items based in their condition rather than just going by the book.
The main dealers now have such tight controls over workshop throughput & keeping cars moving that the independent, who’s primary business is maintaining cars, not selling them, has the time to do things better.
QuickQuack said:
We've owned Mrs QQ's BMW X1 from brand new and it's now coming up to 7 years old (Nov 2018). So far, all the services have been at the BMW dealer we ordered the car from. It's now time for its next oil and filter change and the BMW price is £450 for something that'll probably take them 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure that our local independent garage will be a lot cheaper.
I think you should check the price again because a basic oil service on a 2018 X1 is much less than £450. I've generally found the main dealers are quite competitive on price for scheduled servicing, whilst there are many reasons people may decide to use a specialist instead I think saving large amounts of money on scheduled servicing probably isn't one of them.This has been discussed on here many times. A summary would suggest that full dealership history is very important for exotics, otherwise, it ceases to make a significant difference after the first few years. I’m thinking of the buyer’ s perception here, which could be wrong when some independents are rigorous. As a regular contributor rightly said, dealers blow hot and cold on this. When you are trading in, they like full history, preferably main dealer but when you are buying, they become more vague ; I have noticed ‘ service history’ appearing in some adverts, as opposed to ‘ full service history’. Sometimes,
they are too busy to research the history and a car is later found to have a full history ( usually main dealer initially) buried in the vast pack that comes in a bulging wallet. Much of it will relate to matters related to radio, entertainment/ phone connections .Seldom read. Then there will will be the breakdown insurance provided when new and various welcome messages and PR docs.Then, if you persevere you may uncover service stamps at the back of one such document which the dealer failed to notice when penning his advert.
they are too busy to research the history and a car is later found to have a full history ( usually main dealer initially) buried in the vast pack that comes in a bulging wallet. Much of it will relate to matters related to radio, entertainment/ phone connections .Seldom read. Then there will will be the breakdown insurance provided when new and various welcome messages and PR docs.Then, if you persevere you may uncover service stamps at the back of one such document which the dealer failed to notice when penning his advert.
Edited by Lester H on Monday 14th April 17:28
Baldchap said:
ScoobyChris said:
QuickQuack said:
We've owned Mrs QQ's BMW X1 from brand new and it's now coming up to 7 years old (Nov 2018). So far, all the services have been at the BMW dealer we ordered the car from. It's now time for its next oil and filter change and the BMW price is £450 for something that'll probably take them 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure that our local independent garage will be a lot cheaper.
Surprised they're asking that much for it - my 6-cyl petrol 1-series was £250 for basic oil and filter change at local main dealer and ~£450 for the major (including spark plugs) so I stuck with them rather than using my local independent BMW specialist who were asking always quoting more! At resale, I was told the full BMW history made it more desirable but, in real terms, I suspect it's not that significant as long as the iDrive shows a FSH.Chris
Fox- said:
I think you should check the price again because a basic oil service on a 2018 X1 is much less than £450. I've generally found the main dealers are quite competitive on price for scheduled servicing, whilst there are many reasons people may decide to use a specialist instead I think saving large amounts of money on scheduled servicing probably isn't one of them.
Seriously guys, that's what they're asking for, it really only for oil and filter changes, nothing else and apparently that's discounted from £540! It's absolutely mental! 
I think we'll go with the independent route, thanks all.
Do you get a stamp in the book for an oil and filter change? I don't think so - in which case go indy and keep the receipt.
For servicing, a dealer stamp is important for some buyers, particularly on cars over a certain value. It's enough to make a buyer choose another rather than yours if a stamp is missing.
For servicing, a dealer stamp is important for some buyers, particularly on cars over a certain value. It's enough to make a buyer choose another rather than yours if a stamp is missing.
I do all my own servicing now and just keep a spreadsheet with everything listed and keep all the receipts. My spreadsheet gives a lot more detail of what I have done and the frequency (than the service book does) and I record on the receipts the date and mileage it was done. When it’s things like valve clearance adjustment (S2000) I keep a record of the before and after values 
Granted, my cars are 1999, 2007 and 2017, so all well outside of warranty.
Granted, my cars are 1999, 2007 and 2017, so all well outside of warranty.
Edited by T5SOR on Tuesday 15th April 07:53
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff