Bought Approved Used BMW - doesnt have FSH - advice needed!

[a_bloke]

I bought my 535d from a main dealer last june with 39K miles. The service indicator said it was ok for a further 15K miles. I was told the car had a BMW FSH, but i noticed there were stamps in the book missing.

I subsequently have asked them to fill in the missing stamps, which i believed was a matter of routine.

It turns out they only have a service history for it being done at 16K miles. They have checked both locally, nationally and southern ireland (i live in NI) and they cant find any evidence of it being serviced.

This means that the only provable history shows 16K, then nothing until 52K when i got it serviced.

The dealership are looking a bit shifty about it all and are asking what i would want them to do to resolve this. They have also suggested that come trade in time they would value the car as if it had a full history come trade in time, which is very limiting for me.


Are there any dealers on / anyone with actual experience in this area that can advise what i can do? Obviously i now have a car that will be worth significantly less than one with a FBMWSH.

All i can find on their Approved Used site is

Introduction
If you are looking for a used BMW, there is only one word you need to search for: Approved. With an Approved Used BMW, we take care of everything else:

Unlimited mileage 12 month BMW warranty
12 month BMW Emergency Service cover in the UK and Continental Europe
Full 12 month MOT (if needed)
More than 120 rigorous checks by trained BMW technicians
Full road test after which any mechanical faults are rectified using genuine BMW parts
Fully verified mileage and vehicle history*

• If the car has been imported it is not possible to check the mileage and vehicle history prior to its first registration in the UK.

Clearly they didnt do the fully verified mileage and vehicle history check, but what does that mean now?

Thanks in advance

[MarkwG]

I suggest talking to Trading Standards: then to BMW Hq, sounds like someone dropped the ball.

[Soovy]

Get them to do a swap for a similar car with the FBMWSH.

Then it's their problem.

[mercGLowner]

Soovy said:

Get them to do a swap for a similar car with the FBMWSH.

Then it's their problem.

Completely agree. Ball is firmly in your court and you hold all the aces here, they messed up BIG time and failed to do the necessary checks for an AUC car. For all you know your car has only been serviced once before your ownership and without proof to the contrary is worth significantly less. A well written and pointed letter to BMW customer services (HQ) is also necessary stating exactly the outcome you want.

[christer]

MarkwG said:

sounds like someone dropped the ball.

Yep.

I know it sounds like hassle but take theother posters advice and insist on a similar replacement vehicle. It will be worth it in the long run especially if you are not keeping the car for a loooong time.

Let us know how you get on.

[rfn]

Soovy said:

Get them to do a swap for a similar car with the FBMWSH.

Then it's their problem.

Listen to Soovy. This is what you should do.

[okgo]

IIRC as part of the AUC rules it has to be FBMWSH anyway. So as soovy has said its their problem as they are in breach of what AUC stands for.

Edited by okgo on Tuesday 7th July 16:54

[KenD]

a_bloke said:

It turns out they only have a service history for it being done at 16K miles. They have checked both locally, nationally and southern ireland (i live in NI) and they cant find any evidence of it being serviced.

So does this mean the car was an import from republic of Ireland?
If so they have an exclusion as they cannot check vehicle history.

[a_bloke]

KenD said:

a_bloke said:

It turns out they only have a service history for it being done at 16K miles. They have checked both locally, nationally and southern ireland (i live in NI) and they cant find any evidence of it being serviced.

So does this mean the car was an import from republic of Ireland?
If so they have an exclusion as they cannot check vehicle history.

No it was supplied locally by a northern ireland dealer. They checked the south as the guy lived near the border. Its a full UK car, sold by a main dealer.

Edited by a_bloke on Tuesday 7th July 17:38

[MitchT]

a_bloke said:

They have also suggested that come trade in time they would value the car as if it had a full history come trade in time, which is very limiting for me.

A promise which they will conveniently forget having ever made when trade-in time actually arrives. Swap for a comparable vehicle that does have the correct history or get your money back.

[Olf]

BMW corp would look very dimly upon this. I'd give the dealer a chance to rectify per Soovy suggestion and then talk to Bracknell.

[a_bloke]

Cheers for all your support guys.

My thinking is to give them to the end of the week to prove the car has a full BMWSH (which i dont think they are going to be able to do as it would need to be on their central computer as having had that service, and not just a service stamp, and it isnt)

If / when they cant, then i will insist the car is replaced with a similar car that has a FSH OR for them to buy the car off me. That way i can ensure they're not using 'smoke and mirrors' to make it look like they're giving me a 'great' trade in price.

[mercGLowner]

Maybe worth a quick phone call to BMW UK, just to guage their reaction when you explain the situation.

['Yadi]

BMW uk have been spot on helping me sort out problems re: AUC car and the less than perfect after-sales care from the selling dealership. Get them involved and let the dealership know. There was a distinct difference in approach from the dealership once customer services were driving the solution forward.

[texasjohn]

a_bloke said:

Cheers for all your support guys.

My thinking is to give them to the end of the week to prove the car has a full BMWSH (which i dont think they are going to be able to do as it would need to be on their central computer as having had that service, and not just a service stamp, and it isnt)

If / when they cant, then i will insist the car is replaced with a similar car that has a FSH OR for them to buy the car off me. That way i can ensure they're not using 'smoke and mirrors' to make it look like they're giving me a 'great' trade in price.

It seems to me that the main inducement for you to buy the car in the first place was the fact that AUC guarantees FBMWSH and as such you have a very good case for redress. Threaten legal action on the basis of misrepresentation if they try and refuse.

ETA: Assuming of course that they cannot find the missing FSH!

Edited by texasjohn on Tuesday 7th July 21:32

[bazking69]

An AUC sold without FBMWSH...naughty.
Speak to the DP about the situation and put some pressure on him to see what he is willing to do to resolve the issue to your satisfaction.

[Vroomer]

Don't mess about with the dealer – get straight on to BMW HQ.

BMW vest their good name in the AUC scheme and will certainly sort the matter out.

[okgo]

Vroomer said:

Don't mess about with the dealer – get straight on to BMW HQ.

BMW vest their good name in the AUC scheme and will certainly sort the matter out.

It will be the DP's choice how things are sorted not some pen pusher at Bracknell.

[Vee]

Pen pusher will pressure the dealer.

[okgo]

Vee said:

Pen pusher will pressure the dealer.

The dealer has many many tiers of management.

This problem will go to the DP who will then just say to his sales manager, "sort this, give him that, I am too busy" and that will be the end of it.