Zatmian

I need a recommendation for my situation.

I bought a 2018 BMW 530e with 59,080 miles from a private seller who acquired it from a car auction at a private school. The school provides cars to directors and auctions them every five years. The car's service history includes:

• December 2019: Minor service (oil and oil filter change, micro-filter) at 21,000 miles.
• May 2021: Major service (oil, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs, micro-filter change) at 41,000 miles.

According to the school’s auction administration, subsequent services were performed by their handyman using BMW parts, not by a dealer, and they cannot provide a detailed service history for these.

The iDrive system indicates that the next service is due in June 2025 or in 11,000 miles. However, I purchased a three-year protection plan that requires servicing the car every 12 months or 12,000 miles from the plan's activation date.

Given this situation, should I pay £800 for a service at a BMW dealer now, or wait until the iDrive system indicates service is due in June 2025 or in 11,000 miles?

Can I trust that the school performed the services, or is there a risk they may have simply reset the iDrive service dates?

Is it possible for anyone to reset iDrive without servicing car?

seanjordan20

At 59k the only services that should have been needed were oil changes and some filters unless brakes were needed. I'd say if you're worried about it just go get an oil change for peace of mind. Yes, anything can be reset without being serviced. Having a BMW serviced is not all what you think it is. All they do is look over the car to tell you what needs to be addressed and change the oil and filter as needed. It's more of a way to get you to spend money than it is to help you. They will not change anything before it is needed even oil and these oil change intervals have too many miles and should be changed out of cycle.

Zatmian

Many thanks

donpb

Anything can be considered service, and so that should not be a problem to adhere to per your extended warranty. Or was there specific wording defining service?

Zatmian

Many thanks for all of your kind advice.

My warranty plan is with AutoProtect and in their policy document that’s what they say for servicing


Servicing - The Vehicle must be serviced in line with the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines.
If the Vehicle has no service history, or the service history is incomplete, the Vehicle must be serviced by a VAT-registered garage within twelve months or 12,000 miles (whichever is sooner) from the date You bought the Vehicle. It must then be serviced in line with the manufacturer’s specifications, or every twelve months or 12,000 miles (whichever is the sooner). The servicing must be in line with the manufacturer’s specifications and must include the following:
7.9.1 Changing the engine oil and filter.
7.9.2 Checking oil levels in the gearbox and differential, and topping them up if necessary.
7.9.3 Checking the coolant level and the strength of the antifreeze or inhibitor, and topping up if necessary.
7.9.4 Checking the timing belt (if one is fitted) and renewing it if necessary.
7.9.5 Replacing the brake fluid in line with the manufacturer’s recommendation.
The interval between services must not go over the set time or mileage by more than 21 days or 750 miles. If any circumstances prevent the service from being carried out on time, You must immediately notify the Administrator.
You must keep proof of each service as the Administrator may need to check it if You make a claim. The only acceptable proof of servicing will be the fully detailed VAT service invoice, showing the date of the service and the mileage. You must keep all these invoices.