[Bazn]

I was having this conversation with my wife earlier in the week after having a 5th annual service on our Vauxhall Antara...

We've always been on the side of keeping to main dealer servicing for our cars as we tend to hold onto them for 4/5 years and sell them in generally exceptional condition. But the minor service on the Antara came in at over £400 and had us thinking about the pros/cons of the two options.

What are peoples thoughts on this age old arguement? Is it worth the extra few hundred pounds on each service going via a main dealer on the end resale value/ease of selling?

[robbiep]

I'll start by saying that seems a ridiculous price for a minor service on a Vauxhall.

BMW do offer 'value' servicing on cars over 4 years old, which means they are pretty competitive with independent garages. For example, I get intermediate oil/filter changes carried out on my 325d (I don't like this 18k oil change interval, don't think it's good for engine longevity. But that's another matter entirely). Normal price £190 or so. 'Value' price £140.
Though you may need to 'remind' the dealer to apply the lower price, or check and get the price from the BMW website first.

Once you get past 5 or 6 years old though, you aren't likely to get much (if any) 'goodwill' on a major component failure, so keeping main agent servicing going past that point probably isn't worth it.

[Martin2C]

I do wonder sometimes, but mine is still in warranty so I'd rather it was done at the main dealer. I've just had the 80k service and it cost £655. That's about £80 more than I paid for a 40k (so major) service on the Boxster, same interval.

[HighlandPete]

I'm running an extended warranty, so BMW servicing is really essential. Service history can be interrogated in claims, such as engine failure.

Out of warranty examples, you may benefit with BMW "goodwill" in the event of a major failure. Service history being under the BMW umbrella can help. As mentioned, the 4-year plus servicing can be competitive.

Good independent servicing, with detailed service records, acceptable to many used car buyers. Almost expect it with older cars, as long as there is an initial full BMW history and detailed servicing as the car ages.

[The Beast]

I have always gone with dealer servicing, as I have sold cars once they reach between 4 & 5 years old. I think it just makes them a little more marketable and easy to move on privately with the dealer stamps at this age.

However I have gone against the norm and my F10 is now 6 years old. I really like it and didn't see the point in upgrading it for a newer F10, nothing else took my fancy when I would usually switch around a year ago...

So I'm seriously considering using a BMW specialist this time around as my car is due a service (& two new rear springs!). Initial quotes for the service are circa 45% cheaper than BMW value servicing with quality replacement parts/oil and 35% cheaper using original BMW parts and oil...

[shiner]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

I'm running an extended warranty, so BMW servicing is really essential. Service history can be interrogated in claims, such as engine failure.

Out of warranty examples, you may benefit with BMW "goodwill" in the event of a major failure. Service history being under the BMW umbrella can help. As mentioned, the 4-year plus servicing can be competitive.

Good independent servicing, with detailed service records, acceptable to many used car buyers. Almost expect it with older cars, as long as there is an initial full BMW history and detailed servicing as the car ages.

Contentious point maybe, but not are you sure it is essential to have BMW service history if it is under extended warranty? Wasn't there an EU ruling against that sort of thing? As long as you can demonstrate the car was serviced in accordance with the manufacturers instructions then that should be adequate.
This is an important point to me as well since I am looking into taking out the extended warranty too in December. I have the 60000 mile service pack and I am only on 33000 currently. However, the service pack does not include brake pads/disks and I am not inclined to pay the ludicrous sums BMW want to replace these. Pads alone on the front they want £290. Let alone the disks and that's not even including the rears....

[turboblue]

Legally I think you are right. EU Competition rules mean BMW could not reject a warranty claim simply on the basis that you used a non-franchised garage.

However you have already identified the problem...

"As long as you can demonstrate the car was serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions then that should be adequate."

The issue is that if the car was serviced by an official BMW garage - then this box is ticked - end of story.

If you had work done by an unofficial garage - then the onus is on you to prove that the work was done in accordance with BMW workshop guidance, using specialised BMW tools (where required) and using only proper BMW parts etc etc.

So if they want to dispute your claim - they have many more opportunities to raise awkward questions.So it could take a lot more time and hassle to resolve.

In some ways it may be legitimate - a non-franchised garage mucks about with something which subsequently fails - they will have no idea whether your garage messed something up...

(Whether a BMW garage is really less likely to mess up a repair than an independent is another matter entirely - but the point is if a franchised dealer messes up then it is BMW's problem, not yours).

Ultimately you probably need to put a value on the time and the aggravation involved if something goes wrong, and balance that against the cost saving / likleihood of something going wrong. Your propensity will probably change depending on whether it is a set of brake pads or a timing chain which is being replaced...

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by shiner

Contentious point maybe, but not are you sure it is essential to have BMW service history if it is under extended warranty? Wasn't there an EU ruling against that sort of thing? As long as you can demonstrate the car was serviced in accordance with the manufacturers instructions then that should be adequate.

This is an important point to me as well since I am looking into taking out the extended warranty too in December. I have the 60000 mile service pack and I am only on 33000 currently. However, the service pack does not include brake pads/disks and I am not inclined to pay the ludicrous sums BMW want to replace these. Pads alone on the front they want £290. Let alone the disks and that's not even including the rears....

The actual clause from BMW's Insured Warranty T&Cs:

1. a) Care of the Vehicle - you must keep your vehicle in an efficient and road worthy condition and regularly service it in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and genuine parts, or parts of equivalent specification must be used.

b) After each service, please ensure that the relevant service details are completed in your service records by the servicing garage and obtain a VAT receipt for the service. You must keep all such receipts for reference in the event of a claim.

As has been said by turboblue, proving the correct service regime is key.

From my perspective, having had engine failure in my E39, and seeing the way BMW get involved, before authorizing a new engine, don't under estimate how crucial the BMW service regime is, how BMW scrutinize it.

I've just fitted new front discs and pads to my 535i, used Brembo components. Brembo clearly state their parts are to (and/or exceed) OEM specification. Clearly can't claim against the parts I fitted, or any consequential damage caused by faulty Brembo parts. That is a small risk, but a risk all the same.

For something like my N55 engine, I'd not let anyone other than a BMW garage touch it, even get the BMW garage to make the extra interim oil changes. No way would I want BMW turning down a claim if anything went seriously wrong with it. For example, timing chain guides, valvetronic malfunction, or oil/water pump failure causing an engine disaster.

[roundy]

Mines a 2011 and had a full dealer BMW service history before i purchased it. I took the car to a BM specialist for piece of mind to have everything checked over. I'll continue to use the specialist unless something happens they can't diagnose / fix.

When i sold my partners 2007 Z4 that some dealers, specialist and good rep local garages history and we managed to get top £££ for it.