1st service @ 2 years

bob4333 · Post by **bob4333** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 1:49 pm

My 35i will be 2 years old on 4:11:2016, and has now covered just under 10,0000 miles. The service indicator in the display reads 15,000 and 10 2016 so looks like servicing due this month. This is the first BMW I've owned so a question:-

Am I waiting for a "service due" indicator to show itself, or will a dealer accept a booking on the basis that it's now 2 years old (bar 29 days)?

Also, what items have other owners had to have fixed at this time? The only thing I seem to have is a creaky roof lining panel when the interior has warmed up.

Apart from that all seems well.

jamie_z4 · Post by **jamie_z4** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:13 pm

the car should say on the computer what it needs, after 2years it'll want brake fluid any other worn components such as pads etc. The dealer wont give a toss weather its 2 years or 10 years, they will just happily take your money

stuartinzg · Post by **stuartinzg** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 5:14 pm

bob4333 wrote:My 35i will be 2 years old on 4:11:2016, and has now covered just under 10,0000 miles. The service indicator in the display reads 15,000 and 10 2016 so looks like servicing due this month. This is the first BMW I've owned so a question:-

Am I waiting for a "service due" indicator to show itself, or will a dealer accept a booking on the basis that it's now 2 years old (bar 29 days)?

Also, what items have other owners had to have fixed at this time? The only thing I seem to have is a creaky roof lining panel when the interior has warmed up.

Apart from that all seems well.

The N54 runs very hot, over a short space of time the oil grade suffers. BMW reduced their service intervals because of failures. If you want the car to last longer then I'd suggest indi-mid service oil/filter changes. I change mine every 4000 miles.

metal licker · Post by **metal licker** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:22 pm

My 35i had its first service a month or so ago with 11500 miles on it, only thing its had in that time is oil top ups which were free from BMW

Nanu · Post by **Nanu** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 7:30 pm

The service intervals will very much depend on what the car computer was initially set at. My car was set from the date of manufacture so the computer showed it required a service three months earlier that if set at 2 years from the date of first registration therefore first use.

I was confused and have asked 3 different dealerships and BMW UK and they cannot agree. Common sense would be that service intervals should be measured from when the car is first used but some dealerships say if the car has stood for a couple of months after manufacture the oil is starts to degrade. I went on the safe side and had it changed early that way you can't go wrong.

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:14 pm

Nanu wrote:The service intervals will very much depend on what the car computer was initially set at. My car was set from the date of manufacture so the computer showed it required a service three months earlier that if set at 2 years from the date of first registration therefore first use.

I was confused and have asked 3 different dealerships and BMW UK and they cannot agree. Common sense would be that service intervals should be measured from when the car is first used but some dealerships say if the car has stood for a couple of months after manufacture the oil is starts to degrade. I went on the safe side and had it changed early that way you can't go wrong.

I would err on the side of caution as well and service from the date of manufacture - the car has been stopped started many times before you get and may be in an open compound.

bob4333 · Post by **bob4333** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 8:49 am

Should have mentioned I took out the 5 year service / MOT pack when I bought the car (circa £450 IIRC), so BMW have already had their hand in my pocket. It's just the suspicious part of me says they'll not want to do more than they have to.

The car got to the dealer within about a week of it rolling off the line so the clock count will be there or there abouts.

I guess I'll just have to call the dealer and get it booked in. See what they say.

Interesting aside regarding the "5 Year Maintenance Pack". I'd checked the oil level at about 7500 miles and it showed just over 2/3 full (July just gone). This'll be fine until the service date I thought - not burning much. September, my wife and I were in the car nipping down the M5 to the south coast for a day out and a warning triangle appeared - "Oil". Interrogation said "Add 1 Litre", so not wishing to leave it I Googled the nearest dealer and came up with Westerly at Exeter - 11 miles away.

"Yes Sir, oil top ups are free" said the service man. "Bring the car around to the bay and we'll book it in and do it for you".

"How long will that take?"

"Maybe 3/4 of an hour".

"OK but it's lunch time (stomach rumbling) and I'm out for the day, pass me the oil and I'll go put it in".

"Sorry, we have to do it".

"That's nuts - just pass the oil over please".

"Sorry Sir, BMW policy".

"**&%$$$" - or something like that.

We achieved a good old British compromise. I bought the oil for £14 and went out and put it in. As our American chums would say "Go Figure"

PS - I know I didn't burn 2/3 of a litre of oil between July and September or I'd have been motoring around like a Grimsby trawler, and it certainly hasn't leaked onto the garage floor - I think I'd notice. So don't necessarily believe what the oil gauge tells you.

Anyway, here's a gratuitous pic (because I know we all like these things) of the car - full of oil.

bob4333 · Post by **bob4333** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:04 am

The answer to my original question is no, it doesn't appear to have to be to the exact date or wait for a service indicator to appear.

Car booked in with my local Sytner dealer for next Tuesday, 18 October. So just short of an exact 2 years.

HillWalker · Post by **HillWalker** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:32 am

My 35is will be 2 yrs old by mid November, but as of the end of this month will be on a sorn and not on the road till spring, so by the time it gets its 2yr service it will be 5 months overdue, will this effect the warranty, and I certainly don't want to get it done early as its only done four and a half thousand miles as it is.

tomscott · Post by **tomscott** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 12:09 pm

HillWalker wrote:My 35is will be 2 yrs old by mid November, but as of the end of this month will be on a sorn and not on the road till spring, so by the time it gets its 2yr service it will be 5 months overdue, will this effect the warranty, and I certainly don't want to get it done early as its only done four and a half thousand miles as it is.

The computer alters for mileage done. But I would have it done early.

bob4333 · Post by **bob4333** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 2:05 pm

HillWalker wrote:........................so by the time it gets its 2yr service it will be 5 months overdue,......

Servicing is time or mileage, whichever occurs first, plus input from the cars sensors to pick up on driving conditions. I'd honestly get it done now whilst there's still October's road tax on the car.

Two reasons:-

1 Don't give BMW any wriggle room (just in case).

2 If ever you come to sell the car you maybe don't want the record to show it was 5 months overdue for it's first service.

Plus if it's on a 5 year service plan you've lost nothing......?

Bob

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 2:15 pm

My previous car was a Dec 2010 car and had a service Dec 2012 & 2014 (service plan)- The car was due to be sorned at the end of Nov so with this in mind I contacted the BMW warranty and the told me that the lay up wouldn't be a problem - I would keep the SORN docs tho!

HillWalker · Post by **HillWalker** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 9:10 pm

Thanks for that ronk, that's a good idea to keep the sorn documents I hadn't thought of that, in fact I'll probably keep them every year from now on to show its never been on the road during the winter months to any future owner, not as I plan to sell it as long as I'm fit enough to drive it.

Nictrix · Post by **Nictrix** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:48 am

Im sure someone on here a while ago said they tried to get a service done early and the dealer said they couldnt do it until the car said it was time. A lot of nonsense really but I think it had something to do with the 5 year service plan where they were refusing to service a car just before the service plan ran out saying it wasnt ready to be serviced. Just trying to get extra money from you.

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