Service History Advice

[MichaelPorter80]

A rather long question...

Just picked up a Z4M new to me. New pads and discs all round, I’ve just put on new Pilot SS all round. The car has full main dealer stamps albeit with some oddities which I’ve shared below. The last service was carried out in April 2018 car now has 53k so has done 5k in the last year, service indicator says nearly 9k miles before next is required.

The services say;

Owner 1
Running In - 1361 2006
Oil Service - 7324 2007
Inspection 1 - 17146 2008
Inspection 1 (again!?) - 27122 2010

Owner 2
Oil Service - 35878 2014
Oil Service - 47944 2018 (4 year gap)

The 27122 and 35878 are the wrong way around in the book... i.e. the 35k is in the 4th space and the 27k is in the 5th.... and I think therefore the services ticked may actually be right but the dates and stamps wrong... this would mean it has alternated between Oil and Inspection 1, for the last 5 services! I have the invoices for the 27122 and the 47944 but not the 35878...

There is a question in here somewhere...! I am having an Indy look at it tomorrow checking Vanos; Oil Pressure and a general look see... based on mileage and the above I’m thinking an Inspection 2 would be a good idea regardless??

What do you guys think? Does seem weird that it would be serviced at 47944 at Marshall Hampshire last year and they wouldn’t do an Inspection 2 at that time? Could the owner have said don’t bother just do an Oil Service? Any advice welcome.

[buzyg]

Yep agree with your thoughts. Service intervals and order are a bit odd, but nothing I would worry about, if the car is running well.

The extra oil change is fine. But is now giving the wrong impression, as to when the ins 2 is due. By my reckoning it's due right about now.

Be sure to get the valve clearance check and recorded. The gear box oil and diff oil changed along with the ins 2.

Should be around the £600 mark.

Happy Zedding.

[srhutch]

As above inspection 2 due around now.

The problem with main dealers now is they don’t service these cars properly, some have switched to CBS which isn’t the same as intended when these cars were sold.

Get your inspection 2 done then you have a new base line.

[survivalist]

I've heard different things from different BMW dealers. Is there a time/mileage recommendation?

I've erred on the side of caution and alternated Oil Service with Inspection Service. So:

Running In
Oil
Inspection I
Oil
Inspection II

As I only used it as my daily for 18 months the above was on time, as the milage is pretty low.

[R60BBA]

OP,

From what you’ve provided it seems as if Owner 2 cheaped out.

Owner 2 did 4 years on the same oil...where as Owner 1 serviced the car nearly every year.

For peace of mind I would put it in for Inspection 2 and replace all fluids (engine oil, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, gearbox oil and diff oil [using the FM booster fluid]) and do an air-con regas.

Once done I would change the oil every 6/7,000 miles following the below schedule:

Oil service
Inspection 1
Oil service
Inspection 2.

I would also get an oil report to asses the wear of your engine, and consider a rod bearing service depending on the outcome of your report.

[abar121]

Give Marshall BMW a call. They should be able to tell you whats been done. Most main dealers keep records by reg plate.

[srhutch]

Bear in mind there is no issue having a couple of oil services done between inspection services if you are only doing a couple of K per year.

My car will have inspection services every 6 years with approx 12k between them.

[MichaelPorter80]

Inspection 2 done! Auxiliary belt changed... apparently I have a very “clean” car! Very happy with Iridium in Hampshire great explanations, patience and care!

Then drove home and was reversing into a space, and when I press the clutch in whilst in gear at almost 0mph I hear a rattle, not loud enough to hear it outside the car, and not something I’ve heard before (in the 5 days I’ve owned the car) but noticeable... I don’t know if this has anything to do with the service and they have said they didn’t notice it... so question, am I going mad? Is this something I should worry about? The car has rattled when I turn off the ignition since day 1 but I’ve been assured that’s normal... is this?

[Bing]

I had to have an aux belt changed at one of my services, caught it just in time actually.

The rattle on ignition off is normal - depress the clutch and switch off and it won’t happen. No idea what it is. As for your other rattle when reversing, can’t help with that one I’m afraid as I’ve not noticed it with mine. However, these cars make unfamiliar and different noises at all different speeds and I was paranoid about every sound for a long time after getting in mine. Wait till you drive down the outside lane of a motorway and hear the sound of the engine reflecting back at you from the central reservation barrier