Z4MR Service history query

A

AndyT

Member
Would love some owners opinion on service history.

I’ve been looking for a low mileage Z4MR and one has come up which ticks nearly every box with circa 30k miles however there is a 7 year stint in the middle with no service history but the car did less than 10,000 miles in this period which is backed up with a good mot history.

I’m aware the oil should be changed every 2 years as a minimum regardless of mileage but according to the computer the service wasn’t due :headbang:

2 questions really, could this cause me significant issues and would you walk away?

Just want to get behind the wheel but if the right one :driving: :driving:

All other services seem to be inspection 1 or 2 are regular.

I’ll be getting an inspection ii done straight away and a full inspection by Redish Motorsport.

Most Z4Ms I’ve looked at with being low mileage have a gap of 4 or 5 years in history at some point but this is the first with 7 I’ve considered.

All opinions appreciated.
 
That's a tricky one.

I'm fairly new to M ownership, but although mine did very few miles for 4/5 years fortunately it never went longer than two and a half years without an oil service and only did 3,000 miles in that time.

Can you tell from the MOT history when most of the mileage happened during those 7 years? I'd be a bit less concerned if most of the 10K or so was done within the first couple of years after it was last serviced.

Given how few Ms there are I'd probably live with a higher mileage example that had a better history, like the two for sale on here. Then you don't need to worry the same about putting some mileage on the car either!

Good luck whatever you decide. :thumbsup:
 
If you had 2 almost identical cars at the same price, with the only exception being one was missing the bi-annual oil services, then you'd go for the one with the more complete service history.

But at such a low mileage, I'd be wanting to know if it's been a dry-stored garage queen, or just put away after a weekend thrash with no concern about crud/rot build up!

Can you detail the mileage/regularity of the Inspections listed, as I'm not sure what you mean by "All other services seem to be inspection 1 or 2 are regular" as at that mileage it would probably only just had it's first Inspection 1?

If it's had annual/bi-annual Inspection 1s or 2s, then the missing oil services are irrelevant, as the Inspections include an oil service anyway.

...and if you do think it could be the one for you, then maybe get Redish to do a PRE-PURCHASE inspection before parting with any money :thumbsup:


...sorry, just seen it's a Roadster...forget it then, they're all horrible tatty things :P
 
In theory I was in this exact same position last month on this Z4MR: https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=129400. It had gone 8 years without new oil. Being honest I still wanted to buy it as the asing price was £17.5k. The cost / risk balanced itself out. They used a mileage discrepancy as the reson for forcing it to auction (probably knowing they'd get more with no liability).

On such a low milage car its only likey to have got to its first and second inspection. If its needed more than that over those miles its been driven hard. Redish have no space for a pre-inspection before September when I asked. You could still ask for an oil inspection to try and gauge early engine wear.

If the asking price reflects the gap, and you know you'll take a hit when you sell it, I'd personally take the risk.
 
Perhaps you have to think ahead, as to when you want to sell that same car. Is the lack of servicing, going to put off your prospective buyers in the future years?

Then your question is answered.
 
Thanks for all the opinions, which pretty much reflect everything going round in my head.

I’m really undecided as I know I have to compromise somewhere but is history one I should compromise on, perhaps not. Saying that, I’ve also had cars a lot newer or even brand new with more than their fare share of issues.

One thing is it’s always a gamble as you don’t know how a car has been driven or if tracked, especially if a lot of previous owners. I guess you just have to roll the dice sometimes :headbang:
 
Andy, I think with our sensible hats on we, or more importantly, our wallets become risk adverse, particularly when buying something like this.

As you say many newer, fancier and more expensive and exotic cars have issues. Your concerns have a good baseline in that you have no idea how this car was treated or driven during the low mileage it has covered.

I now treat these things all the same, we all strive for the best we can, lowest mileage/owners, best colour/spec, best/bargain price etc etc but now I’m allegedly older and wiser (allegedly I said :wink:) it always comes down to a couple of things, what’s my gut telling me and there’s always another that’ll be better for me if I don’t think this one is.

That of course is mostly based on patience, which not a lot of us, including me, are blessed with when we want something, especially a man maths funded fun car :lol:
 
As mmmfive says,if its been garaged, looked after when used,put away correctly and had inspection 1 and inspection 2 services in its time,then maybe worth thinking about.
I would get Reddish,etc to check it over,Prior to any purchase, and gettheor thoughts on it.

If it's only had oil services and no inspection and ibsp2's,then that would concern me, as no valve clearance checks or shims would have been done, which is a worry,given the length of time/age of car,regardless of mileage.

Personally, I would want a more complete service history, but take on board the above advice, and see what Reddish thinks of the car :thumbsup:
Hope that helps :D
 
It would certainly put me off.

I've done fewer than 10k miles in the last 7 years of ownership and have had every service/inspection completed on time including all the brake fluid changes, etc.

If there are no gaps in the MOT history (i.e. it hasn't been laid up in storage) then there's no excuses for not getting it serviced.
 
@AndyT

Can you clarify what was meant by your comment:
AndyT said:
"All other services seem to be inspection 1 or 2 are regular"
Click to expand...

Has it had Inspection 1 or Inspection 2 services in place of bi-annual oil services? If so, it has actually been 'over-serviced' :P
 
mmm-five said:
@AndyT

Can you clarify what was meant by your comment:
AndyT said:
"All other services seem to be inspection 1 or 2 are regular"
Click to expand...

Has it had Inspection 1 or Inspection 2 services in place of bi-annual oil services? If so, it has actually been 'over-serviced' :P
Click to expand...

It appears to have alternating inspection 1 and 2 every 2 years apart from the 7 year break when it’s had nothing.

The owner was under the belief that servicing was only when the computer says based on mileage and not time as well.

I’m really torn as the car is the specs I want, but worried the engine may have been damaged with the mot history showing approx 1300 miles every year during the 7 years, so it’s done about 7000 miles with oil over 2 years old.
 
AndyT said:
It appears to have alternating inspection 1 and 2 every 2 years apart from the 7 year break when it’s had nothing.

The owner was under the belief that servicing was only when the computer says based on mileage and not time as well.

I’m really torn as the car is the specs I want, but worried the engine may have been damaged with the mot history showing approx 1300 miles every year during the 7 years, so it’s done about 7000 miles with oil over 2 years old.
Click to expand...
Thanks.

Sounds like it's been serviced for 7 years...Inspections instead of oil services...then nothing for the remaining 7 years :o

Is it the same owner throughout, or did it change hands at about the same time as the servicing schedule flipped from 'over-servicing' to 'under-servicing'?


You're in a bit of a Catch-22 situation.

If you feel it's the car for you, all you can do it give it a full inspection 2 when you buy it, and then do 6 monthly oil changes (with oil analysis) to check there's no engine issues...but then you've already bought it and spent lots of money!

You could also wait for the perfect car, with the perfect history, but can still end up with identical engine issue purely through chance.

I'd probably go for a higher mileage one (I don't mean a 160,000+ one of course) with a solid service history...and if it's anywhere over 70,000 miles then budget for the preventative rod bearing change (or start regular oil analysis to mitigate it somewhat).
 
mmm-five said:
AndyT said:
It appears to have alternating inspection 1 and 2 every 2 years apart from the 7 year break when it’s had nothing.

The owner was under the belief that servicing was only when the computer says based on mileage and not time as well.

I’m really torn as the car is the specs I want, but worried the engine may have been damaged with the mot history showing approx 1300 miles every year during the 7 years, so it’s done about 7000 miles with oil over 2 years old.
Click to expand...
Thanks.

Sounds like it's been serviced for 7 years...Inspections instead of oil services...then nothing for the remaining 7 years :o

Is it the same owner throughout, or did it change hands at about the same time as the servicing schedule flipped from 'over-servicing' to 'under-servicing'?


You're in a bit of a Catch-22 situation.

If you feel it's the car for you, all you can do it give it a full inspection 2 when you buy it, and then do 6 monthly oil changes (with oil analysis) to check there's no engine issues...but then you've already bought it and spent lots of money!

You could also wait for the perfect car, with the perfect history, but can still end up with identical engine issue purely through chance.

I'd probably go for a higher mileage one (I don't mean a 160,000+ one of course) with a solid service history...and if it's anywhere over 70,000 miles then budget for the preventative rod bearing change (or start regular oil analysis to mitigate it somewhat).
Click to expand...

Different owners which is what’s caused the change.

Seems to be a common theme, there was another that’s only had an oil service and an inspection 1 in 15 years but is listed as full BMW service history :headbang:
 
AndyT said:
I’m really torn as the car is the specs I want, but worried the engine may have been damaged with the mot history showing approx 1300 miles every year during the 7 years, so it’s done about 7000 miles with oil over 2 years old.
Click to expand...

With such limited use I might be tempted if it ticked every box!

Especially given that the UK seems to have got around 120 MRs in Interlagos Blue with black leather going by this:- http://perso.numericable.fr/tonyz4c/index.html

Over a decade later how many of those will have done so few miles?

I'd rather pay less for one with more miles and better history, but it's your choice.
 
danmiddle2 said:
I presume you are talking about this car? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164891863575
Click to expand...

If that's the case, then it's far from full service history. Who knows, maybe large gap in oil changes / lack of use, contributed to the Vanos needing to be rebuilt at such a low mileage. I wouldn't be paying a premium for that one, although no doubt, it's a lovely example.
 
abar121 said:
danmiddle2 said:
I presume you are talking about this car? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164891863575
Click to expand...

If that's the case, then it's far from full service history. Who knows, maybe large gap in oil changes / lack of use, contributed to the Vanos needing to be rebuilt at such a low mileage. I wouldn't be paying a premium for that one, although no doubt, it's a lovely example.
Click to expand...

Yup - seller's parents bought it in 2014 when it was due for a service, didn't bother by the looks of it and just drove it for a year, as did the seller for another 4 years, until something went wrong and it needed sorting.

Have you got the reg to check the MOT history? also ask for a phot of the wheels, lets you see what sort of tyres are on there and perhaps get the date sode to see if they've been scrimped on as well.
 
didnt they use some funky rubber on the vanos seals which means that regardless of use, all of them are now shot and should be replasced by besian parts. The Buna rubber they use is known to break down over time, so yeah...
 
I'd go and have a look at it, meet the owner and check the condition of the car. It'll be pretty obvious if it's been looked after or tracked to an inch of its life.

The gap in the service history wouldn't bother me, just go in low and leave yourself some money to change the bearings if it'll give you peace of mind.

At the end of the day the cars are getting older, service history will be replaced with condition at some point. I wouldn't buy a shitter if it had full bmwsh etc etc.
 
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