New Bmw - 1st Service Due

k_bagpuss

Hello! I got a BMW on October 9th and it's now saying service due. The question is do I have to take it to the BMW garage to get it done or can I go anywhere? If I go elsewhere will it affect the resale value of the car? I'm a bit of a thicko when it comes to stuff like this!!

goonieman

You can get it serviced anywhere you want. How old is the car? If its new then it will affect your warrenty if you don't take it to a steeler. If its older you could always take it to a independant specialist rather than a "back street" garage.

15lsp

I think you will probably have to take it back to BMW to remove the service light. I had to do that on my MINI or you can buy kits off ebay to reset it.

peterg1965

I would take it to BMW, when you come to sell it it will be much easier and more desirable, provided the rest of the SH is from BMW of course. If it is an oil change service it will be less than £180 provided nothing else needs sorting out.

peterg1965

Sorry, there is also an article in todays Daily Telegraph (motoring supplement) about reseting a BMW service indicator for FREE, just by using the on board computer controls.

greyteam1959

k_bagpuss wrote:

Hello! I got a BMW on October 9th and it's now saying service due. The question is do I have to take it to the BMW garage to get it done or can I go anywhere? If I go elsewhere will it affect the resale value of the car? I'm a bit of a thicko when it comes to stuff like this!!

As far as I am aware if it is a new vehicle you can have it serviced by any garage and as long as it is serviced to the the manufacturers specifications it will NOT void your warranty.
It may affect the resale value tho........
Thing is if its a brand new £80 000 BMW it might be best to have it serviced by a main dealer........if its a secondhand £5000 job its not going to be worth paying thro the nose for a main dealer service.
A main dealer is going to charge in the region of £80 per hour.....your local garage might be charging £35 per hour

DavidHM

Edit: my previous post was entirely predicated on a new car having its first service.

Otherwise, a ready reckoner would be:

Less than three years old - main dealer;

Three - seven years old - independent specialist;

Seven to twelve years old - independent specialist or back street mechanic depending on how cherished the car is and how much you trust your mechanic

Twelve or more years old - DIY or back street, unless the car is a cherished example you want to preserve.

Tight_Git_3

I'd agree wilth DAVIDHM's ready reckoner...

One thing also worth noting, is that if a fault were to develop out of warranty, the car manufacturer will be more sympathetic to a claim. I know of an engine that vauxhall agreed to replace on a car just out of it's 3 year warranty.
They supplied the engine free of charge, and the owner had to pay the (expensive) labour, but still a good deal.

peterg1965

Just waiting for bagpuss to tell us details of his BMW!

anewman

If you can afford an expensive car, you can afford the expensive servicing, the expensive insurance and so on.

I really did not understand the woman who nosed in in front of me at the petrol station in a very expensive looking mercedes, as I was about to leave. Left me barely any space to get out whatsoever. I have an old heavy car without power steering. You'd think if she can afford a £20k+ car she'd have the common sense to use the technology and steer properly :mad:

Yes I am jealous :rotfl:

mookiandco

have you tried asking here:-

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum/default.asp

I have joined similar forums for my merc and smart and there are some really helpful and knowledgeable people around.