[Black16]

My service indicator is saying first service due in about 200 miles, my car has only done 7900 miles and I've only had it for 10 months.

I was under the impression and I don't know where I got this from but that the first service was after 15k or 2 years...


I know there are complex algorithms that determine when the car is due for a service but my question is do I have to service the car at a bmw dealership.

[NISFAN]

Lots of short trips = reduced service intervals. An issue with oil quality = reduced SI.

Has it all of a sudden changed?

[JonD]

What service was it saying is due?

[xenon]

Lots of short trips will do it. You're not obliged for a dealer to do it but you must have the only new BMW in the country without a service pack.

[robbiep]

You do not have to get it serviced by a BMW dealer.
But ... a dealer will probably by £150 or so for a oil and oil filter change. An independent will be more like £100.
So you save £50. And you destroy any good will that BMW might otherwise pay for in the future. You don't get your electronic service book filled in. You don't get any TSBs/updates applied (which would be done for free), for example the grommet issue that happened a year or so back.

Really, is it worth saving that little bit of money for ?

EDIT : in addition, if you have a warranty claim in the future, you'd better be able to show, absolutely without any chance of argument, that top-quality oil/filters were used. Because if you can't, then BMW can tell you to whistle.

[Tom Tallon]

Originally Posted by xenon

Lots of short trips will do it. You're not obliged for a dealer to do it but you must have the only new BMW in the country without a service pack.

Not so Xenon. I have no service pack but my service is showing due in 6000 miles which is at 20,000 miles or so!

[xenon]

I didn't think they would sell without the service pack - you get 100% back on residuals for unused conent and don't pay for the services

[SH89]

Just had my first service done yesterday, oil and micro filter change. I've covered 8600 miles and my car is 1 year 9 months. Cooper BMW charged me £255, an improvement over Stratstone who couldn't provide me with a price at all.

[Black16]

I had a quote of £320 but a friend of a friend from bmw is doing it for me now, for less than half the price!

[MWA]

OP sounds like we have very similar driving styles! Both get the fuel light popping up around 230miles, and I had my car's first service at 9500miles

Hard right foot and the sports + mode!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by MWA

OP sounds like we have very similar driving styles! Both get the fuel light popping up around 230miles, and I had my car's first service at 9500miles

Hard right foot and the sports + mode!

And I thought I was bad with only averaging 380 miles from a tank!

I can't be too hard on the car though as I averaged almost 18k between oil services.

[EvilDrPorkChop]

Originally Posted by MB16

My service indicator is saying first service due in about 200 miles, my car has only done 7900 miles and I've only had it for 10 months.

I was under the impression and I don't know where I got this from but that the first service was after 15k or 2 years...


I know there are complex algorithms that determine when the car is due for a service but my question is do I have to service the car at a bmw dealership.

The time scale is based on from when the car was PDI'd, so if it was a stock car that had been in stock for 14 months and was PDI'd on arrival the service indicator would come on. I've seen it before on cars that had been in stock for months.