[J2G!]

I purchased a six month old BMW 320d Luxury which did not come with a service book. After many emails, calls and visits to the dealer over the last month I was advised that the new 3 series does not come with a service book and that it is stored “electronically” at the dealer and on the car’s on board computer. I checked this with BMW UK and referred to the manual on the car and indeed the car should store past “service history” i.e. when it was last serviced.

My car was 7 months old with 15k miles on the clock when I bought it and as such specifically asked that the car be serviced prior to my collection. When I check the service history in the car’s on board computer it does not report ever having had a service. My problem was that the car has 15k miles on it and I do not know whether the car was serviced or not. I have been to the dealer twice to get a resolution and whilst they have provided me the "paper" invoice for the service they don't seem to know how to update the computer on the car to show that indeed a service was carried out at 15k miles last month.

I plan to write to BMW as the dealer does not know what it is doing with the new electronic service history - the staff didn't seem to have a clue about it and how to resolve it.

Anyone else had issues with the electronic service history or any ideas how I can get my car computer updated to state that it has indeed been service?

[Chris@codemybimmer]

when I had my E90 the dealer told me all the service logs were saved into your key fob and a record at the dealer (incase you lose your key fob they can rewrite it) and the data is entered by the service advisor
which is why they plug you keyfob into the reader every time you go in for a service
as far as I know the F30 uses this same system
so you should try talking to the service advisor, the sales people probably don't know how to do it.

hope that helps

[clarence]

My car didn't come with a service history booklet either, the sales told me it's all electronic.
BMW UK should have a central database with details on what has been done. Afterall, they managed to give me full details of a car made in 1992 back in 1998.

[David328M-Sport]

Originally Posted by J2G!

BMW 320d Luxury which did not come with a service book. I was advised that the new 3 series does not come with a service book and that it is stored “electronically” at the dealer and on the car’s on board computer.

Yep. That's the case now. Noticed it as soon as the sales guy handed me the folder of books.

[MarkW83]

As the cars have 'condition-based servicing', at 15k miles it may not have been 'due' for a service on the car's computer (that the dealer should also be able to read); my car has done just over 14k and is 16 months old, and is still 4k miles away from its first service.

AFAIK they can only accept/do a service +/-1000 miles either side of the stated mileage for the service (or I think a month either side of the service 'date' that's also displayed), so it's possible that the car hasn't had a service as they just were't allowed/able to do it, and perhaps they don't want to have to admit that (not really anything to worry about with such a new car still under warranty, though to have done 15k in 6 months it's obviously quite a high mileage). It will tell you when it's due for a service, which shouldn't be too far away if it's been eating up the miles; so I'd just wait until it's due, then get it straight in to put your mind at rest?

[J2G!]

I decided to buy it at 15k miles as was such a high Spec (was the MD of the dealerships car) and I only do about 7k miles a year. Because of the high miles I insisted that the dealer give it an oil change and indeed the computer states 20k miles until next oil change, however there is no way I can verify that the oil was actually changed (for service history purposes). When you go into the car computer "vehicle information" it should store the dates when the car was serviced so that on board the car you have in effect an electronic service history. I checked the manual and phoned BMW UK and they agreed the car should show when it was last serviced and to get the dealer to update the cars computer. When I speak to the dealer they don't have a clue about this, so I will try another dealer. What I am concerned about is if I go to sell the car I have nothing to prove it was serviced. The dealer did give me a paper copy of the service invoice for proof, but I would like the on board car computer to show that it had a service in September. I will continue to investigate.....

[Roarders]

I have heard of this before but it worries me slightly as my current 1 series Coupe came up on the dash when you started it that it needed a service, due to time constraints I couldn't get to the dealers for a service for another 1000 miles/4 weeks about 2 days before it went in the car had stopped reminding me that it needed a service, I thought it odd but thought it will be ok and I will mention it when I take it in.

On the day I arrived I sat down in the service reception where the guy took the key fob and put it in the reader and said it's not due a service why are you here, I told him that it had stopped reminding me and he just looked at me and said it's saying it doesn't need a service so I wouldn't bother. I insisted but he looked at me as though I was stupid.

Hope the F30 doesn't do this when it arrives in 2 weeks