[Consett Mag]

Maybe I'm asking for too much. The car app is asking for an oil change - it was last done at 34,000 miles.
I got the following reply from customer services:

Good afternoon

Thanks for your email about the service pack on your BMW 3 Series. I’m sorry to hear about this experience – I can understand why you’re frustrated.

We use condition based servicing (CBS) which is a system that uses sensors and advanced algorithms to monitor the conditions in which the vehicle is being used. CBS uses this information to calculate the service maintenance requirements, enabling adaptation of the scope of work required. Because of this, there’s no set date or mileage a BMW is serviced – only when the car advises you to do so.

The Service Inclusive pack covers services for five years or 50,000 miles – whichever comes first. Once these services have been used, the pack is no longer valid, regardless of the car’s age or mileage. This is defined in the terms and conditions of the service pack. Some lower mileage customers take the full five years or 50,000 miles to use their services. Higher mileage customers may use all the services earlier than five years.

If you feel you’ve been mis-sold the service plan, I’d recommend speaking to BMW Lloyd Newcastle about this – please let me know if you’d like me to ask the team to contact you.

I realise this isn’t the answer you were looking for and I’m sorry to disappoint you.

Kind regards

[Assassin]

Thats just a stock in trade reply which doesn't address your particular issue directly.

Do as others suggest and call BMW UK.............. you are likely to get a much more considered response. Hopefully in your favour.

[Wills2]

I'm really struggling with the info given by the OP to see what the gripe is here, the car will have been saying for some time I need a service yellow turning to red, if you've ignored that and gone over the service plan mileage/time frame allowance I don't see why you're looking to blame the dealer.

When I raised that as the basis for this issue, you try and gloss over it and say you didn't pay much attention to it....well there is your answer.

[Consett Mag]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I'm really struggling with the info given by the OP to see what the gripe is here, the car will have been saying for some time I need a service yellow turning to red, if you've ignored that and gone over the service plan mileage/time frame allowance I don't see why you're looking to blame the dealer.

When I raised that as the basis for this issue, you try and gloss over it and say you didn't pay much attention to it....well there is your answer.

I posted to ask the group for advice on what I needed to ask for in the service requirements of the car. If you're struggling with that then maybe the extra info has complicated my original post.

The key facts as I see them:
Car was serviced under a service plan at 18,000 and 34,000 miles. It then has had an end of warranty check and further check as part of a product recall since the last service.

The idrive has asked for an inspection service for a while - I didn't understand what it was asking, so ignored it. I do note your previous comment about not taking notice of it. Maybe I'm guilty of an error. If you feel "I was glossing over it" I can only state that the dealer has not said that this was a relevant factor.

The point of my angst against the dealer, and they may be totally correct in taking this attitude, is that when I presented the car for service, they said that the mileage was 200 miles OVER the service contract and therefore would be charged for. They did say that some service needs weren't due yet (maybe they meant the oil and filter). They didn't say it has missed an inspection service, but only that it was over mileage. If the oil only needs changing every 18,000 miles it could be that it wasn't due what I was asking for, though the idrive is asking for an oil change at 51,500 miles.

Moving on I'll get the service done and leave it at that. I'll get the best quality oil and oil filter, and have other things checked periodically. I don't know if I should change the fuel filter etc now.

But thanks to all that have offered me advice.

[AyrshireColin]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I'm really struggling with the info given by the OP to see what the gripe is here, the car will have been saying for some time I need a service yellow turning to red, if you've ignored that and gone over the service plan mileage/time frame allowance I don't see why you're looking to blame the dealer.

When I raised that as the basis for this issue, you try and gloss over it and say you didn't pay much attention to it....well there is your answer.

Yeah I agree with this 100%......sorry OP all on you to my mind.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Consett Mag

The point of my angst against the dealer, and they may be totally correct in taking this attitude, is that when I presented the car for service, they said that the mileage was 200 miles OVER the service contract and therefore would be charged for. They did say that some service needs weren't due yet (maybe they meant the oil and filter). They didn't say it has missed an inspection service, but only that it was over mileage. If the oil only needs changing every 18,000 miles it could be that it wasn't due what I was asking for, though the idrive is asking for an oil change at 51,500 miles.

If the car is saying an oil change isn't due until 51.5k miles I can understand why the dealer has taken the attitude they have. My understanding has always been that under a service pack you can have work carried out once it's within 1k miles of needing doing per the I-drive but if you're over the 50k limit already - and the car's saying there's still more than 1k miles to go before the service is actually required - I'm not surprised at the response you've got. It might seem harsh but they've got to draw the line somewhere and if they try to put something through on the service pack having entered a mileage that's over the agreed limit I daresay the claim would be refused and the dealer would just be left holding the baby for the work!

If the I-Drive was saying some work was required before the 50k limit was reached you could have had that done under the service pack if you'd booked it in; however, I'm not quite sure what that would be as mine has never needed anything doing in between services that would have been covered by the service pack?

It does sound like your dealer could have explained themselves a little better but if the service isn't needed until 51.5k miles - and the limit on the service pack is 50k miles - that's your answer to be honest!

[Scottiedog]

"Didn't understand what it was so ignored it" : there seems to be an admission of guilt there. I didn't understand what that beeping was in my house so I burned to death! An extreme analogy I know but Jesus what's wrong with people.