[icanhazbeast?]

Are there still folks with access to BMW service records active on the board? I'm hoping to get the full records on my M5 to flush out the information I have from Carfax and my somewhat vague memories of what the dealer showed me when I bought it. Last part of the VIN is CF92484.

Thanks!

 

[OptimusPrimeM5]

Does BMW not allow you to request this from the service department with a copy of your registration? I plan to do this when I get mine and want to know the protocol.

 

[icanhazbeast?]

I'm not sure, searching found some folks who had an easy time and others who met roadblocks. A lot of that was pre-purchase though. I was hoping to leverage the board's resources. Failing that I'll give the BMW dealer in Houston I bought from a call and see what they will be willing to give me.

 

[OptimusPrimeM5]

I'd be curious what hoops they make you jump through and if your successful unless a board member here steps up first of course.

 

[Trouble]

I tried to get the SA at BMW of Austin to do this for me. He finally did, butbthe print out is lacking at best. The reason he was so hesitant is apparently the print out has the previous owners personal info on it. He just blacked itnout with marker before giving it to me. I would like to find a more descriptive list of warranty work myself. Hope you get what you're looking for.

 

[icanhazbeast?]

The car fax has some decent info on it, oil changes, alignments, etc. Then it has "body serviced" and similar vague descriptors for things that are less than helpful. I bought it from Momentum West in Houston, hopefully that will be enough leverage to get them cough up something useful barring help from folks here.

Similar experience here in town, they had a 03 with 75k I test drove before I bought mine. They blacked out the personal info and let me see their records. They weren't willing to comment on the ominous noises coming from the transmission though. Austin BMW has a reputation for being over priced on cars, lots of folks shop in Houston to get a better deal. I haven't dealt with the repair folks over there at all, the parts department has been good for small parts, fasteners and such on the weekends.

 

[icanhazbeast?]

- Called Austin BMW
SA offered to print out the rather vague warranty work, said he doesn't have service records as it hasn't been worked on there

-Called Momentum West BMW (where I bought it)
Got routed to service manager, left a message inquiring about service records

-Called Des Moines BMW
No one answers service line, left a message

Not looking terribly good to get a full service history. I bought the car from BMW, am I right in assuming the database should be updated with me as the owner?

 

[icanhazbeast?]

Well, I'm marked as the owner now after calling BMW NA. Guess I'll just be persistent with the service advisors.

 

[Trouble]

Keep it up. Let me know what comes of it. My concern is my VANOS units. For cars listed as '01 there was a single update to get them to the '03 car specs iirc. I have a listing for warranty work done on this, but it's very vague. I've got a friend that works at a dealer in the NE I'm going to try, but he's been flaky about it. I guess BMW pays attention to what cars are serviced and what cars are looked up… no idea.

 

[BrendanSC]

I looked into this when I bought mine. I was told that any BMW dealer (or anyone with access to their system) can look up any warranty work done, but for non-warranty work only the shop that did the work has the records.

I was lucky that it got taken to the same BMW dealer most of it's life and when I called them up the service guy was very chatty and told me everything I wanted to know. I already had the printout of the warranty work and the carfax so I just had one call to make. They never asked me for any proof of ownership. YMMV of course.

 

[icanhazbeast?]

Picked up the warranty report from BMW Austin, nice of them. Still waiting on calls back from Houston and Des Moines....

In addition to Inspection I, bulbs, and other misc warranty report has the following items of interest:
- Alternator replaced 11.5k
- Battery replaced 26.8k
- Clutch disk and pressure plate at 27k (shows as maint plan? that's one heck of a plan!)
- Electric aux fan replaced at 27k
- LCD display does not light up 31k (assume this is dash pixels and replaced, but maybe nav?)

Most of the above are common items on these cars from what I've read here. Car has 49k on it now, so I'll need another clutch in in 4000 miles rights?

Onward with my quest.

 

[sirtophamhat]

I was unaware that the dealerships would release this information. I'll have to see what I can manage the next time I'm back down in Portland, where I was living when I bought the car and where it had spent its whole life.

 

[OptimusPrimeM5]

I was unaware that the dealerships would release this information. I'll have to see what I can manage the next time I'm back down in Portland, where I was living when I bought the car and where it had spent its whole life.

Its standard practice but some places are more stringent than others due to personal information, I don't get that argument as its a CAR but somehow they think I am asking for a complete medical history. In any event "usually" the dealer will just require a "proof of ownership" to release but they may redact some information or print an abridged edition with very cryptic information in the interest of "privacy". My Lexus dealer released the information when I brought a car in for a PPI and it was high level but they are able to open the tickets to provide more details. Keep in mind this should be nationwide so ANY work performed at a BMW dealer should show and any BMW dealer should be able to view that information, at least thats the way it is for most brands.

ican - glad to see you met with some success, there is hope for me. going to look at a 03 with a friend this weekend with 41k on it

 

[JimBeemer]

My dealer printed out everything for me, including the original purchase date and purchase price -$69,648. Lots of warranty information from the dealer printe out that included two FSUs, a new heater control panel and blower, a new window lift, a vanos accumulator, Inspection I and II, and a few other items. The life of the clutch depends on many variables, mainly the type of use the car saw by the previous owners. With over 60,000 miles, I'm still on my original clutch.

 

[nightkrawler]

Picked up the warranty report from BMW Austin, nice of them. Still waiting on calls back from Houston and Des Moines....

In addition to Inspection I, bulbs, and other misc warranty report has the following items of interest:
- Alternator replaced 11.5k
- Battery replaced 26.8k
- Clutch disk and pressure plate at 27k (shows as maint plan? that's one heck of a plan!)
- Electric aux fan replaced at 27k
- LCD display does not light up 31k (assume this is dash pixels and replaced, but maybe nav?)

Most of the above are common items on these cars from what I've read here. Car has 49k on it now, so I'll need another clutch in in 4000 miles rights?

Onward with my quest.

i took a look at it, everything you have is all there is on the car available while it was under factory warranty.