Looking for a 1M… query on service schedule

[scaramanga]

Hi all, I am based in the UK, and used to have a 1M which I bought from new and made the mistake of selling!

Now looking to buy another, and looking at a few options.

One of the cars I'm looking at has a relatively low mileage (< 20k). Am I right in thinking that these cars need to be serviced based on time and not just mileage ? Only asking as it was. 2012 car, serviced as follows:
- 2012 @ 1500 miles (running in ?)
- 2015 @ 8000 miles

But nothing else since. Seems like it hasn't been serviced properly ? Or is this in line with BMW standards ?

Does anyone know if the car (with this history) can be sold as an Approved Used BMW ?

Any thoughts welcomed!

[ayao]

If the car hasn't been driven much, my sense is that time-based services tend to be wasteful.

As an example, when my 1M was under warranty I was doing yearly oil changes even in the face of relatively low annual mileage. Used oil analysis (UOA) of each of these changes suggested that the oil had many, many miles to go. I did it for peace of mind and because the dealer did them free each year, but logically speaking it was probably unnecessary.

It would be helpful to know what specific things were done at the two services you mentioned.

At the 2012 service the differential fluid should have been changed as part of the break-in service. It doesn't bother me a ton that nothing seemed to be done for the next 6500 miles -- a good synthetic oil will last that long (based on my experience with UOAs) and I don't think the time interval is a dealbreaker, even though I would have changed it if it were my personal car.

However, doing nothing to the car between 2015 (8k miles) and 2021 (20k miles) seems a bit neglectful; this interval makes me worry more about insufficient maintenance.
(Then again, if in 2015 every single fluid were changed, there would be less angst.)

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by scaramanga

Hi all, I am based in the UK, and used to have a 1M which I bought from new and made the mistake of selling!

Now looking to buy another, and looking at a few options.

One of the cars I'm looking at has a relatively low mileage (< 20k). Am I right in thinking that these cars need to be serviced based on time and not just mileage ? Only asking as it was. 2012 car, serviced as follows:
- 2012 @ 1500 miles (running in ?)
- 2015 @ 8000 miles

But nothing else since. Seems like it hasn't been serviced properly ? Or is this in line with BMW standards ?

Does anyone know if the car (with this history) can be sold as an Approved Used BMW ?

Any thoughts welcomed!

[Cogitoergosum]

I think the brake fluid is recommended to be changed every two years (could be wrong but think that's in the supplemental 1M manual). other than oil and brakes, I think the other fluids have long maintenance intervals. It's hard to tell but after 10 years since these cars were made, it's probably time to do all the fluids if they have never been done before.

[scaramanga]

Originally Posted by ayao

If the car hasn't been driven much, my sense is that time-based services tend to be wasteful.

As an example, when my 1M was under warranty I was doing yearly oil changes even in the face of relatively low annual mileage. Used oil analysis (UOA) of each of these changes suggested that the oil had many, many miles to go. I did it for peace of mind and because the dealer did them free each year, but logically speaking it was probably unnecessary.

It would be helpful to know what specific things were done at the two services you mentioned.

At the 2012 service the differential fluid should have been changed as part of the break-in service. It doesn't bother me a ton that nothing seemed to be done for the next 6500 miles -- a good synthetic oil will last that long (based on my experience with UOAs) and I don't think the time interval is a dealbreaker, even though I would have changed it if it were my personal car.

However, doing nothing to the car between 2015 (8k miles) and 2021 (20k miles) seems a bit neglectful; this interval makes me worry more about insufficient maintenance.
(Then again, if in 2015 every single fluid were changed, there would be less angst.)

Hope this helps.

Thanks! Just checked and the current mileage is actually 15.5k so not as much as 20k. Will try to get details regarding what was done at the 2015 service!

[scaramanga]

Originally Posted by Cogitoergosum

I think the brake fluid is recommended to be changed every two years (could be wrong but think that's in the supplemental 1M manual). other than oil and brakes, I think the other fluids have long maintenance intervals. It's hard to tell but after 10 years since these cars were made, it's probably time to do all the fluids if they have never been done before.

Agreed. I will insist that all fluids are done now, if proceeding to buy the car. Thank you for the reply.

[godzilla-1]

I'm not looking to knock your potential purchase but a ten year old 1M with one service stamp in the book is massively devalued as a result. It should have the break in service and at least four bi-annual oil services at minimum. You could use that angle to get it for a steal. It is highly unlikely that anything will go wrong with the car but its missing service stamps have to impact its value forever.

[scaramanga]

Originally Posted by godzilla-1

I'm not looking to knock your potential purchase but a ten year old 1M with one service stamp in the book is massively devalued as a result. It should have the break in service and at least four bi-annual oil services at minimum. You could use that angle to get it for a steal. It is highly unlikely that anything will go wrong with the car but its missing service stamps have to impact its value forever.

Yup. That is partly my concern. It has two stamps (including the running-in service).

[etr2016]

Originally Posted by godzilla-1

I'm not looking to knock your potential purchase but a ten year old 1M with one service stamp in the book is massively devalued as a result. It should have the break in service and at least four bi-annual oil services at minimum. You could use that angle to get it for a steal. It is highly unlikely that anything will go wrong with the car but its missing service stamps have to impact its value forever.

What about those of us that do our own oil changes? I do that myself and the dealer does the balance of servicing.

[godzilla-1]

ETR you have got it the wrong way round. In order to gain a service stamp in the book every 24 months you have the main dealer carry out an oil service. This allows extended warranty to be taken up or continued at any point. You can then buy and carry out all other service items either by yourself or elsewhere.

[etr2016]

Makes sense - although buying an extended warranty on a car that is likely to be driven very few miles seems mostly illogical to me.

[godzilla-1]

Agreed, and I have never taken up extended warranty on my car for that reason but I bi-annual oil service is the bare minimum that should be fully documented. That was my real point

[nachob]

I agree with the brethren, the brake fluid should've been changed every two years, the coolant at least after the first 4-6 years then every 3-4. coolant in the engine for 10 years unchagned is not good. maybe not bad, but not good for sure. It's possible some was DIY. I do a lot of the basic service myself with BMW original parts and fluids like the trans and diff, engine oil brake fluid. I take it in for the coolant swaps because it's a mess in my garage and not that expensive.