Service Intervals - Initial Start Date?

[AlanW]

I'll put money on it that if it was a fleet lease car, the leasing company would refuse to get it done early

Totally agree, it might seem like l'm being pedantic and maybe l am?

But when l took out my BMW service plan based on my annual mileage, its March 2027 from date of first registration.

 

[DRM]

Totally agree, it might seem like l'm being pedantic and maybe l am?

Not really, it seems your going to be paying for extra services,because the electronics say the oils degraded,why not just make it 12 months & be done with it, there's a lot that can go wrong in 2 years

 

[ivegotabike]

You don't want to give them an excuse to void the warranty (even though I am not sure they could void it whilst there was a dispute about when the service is due).

The definitive document you would rely on in court is the service agreement. If that states that the first service date is March 2027, you would need to be sure there are no caveats in there e.g. condition based servicing overriding it etc. Your position would also be a little weaker as you have contacted BMW UK - which would presumably be seen as expert by the court on the subject - which has already stated that the date in the service agreement is wrong.

It probably makes sense to check how long the lead time is to get the service booked. I know some dealerships around here are claiming to be fully booked into December already. A booked service is easier to cancel than an overdue service is to book.

I mentioned condition based servicing in post #16 - it seemed to be the case that it wouldn't apply to your low mileage usage. Maybe that isn't the case? It can be on the number of starts, engine temperatures reached etc. Or just electronic voodoo to get your money quicker.

Based on what you know now, what are your current thoughts on sticking to March 2027 versus going for end Nov 2026?

What is the financial impact (as a percentage of the total cost you are expecting to incur in the whole ownership of the car). How many more rounds of the fight do you want to engage in for that £ number?

 

[AlanW]

All very good points and I've since booked my car in for a service on the 30th November, different garage, but same dealer network. But when I booked it in, even the service guy there was very surprised that it was showing due a service at just 7000 miles. But he did mention condition based servicing which overrides any service plan apparently?

But and as was mentioned a couple of posts back, I now suspect that as the mileage shown in the MyBMW app (which is in km) is showing 11,275 which when converted to miles is exactly what my mileometer is showing on my dashboard. This is despite the setting (as shown above) being set to miles.

I just wonder if the telemetry of the car has read that 11,275 figure and assumed its miles hence its now showing as due for a service?

The car was built at the end of November 2024, it then had a PDI/service on the 13th March 2025 with just 9 miles recorded.

In truth no real financial impact as when I sold my last BMW before a major service and MOT I had £400 left in that pot that was subsequently transferred into the service plan for this car.

 

[ivegotabike]

All very good points and I've since booked my car in for a service on the 30th November, different garage, but same dealer network. But when I booked it in, even the service guy there was very surprised that it was showing due a service at just 7000 miles. But he did mention condition based servicing which overrides any service plan apparently?

But and as was mentioned a couple of posts back, I now suspect that as the mileage shown in the MyBMW app (which is in km) is showing 11,275 which when converted to miles is exactly what my mileometer is showing on my dashboard. This is despite the setting (as shown above) being set to miles.

I just wonder if the telemetry of the car has read that 11,275 figure and assumed its miles hence its now showing as due for a service?

The car was built at the end of November 2024, it then had a PDI/service on the 13th March 2025 with just 9 miles recorded.

In truth no real financial impact as when I sold my last BMW before a major service and MOT I had £400 left in that pot that was subsequently transferred into the service plan for this car.

I would raise the issue with the app / car discrepancy as something you want looked at when the car is in for the service (let them know in advance so they are ready to do that).

It seems too coincidental that the km figure would, if it were miles as the app setting suggests it should be, trigger the service requirement.

Ask them to have a tech with the best knowledge of the app to do any checks / tests they can think of to see if it is more than just coincidence.

 

[AlanW]

I would raise the issue with the app / car discrepancy as something you want looked at when the car is in for the service (let them know in advance so they are ready to do that).

It seems too coincidental that the km figure would, if it were miles as the app setting suggests it should be, trigger the service requirement.

Ask them to have a tech with the best knowledge of the app to do any checks / tests they can think of to see if it is more than just coincidence.

Yep, already primed them in advance although it now gives them more time to find yet another excuse as to why I should have to pay for the service five months early 🤬

 

[midlife]

Just had a quick check on my BMW stuff

Service timing to be whenever the car decides, depending on things like number of cold starts, driving style and the like.

“hard” service time of 2 years max whatever the car says. Apparently the countdown to each service is on the app. I went by the message in the dash.

My BMW was registered January 2025 and the car decided it needed its service last month. Oil, brake fluid and some micro filter thing plus checks

 

[AlanW]

All very interesting isnt it, as far as lm concerned its just a con to make you pay for a service early.

As l think l said in my first post, in 40 years of driving, circa 28 new cars and 23 new motorbikes, (four of those BMWs) l've never ever come across this issue before, the service plan always started from the date of registration.