BMW > Reviews (32)

Two months ago, I purchased a BMW 323ciconvertible from Vines of Guildford who are BMW main dealers. The car is 8 years old and had just over 47000 miles on the clock. It was sold with a BMW used car warranty but with certain exclusions due to its age, explained to me after I had paid a deposit on it.
In the last couple of weeks, knocking noises have started coming from the engine which have progressively got worse. I've owned three BMWs and I know these cars well but I've never had one do that before. Very worried I checked the service history booklet 'Evidence of maintenance work' that came with the car and this is what I found ...

09/05/2000 Pre-delivery check
No running-in check at 1250 miles
20/11/2002 Oil service at 12632 miles (6 months late)
05/05/2005 Oil/Inspection 1 and 2 at 21055 miles (1 year late)

And then no further evidence of any servicing done on the car during the following 3 and a half years and 26000 miles, even the mandatory inspection performed prior to the sale of the car to me is missing.

This car has only had two services in 8 years and both were very late yet BMW UK and Vines of Guildford clearly state on their websites that ''Only BMWs that have been maintained in strict adherence to BMW servicing recommendations can qualify as Approved Used BMWs'.

I have now reported the problem to the salesman at Vines and he is arranging for their workshop 'to have a listen to my engine'. I also asked about the service history, it was checked as we spoke on Vines computer, and the last time it was maintained was as per the service book.

I am now expecting a battle to get a refund on this car as I believe the engine to be seriously worn due to lack of maintenance . I shall update this report in due course.

UPDATE

I eventually got a refund but not before I sent an ultimatum. It transpired that a service was missing for the 3 and a half years and 26000 miles prior to the sale of the car to me. Vines explained their failure to verify the car's history as 'an administration error' and admitted that the car should not have been offered as a BMW approved used car. However, the past two weeks have been a nightmare as I waited for Vines to exhaust their attempts to recover the service history for the car.

BMW UK customer services were made aware of this dispute from the outset but they declined to get involved as the contract was between myself and Vines, even though it was via their website that I found the car in the first place.

I paid £11.5k for this car, which is some £2k - £4k more than I would have paid for one from a non BMW dealer or private seller. It seems to me that one is just as likely to be sold a 'dodgy motor' by a BMW main dealer as any other, one just pays a lot more money for the privilege.