john banks

E46 M3, looking at a low mileage example (keeping the Scooby for the snow and for going fast ). End of Sept 2003 on 7500 miles. It had the running in service but nothing else yet. Am I right in saying it will need the brake fluid done imminently? Is there a time guidance on Inspection I and oil services?

russell hayward

John

Brake fluid is every 2 years, bmw charge about £50 for this i think

Services are either :-

1) When the computer tells you - usually between 12-15k miles

2) Or every two years if you havent done the mileage

Oil service is first, then Inspection 1, then oil service, then inspection 2 etc etc

Oil service should be about £200 on the M3, Inspection 1 is around £500 I think.

WWW.BM3W.CO.UK have anything else you may want to know

So, the car you mention needs brake fluid and oil service. M3 uses Catrol TWS oil only, i used to get mine from Castrol Classic Oils, saves a few quid on the dealer prices.

john banks

Thanks

john banks

Would the 2 year interval for the oil service run from the date of the car being registered or would it run from the date of the 1200 mile service? Does the service indicator work with time as well as distance on a low mileage car?

john banks

Been told that it is when the car is two years old, and that Inspection I is at 30000 miles or 4 years old whichever is first. Can anyone confirm this information?

MattOz

Hi John,

The service indicator runs with how much, and what type of use the car has had, rather than it being time based. If you stored an M3 for 12 months, the service indicator wouldn't change for that time.

Usually with M3's, the servicing is done every 10-12k miles. This is because they get enjoyed, rather that sat at 80 on the motorway. BMW servicing isn't too bad, but like all dealers, they will have your leg up if you let them.

I supply my own oil for services, which is about as much as BMW allow. That's fine with me, as I don't want to pay the dealer £13 a litre for oil! You'll probably pay £150-£170 for an oil service, £300 for an inspection 1 and £500 for an inspection 2. Often these prices are over inflated, because disks/pads/tyres and other consumables are replaced.

Basically, you'll be looking at one service per year if you're doing 15k miles or so, and if you need pads etc, you can do it yourself.

Overall, for the type of performance you get, they're not that expensive to run. You'll even get 30+mpg at a steady 85 on the m'way. Although, that's not why you'd buy one.

One final thing. Shop around at service time. Big city BMW dealers have extortionate labour rates, so it's often best to go to a less local dealer and save hundreds.

Cheers
Matt

russell hayward

They do not reset the service indicator after the 1200 mile running-in service, hence it would be 2 years from the PDI.

Johnny50

John.

Might be worth speaking to Spooks.
He's a BMW Tech at Eastern in Edinburgh.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Those prices are very conservative I'd imagine, I presume they are the basic 'if nothing is needed' services?

Are you buying from a dealer? if not I'd be looking to and getting warranty and a fat discount.

Looking through the full history of my old E36 M3 was sickening to see what bmw had charged.