BMW 735 servicing

[Loosehead]

Hi, I have just bought a 735I, it has full service history and I'm very happy with it, my question is this. I was studying the owners manual and service book. As far as I can tell the car tells you when it needs servicing via the green/yellow/red lights on the service indicator, there appears to be no set milage or time when servicing is to be carried out. Now when the car says it needs an Inspection must it be done by a BMW dealer? How does the car know its been done? I mean does the dealer update someting in the car to tell it or does the car automatically know that the required check/maintenance has been carried out? Is this designed so you have to take it to a BMW dealer? Thanks people I'm new to this game I'm sure you enlightened bunch will help!

[robber1]

If the car is out of the manufacturers warranty, I would take it elsewhere. When bought from new, the service keeps the warranty valid. I have an Audi A4 and after its service this week I can take it elsewhere, because this service gives the car another 18 months warranty (making it 3 years old) and I can then go to a company who service this type of car to the manufacturers spec. After the service, the computer is reset again and counts down to the next service. Look in the Yellow pages for a local garage. In Leeds we have Merc-care, BMW-care etc. They service lease vehicles to the same standard as a franchised dealer, but cheaper.

[Loosehead]

OK, thanks Robber, I understand now

[KebabMeister]

To reset the service indicator a special tool is connected to the BMW wiring loom.  It plugs in, you press a button and it sets it to the next service.  You can actually buy the tools but when I was a mechanic we'd just take the car to a local garage for them to reset it for a small charge.

[pjm007]

If its an old'un take it to an independant specialist, unless you want to get ripped off by the main dealer.

[Skids]

The green lights are a countdown to the next service. The yellow indicates that the service is due now. The red indicates that the service is overdue. The on-board computer works out the service intervals by taking into account several variables such as the current mileage but also, and more importantly, the way in which the car is driven. If you drive it with your foot to the floor all the time, the service intervals will become a lot shorter.
BMWs have three main types of servicing: Oil, Inspection I and Inspection II. The cheapest being Oil, and the most expensive being Insp II. The servicing sequence goes: Oil, Insp I, Oil, Insp II.
After about 60,000 miles it becomes less and less practical to take it to a BMW dealer for the servicing, unless you can afford it. Taking it to a BMW specialist is a very good idea as they will carry out the servicing to the BMW Schedule thus ensuring a proper service and at a reduced cost. But, due to the nature of BMWs its not a good idea to take it to a place that's not a BMW specialist.
Newer BMWs give a service countdown in actual mileage rather than coloured lights.