BMW service history check

A full service history is one of the best signs a used BMW has been looked after, and it supports the price. A BMW service history check shows you the dealer services recorded against the car, with the date and mileage of each, so you can see for yourself rather than relying on the advert.

How BMW servicing works

Most modern BMWs use Condition Based Servicing: instead of a fixed interval, the car tracks things like oil condition and brake wear and tells the driver when each item is due. So two BMWs of the same age can have quite different service dates, and that's normal. What you want to see is that services were done when the car asked for them, not months later.

What to look for on a BMW

• Oil services done late or skipped, especially on higher-mileage diesels
• Brake fluid changes, which are time-based and easy to forget
• Work done at independent specialists, which won't be in the dealer record, so ask for invoices

One late service isn't a reason to walk away. A pattern of long gaps, or a burst of servicing just before the car was advertised, is worth asking about and should be reflected in the price.

Services at independent garages

Dealer records only include work done at franchised BMW dealers. Plenty of owners switch to an independent specialist once the warranty runs out, and a good specialist history is nothing to worry about. It just won't appear in the dealer record, so ask the seller for the invoices and check the dates and mileages fit.

Check the mileage too

Every service records the mileage, and those numbers should fit neatly between the MOT readings either side. Our free mileage check lists every MOT reading, so you can line them up. If they don't agree, read our guide on signs a car has been clocked.

For the rest of the car's past, including finance, write-offs and theft, run a vehicle history check on the reg.