[keylime503]

This is my first BMW and I'm getting close to when the first oil service is due. My car has 5300 miles and as of this morning the onboard computer is telling me "1900 miles till service, 7/2015." A couple of questions about this:

1. My F32 is a lease. I believe I can take it to any dealer of my choosing for complimentary service, right? The reason I want to take it to a different one is because the dealership at which I leased my car has a minimum age of 25 to receive a loaner (I'm 23), but the dealership about 10 miles away by my gf's place says 21.

2. How long before the car says '0 miles to service' will the dealer accept my car for an oil change? I don't want to make an appointment and get there only for the SA to say, "no, come back when it says less than X miles till service."

3. How long does just a plain oil change take at the dealership? I know the actual procedure is a < 1 hour process but I could see them taking a lot of cars in and promising to have them done by end of day, next day, etc.

4. What's the minimum number of hours your car has to be kept before they give you a loaner? I have a couple other small things I wanted checked out that may require the car to be kept overnight so I would want a loaner in that case so I can lump oil change and them checking out the small issues in one trip.

5. Any advice for ensuring they give me a loaner? I don't have anyone to give me a ride to/from dealership and my work is farther than the 15 miles they say they'll give complimentary rides to.

Thanks!

[fshubert]

I usually call to make my appointment when I'm within 500 miles. By the time I get in there, I'm plus/minus a few miles. I've never had an issue being a few hundred mile until due. I never ask for a loaner since they have the car back to me in an hour. This is my fourth BMW from the same dealer. Technically you can bring your car to any BMW dealer but I bring mine to the one I get my cars from. If you have other service needs above the oil change, if you tell them you need a loaner when you make the appointment, they should have no issues giving you a loaner.

[chickenjames]

In the UK, with the complimentary service, you can bring it in up to 1000 miles early I think. I've been in with 800 due and it was fine. Any better info would be gratefully received, thanks. OP, why don't you just ask the dealer what their rules are?

[ah3]

I was told I can bring it in within 2000 miles a while back. Not sure if that's still true.

[USC2000]

1. Yes you can take it to any dealer for service.
2. Typically the car needs to be within 1000 miles of the service.
3. Oil change should take about an hour, especially if you wait. May take longer if you want them to wash the vehicle. Services seem to be quicker when I wait there for the vehicle. If they know I'm picking it up at the end if the day, there is no rush.
4. Depends on the dealer. If they have loaners available I've gotten them even for oil changes only. If they are short on loaners it can take 2 to 3 weeks before getting a loaner so you may have to schedule in advance. I've also heard some dealers won't give you a loaner if you didn't purchase the vehicle from them.
5. It's best to get good and friendly with your service advisor, and they will take care of you, and the service manager too. I always talk to both when I go in.

[JJS]

My first service did not specify an oil change. You will need to look up the service requirement for oil in your iDrive.

[adhrp]

A few months ago I took mine in with 1200 miles to go. They serviced it without any issues.

[Sherhart]

keylime - not sure where you are in the Bay, but I highly recommend BMW Mountain View. I bought mine at Stevens Creek because they had a better selection of CPOs when I was looking, but it is well known that MV offers way better service.

Jimbo

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by chickenjames

In the UK, with the complimentary service, you can bring it in up to 1000 miles early I think. I've been in with 800 due and it was fine. Any better info would be gratefully received, thanks. OP, why don't you just ask the dealer what their rules are?

Believe me I tried. The girl on the phone was comically incompetent, she tried to tell me that it's 10,000 miles static interval for oil change and that there was no way my car with only 5000 miles is due for an oil change. She also apparently didn't know the car tells you miles to service due upon startup. This was at BMW of Fremont.

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by Sherhart

keylime - not sure where you are in the Bay, but I highly recommend BMW Mountain View. I bought mine at Stevens Creek because they had a better selection of CPOs when I was looking, but it is well known that MV offers way better service.

Jimbo

I got my car from Stevens Creek BMW. Stevens Creek, Mountain View, and Fremont are about equidistant from my home/work so it really doesn't matter to me. Stevens Creek said 24 for loaner, Mountain View said 25, Fremont said 21.

[kyoko]

I called up my dealer to verify when I could bring it in. They said <1900 on the service indicator. I'm sure some dealers will vary. On my first service I think I was about 3000 miles off, but I was close to the 1 year mark. So they took her in.

For loaner, for a service visit, they typically won't give you one. Usually there's some threshold for service. When they ask if I want to wait or want the shuttle service, I ask for a loaner and they schedule one for me. Sometimes, it maybe a few weeks out. So I usually make sure I call a bit earlier. I've had loaners for the day and for a week. There was once where I had a problem with the loaner and they drove out another loaner to my house.