How do I obtain service records?

Bushum · 07-27-2015, 10:30 PM

I bought my car used and I have the Carfax report showing all the times it was serviced. Unfortunately, all it says most of the time is "scheduled maintenance performed." I have no idea what this means. Did they change spark plugs? Did they change the gear oil? I'm trying to make sure everything is up to date but I can't. I have called the dealerships that performed the service but they won't tell me anything because of "privacy laws." I think this is absolute BS because this is now my car. What is the point of records that cannot be accessed? My question is for anyone who works in service is why can I not have the records if the previous owner info is redacted? Are the service people just being lazy? Even classified government documents are released if certain info is redacted so I do not believe for one second that they cannot release the info. Any suggestions as to how I can obtain what I need?

warp10 · 07-27-2015, 10:33 PM

Try a new dealer just have them read the key and print the service records

Alohaaaaa · 07-27-2015, 10:44 PM

Get chummy with a service writer then ask them. I got mine to print them off for me.

InnerBlueSkies · 07-27-2015, 11:02 PM

Same here. Try a different adviser or speak to the service manager.

Rat3d ///M · 07-27-2015, 11:09 PM

Check the back of your owner's manual. If the dealership(s) did that their job properly, they should stamp the back every time the car is serviced to indicate what was done.

scrammer · 07-28-2015, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3SPKY5U

Get chummy with a service writer then ask them. I got mine to print them off for me.

I got mine too but only in person and after I owned the car. Pre-purchase the dealer would only "tell me" that there were no issues with the car / service.
PS: also from Canada and no names show on the print out but mine

M3Bimmer77 · 07-28-2015, 05:49 AM

I don't know what dealer you went to, what did you tell them or whom did you talk to but all this seems like pure BS!!!! Ask them about the "Privacy law" they are talking about. As a BMW owner you should walk into a dealer and ask for the records. Just go to the service department and ask for a service record report of your car. Secondly , try the dealer where you bought the car, that if you bought the car from a dealer. I doubt they will help, but give it a try.

smyles · 07-28-2015, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

Check the back of your owner's manual. If the dealership(s) did that their job properly, they should stamp the back every time the car is serviced to indicate what was done.

We don't do this here in US.

Bushum · 07-28-2015, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M3Bimmer77

I don't know what dealer you went to, what did you tell them or whom did you talk to but all this seems like pure BS!!!! Ask them about the "Privacy law" they are talking about. As a BMW owner you should walk into a dealer and ask for the records. Just go to the service department and ask for a service record report of your car. Secondly , try the dealer where you bought the car, that if you bought the car from a dealer. I doubt they will help, but give it a try.

I bought the car from a Chrysler dealer trade in so they don't have anything. The two dealerships that I called are not local so I could not just stop in. I talked to the service advisors at both places and they gave me the privacy laws tale. They said I would need written permission from the owner that did the service. I explained that there is no way for me to find out the previous owner if people like them won't tell me. They didn't seem to care or have any suggestions.

Can I go into my local dealer and ask for records? Are they centrally located somewhere?

Kong Sheng Han · 07-28-2015, 10:55 AM

It's annoying. Why can't they just remove the previous owner's info? The printout they give you using the key is not enough.

Alohaaaaa · 07-28-2015, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrammer

I got mine too but only in person and after I owned the car. Pre-purchase the dealer would only "tell me" that there were no issues with the car / service.
PS: also from Canada and no names show on the print out but mine

Same deal. But I happened to know who the PO was, the Mercedes dealership who sold me the car just told me haha.

jason2454 · 07-28-2015, 01:05 PM

My local dealer in Austin also said they could not tell me and did not have access to the maintenance records. They said i needed to contact the dealership where the car was purchased in Houston?? Are they just blowing smoke up my ass?

Alohaaaaa · 07-28-2015, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason2454

My local dealer in Austin also said they could not tell me and did not have access to the maintenance records. They said i needed to contact the dealership where the car was purchased in Houston?? Are they just blowing smoke up my ass?

Yes. Scottsdale North BMW could see my records, and my car is Canadian and was sold in Calgary.

Jsantos · 07-28-2015, 09:50 PM

PM sent. Let me see what i can do!

Rat3d ///M · 07-29-2015, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smyles

We don't do this here in US.

Seriously? That's going to put a damper on my desire to continue dealer maintenance when I get back to the States in 3 years.

kb9uwu · 07-29-2015, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

Seriously? That's going to put a damper on my desire to continue dealer maintenance when I get back to the States in 3 years.

The back of my owners manual is empty. Car serviced at dealer with full records on key.

smyles · 07-29-2015, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

Seriously? That's going to put a damper on my desire to continue dealer maintenance when I get back to the States in 3 years.

Why? You can still collect all those multi page receipts they give you every visit. Plus you can print the entire record anytime. But yeah, stamping service books is considered archaic here... and so is reading manuals. For anything.

waldoemerson · 12-17-2015, 04:01 PM

Anyone have a lead on a dealership that would provide such information? I purchased a used E92 M3 and would like to find out what maintenance work needs to be done. Just stopped by Santa Monica BMW but service adviser would not provide printout history other than saying maintenance is up to date.

tom @ eas · 12-17-2015, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

Seriously? That's going to put a damper on my desire to continue dealer maintenance when I get back to the States in 3 years.

Not since the end of E46 production. Sad really, told a lot of history about the car when servicing.

Helmsman · 12-17-2015, 05:31 PM

Crazy rules. Over here if the dealer can't produce complete service history you don't buy the car. Simple as that.

Mvy · 12-17-2015, 06:00 PM

They pulled the same BS with me claiming we cant see other dealer services. You have to ask for what they call the repair history log. The first page prints out saying that its for internal use only and that they cannot share it with customers, but the second page, and the ones after are just what any dealer put in the system as to what was done to the car. Tell them they can keep the first page, which you dont really need and has a bunch of tables on it, and that the rest is fair to give to you as the owner of the car.

TrevorM3 · 12-17-2015, 09:03 PM

technically speaking though, are they allowed to give you records? by technically i mean legally..

07-27-2015, 10:30 PM	#1
Bushum Private First Class 94 Rep 182 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 6MT Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	How do I obtain service records? I bought my car used and I have the Carfax report showing all the times it was serviced. Unfortunately, all it says most of the time is "scheduled maintenance performed." I have no idea what this means. Did they change spark plugs? Did they change the gear oil? I'm trying to make sure everything is up to date but I can't. I have called the dealerships that performed the service but they won't tell me anything because of "privacy laws." I think this is absolute BS because this is now my car. What is the point of records that cannot be accessed? My question is for anyone who works in service is why can I not have the records if the previous owner info is redacted? Are the service people just being lazy? Even classified government documents are released if certain info is redacted so I do not believe for one second that they cannot release the info. Any suggestions as to how I can obtain what I need?
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07-27-2015, 10:33 PM	#2
warp10 Lieutenant Colonel 776 Rep 1,718 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Jet Black:ZCP, ZCV, ZP Join Date: May 2011 Location: Atlanta, Ga iTrader: (7) Garage List 2011 M3 [10.00] 2011 28i X3 [0.00]	Try a new dealer just have them read the key and print the service records
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07-27-2015, 10:44 PM	#3
Alohaaaaa Captain 58 Rep 791 Posts Drives: 2011 550xi Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 135i [0.00] 2012 BMW E92 M3 ZCP [10.00]	Get chummy with a service writer then ask them. I got mine to print them off for me. __________________ 2017 Nitro Blue Ford Focus RS 2008 Sparkling Grey Metallic 135i 6MT - JB4 G5 - MHD Race BEF - N54Tuning DP's - ER Chargepipe/w HKS SSQV - Coolingmist Progressive Meth - MMP Hot Side Inlets - AFE Exhaust - Seconday Cat Delete - AMS FMIC - BMS Catch Can - Rob Beck PCV - LUX 160 AE
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07-27-2015, 11:02 PM	#4
InnerBlueSkies Captain 1093 Rep 950 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 M3 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: College Station, Texas iTrader: (1)	Same here. Try a different adviser or speak to the service manager.
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07-27-2015, 11:09 PM	#5
Rat3d ///M 997.1TT 1003 Rep 1,672 Posts Drives: 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Germany iTrader: (1)	Check the back of your owner's manual. If the dealership(s) did that their job properly, they should stamp the back every time the car is serviced to indicate what was done. __________________ Current: 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo Former: ESS Supercharged ///M3 Interlagos Blue ZCP Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Rat3dM Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rat3d_m/
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07-28-2015, 05:49 AM	#7
M3Bimmer77 Captain 340 Rep 947 Posts Drives: 2011.5 M3 E90 Jet Black Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: West Palm Beach iTrader: (2)	I don't know what dealer you went to, what did you tell them or whom did you talk to but all this seems like pure BS!!!! Ask them about the "Privacy law" they are talking about. As a BMW owner you should walk into a dealer and ask for the records. Just go to the service department and ask for a service record report of your car. Secondly , try the dealer where you bought the car, that if you bought the car from a dealer. I doubt they will help, but give it a try.
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07-28-2015, 10:55 AM	#10
Kong Sheng Han Banned 303 Rep 1,140 Posts Drives: Something something racecar Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (2) Garage List 2011 BMW 328i [0.00] 2001 BMW M3 [0.00]	It's annoying. Why can't they just remove the previous owner's info? The printout they give you using the key is not enough.
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07-28-2015, 01:05 PM	#12
jason2454 Enlisted Member 2 Rep 36 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 M3 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	My local dealer in Austin also said they could not tell me and did not have access to the maintenance records. They said i needed to contact the dealership where the car was purchased in Houston?? Are they just blowing smoke up my ass?
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07-28-2015, 09:50 PM	#14
Jsantos Private First Class 35 Rep 144 Posts Drives: E90 M3 SSII 6MT Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 E90 M3 [0.00] 2006 E90 330i [0.00]	PM sent. Let me see what i can do!
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12-17-2015, 04:01 PM	#18
waldoemerson Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW E92 M3 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Anyone have a lead on a dealership that would provide such information? I purchased a used E92 M3 and would like to find out what maintenance work needs to be done. Just stopped by Santa Monica BMW but service adviser would not provide printout history other than saying maintenance is up to date.
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12-17-2015, 05:31 PM	#20
Helmsman Major General 4467 Rep 7,110 Posts Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Stockholm, Sweden iTrader: (0)	Crazy rules. Over here if the dealer can't produce complete service history you don't buy the car. Simple as that.
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12-17-2015, 06:00 PM	#21
Mvy Captain 541 Rep 979 Posts Drives: 2008 E93 M3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: GA Peach iTrader: (0)	They pulled the same BS with me claiming we cant see other dealer services. You have to ask for what they call the repair history log. The first page prints out saying that its for internal use only and that they cannot share it with customers, but the second page, and the ones after are just what any dealer put in the system as to what was done to the car. Tell them they can keep the first page, which you dont really need and has a bunch of tables on it, and that the rest is fair to give to you as the owner of the car. __________________ Harrop Supercharger, BPM Tune, K/W Coil over kit, Stoptek BBK, Magnaflow exhaust, ear to ear grin everytime I drive...
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12-17-2015, 09:03 PM	#22
TrevorM3 Banned 3322 Rep 8,083 Posts Drives: 6.3 AMG Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	technically speaking though, are they allowed to give you records? by technically i mean legally..
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