[Orpheustor]

Hello,

I'm looking to buy my first X3 as I've always wanted one. I don't have a lot of money to spend, but I've found a 2012 with 69K on the clock. I asked about the service record. Apparently, it has 2 services recorded. I understand that it's condition-based servicing, but 2 services in 10 years doesn't sound like much. Am I correct in thinking that it's not got a full service history?

Thanks for any advice!

[91ef]

Originally Posted by Orpheustor

Hello,

I'm looking to buy my first X3 as I've always wanted one. I don't have a lot of money to spend, but I've found a 2012 with 69K on the clock. I asked about the service record. Apparently, it has 2 services recorded. I understand that it's condition-based servicing, but 2 services in 10 years doesn't sound like much. Am I correct in thinking that it's not got a full service history?

Thanks for any advice!

So if it’s not showing on a carfax. More than likely they had it done by a smaller shop. I personally always have my mechanic do an inspection before I buy a used car. Providing they are close by

[Orpheustor]

Originally Posted by 91ef

So if it’s not showing on a carfax. More than likely they had it done by a smaller shop. I personally always have my mechanic do an inspection before I buy a used car. Providing they are close by

Thanks very much for replying. Unfortunately, we don't have a carfax equivalent in the UK to check for servicing on a car. We can only run checks against the MOTs, which are required yearly to make sure a car is safe to drive. Garages, even the smaller outfits, are supposed to update the car's service record booklet with the date and details of servicing work that has been done. That's the UK anyway but I'm not sure if it differs in other countries. So in this case, presuming it should have had more than 2 services in 69K miles, either the service booklet has been lost and they just have a couple of receipts for past services, or the previous owners have skipped some of the servicing. Even if a car is in good working condition, without being able to prove it's had the correct servicing, you lose significant value when selling or part-exchanging it in the future. I guess I'll keep looking. Thanks again!

[Dekero]

In no way do I mean to come off as rude,
But having owned both an 2011 x3 35i, and
A 2013 X5 35i for a few years...

These are not the car you wanna sacrifice
Your whole budget to buy and leave nothing
For the maintenance, cuz trust me the maintenance
Is something serious.... Hell on my X5 I've probably
Spent more than I paid for the truck...

Don't get me wrong it's worth it, but if you don't
Have the funds to maintain it.... Buying it is a mistake...

[Orpheustor]

Originally Posted by Dekero

In no way do I mean to come off as rude,
But having owned both an 2011 x3 35i, and
A 2013 X5 35i for a few years...

These are not the car you wanna sacrifice
Your whole budget to buy and leave nothing
For the maintenance, cuz trust me the maintenance
Is something serious.... Hell on my X5 I've probably
Spent more than I paid for the truck...

Don't get me wrong it's worth it, but if you don't
Have the funds to maintain it.... Buying it is a mistake...

Don't worry, I appreciate the candid response. The one that I'm considering is a 2 litre 2012 plate with 69K on the clock. I do have the money to maintain it so that's not an issue. Also, I only drive 6-7K miles per year. I just don't have the money to buy a new (or nearly new) one, so I try to be careful when buying older cars. I just don't want to buy a car that hasn't been serviced properly because there's a good possibility that the maintenance bills are likely to be more, and the resale value will be affected. Two services is a worry, but I don't know much about BMW condition-based servicing. In my previous cars, I've had services done every year, or every two years with my previous Audi. Just thought I'd check with X3 owners because the car fits my requirements, except for the concern over the servicing.