Why EVEN "Ask a Dealer"?

....for "Service History" anyway....

I'm going to start out by saying i understand that providing the Service History on a vehicle is a "COURTESY" provided by those dealers or employees of BMW dealerships participating.

It seems to me however over the few months i've been browsing the boards that service history information is seldom provided.

i've been trying to get my history since November. "Bump'd" it also.

I know that sometimes it's PM'd to the requestor, but what gives? D@mn, can a brother just get his service history so he doesn't duplicate any work??

Originally Posted by playmakr

....for "Service History" anyway....

I'm going to start out by saying i understand that providing the Service History on a vehicle is a "COURTESY" provided by those dealers or employees of BMW dealerships participating.

It seems to me however over the few months i've been browsing the boards that service history information is seldom provided.

i've been trying to get my history since November. "Bump'd" it also.

I know that sometimes it's PM'd to the requestor, but what gives? D@mn, can a brother just get his service history so he doesn't duplicate any work??

You are new here so I am going to explain this to you. The dealers are NOT allowed to give out service history information. It was done in the past and, presumably, BMWNA found out and cracked down on the practice. You are getting ignored because these guys cannot risk their jobs to help you out. BMWNA has become very stringent in recent years about the proliferation of confidential information on the 'fest. It is the same reason that we no longer get the confidential wholesale price sheets.

Ahh. Thanks for the info.

Perhaps we should "sticky" a message somewhere on the forum because quite a few members don't know this. Going by the amount of requests.

What is stopping you from WALKING/DRIVING to your local BMW dealer and asking to see your vehicles previous service history?

...so instead you sign on to some random BMW forum to ask a random SA/CA for a random service report that may or may not pretain to your car...

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

What is stopping you from WALKING/DRIVING to your local BMW dealer and asking to see your vehicles previous service history?

...so instead you are sign on to some random BMW forum to ask a random SA/CA for a random service report that may or may not pretain to your car...

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

What is stopping you from WALKING/DRIVING to your local BMW dealer and asking to see your vehicles previous service history?

...so instead you sign on to some random BMW forum to ask a random SA/CA for a random service report that may or may not pretain to your car...

Wow, really? I didn't realize that people getting the service history on others' cars was so rampant!

Originally Posted by Alpine300ZHP

You are new here so I am going to explain this to you. The dealers are NOT allowed to give out service history information. It was done in the past and, presumably, BMWNA found out and cracked down on the practice. You are getting ignored because these guys cannot risk their jobs to help you out. BMWNA has become very stringent in recent years about the proliferation of confidential information on the 'fest. It is the same reason that we no longer get the confidential wholesale price sheets.

It ALL depends on the dealership. When I shopped for and bought my '06 E90 by long distance in November 2009 every dealer I asked to send me the vehicle history report did. I don't think a single one of them gave me any flack about it.

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

What is stopping you from WALKING/DRIVING to your local BMW dealer and asking to see your vehicles previous service history?

...so instead you sign on to some random BMW forum to ask a random SA/CA for a random service report that may or may not pretain to your car...

Isn't getting it in person the same violation of BMW policy as it is from some 'random' SA/CA?????

Typical Ask-a-dealer "non answer" from a dealer employee angry at consumers/forum members.

Originally Posted by ard

Isn't getting it in person the same violation of BMW policy as it is from some 'random' SA/CA?????

Typical Ask-a-dealer "non answer" from a dealer employee angry at consumers/forum members.

Well, BMW does not want dealers printing it out or emailing it out to people, but there is no policy that prevents a service advisor from personally going over your vehicle's service history with you. So no, it's not the same thing.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

It ALL depends on the dealership. When I shopped for and bought my '06 E90 by long distance in November 2009 every dealer I asked to send me the vehicle history report did. I don't think a single one of them gave me any flack about it.

Agreed and this is what I did. HOWEVER, when I did it my CA cut off the top portion of the service history that contained the original owner's personal information as he is not allowed to give that out. Many CA/SA will help out a client who requests this information in person, but sending it via website or PM is asking for trouble.

Originally Posted by SARAFIL

Well, BMW does not want dealers printing it out or emailing it out to people, but there is no policy that prevents a service advisor from personally going over your vehicle's service history with you. So no, it's not the same thing.

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

What is stopping you from WALKING/DRIVING to your local BMW dealer and asking to see your vehicles previous service history?

...so instead you sign on to some random BMW forum to ask a random SA/CA for a random service report that may or may not pretain to your car...

Hey JW, i know the temptation to assume and talk tough on the Internet is hard to resist - but try. It's not that serious....

Alpine broke it down for me. The issue was dead. Incredible.

I went to my dealer. I was told since i wasn't the original owner they couldn't help me. Told me to go/contact the original dealer in MA - i live in NY. I did that - no dice.

Remember what happens when you assume??

Just take a chill pill.

Originally Posted by playmakr

Hey JW, i know the temptation to assume and talk tough on the Internet is hard to resist - but try. It's not that serious....

Alpine broke it down for me. The issue was dead. Incredible.

I went to my dealer. I was told since i wasn't the original owner they couldn't help me. Told me to go/contact the original dealer in MA - i live in NY. I did that - no dice.

Remember what happens when you assume??

Just take a chill pill.

Yea sure...so you knew all this ahead of time but still went ahead to ask...knowing its a violation..

Just took my chill pill

Originally Posted by ard

Isn't getting it in person the same violation of BMW policy as it is from some 'random' SA/CA?????

Typical Ask-a-dealer "non answer" from a dealer employee angry at consumers/forum members.

''


How would it be the same thing if I walk in and sat in front of the SA with proof of ownership of the car asking to see or discuss the service history? They can't print a copy or show you the previous owners info but they surely can go over it with you...

You know what never mind...you know everything already...Mr. Know it all

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

Yea sure...so you knew all this ahead of time but still went ahead to ask...knowing its a violation..

Just took my chill pill

You're a clown duke. If i want sarcasm i'll watch old episodes of Seinfeld. lollololol. You're the only one taking this so serious.

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

''


How would it be the same thing if I walk in and sat in front of the SA with proof of ownership of the car asking to see or discuss the service history? They can't print a copy or show you the previous owners info but they surely can go over it with you...

You know what never mind...you know everything already...Mr. Know it all

Technically what happened to the car when *I* owned it is MY business. When you buy a car you own the car- not the information about what was done to it, where it was, etc, when someone else owned it. Simply stated, the information BMW collects from one consumer does not belong to the next consumer.

The point, as this thread amplifies, is that there is inconsistent interpretation of the 'confidential information' policy by BMW dealerships and their employees. Some will share history without names, some will not citing the privacy of the information itself, some just don't want to spend 10 minutes with a customer that will not turn into profit to them personally.

RE:" there is inconsistent interpretation of the 'confidential information' policy" Bingo.

Originally Posted by ard

some just don't want to spend 10 minutes with a customer that will not turn into profit to them personally.

In my opinion, i feel like it has more to do with this than anything else. How hard is it to block out someones address or just read it to me and i jot down the info with a pen and a pad?

On my M3 the dealer had NO problem reading off the work done to the car by the Original Owner........................... after i spent $600 chasing down a fuel issue that turned out to be one of the fuel pumps under the rear seats.

RE:"How hard is it to block out someones address or just read it to me and i jot down the info with a pen and a pad?"...not at all..but again, with no clearly defined line of how BMW NA does or doesn't see it as a privacy violation, why would a CA/SA risk any repercussions from BMW NA? Add to that the randomness of 99% of the requests on here, the one time BMW NA decides to really slap someone's wrist, it would be easy enough to do. On top of that, since 99% of the requests we previously tried to field weren't anywhere close to our store, human nature, common sense, and daily/immediate priorities take over...if we stand to lose so much..and stand to gain so little..why would we do it?

Yeah Anon,

I can see the other side of it, or better yet, i can "appreciate" their stance on this.

Oh well, i guess i'm either going to just replace parts based on the "eyeball test" or based on mileage.

Or do a ppi after the fact (where they'll probably gladly divulge "confidential" info) and pay a couple hundred up front to save myself from changing out new or previously replaced parts.

Thanks, you're feedback is most appreciated.

Thanks to the other posters as well.

.......even you JW (:-| blink...blink)

I had the same problem. Stupid rule

RE:"Or do a ppi after the fact (where they'll probably gladly divulge "confidential" info) and pay a couple hundred up front to save myself from changing out new or previously replaced parts."
Since I presume you're going to be using an independent shop, that would be the best thing to do. I would guess that your local BMW SA doesn't see himself profiting at all. Plus, I would bet they would want to "suggest" their own PPI, for which they'll charge at least 150.00 (guessing), your indy will be a better source anyway. A lot of what I've seen on vehicle history reports is skethcy to begin with; only BMW services/repairs listed to begin with..and on an older model, the prior owner probably didn't use the BMW shop oast the warranty period anyway. Success, better put in this case as savings on your part, is the ultimate revenge.

Originally Posted by JW_BMW

''


How would it be the same thing if I walk in and sat in front of the SA with proof of ownership of the car asking to see or discuss the service history? They can't print a copy or show you the previous owners info but they surely can go over it with you...

You know what never mind...you know everything already...Mr. Know it all

I'm amused if your dealership is actually paying a sponsorship fee for you to berate and post patronizing comments to other members of this forum.

It makes me want to race to California and buy a car from you.

Originally Posted by E90 Enthusiast

I'm amused if your dealership is actually paying a sponsorship fee for you to berate and post patronizing comments to other members of this forum.

It makes me want to race to California and buy a car from you.

Oh please dont ...

I represent no one...nor am I a sponsor...I leave the sponsoring to the good folks

See that is good no burden...it allows me to say what I like just as you are free to say what you like....

Why is it ok for a poster to continually berate dealer personnel in every thread and not okay for someone to snap back?

You know what no need to answer...there are more urgent issues in the world then going back and worth in the intraweb...let me go take a chill pill and drive down to the local red cross to turn in my donations...Im out of this thread

:

Originally Posted by ard

some just don't want to spend 10 minutes with a customer that will not turn into profit to them personally.

The simplest explanation is most likely the correct one.

Do you work for free?