The BMW service schedules are generally very thorough and well thought out. They have been designed to maximise your car's reliability and minimise the associated servicing costs.

It is a proven fact that regular maintenance is the key to minimising the cost of maintaining the your BMW. When you look at the service expenditure over a three year period, a car which is serviced on time, every time will require approximately 20% less spent on it than a car which is serviced spasmodically. 

The BMW schedule can be quite confusing, so I've re-written it in plain English for all to understand. Firstly, BMW's do not have any set service intervals. They have a Service Interval Indicator which is displayed in the bottom of the dash display between the speedometer and tachometer. The car's computer works out when the car is due for a service by determining a few set parameters, such as: mileage, time, number of cold starts etc. 

When all the green bars go out (about one every two months), the yellow bar will light up indicating that the car is now due for the next service. The next service will be either an Oil Service or an Inspection service. The clock symbol is the Annual check.

What are the differences between the services

Basically there are only two services: A minor service and a major service. The minor service is the Oil Service & Safety Test and the major service is the Inspection.

The Oil Service & Safety Test includes the oil and filter change and a comprehensive safety check.

The Inspection service is the same as the Oil Service & Safety Test but includes extra items such as, spark plugs, air and fuel filters, valve adjustments* and a tune-up*, There are two types of Inspection services, a No 1 and No 2. The No 1 is standard and the No 2 is the same but includes a transmission and differential (rear axle) service.

There is one more service which relates to time. This is due when the little clock symbol lights are in the Service Interval Indicator system. It is called the Annual Check or Biennial Check. Just as the names suggest, they are performed every 12 and 24 months and are commonly carried out with an Oil Service & Safety Test or Inspection service.