BMW Diagnostics report...reliable?

[gpgold]

Hey guys!

So I have been test driving a cpl of e46 320d's the past cpl of days and am impressed with the car as a whole. I was particularly happy with the one I tested today and the current owner says he has just had a full diagnostic test done by BMW and will provide me with the report should I want it. He says it past all tests.

My question is: Is this BMW diagnostic test a reliable indicator of the condition of a vehicle (especially parts such as the turbo, etc...?)

Thanks!!:=):

 

[Sankekur]

In a part it is but remember that it is just for electronics related stuff such as sensors etc and that it can't tell you anything about the mechanical condition of the car and its parts, so you would have to have that checked out as well.

 

[Major]

My question is: Is this BMW diagnostic test a reliable indicator of the condition of a vehicle (especially parts such as the turbo, etc...?)

Not really. To be honest it's quite easy to wipe those diagnostic reports, they don't get stored anywhere else, and an issue that might have cropped up at a previous service might have been wiped clean due to being a non-issue at the time, because there were no related customer complaints.

At the end of the day, it comes down to making sure the car was serviced regularly (proof is on paper), that a diagnostic test be done on a car after at least 500km since it last saw a dealer (and that no faults show up with a frequency of >1), and that a quality check is done at a dealership (not on weekends as they will rush through it) if you want peace of mind. It's more than you'd be able to do by kicking the tires and not putting the car on a lift and having a good look.

With things like turbo's and such there's a bit of a margin of error before the DME starts putting up a red flag. I've seen 330d's with burst boost pipes reporting A-OK.

 

[rick540]

If it is a used car, buy a mechanical insurance policy.

It's just not possible with a used car to know the condition of all the parts in the engine without dismantling it. get a knowleagable person you trust to come with you on a test drive.

If you want 100% assurance a used car is perfect, buy a new one instead.

Back to the original question you asked, zero errors is actually a good indication of all opperating parameters being within allowable tolerances "at a given time" I still would reccomend booking the car in for an AA test report, those guys are quite impressive with the test.

 

[zaleonardz]

If you are local, I offer a vehicle inspection service where by I physically inspect the car for accident damage, do a diagnostics using OEM equipment, drive the vehicle...

I am not the smartest BMW guy on the forum, but I know a thing or two.

PM me for pricing :rollsmile:

 

[Sankekur]

If you want 100% assurance a used car is perfect, buy a new one instead.

I am sorry, but I have to disagree with you on that one, no way you can ever have any assurance that any system will be perfect, especially not with something complex like a modern car.

 

[rick540]

If you want 100% assurance a used car is perfect, buy a new one instead.

I am sorry, but I have to disagree with you on that one, no way you can ever have any assurance that any system will be perfect, especially not with something complex like a modern car.

With a new one when it's not perfect you don't have to pay, it's called a warranty.

That makes it 100% perfect even if it breaks.

 

[Sankekur]

True if you see it like that.

 

[Raybimmer]

Even Tatas have warranty , look at small print on your toilet paper !!:roflol:

 

[rick540]

We were chatting in the office today about just how much modern cars break.

I think Audi is king of that game from what I heard.

 

[gconry18]

We were chatting in the office today about just how much modern cars break.

I think Audi is king of that game from what I heard.

That is when they are not being the king of :argh: ing tailgating

 

[gpgold]

Cool thanks for the input guys! Agree that proof is in the paper so will never purchase a vehicle without a full service history. Think I may have the vehicle AA tested as Rick suggested. Checking out another one today...its a pre face lift but its got very low mileage so may be worth a look...

 

[Sankekur]

We were chatting in the office today about just how much modern cars break.

I think Audi is king of that game from what I heard.

That is when they are not being the king of :argh: ing tailgating

+1

 

[WyKiD]

We were chatting in the office today about just how much modern cars break.

I think Audi is king of that game from what I heard.

That is when they are not being the king of :argh: ing tailgating

+1

Simple... drop a gear and let him munch your dust.....:rollsmile:

 

[P1000]

Well, apart from the fact that a diagnostics only tells you when something is not working right and it is not always perfect - an e46 320d is probably the BMW with the worst reputation for taking a new second-hand owners bank account and demolishing it.

Try to look for a 2004/2005 330d with the 6 speed manual gearbox, it is statistically a LOT more reliable... (and should not really cost more)