Short answer: no. BMW Australia's own warranty booklet says so in one sentence.
You may have the normal periodic maintenance performed by an outlet not authorised by BMW.
That sentence is from the BMW Supplementary Warranty booklet, in the version that took effect on 1 November 2022. That version applies to new BMW vehicles first registered on or after that date. If your car is older, an earlier version applies, so read the booklet that came with it.
The same paragraph of the booklet goes on to set two conditions. They are worth reading in BMW's own words.
A fault caused by poor servicing is not covered
BMW can only recommend authorised BMW dealers, as it has control of the equipment, spare parts and training standards of those dealers. Therefore, this BMW (New Vehicle) Supplementary Warranty will not cover a claim to the extent to which it has been caused by poor servicing performed by an outlet not authorised by BMW.
Notice what this does and does not say. It does not say that servicing somewhere else ends your warranty. It says that if a fault was caused by poor servicing, that fault is not covered.
The Australian consumer regulators make the same point from the other side. Their industry guide notes that if an independent repairer causes a defect, then that defect is unlikely to be covered by the manufacturer's warranty, and the consumer will need to seek a remedy from the independent repairer.
So the question that matters is not where the car was serviced. It is whether the work was done properly, and whether you can show that it was.
A repair under warranty still goes through a BMW dealer
All repairs and/or replacements performed under this BMW (New Vehicle) Supplementary Warranty must be carried out by or through an authorised BMW dealer for that repair or replacement to be covered under this BMW (New Vehicle) Supplementary Warranty.
This is a separate matter from routine servicing. Having your servicing done independently does not change where a warranty repair is carried out.
The rust warranty has its own condition
The same booklet carries a Body Rust Perforation warranty that runs for 12 years from the date of first registration. One of its conditions is easy to miss if you service outside the dealer network.
The vehicle body and floor assembly must be inspected by an authorised dealer at each vehicle check for vehicles with Condition Based Servicing and at the annual check for vehicles with the Service Interval System.
If that cover matters to you, ask a BMW dealer how they carry out those inspections on a car that is serviced elsewhere.
Your consumer rights do not depend on any of this
Separately from any manufacturer's warranty, you have consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law. The regulators' guide is direct about them.
The consumer guarantees apply regardless of any other warranty offered by a manufacturer and there is no requirement under the ACL for a vehicle to be serviced by a dealer for the consumer guarantees to apply. Accordingly, an independent repairer can service a vehicle without affecting the consumer guarantees.
BMW's booklet says the same thing about itself.
The conditions of this BMW Supplementary Warranty are subject to any statutory rights and remedies that are available to you, including under the Australian Consumer Law.
If your BMW is a Premium Certified used car
BMW's Premium Certified terms, which apply to vehicles purchased on or after 1 January 2020, use almost the same wording as the new vehicle booklet.
To comply with the conditions of the BMW Premium Certified Programme, the Vehicle must be serviced in accordance with BMW's requirements. You may have the service work performed by an outlet not authorised by BMW.
The same exclusion for poor servicing follows it.
Extended warranties are a separate product
An extended warranty is not the manufacturer's warranty, and its conditions are whatever its own contract says. The regulators' guide puts it this way.
Extended warranties are optional. They are in addition to, and do not replace, the consumer guarantees.
If you bought one, read its servicing conditions before you change workshops.
How we handle it
We work to the manufacturer schedule for your model, fit parts and fluids that meet the specification, and stamp and date the logbook when the service is done. You keep the invoice listing the work carried out and the parts fitted. Between the stamped book and the invoices, you have the record that the work was done properly.
BMW's booklet refers to oil services and inspections as indicated by the vehicle's CBS (Condition Based Service) System. On a BMW with Condition Based Servicing, the car itself indicates when a service is due.
BM Garage is a BMW, MINI and European specialist workshop in Nunawading, and a licensed vehicle tester, so a roadworthy certificate can be done alongside a logbook service.
Every car is different, so we quote on the car rather than from a list. Send us the year, model and rego along with what it needs, and we will put a tailored quote together.
Sources
- BMW Australia, BMW Supplementary Warranty booklet, the version taking effect 1 November 2022. The link is the Internet Archive's copy of BMW Australia's own file.
- BMW Australia, BMW Premium Certified Terms & Conditions Booklet, for vehicles purchased on or after 1 January 2020.
- Motor vehicle sales and repairs: an industry guide to the Australian Consumer Law, Commonwealth of Australia, 2018, developed by the ACCC, ASIC and the state and territory consumer agencies, including Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Every quotation above is taken word for word from those three documents. Warranty terms differ by model, by build date and by what was bought with the car, so check your own booklet.
Domande frequenti
Does servicing my BMW at an independent workshop void the warranty?
BMW Australia's Supplementary Warranty booklet states that you may have the normal periodic maintenance performed by an outlet not authorised by BMW. It adds that the warranty will not cover a claim to the extent to which it has been caused by poor servicing performed by an outlet not authorised by BMW.
Do warranty repairs have to be done by a BMW dealer?
Yes. BMW Australia's booklet states that all repairs and replacements performed under the New Vehicle Supplementary Warranty must be carried out by or through an authorised BMW dealer for that repair or replacement to be covered. That is separate from routine servicing.
Do I lose my consumer rights if I do not service at the dealer?
No. The Australian consumer regulators' industry guide states that there is no requirement under the Australian Consumer Law for a vehicle to be serviced by a dealer for the consumer guarantees to apply, and that an independent repairer can service a vehicle without affecting the consumer guarantees.