Quote from caspartrefusis on October 26, 2026, 2:36 am

So my 520d is due for a service and I keep seeing major and minor thrown around but every garage seems to define them differently. The dealer wants to do the full works, a local place quoted me for something in between, and I'm sat here not really knowing what's necessary versus what's just extra. I found the bmw-garage site while searching and told myself to see full details on their service page before booking anything, but I'd rather hear from owners who've actually been through it. What's the real difference in practice, and how do you decide which one your car needs without just going by the mileage? I don't want to overpay for stuff I don't need but I also don't want to skip something important and regret it later.