Patchy Service History, Is it worth picking up again?
 

The refresh of my recently acquired CSL continues, it's currently being prepped for a respray. In the mean time I'm turning my attention to the paper work.

For a bit of background the car used to belong to one time register member Nigelonich, and is on it's third engine. You can read the car's tale of woe here.

http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8668

If you can be fussed to read through the post I am the friend who helped Nigel put the third and current engine in the car.

The car has a bit of a patchy service history. It's all present and correct till the mid 50,000 miles but then goes blank. Surprise surprise, 15K miles later it was bought by Nigelonich with a dropped valve and holed piston :smt017.

The car left Nigelonich's care with a 18K mile CSL motor fitted by myself and him. It was acquired by a Texan ex-pat living locally and I have lots of local dealer invoices for various work carried out during it's 18 month / 15K mile time with him. Oil changes, new suspension springs, bushes, and an all important valve clearance check. It's all odds and sods though and the service book lacks pukka sequenced Oil Service / Inspection 1 / Inspection 2 stamps.

So now the car sits with me, on the cusp of 80K miles, undergoing a bit of a tidy up before the summer. I plan to keep the car standard (Bar the Alcons it came with), drive it, and do a couple of track days. There is no point sticking a car with this history and mileage in a carcoon.

My question, and the main point of this post is given the car's history, and patchy service book, is it worth me putting the car to BMW for an Inspection 2 and then getting back on the Inspection / Oil Service band wagon? Or, is the service history now next to worthless and should I just service the car myself and keep receipts?

Thoughts?

Congrats on the purchase, and good to hear someone looking forward to using the CSL all year round, come rain, hail or shine.

Regarding the service history, I would say service it yourself lad and keep some receipts. with the patchy service history, taking the dealers and getting them to service it might settle your mind however come sale time, the only thing that will stand out is the 'hole' in the service history. Just my opinion but if you've handy enough to replace a whole engine then you're more than capable to carry out routine service and consumable items.

Save the dough mate or take it to Adem or Gareth (Barlett?? Use the links at the top of the Register, he's a sponsor)

My opinion is that it would be worth recommencing the BMW scheduled service work.
If you kept and serviced the for 5 years this would give a prospective buyer more confidence in it than not having it and with the relatively low mileage many CSL's are increasingly doing as they move into more 'classic' status this shouldn't have to cost you too much.

If you look at a 70's Porsche now that at 10 years old had been in a similar situation to your car, but then went through the approved scheduling for the next 20 years I would feel that was worthwhile and crucially would help to preserve your CSL for the long term future.

In my view the remaining CSL's should be used but properly cared for as they are going to be authentic, blue chip hero cars for many years to come.

+1

Hi Gregor.
If you go back to dealers for servicing then head down to Grassicks in Perth. Only an hr away and have looked after a fair few of the CSL's up here.

I put the Alcons on for John.

Also, I think I might have the bit you are missing from the engine bay.

Agree with Pete

Thanks for your thoughts guys, looks like the majority would get back onto the authorised dealer band waggon. I can see the sense in this and admit I'm not entirely surprised. Despite the hole in the service history the car remains a CSL, it has all the right bits and makes all the right noises and as CSLs become scarcer and scarcer I guess this will be the bit that matters. Inspection II it is then.

Paul, not guilty on the missing engine bay trim. It's missing in Nigel's original dead engine video so you don't have it. I'll get a new one from a breakers or bmminiparts.

Cheers

Gregor

I'll give a contrarian view... Very few BMW dealers know anything about the CSL any more (few ever did). So I agree that a regular service history is good for the future value of the car, but in your situation I'd probably go for a good indie (e.g. Gareth at Bartletts; Simpsons etc).

+1

Good advice but unfortunately I'm in Aberdeen, Scotland so a bit far to travel. No idea if there is an equivalent indie up around these parts.