If you are thinking of buying a BMW - don't! Their customer service is non existent and consists of complete denial of anything which is covered under warranty. I was one of the unlucky people whose timing chain snapped. I have always had my car serviced by BMW and had complained about a whining noise from the engine for the last two services. They firstly refused to pay anything, then it was 80 per cent of the price of the parts. I did eventually issue a claim in the Small Claims Court and won. Now I find my BMW was sold to me under their used car service which states they do a complete body check but I now find that one of my panels is rusting and they tell me that at some point it must have had a panel replaced. Since I have had the car from nearly new I find this difficult to believe. I have been informed by one body shop that they have new cars in which have been damaged in transit which have body parts replaced and are then sold as new. BMW say they won't cover even though they are supposed to have a 12 year warranty on their bodywork.