1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Talk women (or men), politics, gripe about your 6er (or other ride), and speak your mind.

Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons

Post Reply
User avatar
randall977
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:52 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Contact:

1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Post by randall977 »

According to the number plate on my 1982 635 my car was first registered in Chelmsford. The dealership there now is Cooper but who would it have been in 1982? Thanks!
User avatar
nick88highline
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Suffolk, UK

Re: 1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Post by nick88highline »

Good question because no BMW dealer in Chelmsford was listed in 1988. Maybe it closed down prior to that year?
I checked my BMW Service directory dated 1988/1989. Colchester, Maldon, Leigh-on-Sea are listed but not Chelmsford. Maybe someone has the dealer directory from 1982?
BMW 635CSiA (1988)
BMW i3 (2016)
Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 (2000)
Morris Minor 1000 (1968)
User avatar
randall977
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:52 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Contact:

Re: 1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Post by randall977 »

Thanks for the reply. The registration is FVW ###Y- VW is Chelmsford from 1974 onwards. If a dealer sold the car they would register it to the dealer location? Back in 82 did people other than approved dealers sell new BMW's?
User avatar
nick88highline
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Suffolk, UK

Re: 1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Post by nick88highline »

randall977 wrote: Mon Jan 28, 2019 9:58 pm Thanks for the reply. The registration is FVW ###Y- VW is Chelmsford from 1974 onwards. If a dealer sold the car they would register it to the dealer location? Back in 82 did people other than approved dealers sell new BMW's?
I suspect what happened is this: the car was sold by Bates of Maldon (only a few miles East of Chelmsfold and based on Spital Road) and so that's why it has a Chelmsford number plate. I suspect that Bates moved to Chelmsford at some point (post-88) and eventually became Cooper. You could always phone Cooper Chelmsford and ask, maybe someone there would know?
BMW 635CSiA (1988)
BMW i3 (2016)
Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 (2000)
Morris Minor 1000 (1968)
User avatar
randall977
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:52 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Contact:

Re: 1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Post by randall977 »

Great info - thank you!
User avatar
kos
Posts: 419
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:35 am
Location: London UK
Contact:

Re: 1980's BMW Dealerships in the UK

Post by kos »

I’ve got a huge archive of original dealer stuff

What’s your chassis number and I can run a check on it
Post Reply