[MB London]

I know this one has been done to death, but I am nearing the end of my manufactures warranty and need to decide what to do.

My E90 335i has done 17K and I have been quoted (from BMW UK) £576 pa to extend the warranty, it can be paid monthly and I don’t think that is too b much for peace of mind. The guy claims my car would be protected in the same way it has been protected during its original 3 year warranty – which is good.

I guess the question is – is my 335i likely to go wrong with just 17K on the clock, also is there any other alternative that people have used?

Cheers MB

[dar2008]

To add to MB's questions on BMW warranty's, is the price quoted - £576 - a fixed and published price, or is it negotiable with the dealership?

[themetz]

Originally Posted by MB London

I know this one has been done to death, but I am nearing the end of my manufactures warranty and need to decide what to do.

My E90 335i has done 17K and I have been quoted (from BMW UK) £576 pa to extend the warranty, it can be paid monthly and I don’t think that is too b much for peace of mind. The guy claims my car would be protected in the same way it has been protected during its original 3 year warranty – which is good.

I guess the question is – is my 335i likely to go wrong with just 17K on the clock, also is there any other alternative that people have used?

Cheers MB

hustle for an improved price (if that's their first offer!)... things shouldn't really go wrong at 17k.... but if it does it could be pricey

[davyk31]

You can reduce the price by dropping the emergency cover, you still get recovery in the standard package you just don't get the hotel accomodation etc should your car breakdown while away from home. also an excess can reduce the price, I am paying £32 per month with a £100 excess.

[davyk31]

And yes prices do seem fixed and non negotiable altho playing around with excess and emergency cover does produce a range of costs. You should get a letter with a pin code and then you can get online quotes. Don't let it go past the expiry date of the original warranty as they say you cannot take it out if there has been a break.

[MB London]

Originally Posted by davyk31

And yes prices do seem fixed and non negotiable altho playing around with excess and emergency cover does produce a range of costs. You should get a letter with a pin code and then you can get online quotes. Don't let it go past the expiry date of the original warranty as they say you cannot take it out if there has been a break.

Very helpful, thanks

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by MB London

The guy claims my car would be protected in the same way it has been protected during its original 3 year warranty – which is good.
:

Which level of cover was it for???

Read the small print, he's lying if he says you will be covered in the same way as the new-car warranty.

The prices appear reasonable at first for the level of cover, but remember with the BMW insured warranty you are tied in to 100% franchised dealer maintenance work. EVERYTHING including oil changes, brake pads, filters the lot has to be fully paid up dealer work which probably goes to subsidise the premium in some way.

They can't call it a warranty 'extension' either, this is misleading and implies you are somehow extending the original BMW warranty when you are infact starting a completely new insurance backed warranty nothing to do with BMW except by product name , just like warranty direct et al.

Most important - it's an insurance product, that's why it has all the FSA guff in the wording as they are selling you a 3rd party product (whatever its name)

[Em135eye]

It won't cover anywhere near what is currently covered.
If you claim there'll be a big excess.
They will try and wriggle out of any claim.

It's tarted up insurance, not a proper warranty.

[MB London]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

It won't cover anywhere near what is currently covered.
If you claim there'll be a big excess.
They will try and wriggle out of any claim.

It's tarted up insurance, not a proper warranty.

Hhmm, well they give you the option to take out excess. If you take out a £250 excess the premiums come right down, the figure I originally quoted was with no premiums

[davyk31]

Yes it is an insurance product rather than a warranty for sure and yes there are stipulations regarding having a main dealer or BMW approved carry out the work. I plan to keep using main dealer anyway so that isn't an issue for me but for some it may be. If they refused a genuine claim item when I had paid up for extended warranty and also kept the car serviced by BMW main dealer I think they would have a fight on their hands. However, no warranty in place they just say well we offered you a warranty and you refused so you took a chance and have lost out. For me it is worth the £32 per month to know there is cover there, for others they don't want to pay the premium but know at some time they may have a big bill.

[Falmouthboy]

Far from perfect and certaily nowhere near equivalent to the original manufacturers warranty, but probably as good a cover as you are going to get anywhere for the money, particularly when you add in the breakdown cover. Disingenuous of the dealer to tell you otherwise and for that I would bypass him and go direct to BMW to deprive him of his commission. But as others have said, it's 'insurance' and a very 'personal' thing. If you are well off and can easily absorb the 'hit' of a £1000+ repair bill don't bother and join the AA. Otherwise, for peace of mind it's probably worth having, but perhaps with an excess.

'Do you feel lucky'!

[doughboy]

Defo go for the higher excess.

Put the money you save into a pot for any excess, then if you don't need it you can keep it - better than the insurers getting it for nothing!

It is a pretty good warranty product, just beware of the small print and don't expect the world come claim time.


For me, the tie in to BMW is too much as the car is 'hobby' for me not just a tool / workhorse so I can't face having it abused by BMW.

[Em135eye]

We'll just pay for any issues if they come up. If they don't, we are £500ish plus the £250 excess for any claims, better off a year. If we do have an issue, oh well. Will just maintain the car as well as possible to help avoid any problems.

Came up totally problem free on the PUMA database so pretty happy.

[pjs]

Can you eailsy afford without flinching 6 new injectors, 6 coils, 6 spark plugs and vanos sensors when it goes wrong. If so, take the risk. I didnt, just about to start paying £48month for zero excess full comp cover (56 plate 50k miles btw) . Wait until your bmw letter comes through the post with the pin number, you can then vary the options to suit your level of budget/risk.

[BGM]

i don't like the idea of having to get it serviced at bmw... but, what other options are there?

[jimmylimmy]

does it have to be BMW Main Dealer serviced to keep up the warranty? I spoke to someone about my AUC warranty today as my last inspection was done at a BMW specialist and he said that aslong as its a recognised BMW specialist with BMW techs, it wont be a problem

[BGM]

extended warranty stipulate serviced by a dealer i believe, they are insurance policies and they can put whatever terms they want

[beemerbird]

Mason, I'd advise for you to read the small print as Doughboy has said. This was all discussed on another thread and the 'warranty' appears to read more like 'insurance' - different ball game tbh. Also agree with Paul (pjs).

I know how much extended warranties cost for other German marques and it is more than BMW but they are literally an extension of the original 2 or 3 years manufacturers warranty including breakdown and assistance depending on the marque..........that irritating old adage of having to spend more to maintain what you're used to.

AFIK the car has to be serviced by an approved service agent?

Btw, do you ever drive your car. That mileage is low!!

[MB London]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

Mason, I'd advise for you to read the small print as Doughboy has said. This was all discussed on another thread and the 'warranty' appears to read more like 'insurance' - different ball game tbh. Also agree with Paul (pjs).

I know how much extended warranties cost for other German marques and it is more than BMW but they are literally an extension of the original 2 or 3 years manufacturers warranty including breakdown and assistance depending on the marque..........that irritating old adage of having to spend more to maintain what you're used to.

AFIK the car has to be serviced by an approved service agent?

Btw, do you ever drive your car. That mileage is low!!

Thanks for this Helen, I will read the small print and make sure I am clear - as others have said its not great but its kinda the best thing out there. I think BMW's are built well enough to be good for 60K/70K, but as a few have mentioned, if things do go wrong it could cost a small fortune

My office is four miles from my house and the golf club is 0.2 of a mile away, so although I use the car every day, I don’t really rack up to many miles

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by MB London

My office is four miles from my house and the golf club is 0.2 of a mile away, so although I use the car every day, I don’t really rack up to many miles

Oh dear - in that case I'd get the best warranty you can as you're engine will be shagged by now!!

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by pjs

Can you eailsy afford without flinching 6 new injectors, 6 coils, 6 spark plugs and vanos sensors when it goes wrong. If so, take the risk.

Only a dealer following change-it-and-see fix it guides and claiming on warranty would do that amount of work (or attempt to BS you that it all needed doing)

And yes, saving £750 a year on warranty+excess and only paying indy labour and buying necessary parts I would prefer to take my chances.

In fact I'm saving for it already!

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

We'll just pay for any issues if they come up. If they don't, we are £500ish plus the £250 excess for any claims, better off a year. If we do have an issue, oh well. Will just maintain the car as well as possible to help avoid any problems.

Came up totally problem free on the PUMA database so pretty happy.

This.

Plus what DB says, if you do have a good indy (few and far between however, in my experience), you'd have to be very unlucky indeed to have a repair bill across, say, 2 years of over £1500, wouldn't you?
I base this on 2 yrs warranty + the £250 XS plus extra costs of having to use a BMW stealer instead of the indy specialist.

335Diesel - how did you access this PUMA database, did it cost, what did it tell you?

Mike.