Looking To Pull Trigger On A 09-10 335i xDrive Advice?.....Route 66 Warranty?

Dele23 · 10-26-2016, 12:26 PM

Hi guys,

New member here, but I've been reading through this forum for weeks and weeks now. I am looking to finally join the BMW world since I've always been a huge fan of these cars.

Anyways, I am looking buy a 2009 or 2010 335i xDrive (since I live in MA and winter can get rough), and seem to be pretty up to speed with some of the issues these have. I come from Mercedes-Benz and also Saab land, owning, a 1999 C43 AMG and a 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero. They're great cars, but having AWD would help as I will be commuting further this coming winter.

I am a DIYer for most things, but these days it is harder for me to find time to work on cars! So, I am looking at adding the PenFed Route 66 Warranty with this car as I would like to minimize exposure to costly repairs as I think cash used for costly repairs can be better utilized for investing, etc, etc.

What do you guys think? Is the Route 66 warranty still a go-to or is it a bust? I've also heard about Fidelity, CarChex, and some other ones out there so I'd love to hear any recent experiences anyone has had with their chosen third party warranty company.

Also any other advice about this car that I may not have caught from searching around would be awesome too!

Thanks !!

derrick603 · 10-26-2016, 12:37 PM

I love my Route 66 warranty. It has paid out about $10k so far with two years left to go.

Dele23 · 10-26-2016, 01:40 PM

@[derrick603] nice, thanks for the reply. So no issues with the claims process? I read on a thread that they were becoming more strict? Not sure if that was completely true though

What have you had covered so far if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks!

NoSlow5oh · 10-26-2016, 01:58 PM

Just had my first claim with Route 66 for a water pump. Just understand you are still paying parts taxes, fluids, and any diagnostic fees charged.

With you having an xi, I wonder if you need to pay for the additional 4x4 fee?

Dele23 · 10-26-2016, 02:04 PM

Yep! thanks for the info, I think those fees are all definitely understandable.

That's a good point though, I got off the phone with them a few minutes ago and they didn't mention that but then again the guy didn't really seem like he was too familiar with these warranty's.

All I got was that it was 3 years/36,000 miles for $2,995 or so. I'm assuming no other warranty would even touch this in terms of price and coverage?

derrick603 · 10-26-2016, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dele23

@[derrick603] nice, thanks for the reply. So no issues with the claims process? I read on a thread that they were becoming more strict? Not sure if that was completely true though

What have you had covered so far if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks!

I've never had to deal with them directly for any claims, but my indie mechanic and dealer SA have had nothing but good things to say about them. They may send out an inspector for larger repairs, but so far they've covered everything the brochure said they would cover.

Off the top of my head, they've paid for:

- A few new injectors and coils
- Thermostat and water pump
- DME
- Turbos
- A couple of VANOS solenoids
- A few other minor things

They sent out an inspector for the turbos but did end up replacing them for me.

Dele23 · 10-26-2016, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derrick603

I've never had to deal with them directly for any claims, but my indie mechanic and dealer SA have had nothing but good things to say about them. They may send out an inspector for larger repairs, but so far they've covered everything the brochure said they would cover.

Off the top of my head, they've paid for:

- A few new injectors and coils
- Thermostat and water pump
- DME
- Turbos
- A couple of VANOS solenoids
- A few other minor things

They sent out an inspector for the turbos but did end up replacing them for me.

Wow, yep you made out real well. So I think this warranty is a go..........if anyone has anything else to add please do!!

The question is now though, it seems like you literally need to call and put down a deposit on a 6spd manual 335i xDrive as soon as you see it posted. I've been seeing them fly off the market faster than any car I've ever looked at.

robthewrench · 10-27-2016, 07:22 AM

09-10 for cost range, or specifically to get the N54? Unless you really want the N54 to mod it, I would move the to 11 and get the N55.

Dele23 · 10-27-2016, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robthewrench

09-10 for cost range, or specifically to get the N54? Unless you really want the N54 to mod it, I would move the to 11 and get the N55.

I'm trying to stick to no more than $15k, I've been scanning to find some 11's but all the ones I've seen are already in 100k mileage territory and majority in manual :/.....not that that's a bad thing, but I was trying to stick in the 70k - 90k (tops) mileage range

Are the 11's+ with the N55 just more reliable?

robthewrench · 10-27-2016, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dele23

I'm trying to stick to no more than $15k, I've been scanning to find some 11's but all the ones I've seen are already in 100k mileage territory and majority in manual :/.....not that that's a bad thing, but I was trying to stick in the 70k - 90k (tops) mileage range

Are the 11's+ with the N55 just more reliable?

Yes. Fewer problems with coils, injectors, wastegates.

patents · 10-27-2016, 09:03 AM

If it were me, I would go with the 2011+ N55 and forego the warranty. That's $3k you can put toward the car.

I personally would not buy an N54 because I don't care about the performance (I'm happy with my N51) and maintenance and repairs on the N54 are generally going to be more expensive and frequent.

Dele23 · 10-27-2016, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patents

If it were me, I would go with the 2011+ N55 and forego the warranty. That's $3k you can put toward the car.

I personally would not buy an N54 because I don't care about the performance (I'm happy with my N51) and maintenance and repairs on the N54 are generally going to be more expensive and frequent.

Very interesting, so it sounds like the N55 isn't really even close to frequency of the repairs that the N54 fetches.........I'm going to look to see if there are any out there

Dele23 · 10-27-2016, 02:28 PM

Also too, I test drove this 09 335i xDrive coupe last week down in Englewood, NJ

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...0034/overview/

and I guess to my luck (since I was ready to just buy this car and finally end the search) with 0.5 miles left in the test drive the car overheated

I should've known this was going to happen since from the moment I turned the car on I noticed the cooling fan(s) running, but I thought of it since I am used to 9-3 Aero doing that since that V6 engine tends to run hot.

But nonetheless, given this dealer knocks a few off their asking price of $12,995, is this something that you guys would take a gamble on?

I'm definitely not opposed to taking gambles but this one makes me wonder, if this thing overheated on me, how many other people has it overheated on?

What do you guys think? Thanks!

F30lolz · 10-27-2016, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dele23

Also too, I test drove this 09 335i xDrive coupe last week down in Englewood, NJ

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...0034/overview/

and I guess to my luck (since I was ready to just buy this car and finally end the search) with 0.5 miles left in the test drive the car overheated

I should've known this was going to happen since from the moment I turned the car on I noticed the cooling fan(s) running, but I thought of it since I am used to 9-3 Aero doing that since that V6 engine tends to run hot.

But nonetheless, given this dealer knocks a few off their asking price of $12,995, is this something that you guys would take a gamble on?

I'm definitely not opposed to taking gambles but this one makes me wonder, if this thing overheated on me, how many other people has it overheated on?

What do you guys think? Thanks!

IMHO I would walk away from a car that has issue's during a test drive.

1) Dealer/seller has to have known of this issue but hasn't had it resolved yet
2) Like you said, others may have test driven the car

Slightly off topic but before I purchased my e90 5 months ago I test drove a 2011 335 (n55) with 45K and going WOT the 1/2 CEL light came on and the car stumbled so bad. Sales rep said, "Car is just low on gas, it's nothing". Yep, walked away.

Dele23 · 10-27-2016, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F30lolz

IMHO I would walk away from a car that has issue's during a test drive.

1) Dealer/seller has to have known of this issue but hasn't had it resolved yet
2) Like you said, others may have test driven the car

Slightly off topic but before I purchased my e90 5 months ago I test drove a 2011 335 (n55) with 45K and going WOT the 1/2 CEL light came on and the car stumbled so bad. Sales rep said, "Car is just low on gas, it's nothing". Yep, walked away.

That's my line of thought right there too, I just feel like when a car has issues like that in just a short test drive it adds more unknowns into the car buying mix.

And to your point too about walking away, lmao I did the same thing, I just gave them the keys and said I'll catch you guys later lolol

NoSlow5oh · 10-27-2016, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dele23

That's my line of thought right there too, I just feel like when a car has issues like that in just a short test drive it adds more unknowns into the car buying mix.

And to your point too about walking away, lmao I did the same thing, I just gave them the keys and said I'll catch you guys later lolol

+1

Unless you know what your getting into and it's an absolute steal, there are many others out there in great condition still.

patents · 10-28-2016, 10:52 AM

It's almost certain that car needs a new water pump. Of course the dealer will have to have it done (or knock off the cost) as part of the sale. You get a car with a brand new water pump, which isn't too bad.

The car will shut itself off if it gets too hot, so it's less likely (but not impossible) that it will have any long term effects from overheating.

If you want an N54, service records are highly recommended. If it has the common issues fixed already, then it might not be a bad deal. But my vote would be to hold out for a N55 you can afford.

Dele23 · 10-30-2016, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patents

It's almost certain that car needs a new water pump. Of course the dealer will have to have it done (or knock off the cost) as part of the sale. You get a car with a brand new water pump, which isn't too bad.

The car will shut itself off if it gets too hot, so it's less likely (but not impossible) that it will have any long term effects from overheating.

If you want an N54, service records are highly recommended. If it has the common issues fixed already, then it might not be a bad deal. But my vote would be to hold out for a N55 you can afford.

Thanks Patents, I was thinking that too........ that since the car will shut itself off if it gets too hot it is much less likely for it to experience long term effects from overheating

Dele23 · 10-30-2016, 11:11 AM

I did call the guy who was selling this car https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...0034/overview/ and he said given the water pump problem, the best he can do is $12,000.....

Is this fair?

I'm still not too thrilled with that price considering I would most likely have to cover the cost of the repair and since I would be buying the car in Jersey I would likely get completely hosed by a dealer or independent mechanic in that area before I would even be able to drive it home

Damn, I just don't know there's something about the Automatic 335i's that make me a little more hesitant, as they seem to sit on the market much much longer than the 6spds MT's.

What do you guys think is this guy still asking too much?

patents · 10-31-2016, 11:16 AM

A quick look on Autotrader indicates that it isn't a bad price. Budget a max of $1,500 for water pump and thermostat (change both no matter what).

I would do everything possible to get the car to a dealer and get it inspected. They will tell you exactly what is wrong with the cooling system and anything else you may not see.

Try to get service records. The major N54 issues may have already been fixed... or they may not have.

Also don't forget to check the wear items. Tires, brakes, and and oil change, if all due soon, would make the car not a good deal. iDrive will tell you about when oil and brakes are due.

If you get the car, consider PM - change all fluids, transmission, diff, transfer case, oil. Walnut blast too.

10-26-2016, 12:26 PM	#1
Dele23 New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: Shopping For A E90 335i Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	Looking To Pull Trigger On A 09-10 335i xDrive Advice?.....Route 66 Warranty? Hi guys, New member here, but I've been reading through this forum for weeks and weeks now. I am looking to finally join the BMW world since I've always been a huge fan of these cars. Anyways, I am looking buy a 2009 or 2010 335i xDrive (since I live in MA and winter can get rough), and seem to be pretty up to speed with some of the issues these have. I come from Mercedes-Benz and also Saab land, owning, a 1999 C43 AMG and a 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero. They're great cars, but having AWD would help as I will be commuting further this coming winter. I am a DIYer for most things, but these days it is harder for me to find time to work on cars! So, I am looking at adding the PenFed Route 66 Warranty with this car as I would like to minimize exposure to costly repairs as I think cash used for costly repairs can be better utilized for investing, etc, etc. What do you guys think? Is the Route 66 warranty still a go-to or is it a bust? I've also heard about Fidelity, CarChex, and some other ones out there so I'd love to hear any recent experiences anyone has had with their chosen third party warranty company. Also any other advice about this car that I may not have caught from searching around would be awesome too! Thanks !!
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10-26-2016, 12:37 PM	#2
derrick603 Captain 55 Rep 592 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fremont, CA iTrader: (0)	I love my Route 66 warranty. It has paid out about $10k so far with two years left to go.
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10-26-2016, 01:40 PM	#3
Dele23 New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: Shopping For A E90 335i Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	@[derrick603] nice, thanks for the reply. So no issues with the claims process? I read on a thread that they were becoming more strict? Not sure if that was completely true though What have you had covered so far if you don't mind me asking? Thanks!
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10-26-2016, 01:58 PM	#4
NoSlow5oh First Lieutenant 55 Rep 318 Posts Drives: 08 e90 335i Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Madison, AL iTrader: (2)	Just had my first claim with Route 66 for a water pump. Just understand you are still paying parts taxes, fluids, and any diagnostic fees charged. With you having an xi, I wonder if you need to pay for the additional 4x4 fee?
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10-26-2016, 02:04 PM	#5
Dele23 New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: Shopping For A E90 335i Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	Yep! thanks for the info, I think those fees are all definitely understandable. That's a good point though, I got off the phone with them a few minutes ago and they didn't mention that but then again the guy didn't really seem like he was too familiar with these warranty's. All I got was that it was 3 years/36,000 miles for $2,995 or so. I'm assuming no other warranty would even touch this in terms of price and coverage?
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10-27-2016, 07:22 AM	#8
robthewrench Captain 266 Rep 952 Posts Drives: 11 E90 335i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Columbus OH iTrader: (0)	09-10 for cost range, or specifically to get the N54? Unless you really want the N54 to mod it, I would move the to 11 and get the N55. __________________ bone stock
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10-27-2016, 09:03 AM	#11
patents Lieutenant 164 Rep 598 Posts Drives: 2008 328i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Memphis, TN iTrader: (0)	If it were me, I would go with the 2011+ N55 and forego the warranty. That's $3k you can put toward the car. I personally would not buy an N54 because I don't care about the performance (I'm happy with my N51) and maintenance and repairs on the N54 are generally going to be more expensive and frequent.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-27-2016, 02:28 PM	#13
Dele23 New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: Shopping For A E90 335i Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	Also too, I test drove this 09 335i xDrive coupe last week down in Englewood, NJ https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...0034/overview/ and I guess to my luck (since I was ready to just buy this car and finally end the search) with 0.5 miles left in the test drive the car overheated I should've known this was going to happen since from the moment I turned the car on I noticed the cooling fan(s) running, but I thought of it since I am used to 9-3 Aero doing that since that V6 engine tends to run hot. But nonetheless, given this dealer knocks a few off their asking price of $12,995, is this something that you guys would take a gamble on? I'm definitely not opposed to taking gambles but this one makes me wonder, if this thing overheated on me, how many other people has it overheated on? What do you guys think? Thanks!
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10-28-2016, 10:52 AM	#17
patents Lieutenant 164 Rep 598 Posts Drives: 2008 328i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Memphis, TN iTrader: (0)	It's almost certain that car needs a new water pump. Of course the dealer will have to have it done (or knock off the cost) as part of the sale. You get a car with a brand new water pump, which isn't too bad. The car will shut itself off if it gets too hot, so it's less likely (but not impossible) that it will have any long term effects from overheating. If you want an N54, service records are highly recommended. If it has the common issues fixed already, then it might not be a bad deal. But my vote would be to hold out for a N55 you can afford.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-30-2016, 11:11 AM	#19
Dele23 New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: Shopping For A E90 335i Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	I did call the guy who was selling this car https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...0034/overview/ and he said given the water pump problem, the best he can do is $12,000..... Is this fair? I'm still not too thrilled with that price considering I would most likely have to cover the cost of the repair and since I would be buying the car in Jersey I would likely get completely hosed by a dealer or independent mechanic in that area before I would even be able to drive it home Damn, I just don't know there's something about the Automatic 335i's that make me a little more hesitant, as they seem to sit on the market much much longer than the 6spds MT's. What do you guys think is this guy still asking too much?
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10-31-2016, 11:16 AM	#20
patents Lieutenant 164 Rep 598 Posts Drives: 2008 328i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Memphis, TN iTrader: (0)	A quick look on Autotrader indicates that it isn't a bad price. Budget a max of $1,500 for water pump and thermostat (change both no matter what). I would do everything possible to get the car to a dealer and get it inspected. They will tell you exactly what is wrong with the cooling system and anything else you may not see. Try to get service records. The major N54 issues may have already been fixed... or they may not have. Also don't forget to check the wear items. Tires, brakes, and and oil change, if all due soon, would make the car not a good deal. iDrive will tell you about when oil and brakes are due. If you get the car, consider PM - change all fluids, transmission, diff, transfer case, oil. Walnut blast too.
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