E39 M5 - BMW Warranty a good idea?
Discussion
What do you guys think... 65k mile 2001 E39 M5, FBMWSH... is the BMW Warranty a good idea? Driven 6-9k miles a year.
Peace of mind and all that, but at what cost? Also, what starts to go pop at 65-75k miles?
Price to renew:
Comprehensive Cover
0 xs, incl roadside assistance = 2235, 205 pm
0 xs, excl roadside assistance = 2157, 198 pm
100xs incl = 1926, 177 pm
100xs excl = 1848, 169 pm
250xs incl = 1535, 141 pm
250xs excl = 1457, 134 pm
Driveline (max £5k per claim)
0xs, incl = 1240, 114 pm
0xs, excl = 1162, 106 pm
100xs incl = 1081, 99 pm
100xs excl = 1003, 92 pm
250xs incl = 880, 81pm
250xs excl = 802, 74pm
Peace of mind and all that, but at what cost? Also, what starts to go pop at 65-75k miles?
Price to renew:
Comprehensive Cover
0 xs, incl roadside assistance = 2235, 205 pm
0 xs, excl roadside assistance = 2157, 198 pm
100xs incl = 1926, 177 pm
100xs excl = 1848, 169 pm
250xs incl = 1535, 141 pm
250xs excl = 1457, 134 pm
Driveline (max £5k per claim)
0xs, incl = 1240, 114 pm
0xs, excl = 1162, 106 pm
100xs incl = 1081, 99 pm
100xs excl = 1003, 92 pm
250xs incl = 880, 81pm
250xs excl = 802, 74pm
Personally I'd rather put that money into a maintenance fighting fund. Vanos failures are 99% BS anyway. The sealing rings or a solenoid might go but its pretty rare facelift or otherwise and not hugely expensive compared to a replacement.
Early cars had the VANOS replaced under warranty when BMW didn't really understand the problem.
The rest is just good old internet hype.
A solid preventative maintenance regime will cost you less than the cheapest warranty and you won't just be throwing that money away.
At 65k you should be thinking about MAFs if they haven't been done (or permanently solve the problem with Alpha-N), post and pre cat O2 sensors, all four cam position sensors by 100k, Thrust arm bushes and rear ball joints. None of these are likely to be desperate at your mileage tho (bar the MAFS and bushes) and over a couple of years this will cost less than the warranty especially if you can wield a spanner. None of the above is beyond the average home mechanic.
Maybe get the Gearbox and diff fluid flushed and renewed which I would have done by a specialist (I don't buy that these are lifetime sealed items).
The only thing that would make me take the warranty was if I thought the clutch was due in the near future in which case it would make some sense but even then I'm not sure.
If I was buying an E60 M5 then I would take a warranty without question but not for the E39.
Obviously the above comes with the caveat that you could be unlucky and the warranty might be a great idea. I'm sure someone will pipe up with a "warranty saved my life" story but there will be many many more who just threw thousands into BMW's pockets for nowt.
Early cars had the VANOS replaced under warranty when BMW didn't really understand the problem.
The rest is just good old internet hype.
A solid preventative maintenance regime will cost you less than the cheapest warranty and you won't just be throwing that money away.
At 65k you should be thinking about MAFs if they haven't been done (or permanently solve the problem with Alpha-N), post and pre cat O2 sensors, all four cam position sensors by 100k, Thrust arm bushes and rear ball joints. None of these are likely to be desperate at your mileage tho (bar the MAFS and bushes) and over a couple of years this will cost less than the warranty especially if you can wield a spanner. None of the above is beyond the average home mechanic.
Maybe get the Gearbox and diff fluid flushed and renewed which I would have done by a specialist (I don't buy that these are lifetime sealed items).
The only thing that would make me take the warranty was if I thought the clutch was due in the near future in which case it would make some sense but even then I'm not sure.
If I was buying an E60 M5 then I would take a warranty without question but not for the E39.
Obviously the above comes with the caveat that you could be unlucky and the warranty might be a great idea. I'm sure someone will pipe up with a "warranty saved my life" story but there will be many many more who just threw thousands into BMW's pockets for nowt.
... it's fair to say mine was at the high end of warrenty costs, circa 13k over 4 years (old warranty that was a gem and a steal at £690 per year). Will the new warranty cover a cracked block and the cost of a replacement engine? TBO if not then what's the point of spending so much cash of a car that's not worth realistically more than £10k
Engine still covered which is good. I don't spanner my own cars and would prefer to keep the FBMWSH to ensure warranty-ability for future owners when it comes to sell (if I ever do!)
As you say, a warranty at 15% of the car market value seems a little OTT, but then again the M5 was a £60k car with priceless performance! :-)
As you say, a warranty at 15% of the car market value seems a little OTT, but then again the M5 was a £60k car with priceless performance! :-)
Have ownned one for 6.5 years without warranty, and can honestly say that I've never spent as much as a warranty renewal fee in any one year...
It's been serviced properly, bushes, springs, belts, clutch, MAFs, various hoses etc have all been done at one point or another, (Now I've said that, it will probably explode on me now
)
Personally, I chose to keep the money and spend when needed.
It's been serviced properly, bushes, springs, belts, clutch, MAFs, various hoses etc have all been done at one point or another, (Now I've said that, it will probably explode on me now
)Personally, I chose to keep the money and spend when needed.
It all depends on what level you're paying the BM warranty at. At the lower, pre 60k rate (around £750-800 pa fully comp) then, yes, I'd definitely be tempted. But at the higher mileage rate of 2k+ fully comp, you've got to think what would possibly go that would cost much more than that - probably only gearbox and engine. Bear in mind it doesn't cover wear and tear items, i.e. clutch, and if you put an excess on to make the overall cost more bearable, then you've also got up to £250 to pay before any (each) claim.
My view is that with an older, higher mileage car, view it as such. Take it out of the dealer network, enjoy lower running costs and, if you do have a disaster, you can always put a second hand engine or gearbox in.
If you do go the warranty route make sure it's the BMW one - don't waste your money on a third party one.
My view is that with an older, higher mileage car, view it as such. Take it out of the dealer network, enjoy lower running costs and, if you do have a disaster, you can always put a second hand engine or gearbox in.
If you do go the warranty route make sure it's the BMW one - don't waste your money on a third party one.
spareparts said:
Cheers guys. For those with > 60k mile E39 M5s, what are your annual running costs including costs dealer/indy? (for those of you that do, forget for a moment you have the warranty)
Its going to depend on what condition the car is when you buy it. I brought mine in April but have spent a fortune on Clutch (£700 odd fitted), InspII service, Discs and pads all round, brake reaction bushes, rear diff seals, tyres. The list goes on but maintenance wise it wouldnt be a lot but every car will need something doing to it so you have to factor this in. The biggest annual expense is going to be fuel, depends on how many miles you are going to do but im getting 18.4mpg but thats mainly town work. I see nearly 24mpg on the motorway.
I would keep £1500-£2000 locked away incase you need it.
CarbonBlackM5 said:
spareparts said:
Cheers guys. For those with > 60k mile E39 M5s, what are your annual running costs including costs dealer/indy? (for those of you that do, forget for a moment you have the warranty)
Its going to depend on what condition the car is when you buy it. I brought mine in April but have spent a fortune on Clutch (£700 odd fitted), InspII service, Discs and pads all round, brake reaction bushes, rear diff seals, tyres. The list goes on but maintenance wise it wouldnt be a lot but every car will need something doing to it so you have to factor this in. The biggest annual expense is going to be fuel, depends on how many miles you are going to do but im getting 18.4mpg but thats mainly town work. I see nearly 24mpg on the motorway.
I would keep £1500-£2000 locked away incase you need it.
The seller just had an Oil Service done 400 miles ago, so the Inspection 1 is not due for a while. He also put on brand new front brake discs+pads last week at the MOT. Car feels very tight overall, clutch is fine, although I suspect the suspension could benefit from a refresh and tyres will be needed soon. £1.5-2k per year is sort of what I expected, so it appears the Warranty might be of marginal value - especially as the 'bits' that need sorting are just wear'n'tear items. Fuel is a non-factor given the smiles-per-mile and it's only used as a weekend car.
Mine is a late 2000 car first of the facelift models with 103k on the clock, and I don't have a warranty on it.
I purchased the car in June and have spent the following to date:
Oil (4.5L)=£46
MOT, new front traction strut bushes (X5 type) and new fron track ccontrol arm fitted= £360
Rear PDC sensor (2nd hand and fitted myself) £25 off ebay
Fuel-trip computer says 17mpg and I drive in town 99% of the time.
Things that need done-I've just boutght a set of style 66 rims that need refurbed, will be doing that between me and my mechanic friend, but need to get winter tyres, figure £500-£600.
Typical secondary air system fault (happens with most M5's at some point), the CEL is on but the code reader says insufficient flow, the pump works, i think it's the valve which is a £70 part, but it's hard to get to, usually would attempt this myself but I haven't had the car that long and can't find a decent DIY guide for this part replacement.
So far i can't fault the car or grumble as it's 10 years old, drives superb and delivers everything I need. Warranty wise personally I wouldn't reccomend it as i think you'd be better just sticking the money aside into another account and using it IF you need it, and if you can't afford to fix it I'd question whether you should actually have one in the first place.
I purchased the car in June and have spent the following to date:
Oil (4.5L)=£46
MOT, new front traction strut bushes (X5 type) and new fron track ccontrol arm fitted= £360
Rear PDC sensor (2nd hand and fitted myself) £25 off ebay
Fuel-trip computer says 17mpg and I drive in town 99% of the time.
Things that need done-I've just boutght a set of style 66 rims that need refurbed, will be doing that between me and my mechanic friend, but need to get winter tyres, figure £500-£600.
Typical secondary air system fault (happens with most M5's at some point), the CEL is on but the code reader says insufficient flow, the pump works, i think it's the valve which is a £70 part, but it's hard to get to, usually would attempt this myself but I haven't had the car that long and can't find a decent DIY guide for this part replacement.
So far i can't fault the car or grumble as it's 10 years old, drives superb and delivers everything I need. Warranty wise personally I wouldn't reccomend it as i think you'd be better just sticking the money aside into another account and using it IF you need it, and if you can't afford to fix it I'd question whether you should actually have one in the first place.
Edited by Rog B on Tuesday 5th October 11:15
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