BMW Warranty
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Discussion

CAPP0

Original Poster:

20,881 posts

234 months

Wednesday 1st August 2018
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The Approved Used warranty on my R1200RT runs out middle of this month, and BMW have written to me to ask if I want to extend it at £430 per year.

I'm usually pretty wary of aftermarket warranties, but on the couple of issues I have had with the bike, they have repaired it without any quibbles at all.

I use the bike every day to commute so in some ways I'm dependent on it, but I don't want to throw cash away.

On the upside, I get (probably decent) warranty cover. The bike is 2012 and has 25k miles on it (not loads for this bike). I guess a fairly minor issue could easily cost £400+

On the downside, I have to stump up for the warranty and I'm presumably tied into having them service it, which is quite pricey. If I didn't warranty it, I'd probably do most of the servicing myself or get the local bike shop to do it. And I might not have any issues!

Whaddya reckon? Worth it as it's a direct BMW warranty, not one of these "get out of jail free" aftermarket jobbies? Or just trouser the cash in case?

podman

9,086 posts

271 months

Wednesday 1st August 2018
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Having just joined the S1000 forum and hearing of some very low mileage , full historied bikes suffering serious engine failures and now finding the switch gear on my new bike is particularly cheap, doesnt fit together completely and has a very flimsy feel , along with a friend suffering a switch failure costing £300+(has to be coded in mister) on his K1300s a few weeks back, I would be inclined to take it up...

I should also add, I have had a new trim piece ordered as a panel keeps popping out(650 miles in), the mechanic was a decent chap and struggled to find a words other than "poor & cheap" when describing why it would fail so quickly...The warranty sounds/service always very good as is my local dealer but unfortunately I have the feeling when buying a BMW, too many owners get the opportunity to use the warranty.

Of course I could be completely wrong but thats my take on the subject after 4 weeks of being a BMW owner...Bike is stonking thou...


Brads67

3,199 posts

129 months

Wednesday 1st August 2018
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I`ve taken the warranty (GSA) a couple of time after it has run out. It also includes European breakdown cover which is BMW based so far better than AA or anyone like that.

A simple job on a modern bike can cost the price of the warranty quite easily . Stings a bit paying 4 times my insewerance cost, but hey ho.

jamiehamy

360 posts

207 months

Wednesday 1st August 2018
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I would take it at that price. Aside from it not getting any younger, it's new enough to have the sort of technology that means replacing parts can be a pricey affair - parts labour and reprogramming which I understand BMWs need for a lot if work.

fergus

6,430 posts

306 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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Brads67 said:
I`ve taken the warranty (GSA) a couple of time after it has run out. It also includes European breakdown cover which is BMW based so far better than AA or anyone like that.

A simple job on a modern bike can cost the price of the warranty quite easily . Stings a bit paying 4 times my insewerance cost, but hey ho.
+1

Factor in the cost of the EU breakdown cover, and that BMW will offer you a replacement vehicle while your bike is off the road, and it comes down to circa £300. Given some of the build quality issues on even the newer bikes and also the labour cost, I think it gives you peace of mind. I would double check the need to get it serviced by BMW. I think you just need to have it serviced to the same standards (EU law, etc)

CAPP0

Original Poster:

20,881 posts

234 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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Thanks chaps, that seems pretty conclusive! thumbup

308mate

13,758 posts

253 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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If you were doing 3k a year on sunny sundays I'd say pass but for a daily commuter, take it.

Its the big services I'd be scared of or the fact that you might be up for new front discs shortly (mine was at 25k miles). They're a bag o sand by themselves.

Call up a dealer and ask the what services are coming up and how much they are. If you're facing a 600 quid service, a grands worth of brakes and 430 on a warranty, chop the bike in and put 2k down on a brand new one that wont need anything for two years.

CAPP0

Original Poster:

20,881 posts

234 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
quotequote all
308mate said:
If you were doing 3k a year on sunny sundays I'd say pass but for a daily commuter, take it.

Its the big services I'd be scared of or the fact that you might be up for new front discs shortly (mine was at 25k miles). They're a bag o sand by themselves.

Call up a dealer and ask the what services are coming up and how much they are. If you're facing a 600 quid service, a grands worth of brakes and 430 on a warranty, chop the bike in and put 2k down on a brand new one that wont need anything for two years.
Yes, I know where you're coming from with your previous experience. And yes, it will need disks & pads in the foreseeable, although I can do that myself and a set of Brembo replacements is around £400 from Motorworks.

Part of me would love a new bike but mine has to sit on the street in town 4 days a week. Plus, if you remember this was the one which was written off and which I bought back for peanuts, so it owes me absolutely nothing but is still a good tool for the job. I don't have to be remotely precious about it either in terms of worrying about it going or making sure it never gets a scratch, so I've somewhat decided that I'll keep it for this task. I have other toys in the shed for sunny days and ice cream runs wink

scorcher

4,130 posts

265 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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fergus said:
Factor in the cost of the EU breakdown cover, and that BMW will offer you a replacement vehicle while your bike is off the road,
I know it's better than nothing but do they still offer a car instead of a replacement bike? Always seemed a bit weird that a biker would want his broken down bike replaced with a car, plus not all bikers have a car licence anyway.

PTF

4,456 posts

255 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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Do they offer it on a rolling monthly payment like they do for BMW cars? If you chop it in half way through you'll not have paid for 6 months cover you'll be throwing away.

My K1300S scares me. I had read plenty of horror stories about them throwing up a bill, so i kept my eye out for a sensible mileage, sensibly priced (sub £6k) bike with the right options (ESA and GSA) at my local BMW dealer. One came up and i got it straight away. 2 yr warranty. I plan to double the mileage to around 45k and then trade it in for another one with another 2 yr warranty.

Funny thing is, my other bikes are all older and they don't scare me. Firstly they're not packed with tech. They're easier to work on. I'm not bothered at all that they're under no kind of warranty, but i wouldn't want to own a K13 without having a warranty on it, not unless it was worth £3k or less and i could stomach walking away from it or selling for parts.

Brads67

3,199 posts

129 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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They offer bikes and your bike is collected by BMW and taken to BMW techs.

Edited by Brads67 on Thursday 2nd August 10:28

Lee540

1,586 posts

175 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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Out of curiousity..

If you go here and get a new quotation, is it the same price?

https://www.motorrad-warranty.co.uk/Start

Brads67

3,199 posts

129 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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Yes.

They base it on the reg number and mileage. It was no different to the quote sent out to me and they don`t haggle the price at all.

fergus

6,430 posts

306 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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scorcher said:
fergus said:
Factor in the cost of the EU breakdown cover, and that BMW will offer you a replacement vehicle while your bike is off the road,
I know it's better than nothing but do they still offer a car instead of a replacement bike? Always seemed a bit weird that a biker would want his broken down bike replaced with a car, plus not all bikers have a car licence anyway.
I'm my experience, (South Bucks), I've only ever received cars, but haven't pushed for a bike (or a car for that matter) as I have alternatives I can use.

s2kjock

1,857 posts

178 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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I have been taking this out for my K1300GT ever since the original warranty ran out 5 or 6 years ago. I do little mileage, but the costs of some of the failures of the fancy electronic stuff are scary. AIUI it is transferable to a new owner, so for an older complex bike it makes it more saleable.

If you go for the no excess option, which is more expensive, it does mean they just fix things there and then at services so hassle free in terms of claims.

I was told by the dealer that once a bike is out of the warranty it is nigh on impossible to get it back into the scheme ie if you decide to miss out a year of cover, or don't flow straight on from the OEM warranty expiry. How true that is I don't know.

black-k1

12,808 posts

260 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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I'd say it's worth every penny.

bigmadjohn

210 posts

238 months

Sunday 5th August 2018
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I took this out quite a few years ago on my s1000rr when going out of warranty. Took it for a service a few weeks later and had the dealer phone to say the bike needs a new sump (they corrode if used in the winter). Helpfully I was told that the warranty doesn’t cover corrosion, after a little arguing bmw good willed it, I had to pay for the bolts. After this I decided not to bother with the warranty, used the money to buy a gs-911 (bmw diagnostic) and have serviced it myself since. The gs911 is a brilliant bit of kit, can do most things that bmw can do and you can sell it for pretty much what you pay for them.

If a common failure happens bmw is pretty good at good willing it, maybe if I had a major failure I would be singing a different tune, but it left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth paying £400 and it being pretty much useless. Also BMW’s labour rates are well into three figures per hour, a great independent will pretty much half that, with a strong market on Ebay there’s very few bits that you have to go to a main dealer for. I just need to remember to acf-50 my sump throughout the winter!!

Brads67

3,199 posts

129 months

Sunday 5th August 2018
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Same could be said for any make thoguh. And to be fair, your sump corroded due to not being looked after correctly.

Not being a dick, but just saying. I see BMW as good as any and worth the money at the present time. (Heading to Spain on the GSA soon, )

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

243 months

Sunday 5th August 2018
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I don't think a sump rotting through on a fairly new bike is to be expected.