Discussion
I am starting to think about my next car now that baby number 2 is nearly here. I have about 25-30K to spend so I was thinking of Saab 9-3, Alfa GT 3.2 or BMW 330 (all new or very nearly new as I do like the piece of mind ia warranty) but then I found that the M3 maybe in reach for an 02 or even 03 car.
I do have concerns about running costs. insurance is not an issue but what is the likelihood of a serious bills on the M3 and could I extend the BMW warranty?
I do have concerns about running costs. insurance is not an issue but what is the likelihood of a serious bills on the M3 and could I extend the BMW warranty?
They are not cheap cars to run, but the smile on your face more than compensates. My own car was an 03 plate and had a BMW warranty. Within a week of driving it off the forcourt it had 2 new rear tyres and a set of new frt discs and pads the cost of that little lot was £1K.
I believe to maintain a BMW warranty you need to have the car serviced at a BMW main dealer and you are talking roughly £100/per hour for labour.
I believe to maintain a BMW warranty you need to have the car serviced at a BMW main dealer and you are talking roughly £100/per hour for labour.
15k between services, £200 for an oil change, £350 for a service 1, about £500 for a service 2
Oil change
Service 1
Oil change
Service 2
Oil change
etc......
Extending the warranty is £700 a year, but, IMHO, its money well spent.
Great cars, you'll have to look real hard to find something that does everything the E46 M3 can do in one package.
Oil change
Service 1
Oil change
Service 2
Oil change
etc......
Extending the warranty is £700 a year, but, IMHO, its money well spent.
Great cars, you'll have to look real hard to find something that does everything the E46 M3 can do in one package.
alloypearltam said:
I believe to maintain a BMW warranty you need to have the car serviced at a BMW main dealer
This may be true for an '02 or '03 car (not certain), however it's not true on any cars made since 2004.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) made 'recommedations' (i.e. were going to take them to court) to manufacturers who had servicing tie-ins with their warranties to drop the requirement of having services done by a dealer.
These manufacturers were the (last remaining) ones who had to drop the restrictions: Citroen, Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, Peugeot and DaimlerChrysler, so it's true a 2002 M3 may need to be serviced by BMW. Make sure the independent place uses OEM parts to keep the warranty, and spend the savings on some mods or something
. read it here:
www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+releases/2004/85-04.htm
Who says the government are useless?
Smartie said:
Seems you M3 and dealer is different to ours!
8 - 9 K between services,
£200 oil service
£600 Inspection I
£900 Inspection II
£720 warranty renewal, £900 pa insurance!
Tyres and brakes in and amongst too!
Very expensive to run IMO.
Depends on your mileage - at 25-30k pa I didn't think it was that bad. A set of tyres lasts me 20-25k miles, pads are ok for 50-60k miles.
Service intervals are calculated on fuel useage, so lots of short journeys will give you shorter servie intervals, mine was regularly 15k miles
dulcinea said:
,,the M3 maybe in reach for an 02 or even 03 car.
I do have concerns about running costs. insurance is not an issue but what is the likelihood of a serious bills on the M3 and could I extend the BMW warranty?
My findings....
12 to 15k between services,
£200 oil service
£400 Inspection I
£800 Inspection II (assuming nothing needs replacing)
£720 warranty renewal
£800 pa insurance
BTW .. an unscrupulous plug - I'm selling my 02 plate highly spec'd M3 Convertible, it comes with the BMW extendable warranty! .
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff