E46 M3 Warranty extension advice please

[Booyakajon]

My manual 2004 E46 M3 coupe runs out of its BMW warranty at the end of May. It has done 61000 miles - so BMW warranty extension will be expensive.

If I don't take out the warranty then I am thinking of taking it along to a local Indy to check for anything that could do with being seen to before the warranty expiration and then getting that done.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom or advice about this predicament.

Cheers

[Bumble SV]

How expensive is expensive?

[Booyakajon]

not certain, but I have heard around 2k

[Bumble SV]

Really?! That is a large loading for breaching the 60k mark. I thought it was nearer the £1200 mark.

On top of the cost of the warranty of course is the dealer premium charged on servicing etc to keep the car in the network, when the majority of people believe a good Indy gives you a much better service for a much cheaper price overall. So it is so tempting to do as you suggest - ie find a good Indy to check everything over before your warranty runs out.

I'm not sure of the benefits of 3rd party warranty company alternatives though - there are lots of stories of them trying to wriggle out of paying anything, and will only cough up when something has actually failed.

I'm interested in others' thoughts as I will be in a similar position in the not too distant future.

Let me know how you get on if you would.

[md23]

Yep, £2k or thereabouts is right but... as I understand it, if you put onto monthly payment before it reaches 60k I understand Mondial don't have a means of checking the mileage so you can get it for iro 12 x £90 (until it reaches 10 years old?).

[Rags]

Instead of banding figures about, why not look at the official website.

It states all the types of cover available and the options to pay monthly.

http://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

[Rags]

md23 said:

Yep, £2k or thereabouts is right but... as I understand it, if you put onto monthly payment before it reaches 60k I understand Mondial don't have a means of checking the mileage so you can get it for iro 12 x £90 (until it reaches 10 years old?).

Yes this is true.

When I owned my CSL, it was on 59990 and parked up for a week just to ensure there was no breach of the 60 days upon renewal.

I even took a photo lol

But you are right, if you pay monthly and continue even after 12 months, it remains at the sub 60k miles prices which is madness as it almost contradicts their policy!

[Mattt]

Rags said:

Instead of banding figures about, why not look at the official website.

It states all the types of cover available and the options to pay monthly.

http://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

Except they don't list them, you need the Invitation PIN thing to check.

[pjv997]

I think this is something down to personal choice and what makes you feel comfortable.

There are always scare stories from people who have had horrendous repair bills but there doesn't seem to be any credible information about the number of people who pay for the extended warranty each year and barely claim anything. I suggested a survey was run on the Porsche owners club website but that wasn't allowed.

My experience with my 997 is that I did not take the warranty, so I have saved four years of premiums now to go towards anything that blows up. I have had nothing go wrong that would warrant a claim.

And although I continue with main dealer servicing at the moment, I can go indie if I want.

[Booyakajon]

Mattt's post is absolutely right, rags, which I why I mentionned 'around' 2k for renewal, which seems the norm in this situation.

[ortontom]

mine last year was £720 for renewal on a 2003 conv, with 61k on the clock.

personally i wouldnt bother as they wont even cover a suspension parts after 60k miles, which will be the biggest problem. So whats the point of cover....

keep the money to one side, in my experience of 9 bmw's ive never used the warranty...

[NickXX]

The quotes I got were about £2k too in March (61,000 miles also). Was about £850 if you were on less than 60k.

I spoke to a local Indy about getting a Warranty Direct policy. I didn't get a quote, but I believe it would cost in excess of £500. The garage see a lot of e46 M3s come in for servicing and they generally prove to be very reliable.

I came to the conclusion that it's better off sticking the £500-2,000 under a pillow and forgetting about it.

[ian in lancs]

I paid a grand for a 2007 25k mls Z4MR. No excess, everything covered! Same as original warranty. Minimum cover IIRC was about £700 plus every claim excess so the argument is only about the £300 difference IYSWIM. With that very expensive running gear I was always going to cover it but for the extra £300 I went whole hog!

[SarlechS]

what exactly would the Warranty cover?

does it cover wear and tear items? SMG Pump, Clutch?

i've read it covers:

Engine
Automatic/Manual Transmission
Final Drive Assembly, Propeller Shaft(s)
Front Suspension
Rear Suspension
Steering
Brakes
ABS Brake System
Electrical
Air Conditioning/Heating System
Cooling System
Interior/Exterior
Fuel System

doesnt cover:

Upkeep Items
Maintenance; engine, transmission, and body adjustments; wheel alignment, balancing or rotation; wiper blade inserts; engine drive belts; spark plugs; filters; fuses; all batteries; all hoses and clamps (except air conditioning and power steering); oils, lubricants, fluids, refrigerants and coolants (except as required in the course of a covered repair); brake pads and rotors; brake shoes and drums; manual transmission clutch assemblies; suspension dampers (shock absorbers/strut elements); exhaust systems; tires.

Wear and Tear
All wear and tear items as defined in The Certified Pre-Owned BMW Protection Plan Consumer Information Statement (including all suspension parts and components).

Body and Interior
Paint; glass; headlamps; bulbs (except instrumentation); mirrors; lenses; body and chassis; body seals and gaskets; interior and exterior trim, moldings, and fasteners; upholstery, headliner, carpeting, floor and trunk mats; convertible top (all components except electronics); air or water leaks; wind or body noises; wheels; damage due to rust, corrosion, or contamination, except as covered by the BMW New Vehicle Rust and Corrosion Perforation Warranty.

Accessories
Radio/cassette player, telephone, navigation system, CD changer, or any components of those systems; non-original equipment parts, components or accessories.

is this correct?

Edited by SarlechS on Tuesday 5th October 23:33