Just took delivery of 335i Convertible this morning. When going through financing, I was offered the standard accessories/add-ons: extended warranty, extended maintenance, dealer installed alarm, Cl Armor and "Touch of Class" protection for the paint and interior.
I'm curious if anyone has opinions on what might actually be worthwhile. It's a gorgeous car, with metallic deep green paint and beige leather seats, so possibly the Touch of Class service?
I have zero experience in the area, so I'm looking for some words of wisdom.
I am assuming the "Touch of Class" you are referring to is the polyurethane clear film that goes over the fron part of the hood and the sides of the doors and back off the mirrors? My dealer called that PaintGuard or something similar. It was not available when I got my
325xi in 2002, and I regret it since a few weeks after I got the car, a big semi spit up a rock right into my hood. left a nice lil dent which I had to retouch. So when I got my wife's 2007 328xiT we opted for that PaintGuard. It wasn't cheap, and you better have them install it (you can buy the kits now on the internet, but you only save a few hundred bucks and it doesn't seem like a job to do yourself) It's practically invisible (you really have to know it's there and then you still have to look for it) and it gives you that feeling of added comfort, knowing that if you get a rock or pebble projected onto your hood or front of the car, it won't leave a mark on your paint (unless if it's a big brick of course). I will actually have it installed on my car with my next maintenance job next month. As far as the other options that's really up to you and how deep your pockets are. Keep in mind that, depending how and howmuch you drive, a brake job will be right around the corner when the 4 year warranty runs out. I see now they give a 5 year maintenance standard, but we still added 2 years to that. Especially when you take into account to cover the run flat tires cost of replacement and how expensive a nav system can be to repair. We took the whole shebam, but that's just because the way I think. Other people may think differently. My opinion is that if you are shelling out 45K on a car like that, it shouldn't mean that much to shell out another 5K to get a few years more extended warranty and maintenance, the paintguard, and the BMW assist service extended. I also got the alarm on the 328xiT, but so I did on my 325xi. The extended warranty stuff is one of those things you regret not getting when you need it, but might not end up needing if you do get it. So it really comes down to the question howmuch the added peace of mind is worth to you. I have a feeling this is going to turn into an interesting thread...
The PaintGuard you're referring to is the "Cl Armor" option they offered me. "Cl" must be an abbreviation (clear?) but that's all that I had on the back of the envelope... So that's good to know you find it worth while. I saw it on display in the showroom, and it is very discrete.
The "Touch of Class" item had more to do with a special paint treatment/sealant and leather treatment. Sort of a wax replacement that's supposed to last 5 years. The paint job is a beautiful metallic deep green so it would be a shame to watch that fade. Still, the standard wax service might be the best option if I really want to go that route ... this Touch of Class service is $900.
And I believe Tom is correct, I have 4 years for both warranty and maintenance ... as far as I can remember.
You're right. For some reason I stuck it in my head that our dealer mentioned 5 years and 50,000 miles, but I must have misunderstood or he must have misspoke. I checked the papers and there it says 48 months original waranty/service. I extended that to 7 years.
You're most welcome. You will just love that ride! I'd certainly recommend that Cl Armor. I checked my papers and here it's called "BMW Clear Guard". It cost me around $650 installed. And yes Tom was right. I checked the paperwork just now, and I extended her service/warranty to 2014 (7 years total) and the original service/warranty was 48 months. That added 3 years ran me around $3,500 but it covers everything, including the tires and the electronics (like the nav system). I like that quite a lot of the stuff I had to pay extra for when I got mine in 2002 now seems to come standard. She even got the angel eyes with her HID lights, which I couldn't get back then. The Xenons are also turning in corners. the moonroof is almost twice the size I have and her nav is DVD based covering the whole USA, while mine is only CD and covers only the neighboring states. Hers is bluetooth enabled and she has voice activated commands, and can use her phone handsfree. All of these things are not available in my car. I'm looking for an excuse to get a new one for myself, but I can't find a good one so far. Don't get me wrong, I just love my car, but boy I do salivate when I get to drive hers lol
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