BMW Maintenance Upgrade - Is this a good deal?

I recently bought a used 330Xi with 45K miles on it. Its a 2003 model year. It runs and looks great! I love it. I bought from a BMW dealer so its Certified Pre-Owned. The dealer recommends I get the Maintenance Program Upgrade before it reaches 50K miles. This costs $1185. Apparently this program will extend the new car warranty till it reaches 6 years/100 K miles.

The maintenance upgrade includes oil changes, brakes, scheduled service (one is reached at 60K), belts and brake fluid. The small print at the back of the brochure lists many items that are specifically excluded.

Do you think this is a good deal at $1185? I have never owned a BMW before but I know the service can be quite expensive.

Thanks for your advice.

Reply to
Phil
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Given that an "oil service" at the dealer is about $180 every 15k miles, that's $540, almost, $720 just for the basic oil services. With the additional warranty, brakes, etc. for basically $645 that's not a bad deal at all, IMHO.

Reply to
KJ

Are you sure it also extends the warranty? I think this is a separate issue.

Non-covered items you should consider having done are coolant and transmission fluid changes.

The extended maintenance should cover Inspection II at around 60,000 miles (ca. $500.00), a $200.00 oil service at about 75,000, and a $400.00 Inspection I at 90,000. Add in the cost of brakes, belts & brake fluid changes & it sounds like a pretty good deal, assuming you aren't planning on DIY service.

Tom K.

Reply to
Tom K.

Generally, extended warrantee and maintenance tends to favor the issuer, not the car owner (it's a variation of an insurance policy). Add up the costs. The Insp II, Oil Service, and Insp I will fall within the mileage of the coverage (Brake fluid is included, PS, Diff, Trans are not). Are brake pads/rotors covered or just fluid flush? Coolant flush (every 4 years according to BMW, every 2 according to most BMW mechanics)?

Your CPO warrantee (100K) ought to cover cooling system issues (thermostat, water pump, radiator) and most other mechanical ills.

Belts and hoses are usually good for 120K+.

Bottom line. If the normal scheduled maintenance adds up to a one/two hundred dollars of the plan's cost, it may well be worth it. Just make sure that there aren't any significant items that are excluded in the fine print or not covered by your CPO warrantee.

R / John

Reply to
John Carrier

I bought this for my car. It might be possible to do a little better on the price so you should check into that...call around. It does not extend the warranty. All it does is extend free scheduled maintenance that comes with new cars to 6 yrs/100K. It covers all of the scheduled maintenance and some of the wear and tear stuff like brakes, rotors, and supposedly even things like the control arm bushings.

Anoop

Reply to
anoop

Right, but to continue with that thought, a DIY guys can accomplish all those maintenances for around 1/4th the cost or less so not such a great deal then...

Reply to
Fred W

Actually - no - it doesn't extend the WARRANTY - it extends the free full Maintenance. BIG difference.

It isn't a BAD deal if you always intend to bring your car to BMW dealers for service - and if the dealer extends (mine does) a loaner car for service appointments. As others have pointed out - the "Service-I" and "Service-II" services can cover the cost all alone - not counting windshield wiper changes and brake pads and rotors.

Something to get done before your current maintenance period is up is a brake fluid flush. BMW calls for this every 2 years from date of PRODUCTION (not In-Service date..) and it is covered by their maintenance program.

One warning with the extended maintenance - you MUST sign up and pay for it BEFORE your current BMW paid for program expires. One day or one mile over and they won't accept your money. I made that mistake and regret it.

Reply to
admin

Phil should also calculate his expected mileage over those two years. Since the Inspections only come up every 30,000+ miles, but the time extension is only two years, will he put on enough mileage (30k/year) to require the second Inspection within the maintenance time period?

Tom K.

Reply to
Tom K.

There is an amazing amount of expertise in this newsgroup. Here are some replies to your posts.

All - My original post was wrong as several noted. Its not a warranty extension just a maintenance program. Tom K. and Fred - I am not a DIY guy. I used to be but now I have to pay others to fix my cars. No time. Tom K - I estimate my mileage will be 110 K miles when the maintenance program expires so both scheduled services should be covered. John - The brochure specifically includes brake pads and rotors. Nothing mentioned about coolant flushes. Anoop - Good idea to shop around. I will make some calls to other dealerships. admin - My dealer gives out loaners also. Last time I had a low mileage X3.

Based on your posts, I think I will purchase the Maintenance Program upgrade since the service inspections will come quite close to the purchase price and if I have to get the brakes replaced then it will easily put me over the top.

Thanks again.

Phil

Reply to
Phil

Neither am I due to a bad back & reliance on bifocals, but many in this group are.

Phil, I hope I speak for everyone else (above) when I thank you for your kind words.

Regarding the fluid changes - I'm pretty sure the two year brake fluid replacements are covered under maintenance; but coolant flushes are not. My

2003 Z4 makes no mention of scheduled coolant changes in the service/warranty manual and my dealer indicated that we now have "lifetime" coolant.

Tom K.

Reply to
Tom K.

Tom states:

Its interesting that BMW now considers its coolant "lifetime." In the US, BMW coolant is Valvoline Zerex G-48:

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The effective date of the G-48 technical bulletin is 6/18/03, with an expriration date of 6/18/08.

Since 2003, BMW has gone from requiring coolant flushes every 2 years to "lifetime," with no changes in the make up of its coolant. Interesting.

It wouldn't hurt to change your coolant every 2 or 3 years. If you don't want to pay the BMW rate of $22-30 per gallon, Saab coolant, which is also "blue" and Zerex G-48 retails at around $12 per gallon!

Reply to
bfd

Actually, from about 1999 thru 2002, it was every 4 years.

You mean I don't get to use the same coolant for the rest of my life???

Tom K.

Reply to
Tom K.

Nope, but you can wear the same underwear for the rest of your life!

Reply to
bfd

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