Warranties and Servicing

[taffyracer]

My M3's warranty is due in Aug, i've had the car 2 years and it's now done 45,000 miles, i've been toying with changing for some time to a 335 or 335d but have decided to renew the warranty and keep it for 1 more year and then swap into either a new M3 (if i can find one at a decent price) or a 335dms.

The warranty is £1050 and the car is also due its Inspection 2 (read expensive) service in 10000 miles and I was wondering what the general thoughts are on

1. non bmw warranties - are they any good and how are they perceived
2. Independent BMW servicing - All the dealers i have been used are crap and there is a decent independent in Cardiff that is half the price - what are peoples view to this.

Basically what I'm asking is - if you were buying a mint M3 with 60,000 miles on it would you buy one with a non standard bmw warranty and a FSH that contained independent histor? If not why not?

[baz1985]

taffyracer said:

My M3's warranty is due in Aug, i've had the car 2 years and it's now done 45,000 miles, i've been toying with changing for some time to a 335 or 335d but have decided to renew the warranty and keep it for 1 more year and then swap into either a new M3 (if i can find one at a decent price) or a 335dms.

The warranty is £1050 and the car is also due its Inspection 2 (read expensive) service in 10000 miles and I was wondering what the general thoughts are on

1. non bmw warranties - are they any good and how are they perceived
2. Independent BMW servicing - All the dealers i have been used are crap and there is a decent independent in Cardiff that is half the price - what are peoples view to this.

Basically what I'm asking is - if you were buying a mint M3 with 60,000 miles on it would you buy one with a non standard bmw warranty and a FSH that contained independent histor? If not why not?

I wouldn't touch one without a Valid official BMW Warranty and FBMWSH...regardless of how cheap one may be without it.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Difficult one this giving that you should perhaps read the word 'warranty' as the word insurance as with the conditions and exclusions of late it seems to have more holes than a collinder. BUT the main things can cost big bucks to replace and the main things have and do go wrong often. If it was mine and at such a low mileage and I drove it any way near its full potential then I would renew it. I claimed over £17,000 worth of warranty work out of my M5 in the four years I have had mine - from vanos units to an entire new steering box and other assorted things. The costs of the warranties came to £5k. You could argue it was good 'value' ..

...or take your chance and hope for the best.

[darreni]

I've just had an inspection 2 on my m3. £830. Plus they picked up some faults, new PDC control unit, new PDC sensor (needed to be painted to match), new SMG gear selector switch( this is in the gearbox & required removal of the exhaust, prop, & box to fit).
All covered under BMW warranty, no questions, no hassle. I would think that without the warranty, it would have been well over a grand.

As the car gets older, fewer & fewer will still have a BM warranty & i would think that yours would be far easier to sell with one. I would'nt buy another M3 without.

[blackspider]

taffyracer said:

My M3's warranty is due in Aug, i've had the car 2 years and it's now done 45,000 miles, i've been toying with changing for some time to a 335 or 335d but have decided to renew the warranty and keep it for 1 more year and then swap into either a new M3 (if i can find one at a decent price) or a 335dms.

The warranty is £1050 and the car is also due its Inspection 2 (read expensive) service in 10000 miles and I was wondering what the general thoughts are on

1. non bmw warranties - are they any good and how are they perceived
2. Independent BMW servicing - All the dealers i have been used are crap and there is a decent independent in Cardiff that is half the price - what are peoples view to this.

Basically what I'm asking is - if you were buying a mint M3 with 60,000 miles on it would you buy one with a non standard bmw warranty and a FSH that contained independent histor? If not why not?

Non BMW warranties tend to useless unless you pay for a top quality one..

The indies have alot more time to look after the customer,chances are your going to see/talk to the guy thats going to work on your vehicle-stick to a BMW specialist as they are more likely to have a bmw back ground.
Later this year Im starting my own specailist and will have the same diagnostic equipment as a dealer.
FBMWSH is good when it comes to sell as you may make an extra £500,trouble is you will have far out spent that having it serviced at a dealer over the few years.A dealer tends to be £100 ph where as a specailist about £50 ph.
The stamp is still valid and is proof of service-The buyer is also able to check that garage out.

[Rochester BMW]

I wouldn't sell it with indy history because to anyone other than enthusiasts (like us) it looks like you were too tight fisted to get it serviced at BMW...

Poeple dont care how good the mechanic was, or the fact he has more experience than the BMW blokes, all they want to see is the BMW stamps in the book, anything other than that and alarm bells start ringing...

[taffyracer]

Some good opinions there, seems that renewing the warranty is the way to go

[MK4 Slowride]

Rochester BMW said:

I wouldn't sell it with indy history because to anyone other than enthusiasts (like us) it looks like you were too tight fisted to get it serviced at BMW...

Poeple dont care how good the mechanic was, or the fact he has more experience than the BMW blokes, all they want to see is the BMW stamps in the book, anything other than that and alarm bells start ringing...

Quite right to, the 'other bloke' might have more years experience but BMW technicians have to spend X-amount of hours at the training academy each year to keep their status. My dealer group has several Master technicians who are quite rare nation wide.

[taffyracer]

I've obviously been going to the wrong dealers then!