Aftermarket Warranty - Yes or No?

D

Drexel

Member
So my dealer provided me with an a-protect aftermarket Warranty with my Z4 that I bought about 3 weeks ago, and I'm considering upgrading it.

The warranty that I got with the 2004 Z4 3.0i is a very basic 2 year (unlimited KM) "Silver Plus" (http://www.a-protectwarranty.com/main.php?item=26) package that covers stuff like Engine, Transmission, & Head Gasket & Seals up to $1000 per claim- $250 deductible so basically up to $750 per claim. A $750 discount is at least something, but not much in terms of warranty options in case something goes wrong. So I asked them what other options they can provide considering the package that was already purchased.

What they've now quoted me is the "Platinum Plus" plan, plus a hi-tec package & a waiving of the $250 deductible. The Platinum Plus covers up to $2500 per claim, and covers Air Conditioning, "Wear and Tear" (not sure what that is yet, I'm trying to get more info), and a few other options that aren't really available on the Z4 (4x4, supercharger, turbo). The HiTec covers items like all the Power switches (windows, seats, convertible roof motor), dashboard display, cruise control, temperature control programmer, Ignition, Waste gate controller & intercooler system & Fuel Pump and the ABS Pressure Regulator & Pump.

What isn't covered are items like the suspension, power steering & alternator

I'm considering going for the second option, where they've quoted me $1350 + tax (2 years) or $1599 + tax (3 years)... but before I do this I wanted to find out if anyone here has any experience with these.

Any opinions and/or advice is greatly appreciated!

Since I have a 2004 I want to get some kind of peace-of-mind against what could be upcoming repair expenses - what kind of repairs have others here had to deal with and how much did they cost?
 
For a start how often do you need to get your car serviced for this warrenty? or how many miles between service? Also i know in th u.k that alot of these aftermarket warrantys are not worth the paper they are written on due to the fact that alot of mechanicle faults are all classed as "wear and tear". For e.g if your clutch was to start slipping and you made a claim they could come back to you and say well you car has X amount of miles so the clutch would be worn and therefore not covered under any failure. Maybe i am totally wrong and maybe this after market cover is ok but id be careful to read all the small print before handing over your money. If they cover wear and tear then its a must and i would pay the extra for it for sure. Being a 2004 car most fualts would now fall under wear and tear im afraid. Check out that company on the net to see other peoples experiances with them, are they true to there word when things have gone wrong. I hope all is good with this warranty company and its just me being a mad man, just hate to see people not getting what they have paid for. Best of luck with whatever you decide :)
 
^^ Wot he said, pistonheads is littered with stories of people trying to make 3rd party warranty claims and companies trying to wriggle out of paying. Self-insure by sticking the money you would've spent into a savings account, if you haven't used it after 2 years use it to upgrade to a Z4M...

1 year and 17k miles :

front bushes and ARB link - £260 (wouldn't have been covered as considered wear and tear)
oil leak - £150 (may have been covered?)

My life is too short to be getting engineers reports, having the car off the road and argueing the toss with warranty companies.

Remember the Z4 isn't hugely complicated with twin turbos, magnetic dampers etc.
 
I agree with both the prior posting. While Canada may be a little different to the UK there is little on a 2004 car that the warranty will really cover. By the time you add up premiums and excess on anything that is covered you'll not really have saved anything.

If a major component like engine or gearbox goes then you'd put in a second hand one.
 
Drexel – Please look into Zurich as an option for a non-manufacture warranty. They may have coverage in Canada. I pick up a 2 year policy from them when I purchased my car in Oct. Shortly afterwards, I had a claim that was over $5k. They were very professional. I would highly recommend them; however, make sure you negotiate the price of the policy.

Here is the thread about the work that needed to be done:

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31990
 
Take the yearly premium and stick it away in a bank account. If you have a failure then you've got some funds to cover it; if the Z4 proves reliable you're quids in with a nice holiday/upgrade/modification fund :)
 
a11y said:
Take the yearly premium and stick it away in a bank account. If you have a failure then you've got some funds to cover it; if the Z4 proves reliable you're quids in with a nice holiday/upgrade/modification fund :)
Click to expand...

+1 Good advice :thumbsup: .

You'd probably spend it on half a new mountain bike!!
 
Oakandacorns said:
a11y said:
Take the yearly premium and stick it away in a bank account. If you have a failure then you've got some funds to cover it; if the Z4 proves reliable you're quids in with a nice holiday/upgrade/modification fund :)
Click to expand...

+1 Good advice :thumbsup: .

You'd probably spend it on half a new mountain bike!!
Click to expand...

+2 I though about warranty, which would have been wasted as my zed has been faultless (ish! - touch wood) since I bought it.


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Thanks for the responses guys!

I did some checking online, and aside from a few posts from people complaining about the actual dealerships that sold them their cars, or people who just didn't understand the warranties they bought (i.e. expecting bumper to bumper on a basic plan), this company checks out.

I thought about just putting money away fixes/upgrades, but based on what I've seen regarding the cost to repair something like a burned out convertible top motor, or any of the electrics, it made sense for me to put up with the one-time cost... so I've decided on going with the Platinum Plus package, with the Hi-Tech & No Deductible option. At least now I have peace of mind for the next 3 years. :)

If I ever do need to bring my car in for servicing and invokeb the terms of the warranty, I'll be sure to post here and let everyone know about my experience.

Thanks again!
 
I had a £3000 job covered under my Mondial warranty that only costs me £32 a month. This was 9 months after I took over the warranty from the previous owner.
As others have said it maybe worth putting money away into a savings account rather than go for a warranty. I'm considering this myself if my premium go up this year.


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I've been quoted £389 for a lifetime warranty, covering all mechanical, electronic and electical parts. £2k icl with no excess. Seriously considering it actually.
 
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