I just bought a Z4, which extras should I buy?

[pupeno]

Hello people,

I just bought a beautiful black Z4 with white interior and they offered me three extras to consider. The car is from a E89 Z4 sDrive23i Roadster N52 2.5i from 2010. I'm doing PCP over three year with a initial deposit of about 30%. They offered me Asset Protect, Smart Protect and Tyre Protect.

Asset Protect would pay me, in the case of the car being written off, the difference between what the insurance pays me and the invoice of the car so I would theoretically get all my money back. It would cost £249 for 12 months, £299 for 24, £349 for 36 and £399 for 48. I'm not sure about this one and I have selected an insurance yet.

Smart Protect is a service where they do on location repairs of scratches, dents, chips, scuffs and it costs £249 for 12 months, £299 for 24, £349 for 36 and £399 for 48. If I don't have this one, I would probably live with these scratches, dents, and so on for a long period of time until I get them fixed. Getting this insurance would not only make a monetary difference in my life but a behavioral one as well (which sometimes is the most important).

Tyre Protect covers up to 5 tyres for £199 for 12 months, £249 for 24, £299 for 36 and £349 for 48. I'm not inclined to get this one because if I get it punctured, I'll just have it fixed. I won't stay with a punctured tyre just because I don't have insurance and I don't think the fix would affect me financially enough to change how I feel.

What do you guys thing?

Thanks.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

1. Get a quote for GAP cover, if you can find comparable cover for less then go with that.

2. What's the catch, can you call them out every time you find a ding? Is there an excess?

3. You'd pretty much need to get a new tyre every year to make it pay, so seems unlikely to be good value.

 

[LewisB]

I agree with Scooba Steve on all three points. I'd be interested to know the T&Cs on the Smart Protect.

 

[Nictrix]

When you say PCP over 3 years does this mean you have the car for 3 years and then hand it back or pay a final payment?
If it is, can you do this on a car thats over 5 years old?
I thought this type of thing was only for new cars.

 

[pupeno]

When you say PCP over 3 years does this mean you have the car for 3 years and then hand it back or pay a final payment?
If it is, can you do this on a car thats over 5 years old?
I thought this type of thing was only for new cars.

Yes, that is correct. In three years I have a balloon payment or return the car. BMW Finance offers PCP for used cars. I was told they can do it as long as the car is no more than 144 months at the time of return. I wanted to do 4 year PCP but they could only do 3 years because of the age of the car.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Do you plan on keeping the car at the end of the term?

 

[pupeno]

Do you plan on keeping the car at the end of the term?

I'm not sure yet. I expect most likely not. Why do you ask?

 

[pupeno]

2. What's the catch, can you call them out every time you find a ding? Is there an excess?

The information they gave me says:
* No excess
* Unlimited repairs up to a £3000 claim limit
* £250 Contribution if outside a "SMART" repair area.
* Guaranteed For Lifre
* Mobile repairs carried out at a convenient location for you.

What is a SMART Repair Area?
* Minor ents not exceeding 15cm in diameter
* Light Scratches not exceeding 15cm in length
* Stone Chips not exceeding 1.5mm in diameter (Weatherproofing)
* Scuffed Bumpers - not exceeding 15cm in diameter.

 

[ric19]

I had all these when I bought my Z4 4 years ago and apart from the Gap insurance I used the other 2..had a new front tyre when I hit a pothole and had a couple of alloy repairs and had a scrape on my bumper and a contribution to a new sill cover out of the smart repair..not done the maths but suspect I was up on the deal in the long run

 

[pupeno]

1. Get a quote for GAP cover, if you can find comparable cover for less then go with that.

Thanks. I found:

* click4gap.co.uk for £124
* gapcoverinsurance.co.uk for £161

 

[zed4coupe]

I would never buy those types of financial products from a main dealer, they are very overpriced and a massive money spinner for the sales team. Often the commission form these products is larger than the profit on the car. As above, if you feel that you will benefit from GAP, tyres and dent cover, by from ala.co.uk or click4gap. I always by my GAP cover (I currently drive leased cars) from ALA. Often a compatible policy is hundreds of ££s cheaper than the dealer.

Anyway, your Z4 sounds great, congrats and look forward to seeing some pictures

 

[bob4333]

SMART repair sounds good to me, especially if you plan to ever put the car in a public car park. Never heard of that one before.

GAP you can get for less (as you've now found).

Wouldn't bother with the Tyre Protect. Had it once and never needed it. Having said that now...................