Warranty renewal 35is

[matsmith749]

So my 2016 z4 35is is coming up to 12 months since I bought it from the BMW dealership, and the warranty renewal is due.

Thought it would be useful to share costs, might help others thinking of doing the same.

Car is a 2016 35is, now has 39k miles on it, BMW approved purchase 12 months ago.

Comprehensive warranty (inc roadside assist) is £707 PA with £0 excess, £522 with £100 excess, £422 with £250 excess.
That's a bit cheaper than I thought.

Named component cover is about £60 per year cheaper.

Driveline cover is about £125 cheaper.

I had it in my head it would be around £1k PA for the BMW approved warranty - so this seems like a no brainer.

Will go with the £100 excess & include the breakdown cover I reckon, just too much expensive pain on the 35is to take a chance.

 

[Silverstar]

Have you had any issues in these past 12 months?

 

[matsmith749]

I had a rattly door that they fixed under warranty - nothing enginey or gearboxey

I had no issues with my previous 35is either, but it's just not the kind of car I want to own without a warranty covering my ass.

Feels like a complex car, with stressed components that might break & be bloody expensive when they do.

Peace of mind.

I wouldn't trust any of the 3rd party warranties TBH, feels to me like the BMW one is a bit more bulletproof (if only in my mind). I paid extra in the first place to buy BMW approved for the same reason.

 

[Johnbmwz4]

I have a 3.5i and too have the BMW extended warranty with the £100 excess. I’m in to my 2nd year and have made 2 claims. 1 for an engine warning light which was some sort of sensor and the other for a headlight washer unit as it was leaking intermittently. These are complex cars and I’d rather have the warranty than not have it just in case and will be good for resale value if I ever decide to sell

 

[Mr Tidy]

If I had a BMW warranty on a car with the N54 engine I'd want to keep it in force! Price doesn't sound too bad either.

 

[Silverstar]

I am sure the BMW warranty will be rock solid and the price is good too. We all know that the N54 can have big bills but I wonder what percentage of cars are actually troublesome (hence why I asked the question originally) because looking at BMW warranty prices, it indicates that it isn’t that bad, since otherwise the cost would be much higher.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I suppose it's like most things - we only hear about the bad ones.

A bit like N47 Diesel cam-chain issues, but given how many BMW sold in various models the percentage with issues is probably quite small - but that doesn't help if yours is one of them!

 

[Silverstar]

I suppose it's like most things - we only hear about the bad ones.

A bit like N47 Diesel cam-chain issues, but given how many BMW sold in various models the percentage with issues is probably quite small - but that doesn't help if yours is one of them!

My mate has a 2009 520d as a company car which he then bought off the leasing company and still has to this day. Around 3 or 4 years ago and around 100k miles suffered the cam chain issue. He was getting quoted silly money 2.5 to 3k to get it fixed (recon engine) but eventually found a good independent mechanic who fixed his broken engine all in for £1500. The same goes for these cars too, the cost to fix can be very high if going to a main dealer or certain specialists but find yourself a good mechanic and the cost to repair can be a fraction.

 

[Busterboo]

Car is a 2016 35is, now has 39k miles on it ... /quote]

I wouldn't have a 35iS without a BMW Insured Warranty.

At 100k, having done 80k, I have just renewed mine for the 7th time.

 

[tiglon]

I've had no warranty on mine for more than 2 years now, and no regrets on that decision, it's saved me money so far.

Yeah, there are some things that can go wrong that cost money to replace, but that's the same for all modern cars.

I'm on 71k miles and, as far as I'm aware, still have original injectors, HPFP, charge pipe - I.e. all the bits that the internet will insist are made of cheese.

Plus, lack of BMW warranty means I can take it to a garage who actually understands the car and the engine.

 

[Argyll Andy]

Car is a 2016 35is, now has 39k miles on it ... /quote]

I wouldn't have a 35iS without a BMW Insured Warranty.

At 100k, having done 80k, I have just renewed mine for the 7th time.

+1

A known problem with these is leaking injectors, a set of injectors is £2.5k fitted, five years warranty cost and anything else replaced within that period and you’ve won a watch. No brainer IMO

 

[Busterboo]

I've had no warranty on mine for more than 2 years now, and no regrets on that decision, it's saved me money so far.
Yeah, there are some things that can go wrong that cost money to replace, but that's the same for all modern cars.
I'm on 71k miles and, as far as I'm aware, still have original injectors, HPFP, charge pipe - I.e. all the bits that the internet will insist are made of cheese.
Plus, lack of BMW warranty means I can take it to a garage who actually understands the car and the engine.

Lucky you. I'm glad for you. Really.

But it's important to remember that, actuarially, you are lucky.

 

[matsmith749]

Renewal done - covered up to 20th Jan 2025

I really like the simplicity of the BMW warranty TBH - you get breakdown cover (if needed), plus if something fcks up you just tell the dealer it's under warranty & they sort out all the paperwork etc.

Plus one of the only warranties that covers parts for wear & tear.

I'm still surprised by how cheap it is TBH.

I was concerned about engine issues, turbos, chocolate waterpumps, active suspension, DCT gearbox - now I'm not

 

[tiglon]

I've had no warranty on mine for more than 2 years now, and no regrets on that decision, it's saved me money so far.
Yeah, there are some things that can go wrong that cost money to replace, but that's the same for all modern cars.
I'm on 71k miles and, as far as I'm aware, still have original injectors, HPFP, charge pipe - I.e. all the bits that the internet will insist are made of cheese.
Plus, lack of BMW warranty means I can take it to a garage who actually understands the car and the engine.

Lucky you. I'm glad for you. Really.

But it's important to remember that, actuarially, you are lucky.

Oh, then you must have comprehensive statistics to share, I assume?

Actuarially, there is no such thing as luck.

The people with negative experiences will always shout louder, particularly on the Internet, and I think it's important to share a different view. It doesn't need to become a tribal thing.

 

[Silverstar]

But it's important to remember that, actuarially, you are lucky.

But that is the point I was making. When you consider what BMW are charging for their warranties for this car it shows that actuarially the vast majority don't give problems as otherwise the costs would be much higher or even covered refused. I was very surprised by the low prices quoted to the OP given what we hear about this engine, I suppose it's not a lot of money for peace of mind but I don't see any single major repair on this car exceeding 2k (take it to a good mechanic not the stealerships or expensive independent specialists) for that reason I wouldn't bother with the warranty and would just keep 3k or so in the bank for any eventualities.

 

[Busterboo]

Oh, then you must have comprehensive statistics to share, I assume?
Actuarially, there is no such thing as luck.
The people with negative experiences will always shout louder, particularly on the Internet, and I think it's important to share a different view. It doesn't need to become a tribal thing.

Statistics? Yes. Crude ones, anyway. The rate of parts failure can be implied from BMW Insured Warranty coverage & prices. 8)
Luck? Terminologically, you're probably right. But 'you know what I mean'.
Shout? I haven't. Only shared. :roll:
Tribal? I've spoken only from my own experience.

 

[tiglon]

Statistics? Yes. Crude ones, anyway. The rate of parts failure can be implied from BMW Insured Warranty coverage & prices.

So the rate of failure for a HPFP on a 2016 BMW Z4 35is is... ? Exactly, you don't know.

You would have to assume that the overall cost of works done under warranty is less than the overall warranty fees paid. Hence, actuarially, the one who is "lucky" is the one who has more paid out than they paid in. Unless, of course, BMW or the provider is subsidising the warranty and taking a loss, in which case you can't imply a rate of parts failure from warranty prices.

That doesn't mean that the warranty isn't worth taking out, it depends on your own circumstances. It does, however, mean that the warranty isn't always worth taking out - it depends on your own personal set of circumstances. I.e. whether a flat annual fee is better for you than the likelihood of a larger cost in one year, even if overall accumulative cost could be more in the long run. That's just how insurance/warranties work.

Luck? Terminologically, you're probably right. But 'you know what I mean'.

If you're going to use words like "actuarially", it's slightly ridiculous to fall back on "you know what I mean".

Shout? I haven't. Only shared.

No accusation of you shouting. It's a comment on the overall picture presented on the Internet - when the N54 is mentioned there are always responses referring to the perceived unreliability and high maintenance costs of the engine. Those people are collectively the ones who "shout loudest", and, let's be honest, your response to my post was metaphorically trying to shout me down.

Tribal? I've spoken only from my own experience

Except you haven't only spoken from your own experience, you've referred to statistics that don't seem to exist and then you've tried to discredit my experience by telling me I'm just "lucky", therefore implying that my experience does not count.

 

[matsmith749]

Well, as far as I'm concerned I wanted the peace of mind.

I've owned2x of these z4 35is vehicles (likely more than most) and in 4 years of ownership, neither has had any significant failure.

But.... they have twin turbos, lots of plastic engine parts, dynamic suspension, a roof that likes to throw fits as it ages, and a DTC gearbox that I never really trusted for longevity. Online the reputation is good for performance but not reliable (anecdotally).

So despite my experience being that they are spot on for reliability, I don't trust them.

Regards the 'cap' on a single visit, in my mind I reckon if a trubo fails it's £2k - £4k, gearbox is a slot in replacement (they don't try to fix) and you are looking at £8k upwards, HPFP is £2k - £3k, injectors about the same. BMW dealers aren't great for 'fixing' things, they throw parts at it.

As an owner that's under warranty, I'm actually quite happy with that approach.

Any small fix is likely to be £1k at BMW (my rattly door was over a grand, covered by warranty).

So yeh, it's cheap peace of mind & includes breakdown cover. I'm happy with that.

I've got money to pay for repairs, but regardless, the question mark over potential big bills takes the shine off running a car like the the 35is if bought used - this warranty fixes that & I can just enjoy the car.

Basicly It adds a grand to the price of the car to have it under a decent warranty for 3x years (1st year was included) - I would pay that every day.

 

[Johnbmwz4]

I’m on my 2nd 3.5i. The first was the DCT version and my friend bought it off me more than 5 years ago and still has it. No problems at all when I had it and the only thing that’s failed on it in his time is the water pump. He has no intentions of selling anytime soon and the mileage on his car is over 120K. I took the BMW warranty for my car because it was still available to do when I purchased it. I don’t think they cover cars over a certain age and mileage and I am under the impression that once it’s in place you will get the option to renew for as long as your willing to pay the renewal. I was surprised at how cheap it was , especially for the 2nd year. I will keep the warranty in place as long as I own this car. When I come to sell the car having the warranty in place has got to be a good thing right?My other car is a Range Rover Sport , 2015 year with 47k on the clock and Land Rover won’t even cover it on their extended warranty policy. They obviously don’t trust their own products………

 

[Silverstar]

Regards the 'cap' on a single visit, in my mind I reckon if a trubo fails it's £2k - £4k, gearbox is a slot in replacement (they don't try to fix) and you are looking at £8k upwards, HPFP is £2k - £3k, injectors about the same. BMW dealers aren't great for 'fixing' things, they throw parts at it.

Those prices are stealership prices and as you say they tend to throw away rather than fix. The reality is alot of those repairs can be done for much much less, like my mate when his 520d's chain went, from getting quoted silly money around 3.5k (more than the car was worth) to in the end getting it done all in £1500. But I understand your point for peace of mind and for what little BMW charge for their warranties, it's no bad thing.