[The OL OG]

I'm about to submit an order for a new M3 (or perhaps M2) and I'm looking for advice on whether these prepaid maintenance and enhanced warranty programs are worth the cost of adding on at the time of purchase. Below are the options for my build. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[DocWeatherington]

Look at the fine print. How long do you plan on keeping the car and what is your projected mileage usage?

Basically your paying for maintenance at a 30% or more discounted rate. But, if you don't drive a ton I wouldn't pay for a bunch of maintenance you won't ever use. Same with the warranty. Now is it cheaper than going to a mom and pops shop TBD, but bmw will provide peace of mind with oem work and parts.

Now, the 700 dollar maintenance is possibly worth it as it includes a set of brakes/pads during that 36 month period sans CCBs. Again, if you drive the car like you stole it or track it, it's a solid return. If you drive like grandma on Sunday and only drive 6k a year probably not. The M3/M4 tend to eat rear brakes.


For warranty look at fine print and what the market offers and possibly mechanical brake down insurance if offered in your state.

You also need to know the powertrain is pretty reliable and issues have been rare outside of those that tune/modify cars. How much is your peace of mind worth lol.

[vj123]

If you do a search, you can find plenty of similar discussions about maintenance and warranty plans.

[nal13]

You don't have to make any decisions on that now. You can decide when you pick up the car, which unfortunately probably wont be until next year.

[BugKiller]

My 2 cents is it is not worth it, but get the cheapest if you feel you must.

My understandings are as follows:

1: These are all things the car selling dealers do not want us to know.

2: Manufacture's maintenance packages have to be honored by all authorized dealers, so buying them apart is safe.

3: One does not have to buy these with the car, that is at the same time. [Plead poverty at the time you pick up the car and ask how long you have to "earn more money" and come back to buy any package. Grudgingly, they will answer and it will surprise you.]

4: Some dealers sell packages at a discount. For example, when I bought my '18 my dealer in California pitched me on a package for full price (the price on the manufacturer's website). I knew full well, however, that one particular dealership in Tennessee was selling these at as little as 60% of full price.

5: Packages usually are pushed by dealership finance people rather than floor sales staff, but they are motivated in the same way. They have end of month quotas and they have good and bad months. Accordingly, ask for their price at the end of a month and if this is a "good" month economically you may want to wait another month.

[xXMPowerXx]

I'm going to do it.

I have the CCB's, so the brakes will outlive me.

And since I have CCB's, it makes even LESS sense for me to buy it.

My last 2 german car experiences were REALLY disappointing, to the tune of pretty much setting $100k on fire, disappointing. I don't want to have a sour taste in my mouth for a car that has me more excited than I've been in a long time, so I'm buying everything.

[Besharaf]

Originally Posted by xXMPowerXx

I'm going to do it.

I have the CCB's, so the brakes will outlive me.

And since I have CCB's, it makes even LESS sense for me to buy it.

My last 2 german car experiences were REALLY disappointing, to the tune of pretty much setting $100k on fire, disappointing. I don't want to have a sour taste in my mouth for a car that has me more excited than I've been in a long time, so I'm buying everything.

For maintenance? What maintenance will cost that much?

[xXMPowerXx]

For maintenance AND extended warranty, yes.

My S8 took a royal dump at 17k miles and 3.9 years in.

My ML 350 started needing more "stuff" at 30k miles and 2 years in.

In both cases, I lost ALL faith in both cars and swore off the germans.

This G83 has me giddy like I was back in college with my M3 poster on the wall. It's made me feel 20+ years younger! Only my Gallardo buying experience was more exciting.

If I get 7 years of "covered" trouble free ownership, I will feel ok with this G83. But, the price of my peace of mind will also include prepaid maintenance.

[Gfit]

All these extras are just a form of insurance. Only insure what you can't afford to lose - house, health, life, autos and liability. Everything else self insure and in the long run you will have saved tens of thousands or more. Of course, dealers will tell you the horror stories and there's a small % that win but those are the same stories that keep people going to Vegas every year.

[smoox]

Originally Posted by BugKiller

My 2 cents is it is not worth it, but get the cheapest if you feel you must.

My understandings are as follows:

1: These are all things the car selling dealers do not want us to know.

2: Manufacture's maintenance packages have to be honored by all authorized dealers, so buying them apart is safe.

3: One does not have to buy these with the car, that is at the same time. [Plead poverty at the time you pick up the car and ask how long you have to "earn more money" and come back to buy any package. Grudgingly, they will answer and it will surprise you.]

4: Some dealers sell packages at a discount. For example, when I bought my '18 my dealer in California pitched me on a package for full price (the price on the manufacturer's website). I knew full well, however, that one particular dealership in Tennessee was selling these at as little as 60% of full price.

5: Packages usually are pushed by dealership finance people rather than floor sales staff, but they are motivated in the same way. They have end of month quotas and they have good and bad months. Accordingly, ask for their price at the end of a month and if this is a "good" month economically you may want to wait another month.

Could you PM me or share here the Tennessee dealer?

[Forzanerazzurri]

These programs are almost always not worth it and represent some of the highest margin items dealers offer. Its insurance yes, but its insurance with an insane premium.

[rideawayclean]

I was told that it’s best to pick these up right before the factory warranty runs out as to not overlap coverage? I haven’t dug any deeper than this unfortunately and am not sure of the validity.

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by rideawayclean

I was told that it’s best to pick these up right before the factory warranty runs out as to not overlap coverage? I haven’t dug any deeper than this unfortunately and am not sure of the validity.

I thought they were materially discounted at the time of delivery vs every year you wait.

[nunzo]

$700 to cover brake pads and clutch seems worth it?

[DanoG80Cx]

Originally Posted by meatspin

$700 to cover brake pads and clutch seems worth it?

That $700 one is only good for 36 months I believe. I hope you don’t chew through a clutch that fast. I think it just adds wear and tear items on top of the standard warranty period. You gotta pay more to extend it.

[Mark Kez]

You asked so here’s my 2cents. No!! I purchased the extended warranty and the extended service plan when I purchased my ‘22 G83 only to have the car totaled 7 months later. The service plan $3400(?) wasn’t refundable and I lost that money, the extended warranty was, but it was a prorated refund even though I hadn’t used it. Read the small print!!

[nunzo]

Originally Posted by Dano135i

That $700 one is only good for 36 months I believe. I hope you don’t chew through a clutch that fast. I think it just adds wear and tear items on top of the standard warranty period. You gotta pay more to extend it.

even mild tunes are causing torched clutches in a pretty short time period.

[Hardeight27]

Originally Posted by meatspin

even mild tunes are causing torched clutches in a pretty short time period.

Mild tunes are going to void the warranty anyway so it would be a waste either way.

[mcsquared]

One thing that a CA friend of mine mentioned is that when you buy these things, you're always looking for something to go wrong, so that you get the benefit of the plan. Better to invest the price of the plan in some stock/bonds/whatever, and when it's needed, the money for that particular repair will be available. Of course, you also have until 4 years/50K miles to purchase the extended plan, albeit the price will be higher as you get closer to 50K miles.

Personally, based on just that knowledge, I would not purchase it initially.

[Asmedbeats]

I think the scheduled maintenance upgrade is totally worth it though. I plan to get that and it’s something like $900 and adds 2 yrs of scheduled maintenance and oftentimes will cover spark plugs, air filter, couple oil changes and a diff fluid change.

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by Asmedbeats

I think the scheduled maintenance upgrade is totally worth it though. I plan to get that and it’s something like $900 and adds 2 yrs of scheduled maintenance and oftentimes will cover spark plugs, air filter, couple oil changes and a diff fluid change.

I am the type of person that will do my own oil changes, in between the service interval anyway.. so there's an additional expense for that. Each oil change is about $60 of material, of course my time is valuable but it's also cathartic for me so it'll offset a very expensive therapist.

Spark plug set is $150? I think diff fluid is still "lifetime" and unless you plan on keeping your car stock, the air filter argument probably goes out the window too... even if not, a new air filter set is less than $100 I'd imagine. With FCP Euro the reoccurring expendables expense is lessened the 2nd time around so some savings there as well.

Based on that, is the $900 really worth it? Also if rolling it into the financing, you're paying interest on the $900.

[blackbeard31]

I'll echo some posts here already. I've went both ways and found that not buying it at the start didn't really hurt me. There was always an opportunity to purchase the warranty before the factory one expires and its generally at a much cheaper price than what the dealer offers out the gate.

Again, just my experience. As far as maintenance packages I see it as a preference. Echoing BZzBimmer, I enjoy doing maintenance on my car and my garage is equipped with what I need to do that maintenance. I also dread taking my car into the the dealer for fear that they may find something "wrong" not covered by the warranty. Its an unrealistic fear I know but I've been burned by dealership maintenance before.

Hope my experience can help guide you a bit.