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Alexandra Carver is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront, specializing in automotive warranties, insurance and shipping. She’s produced content for over a dozen car dealerships across the U.S. and has contributed to auto guides across sites such as MarketWatch and Automoblog. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Alex studied professional writing and rhetoric at Queens University of Charlotte. When she isn’t immersed in researching and writing, you’ll find her planning a trip abroad, spending time with her dog or playing video games on vintage gaming consoles.
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According to RepairPal, average repair costs for BMW are 48% more expensive than average across all brands.
A BMW extended warranty can be pricey, and you can only purchase it while your new car factory warranty is still valid.
You can purchase a third-party extended warranty at any time, and they typically cost less.
BMW reliability has been a hot topic for many years, and you’ll find mixed information about the brand’s dependability across the web. RepairPal’s BMW reliability rating is substandard, to say the least — it ranked BMW 30th out of 32 total car brands based on repair cost, frequency and severity. On the other hand, J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study ranked BMW on par with the industry average.
If you own a BMW or want to buy one, don’t gloss over the thought of future repair bills. Your original factory warranty won’t last forever, and additional protection from a costly mechanical breakdown can give you peace of mind on the road.
Our BMW extended warranty review will take a look at BMW’s manufacturer-backed plans in addition to third-party protection from the best extended car warranty options.
A BMW extended warranty can cover vehicle components for up to 7 years or 100,000 miles, but your coverage depends on the plan that you choose. BMW extended warranties are sold through the BMW Ultimate Protection Program, and you can purchase one at any authorized dealership before your new vehicle warranty expires.
During my research, I found that BMW recently changed its vehicle service contract (VSC) program. It previously offered three levels of protection similar to powertrain, midlevel and exclusionary plans. However, BMW’s U.S. website now only offers Platinum and Powertrain VSCs, dropping its midlevel Gold plan entirely. Also, its Powertrain Plus plan is now just Powertrain.
BMW’s Platinum extended warranty coverage is comparable to a comprehensive, bumper-to-bumper vehicle warranty. Most major components are covered, and what isn’t covered is listed in your contract. While comprehensive coverage is mostly self-explanatory, I didn’t find much information about this plan outside of its availability for the following BMWs:
BMW advertises this coverage as protection for drivetrain components as well as other systems in a limited capacity. Like the Platinum plan, BMW provides very little information on its website about covered repairs and other plan details. You’ll need to reach out to a BMW dealership for more. I did find that the Powertrain plan is available for these types of BMWs:
Purchasing an extended warranty backed by BMW has its perks. For one, factory-trained technicians will repair your vehicle with genuine manufacturer parts. You’ll also have access to 24/7 BMW roadside assistance services. These include the following:
All extended warranties, regardless of coverage level, have exclusions. It’s wise to read through sample contracts to fully understand what’s covered by a vehicle service contract — you don’t want any surprises when it’s time for repairs.
Most extended warranties exclude the following items:
BMW’s extended vehicle protection plans don’t cover routine maintenance, but the brand does offer a separate BMW maintenance program called Ultimate Care. If you own a BMW that’s a 2017 model or newer, it comes with Ultimate Care at no extra cost for 3 years/36,000 miles.
If you’re enjoying the maintenance plan and would like to continue coverage once yours expires, don’t worry — BMW offers programs like Ultimate Care Scheduled, Ultimate Care+, Ultimate Care Oil Services and Value Service to take care of your car’s routine services. You can purchase up to 4 more years of coverage, maxing out at 7 years/125,000 miles.
Understanding a new BMW’s factory warranty and how long it lasts can save you from buying an extended warranty when you don’t need one. A car’s factory warranty begins on your car’s in-service date. This means once you drive it off the car lot, your coverage has started.
The BMW factory warranty includes the following:
BMW offers extra warranty coverage on top of its factory warranty for BMW certified pre-owned (CPO) models. These used BMWs undergo a comprehensive inspection to meet strict qualifying criteria. BMW’s CPO vehicles have the following:
Then, the vehicle undergoes a thorough inspection, reconditioning from BMW technicians and a road test with diagnostic equipment to ensure it meets the standards for CPO qualification.
You’ll get an extra year/unlimited miles of bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage and roadside assistance benefits with every CPO BMW.
BMW doesn’t shy away from listing exclusions for its CPO warranty coverage. The list includes the following:
Finding how much a BMW extended warranty costs is tricky, as the manufacturer doesn’t offer this information freely. You can call a dealership if you’re looking for a straightforward answer, but they may want to discuss purchasing a plan when you’re not quite ready.
Another way to learn about costs is to browse through online car forums — which is what I did. I even found forums dedicated exclusively to discussing all things BMW. What I found varied, but two recent posts caught my eye.
One BMW 530xe owner who bought a manufacturer-backed extended warranty reported paying around $4,000 for a seven-year/100,000-mile Platinum plan. Another owner purchased the same plan for a seven-year/75,000-mile term for their 2020 BMW 5040i and ended up paying around the same amount.
What you end up paying will probably differ from the examples above. This is because various factors specific to you impact how much your plan will cost — including your car’s model, age and mileage. The plan you choose and your deductible will also impact your total cost.
You’ll need to reach out for a quote to know how much a BMW extended warranty will cost, but based on the information from forums, it’ll likely cost more overall than a plan from a third-party extended warranty provider.
Our team gathered dozens of quotes from extended warranty providers to learn more about the average costs you can expect to pay for extended protection. After averaging quotes from the top eight providers in our review, we found that an extended warranty costs $2,845 in total.
Knowing how much the average extended warranty costs is important. Like shopping for anything else, comparing prices across brands or companies is the best way to find a good deal. You don’t want to pay more for a coverage plan that you could find cheaper elsewhere.
To further break down the average overall cost, I’ve outlined the averages we found for exclusionary, midlevel and powertrain plans in the table below. You’ll see that these prices are significantly cheaper than what I found for BMW extended warranties.
Only you can answer whether or not a BMW extended auto warranty is worth it. We can, however, help make your decision on extended coverage a little easier.
I recommend comparing the average repair costs for your BMW model against the price of an extended service contract. Also, consider if you’re comfortable paying for repairs straight out of pocket or with your emergency savings. If financing your repairs will be easier on your bank account if your car breaks down, then an extended warranty is worth considering.
BMW’s reliability depends on who you ask. RepairPal gave the brand 2.5 out of 5 stars for reliability, ranking it 30th out of 32 total manufacturers. However, the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study rated BMW right around the industry average of the study.
In a more positive industry study, Consumer Report’s 2023 ranking of the top automotive brands for performance, safety and reliability saw BMW come out on top — with reliability being notably improved since previous years. While I think these studies are worth considering, take them with a grain of salt. Any car, regardless of its make or model, has a chance of a breakdown as it ages.
What you should really be concerned with is how much BMW repairs cost.
As mentioned, BMW reliability is a mixed bag. One thing is certain, though — luxury cars, like BMWs, cost more to repair on average than other automaker’s cars. RepairPal’s research has found that the average annual repair cost for a BMW is $968 per year, which is a whopping 48% more than the average repair costs across all makes and models of $652 per year.
I took the time to compare RepairPal’s BMW-specific repair costs with the average costs across the industry. I used a BMW X5 for consistency in my comparisons.
Even though costs fluctuate, see the table below for what I discovered:
If you feel uncomfortable with the thought of a car repair costing what’s outlined above, your peace of mind may be worth the cost of an extended warranty plan.
You have options when buying an extended BMW warranty. You can buy a plan from a dealership (usually at the time of vehicle purchase), or you can buy protection from a third-party provider. Both have pros and cons, which I’ll detail down below.
A manufacturer-backed BMW extended warranty has its perks. For one, BMW-trained auto technicians will repair your car with original parts. Technicians who service third-party plans may use aftermarket parts to repair your car. However, if you’re looking for more — including extra perks, more coverage options and greater flexibility around purchasing — consider a third-party extended warranty.
We like how most third-party providers offer five or six different plans. BMW has recently cut its meager three plans down to two, leaving you with limited coverage options from the automaker. Flexibility is another big win for third-party providers. You can only purchase a manufacturer-backed extended BMW warranty while your factory warranty is still valid. Third-party plans can be purchased at any time. Some providers, like Carchex, offer coverage to vehicles up to 20 years old.
Picking your repair shop is yet another plus to third-party warranty coverage. Most independent warranty providers expand your network of approved shops by letting you choose any ASE-certified repair facility. With an extended warranty from BMW, you’ll have to head to the dealership when you need a repair.
Based on my industry research and in-depth review of third-party and manufacturer-backed extended warranty plans, it’s wise to consider third-party coverage in your search for BMW warranty protection. The flexibility, perks and range of plan options they provide are usually unmatched by a manufacturer’s extended warranty, making a solid case for buying a plan through an independent provider.
Make sure your BMW isn’t still protected under its factory warranty if you plan on buying from a third-party company. These plans don’t have to be bought before a new vehicle warranty expires, so I recommend waiting until you need it to start paying for coverage.
Endurance offers coverage for up to 8 years or 200,000 miles, but it only offers long-term plans.
RepairPal ratings and cost estimates are accurate as of February 2024.
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