Extended Warranty for E92 M3 Worth It or Not?

[L1FHR]

I just recently purchase my 2013 BMW E92 M3 12K miles on the car (garage queen).
I use Ally Protection (Major Guard - highest level of warranty that they over and cover bumper-bumper other than tires and brakes).

Anyone have experience with Ally Protection?
Do you think it's worth it to buy the warranty because of the expensive issues and labor that will cost me in the event something wrong happen to the car? (cross fingers that this car will be okay but i just want a peace of mind).

[fatalelement]

Originally Posted by L1FHR

I just recently purchase my 2013 BMW E92 M3 12K miles on the car (garage queen).
I use Ally Protection (Major Guard - highest level of warranty that they over and cover bumper-bumper other than tires and brakes).

Anyone have experience with Ally Protection?
Do you think it's worth it to buy the warranty because of the expensive issues and labor that will cost me in the event something wrong happen to the car? (cross fingers that this car will be okay but i just want a peace of mind).

I haven't had any experience with Ally Protection - but I did buy an extended warranty for my '08 M3 when I bought it with 83K miles on it.

Every car is different, and you can't get any sort of definitive answer about whether or not a warranty is worth it. You'll find people with 100K on their M3 that have only done regular maintenance and wear items, and you'll find people with under 50K and a new engine.

The real question is: do you have ~10K in cash on hand that you are absolutely fine blowing through over the next year to three years on car repairs? If so, and a warranty would be really expensive, don't get one.

If you have the money for a warranty, but not to pay for ~10K of repairs over the next year to three years, absolutely get the warranty.

If you have neither, don't buy an M3.

I got a 3-year powertrain warranty on mine for under $4k. Five days after I bought it, both actuators went, as well as the thermostat and the dealership also noticed both valve covers were leaking. I'm sure an indy would have been less, but BMW SF quoted me just south of $8,000 for parts and labor. Guess who's paying for it? Not me!

I'm extremely pleased with a warranty - but it's a bit like health insurance. A lot of people won't really use their health insurance - but if you're caught without it, you better have money.

[osukf09]

Depends, what's the price and term length?

@12k miles I'd assume most, or all, of the big ticket items are still on original parts. Some common failures are costly ie: evaporator failure will cost around $4k alone.

[EnVe46]

As mentioned everyone experience differs. I bought mine for $4700 and it's paid out over 13k in repairs. Not that my car is a piece of shit but my shop goes over it with a fine tooth comb and if something is off they file for repairs and fix it. Everything from steering pump which seems to be a more common thing with these as they age to valve cover gaskets to evaporator. Most recent is coil packs due to misfire. Now, certainly none of this stuff was detrimental to the car breaking down but it's certainly nice having a 100% sorted car and nothing out of pocket for repairs. There's other however who have bought warranties and never used them so it's a waste. I'm OCD about my cars and knew I'd get my money out of it. Piece of mind is also something I can't put a price tag on.

[MahiC]

I had ally major guard and they are pretty good! Got my motor mounts replaced at around 50k and those are sometimes not usually covered.

[osukf09]

I'd bet that a '13 with low miles would be a relatively low cost plan, even for bumper to bumper. I'd do it for piece of mind. But that's just me.

My fidelity warranty already paid for itself with Evap and valve cover gaskets after two years. Still two more years of coverage left. It's not like a ton of things fail on these cars, but when they do, it can be costly to repair.

[Grip Addict]

https://jalopnik.com/carmax-warranty...let-1776735614

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

As mentioned everyone experience differs. I bought mine for $4700 and it's paid out over 13k in repairs. Not that my car is a piece of shit but my shop goes over it with a fine tooth comb and if something is off they file for repairs and fix it. Everything from steering pump which seems to be a more common thing with these as they age to valve cover gaskets to evaporator. Most recent is coil packs due to misfire. Now, certainly none of this stuff was detrimental to the car breaking down but it's certainly nice having a 100% sorted car and nothing out of pocket for repairs. There's other however who have bought warranties and never used them so it's a waste. I'm OCD about my cars and knew I'd get my money out of it. Piece of mind is also something I can't put a price tag on.

They replaced all 8 coils due to one cylinder misfiring? What were the symptoms that led to the steering pump and evaporator replacement?

[Mvy]

I look at it this way. You hear two stories with warranty companies. The first is they pay for everything. Thats just great. It just is not the type of thing that ever happens to me.

The second is, they refuse to pay. That seems to be a more common situation with most insurance companies I deal with. They pay some things, and not other things. Why is usually a mystery.

So if I was going to shell out 5k for a warranty, why not just put it in an emergency fund and have it ready for IF you need it? I dont think most people go out of pocket 5k in a year on a well maintained car breaking down. And this way, there is no one between you and getting anything you want repaired.

Some people seem to use this instead of maintaining the car properly by replacing parts that have reached the EOL before they actually fail. I get why, but I think thats a shame. I didnt buy a high end sports car with the expectation I would not have to put any money into it every year. If you are questioning the costs of repair on this car, and buying a warranty to avoid that, maybe this is not the right car for your budget. If you maintain the car and are trying to hedge bets with a warranty, then if it helps you sleep at night go for it. Its probably a waste of money for most people once you do all the math at the end on well maintained cars.

[EnVe46]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

They replaced all 8 coils due to one cylinder misfiring? What were the symptoms that led to the steering pump and evaporator replacement?

I had inconsistent idle at start up that occurred out of nowhere. Car sat for about 9 days and it started happening. It wasn't misfiring except when cold. They found several coils were needing replacement. Inspector came out and approved replacing all of them. I don't ask questions, especially when it's in my favor.

Evap was a slow leak I had no idea was there. Shop found during inspection the ac wasn't as cold as they'd like. I never felt it but they found a leak, out dye in it. Inspector came out and approved. At the same visit my power steering pump would whine at hard turns and I noticed some residue on the belly pan and lines. They found the pump leaking as well as the return line I believe. All were covered under the warranty

Can post pics of the bills if you'd like?

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

I had inconsistent idle at start up that occurred out of nowhere. Car sat for about 9 days and it started happening. It wasn't misfiring except when cold. They found several coils were needing replacement. Inspector came out and approved replacing all of them. I don't ask questions, especially when it's in my favor.

Evap was a slow leak I had no idea was there. Shop found during inspection the ac wasn't as cold as they'd like. I never felt it but they found a leak, out dye in it. Inspector came out and approved. At the same visit my power steering pump would whine at hard turns and I noticed some residue on the belly pan and lines. They found the pump leaking as well as the return line I believe. All were covered under the warranty

Can post pics of the bills if you'd like?

Nope, no need to post bills. Just curious as my car is going in for some miscellaneous warranty work before my policy expires in April. Want to make sure they catch as much as possible.

[EnVe46]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

Nope, no need to post bills. Just curious as my car is going in for some miscellaneous warranty work before my policy expires in April. Want to make sure they catch as much as possible.

Which warranty do you have? I'm assuming they send an inspector every time? I would just bring up every little thing to your shop and if you have a good relationship with them just tell them to go trough it thoroughly cause your warranty is exhausting. I also had my thrust arm bushings and sway bar links done due to a very faint knock in the front. Bushings were OK, probably could have gone without replacing but I always have my shop run through the warranty and if they repair it so be it. If not, I'll take note and wait for it to get worse the next oil change.

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

Which warranty do you have? I'm assuming they send an inspector every time? I would just bring up every little thing to your shop and if you have a good relationship with them just tell them to go trough it thoroughly cause your warranty is exhausting. I also had my thrust arm bushings and sway bar links done due to a very faint knock in the front. Bushings were OK, probably could have gone without replacing but I always have my shop run through the warranty and if they repair it so be it. If not, I'll take note and wait for it to get worse the next oil change.

My policy is through The Warranty Group. They only send an inspector if the claim is over a certain amount, not sure exactly but probably around $1k. This visit will be more than that so I'm fairly certain they will be sending an inspector. I may have the tech test the A/C system even though it seems fine to me. I'd hate to be stuck with the evap leak repair bill at some point after the warranty expires. I can't think of anything else to explicitly bring up but I'm sure they will let me know if they find anything.

[EnVe46]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

My policy is through The Warranty Group. They only send an inspector if the claim is over a certain amount, not sure exactly but probably around $1k. This visit will be more than that so I'm fairly certain they will be sending an inspector. I may have the tech test the A/C system even though it seems fine to me. I'd hate to be stuck with the evap leak repair bill at some point after the warranty expires. I can't think of anything else to explicitly bring up but I'm sure they will let me know if they find anything.

I have the same company. Just say when you're stopped the temp seems just get warm slightly and mention they're known for evaps leaking. Check thrust arms and sway links. Valve covers as well, all Bmws leak from valve covers.

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

I have the same company. Just say when you're stopped the temp seems just get warm slightly and mention they're known for evaps leaking. Check thrust arms and sway links. Valve covers as well, all Bmws leak from valve covers.

It's going in for valve cover gaskets, oil filter housing gasket, and thermostat housing. I'm also having them replace the water pump, spark plugs, and coils out of pocket as maintenance items. I'll have them check the evap, thrust arms, and sway links. Thanks!

[Rizvi]

I have a 2011 E90 M3 and I bought it in 2017. At the time I purchased a 5 year extended warranty for $5k. About 8 months later, the DSC module on the car failed. Now, I don't think it just failed on its own; I suspect someone fucked up when performing a routine recall service.

Baby went in to have the power cable replacement done and when I started her up for the first time after BMW Toronto touched my car, every light you can imagine was on. The instrument cluster was lit up like a Christmas tree! I took it to a different dealer to have it all fixed, after and have never been to BMW Toronto for service again, since.

They denied breaking it because they can, so we billed the warranty. Basically, that one incident means the warranty has paid for itself.

The day my warranty ends, I'll do the rod-bearing fix. That year, I'll also do a complete inspection and diagnostic; anything and everything that can be fixed under warranty will be fixed.

When the warranty is complete, I'll look into some mods. For now I'm loving my stock M3 to bits! Planning to do a little track work in the spring, so I have some cup 2s and track wheels coming too. Just got some 2 pc rotors and 2 sets of pads (street and track), brass bushings, etc. Might install steel lines, etc. No exhaust or tunes until the 5yrs is up tho.

I do all my regular maintenance, myself- so that helps me keep the cost to a minimum. Plus it keeps idiots I don't trust, out of my car!

In my experience, the warranty has been good. Hope yours works out great for you, though I hope you never have to use it!

[Rizvi]

I have a 2011 E90 M3 and I bought it in 2017. At the time I purchased a 5 year extended warranty for $5k. About 8 months later, the DSC module on the car failed. Now, I don't think it just failed on its own; I suspect someone fucked up when performing a routine recall service.

Baby went in to have the power cable replacement done and when I started her up for the first time after BMW Toronto touched my car, every light you can imagine was on. The instrument cluster was lit up like a Christmas tree! I took it to a different dealer to have it all fixed, after and have never been to BMW Toronto for service again, since.

They denied breaking it because they can, so we billed the warranty. Basically, that one incident means the warranty has paid for itself.

The day my warranty ends, I'll do the rod-bearing fix. That year, I'll also do a complete inspection and diagnostic; anything and everything that can be fixed under warranty will be fixed.

When the warranty is complete, I'll look into some mods. For now I'm loving my stock M3 to bits! Planning to do a little track work in the spring, so I have some cup 2s and track wheels coming too. Just got some 2 pc rotors and 2 sets of pads (street and track), brass bushings, etc. Might install steel lines, etc. No exhaust or tunes until the 5yrs is up tho.

I do all my regular maintenance, myself- so that helps me keep the cost to a minimum. Plus it keeps idiots I don't trust, out of my car!

In my experience, the warranty has been good. Hope yours works out great for you, though I hope you never have to use it!

[aus]

Well, if you have a warranty, you may hear some rod bearing slapping sounds and bring it to your shop, who would open the bottom end, and find the bearings are worn... since 90% seem to be worn on our cars. Then call the extended warranty for authorization to fix it. The part is worn but the engine is not blown yet. Then its covered minus your deductable. You may even be able to get some BE brearings in there.
.

[L1FHR]

Originally Posted by aus

Well, if you have a warranty, you may hear some rob bearing slapping sounds and bring to your shop, who would open the bottom end, and fine the bearings are worn... since 90% seem to be worn on our cars. Then call the extended warranty for authorization to fix it. The part is worn but the engine is not blown yet. Then its covered minus your deductable. You may even be able to get some BE brearings in there.
.

Thanks man.

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

I have the same company. Just say when you're stopped the temp seems just get warm slightly and mention they're known for evaps leaking. Check thrust arms and sway links. Valve covers as well, all Bmws leak from valve covers.

Just wanted to take a moment to say thank you because you just saved me a big heap of money.

I had them test my A/C system and they found that I was in fact missing about 2/3 of the freon. New OEM evaporator plus labor added up to about $4k. On top of that, they will also be replacing the valve cover gaskets and thermostat. Grand total billed to warranty was just over $7k! They are also reimbursing me for 10 days of my rental car. I paid $2k for this warranty 3.5 years ago and have gotten nearly $20k worth of work covered. For anyone who is convinced warranties are a scam, take note.

[EnVe46]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

Just wanted to take a moment to say thank you because you just saved me a big heap of money.

I had them test my A/C system and they found that I was in fact missing about 2/3 of the freon. New OEM evaporator plus labor added up to about $4k. On top of that, they will also be replacing the valve cover gaskets and thermostat. Grand total billed to warranty was just over $7k! They are also reimbursing me for 10 days of my rental car. I paid $2k for this warranty 3.5 years ago and have gotten nearly $20k worth of work covered. For anyone who is convinced warranties are a scam, take note.

Awesome brother! Glad everything worked out. They probably won't offer warranties to our cars anymore hahaha

[ATLIEN]

I'm looking at picking up 2011 M3 ZCP with 43k miles and am having a tough time finding a warranty company willing to provide coverage. The ones listed on this thread seem to be through the dealer. Can you all recommend a reputable plan that you can get on your own for the M3?