Daily questions about extended warranty

[Foy]

Gents and ladies;

I just registered and spent about 2 hours reading threads back well into 2006 concerning extended maintenance and extended repair warranties. I have some questions concerning the OEM warranty to start with, then some observations to elicit comments from the group.

The vehicle: 2003 X5, purchased 47 months ago by my then 70 y/o mother. V6. Garaged and lightly driven for 27,200 miles at this date. One owner.

The OEM maintenance question: The service dept at the stealership tells her she can't bring the vehicle in for service before the clock rolls over next month since her "time" for the next service isn't until July. WTH? She's driven it so little she hasn't gotten to the 30,000 mi service. I haven't read the contract, if there is one, but I don't understand why she can't take it in just prior to the 48 month anniversary. Comments?

Extended repair warranty: I've had one before in my life and if I could have crawled through the phone wires and choked the people at the warranty company, I would have done it. One stealership service writer literally laughed in my face when I suggested they do the authorized work and bill the warranty company directly. Anyway, from a very close friend who owns a Beemer/Cedes independent shop in another city, I'm told to get Mom an extended warranty if she plans to keep the vehicle for a long time. She does. I know enough about warranties to know they are simply insurance policies and are worth zero if the backing company goes buns up, which seems to be a fairly common occurence. All of that said, the BMW "2OP" plan seems to be nearly pointless for her given the low miles today and the expiration in just 2 more years. She envisions obtaining something like 5 to 7 years coverage, if available, and as little as she drives, even a 50-70k miles add-on would surely cover her, as, truth be told, she's driving to the mountain house less and less frequently nowadays. Seems like there is some general satisfaction with Warranty Direct and perhaps APIProtection. Any updated current thoughts and experiences with these providers would be appreciated. A short list of companies to avoid would be nice, as well, if someone has such a link.

Extended Maintenance: Do these contracts require the holder to obtain maintenance svcs at the stealership or can the work be done by independents? If using the stealership is required, my take is: A contract priced at, say, $1,200 might cover $2,000 at dealer retail prices. But, the same services might cost, say, $1,000 at an independent. So, if the maint contracts require use of a stealership, am I missing some point about the costs/savings?

And back to that OEM maintenance warranty again: I keep reading about $1,200 brake jobs being a reason to purchase a maintenance warranty. Well, Mom's Beemer has the original brakes and she's primarily an in-town driver. Do I need to get forceful with the service people at her stealership before the OEM maintenance warranty expires next month? Hate like crazy for her to not get an extended maint warranty only to have her brakes require replacement soon after the OEM expires.

Very nice site here, Gents and Ladies. Thanks in advance for info and opinions.

Foy
Raleigh, NC

[motordavid]

Welcome to the Board, Foy!
I'll wade in with my 2Cts:

1-In my '01 Manual's fine print, it allowed for a "low mileage oil service" annually, regardless of miles, green service lights, etc. I couldn't find that in the Board's '02 Manual, on front page, but I recall that many report that to be an ongoing policy, esp. back in '02/'03.
Some posters report their "friendly" local Stlr being stubborn about this; at the least, your Mom's car should qualify
for an annual oil & filter, regardless of the/her time, assuming it has been a year since the last oil & filter.
Her key can be run at any BMW stlr to see what's been done when.

If/when the local stlr anoints you with a free oil change visit, I'd bring a list of any/every niggling item you want done under the existing warr/maint prog. For example: brake fluid change every two years, coolant flush, (lean on them), etc.
And, any other stuff that isn't perfect. Also, have them due a real search on TSBs/recalls for her car's MY.

2-Ext Warr.: you have undoubtedly read some of my lengthy tomes and opins via search. In short, I would rec'd one
for her. You are correct that the "2OP" is going to be sweet and short, eg 24 months. Therefore, my only rec'd is Warr. Direct. Others may have their faves...

3-Ext Maintenance program: worth asking around at various stlrs for their best price. It's a pricey ins. policy, that
may cover her brakes in the period you select. And, some other stuff, but brakes are the deciding factor for most.
You must get the maintenance work you want covered, done at a/any BMW stlr, not your fave Indie.
Or, skip the Ext Maint deal and have your Indie do brakes if/when needed. Your pick.

4-Existing Maint/Warr concern: my suggestions are found in 2nd para. of Section 1, above. I'd lean on 'em or find another stlr in the Raleigh/Durham/Charlotte area. A couple of Charlotte members give Hendrick good reviews.

Hope my opins help...my Qtr's up.
GL,mD

[Michelle]

:xoutpost:

[Foy]

Ol Uncle and Michelle-
Thanks for the nice welcome and the information.

Points of clarification: Regarding WD extended service/repair contracts: Does yours require the work to be done at a Beemer dealership or can any authorized Beemer Indy do the work, or does it matter at all who does the work, so long as they comply with the parts and labor rates inherent in the contract?

And, must the WD contract be purchased prior to the expiration of the OEM contract, the way the "2OP" must be purchased?

I see your point on the gentle persuasion on the dealership svc dept in terms of coolant flush and brake system flush. Are these specified items on the X5 maintenance schedule, or simply "good practice", and as such, can the dealership service dept be "compelled" to perform these (or other possibly non-specified services) prior to the expiration of the OEM deal, or is it instead a game of persuading them to treat their customer "right" by shaming them into doing this or that?

Thanks again for the welcome and data flow.

And Ol Uncle: That pic in your sig line. I see Mt Pisgah and Cold Mountain are within the view. My brother-in-law wrote a little story about Cold Mountain about 10 years ago. It's entitled "Cold Mountain", by Charles Frazier. He married my sister back in the 70s. Great guy, great read, and great place to spend the summers. Our family's place, where Charles wrote much of the book, is outside of Boone/Blowing Rock and sits at about 4,100', with a view of Grandfather Mtn. Small world, eh?

Foy

[motordavid]

Foy,

-The WD Ext warr. is "usable" at any service outlet, though there have been anecdotal posts about some joints being slightly unreceptive. It should work at BMW joints, too. SuperGreg and Vinuero both have the WD warr and have used it with success. Not pumping it, but it seems like the only legit shot beyond the "2OP"/CPO deal.
-It used to be that one had to cop the WD deal before the oem warr. expired; a cursory glance at their current web site suggests it's a better deal, if one does so, though they also offer "post warranty expriation" deals. I'd grab one just before the point of eclipse, imo.
-Brake fluid, every two years, is in my '01 manual. Coolant is suggested, but I couldn't find the language that covers the requirement. Many here, including me, have had water pumps, belts, hoses, and coolant related stuff fixed prior to, or just after oem warr & maint clicked. It is a vulnerable area, thus the push for at least a coolant change and very careful inspection of the coolant res., hoses, etc. I'd push for a press. test suggesting that M's car is eating coolant; they all do, or will, after awhile.

-Charles Frazier?!!! I own two First ed. of Cold Mtn.: one signed.
I have read it 5 times. It may be one of the finest works of narrative fiction in the 20th century in my opin. I also have first ed. of 13 Moons and have read that twice; the critics shrugged, but I thought it was a remarkable tale of life in these mtns in post Revo days and the cultural tragedy and fiasco leading up to the Trail of Tears, ...I suppose it helped "living here" for the past 6 years, but 13 Moons is a great read. But, you know all that...tell your bro-n-law we are huge fans, lol! Yes, the views, (a butt load in my "gallery link"), are pics from our deck here on Eagle Nest Mtn at 5,000 ft, overlooking Waynesville. Small fookin world.
GL with your warranty hunt; my opin is, if it's being "kept", it is probably worth the price for piece of mind.
BR,mD

[Foy]

Unc-

Thanks for the clarification. I do really need to do some reading in Mom's manuals, I realize that. I'm going to get ahold of the dealership service dept and push for the coolant and brake fluid work, and "why not do her an oil change under the maint warranty while you've got it". They say you can attract more flies with honey than with poop, so I'll have my "aw, shucks" 'tude going.

Yeah, the writing "bidness" has been a real roller-coaster for CRF. I haven't finished 13 Moons yet, preferring nonfiction for the most part. I tended to read CM and 13M each with a DeLorme NC Gazetteer beside me for reference. They're so detailed, it helps me to envision what he's writing about. You'll appreciate this: I once asked CRF if he had personally walked, ridden his bicycle, or driven each and every mile of Inman's trek during the course of his 10 years of research and writing CM. Ever the gentleman, he simply replied "Of course" while looking at me as though I had two heads. His dedication in CM is to my folks (Dad passed in '99) for use of their place whilst writing CM, and to his Dad and mine in 13M. He's about as good a guy as anyone could hope to meet, and we're fortunate to have him in our family. And yeah, I thought I recognized Waynesville down below the Nest. Nice perch there, doc.

Best,

Foy