What is Covered Under Your BMW Extended Auto Warranty? Find Out

Owning a car is a responsibility and finding the right car can be challenging. Researching your next new, or new to you, BMW goes far beyond just choosing the right model, interior and features. You need to know what the BMW manufacture and extended warranties cover and how that relates to the value of your vehicle.

New BMW Factory Warranty

This comes free and it is broken down into three components:

• The first is the standard bumper to bumper warranty. It covers the major components but it only applies if those components fail due to a defect in the product or a defect in workmanship so that is definitely something to keep in mind. The bumper to bumper warranty is valid for generally 4 years or 50,000 miles.
• The second part of the factory warranty deals specifically with rust and corrosion. Corrosion warranty is just like it sounds. It covers any part of the vehicle when there is rust-through if it is due to a manufacturing defect or workmanship. If you live in areas that tend to have roadways covered in a salt solution during the winter, you may want to confirm with your dealer, and BMW, if corrosion due to salt is actually covered. It always pays to confirm any issues that are unclear. The good thing is that the corrosion warranty is not affected by mileage and is covered for 12 years.
• The third part of the Trifecta of BMW factory warranty is the roadside assistance. This is a great feature that is not commonly found with other manufacturers. The roadside assistance is not affected by mileage and you are covered for 4 years. Lock yourself out of your car? Broke down on the side of the road? Need a car rental but you do not want to pay full price? All of those things, and more, are covered by your roadside assistance.

These all start and apply only to the first owner and begins on the purchase date. This warranty is valid for generally 4 years or 50,000 miles. The corrosion warranty, however, is for 12 years and is not affected by mileage but on models 2003 and older, it only covers 6 years. The roadside assistance is not affected by mileage either but it is only 4 years.

For many people, that factory warranty is just not enough peace of mind. And there are many things that could go wrong with a vehicle that somehow fall into that gray space between factory warranty and your wallet. For those instances there are always extended warranties.

BMW Extended Service Contracts

The BMW Extended Service contract does offer peace of mind when it comes to repairs. Your repairs are at authorized repair facilities and only original BMW parts are used. Plus you do get 24 hour BMW Roadside Assistance.

While you can  get an “extended warranty” from BMW, it does not mean that they are the best option for you. There are several companies that offer plans that will cover your vehicle from bumper to bumper and they do offer really great services and it is always in your best interest to shop around. Just because it does not have the BMW name, it does not mean it is inferior in any way and it might just be a better bargain for your wallet.

Warranty From a Third Party Provider

When you are looking at extended warranties from third party companies you do need to compare plans. You should definitely shop around but more importantly you may need to compare the plans line for line because while some may offer comprehensive coverage, another plan might only offer the basics.

Your extended warranty should cover at least two categories:

• The first is the component group. Most companies that offer extended warranties will have several options for you to choose from and they vary in price and coverage. If you feel comfortable with just the basics such as coverage for your engine and transmission then you should choose the lowest tier plan. But if you truly want comprehensive coverage that matches the original factory warranty, you may want to consider one of the higher plans.
• Most top tier plans cover your: engine, transmission, heating/air conditioning, brake system, cooling system, suspension and so on. They usually also cover things like roadside assistance, rental care reimbursement and in coverage if your trip is cancelled or hindered by your vehicle. The best part that many of these third party companies offer? They allow you to take the contract with you. So if you decide to buy a different vehicle your warranty will transfer over. Some companies do have restrictions so you should read up on the fine details of your contract.

A car’s warranty is one of the most important, and often overlooked, details that when you are signing to buy, you may not consider. And that is a mistake that many people make. It is assumed that when you buy a new BMW, or even a certified used BMW, that you are getting a top notch vehicle that will run for decades. But sometimes things go wrong and those things can be incredibly expensive. If you are paying top dollar for a luxury vehicle then you need to make sure that vehicle is covered from bumper to bumper.