[Lyons]

Folks, I'm picking up an E93 335i tomorrow and intend to take out a BMW warranty on it straight away. As with all things, paying monthly works out a little dearer but from what I can gather online if you pay monthly and let it roll over then you aren't hit with the significant price hike when your car goes over 60k.

My car only has 48k, and I'd prefer to pay for the warranty up front to save the £60 odd. I assume in a years time when I renew (I do about 7k a year in this car), you can switch to monthly then? Are there any other advantages to paying monthly other than the 60k thing that I've overlooked?

[jimpom23]

It used to be the case that you escaped price rises but mine have gone up the last 2/3 yrs as the car gets older - though not sure it is as severe as annual policy increases.

One thing to note - and perhaps a reason for why they now do it - is that wear and tear items are now covered up to 100k miles which is a real comfort for me.

[Dann]

As far as I'm aware you can switch to monthly at any point afterwards.

My price has gone up a few quid over the last year or so but as I took mine out on 58k and I'm now on 62k, I still pay the same price (bar the small increase, which is not down to car age, but increase in insurance tax etc.

[Lyons]

Thanks folks. Will stick with an annual payment this year then, and switch to monthly thereafter.

Do they have a list detailing the extent of the wear and tear items? This could be a grey area surely? I assume its included regardless whether the policy is paid monthly or annually?

[Dann]

It will all be on their website and in the pack they send you. The policy is exactly the same regardless of annual or monthly payments.

Lots of the wear and tear parts are based on a case by case basis though.

[Vish8895]

I just took one out this afternoon (Comprehensive on an N54 135i).

The wear and tear says it covers all items covered by the policy, and the policy lists all items covered in the handbook. It seems a bit too good to be true but here is the excerpt that got me:

"Our policy on wear and tear
During the service life of your insured vehicle, normal degradation will naturally occur to some components, we term this ‘wear and tear’. For instance, components which are subjected to constant or sustained periods of movement, such as suspension bushes/ball joints and steering joints, would be subject to
wear and tear.
.......
If you have the comprehensive level of cover however, we have included all insured components even if the failure is due to normal degradation (wear and tear) up to 100,000 miles from the date of registration. In addition, if a component has previously been replaced with a BMW genuine part, the same rule will apply, in this case evidence of mileage at fitment will be required".

-BMW Insured Warranty Policy Handbook (pg 21).

[Lyons]

Lol, it really does seem too good to be true. A full BMW warranty for only £545!

[Vish8895]

Yes it does. But it really is just an insurance policy. So it of course still benefits them.

But yes it's nice to know you have the best warranty available for the car and for a relatively low price!

[Dormermike]

I have nothing but praise for the warranty and it's paid for itself on my f10 (new injectors x6, x3 plugs and coils, 2 wishbones, 2 shocks, KDS).

However. I've found the warranty to be consistently let down by the BMW dealers themselves who seem to not want to push claims through and take short cuts. For example by only replacing one shock absorber and not replacing in pairs. Very odd.

In each case I resolved this by speaking or emailing the warranty company who then spoke to the dealer and told them to "do it properly!".

[Vish8895]

Originally Posted by Dormermike

I have nothing but praise for the warranty and it's paid for itself on my f10 (new injectors x6, x3 plugs and coils, 2 wishbones, 2 shocks, KDS).

However. I've found the warranty to be consistently let down by the BMW dealers themselves who seem to not want to push claims through and take short cuts. For example by only replacing one shock absorber and not replacing in pairs. Very odd.

In each case I resolved this by speaking or emailing the warranty company who then spoke to the dealer and told them to "do it properly!".

When you say emailing the warranty company, do you mean BMW Insured (Allianz)?

I am very surprised they push BMW to do double the work under a claim!

[Dann]

It's because the dealers make hardly anything on warranty work. They will want to get the car in and out so they can get a full paying customer in instead.

[Vish8895]

Really?

From what I have heard from people in the trade (albeit at less luxurious dealers), they love warranty work because it's an easy cash cow?

EDIT: Having done some research online it seems to be that you are right, they either get paid less or get paid in much smaller increments unlike paying customers who pay by the hour or half hour.

[Dormermike]

Originally Posted by Vish8895

When you say emailing the warranty company, do you mean BMW Insured (Allianz)?

I am very surprised they push BMW to do double the work under a claim!

Correct. And it's for the reasons others have stated.. the warranty company are a repeat customer so have negotiated/demanded much better rates than you or I could achieve. As a result the dealers will cheap out and cut corners. This is also probably a big part of the reason you cant go to a non franchise dealer for warranty work. Too expensive!

[Vish8895]

Originally Posted by Dormermike

Correct. And it's for the reasons others have stated.. the warranty company are a repeat customer so have negotiated/demanded much better rates than you or I could achieve. As a result the dealers will cheap out and cut corners. This is also probably a big part of the reason you cant go to a non franchise dealer for warranty work. Too expensive!

I see.

I guess if they have a steady flow of work coming their way, they do want the lower rate customers in and out ASAP.

Maybe with the people I have spoken to they don't have massive waiting lists so warranty work is ideal to fill the gaps.

[RajB]

As above really, take out the warranty for the first year and pay it up front. Then when they send the renewal next year move it to monthlies. My car is now at 78k and took my warranty out at 49k. It's gone up each year by a pound or so to cover increase tax that's all. I pay £48.21 a month at present.

Originally Posted by Vish8895

Really?

From what I have heard from people in the trade (albeit at less luxurious dealers), they love warranty work because it's an easy cash cow?

EDIT: Having done some research online it seems to be that you are right, they either get paid less or get paid in much smaller increments unlike paying customers who pay by the hour or half hour.

Franchised dealers basically make no money on the warranty parts and a reduced labour rate. That's the reason they prefer non warranty work. They also seem to think that the Allianz won't pay out for stuff so try not to put it through if they can to save the hassle of trying on your behalf.

Non franchised garages being paid by Warranty Direct and the likes make their money off the parts and their full labour rate (which is lower than franchised anyway so warranty company see it as a win).

[Lyons]

Purchased the warranty this evening there and didn't bother with the emergency break down cover as I have it through my insurance anyway. The girl said that they provide breakdown assist further than 1 mile away from your house for free anyway, and if they can't fix you at the side of the road they will recover you to a BMW dealership! Unbelievable, can't believe you get a full warranty AND that for £545!

[Mani59]

The Mondial BMW warranty really is a fantastic warranty.

[Dormermike]

The BMW insured warranty is backed by Allianz. Anyone know why it's also referred to as Mondial?

BTW is the recovery included in full comp policies? Didn't know that!

[Lyons]

It was a comprehensive one I went for. The girl just said as long as the car was over 0.5miles away from your house, they will come out and try to get you going. If they cant, they tow you to a BM dealer.

[ansonmark]

Originally Posted by Lyons

Purchased the warranty this evening there and didn't bother with the emergency break down cover as I have it through my insurance anyway. The girl said that they provide breakdown assist further than 1 mile away from your house for free anyway, and if they can't fix you at the side of the road they will recover you to a BMW dealership! Unbelievable, can't believe you get a full warranty AND that for £545!

I would get the additional breakdown cover through the policy if I was you as I had a flat on a motorway on a weekend due to a cracked wheel and they dropped me to my destination and Europcar dropped me a courtesy car to get myself about until my car was fixed. And i've always had a courtesy car whilst my cars been fixed.

[Mani59]

Originally Posted by Dormermike

The BMW insured warranty is backed by Allianz. Anyone know why it's also referred to as Mondial?

BTW is the recovery included in full comp policies? Didn't know that!

Mondial was the administrator and now it's been re-branded / morphed into Allianz Global Assistance. Same people, just different name.

[Dormermike]

Originally Posted by Raj59

Mondial was the administrator and now it's been re-branded / morphed into Allianz Global Assistance. Same people, just different name.

Thanks!! Always wondered about that.