Sooo... I was a leetle bit irresponsible last weekend!

[TN_R_Girl]

Some of you may know my much loved 1998 C230 finally started giving up on me earlier this year. With 235,000 miles, I suppose it was entitled. The cost to get the transmission and electrics back up to snuff was going to be many times what the poor little thing was worth. So, in the interest of being practical, I bought an '09 Subaru Outback limited. But, after just less than 3 months, I realized I didn't love it (didn't hate it; just didn't love it).

 

 

So I traded it ...

 

 

For THIS!!!

 

 

And now, the question: I've got factory warranty remaining until January 2013. I'm told I can extend the BMW warranty at any time prior to that. The dealership I bought the car from has also suggested an extended bumper-to-bumper warranty. Either one is going to be a couple thousand $$ more. Any thoughts on whether it would be worth it??

 

(And yes, I know. This car is SO much more ME!!!)

 

[moshe_levy]

Yes, it's worth it. Family has purchased 3 Certified PO BMWs, and in EVERY case the extended warranty we purchased more than paid for itself. Negotiate the price - you can haggle on the warranty as you do on the car itself, and in fact there is more margin there to haggle on. Nice car!

 

-MKL

[TN_R_Girl]

Thanks for the input MKL! Any opinion whether the factory BMW extended would be better than the independent?

[moshe_levy]

Always go factory. Less nonsense when it comes to claims vs. the independent blaming the factory and factory blaming the independent and you caught in the middle. Swallow that little extra cost as the price for your sanity should you need coverage. Hit up BMW automotive enthusiast sites and ask where you can buy factory warranties at a discount. You don't HAVE to buy it at your dealer.

 

-MKL

[TN_R_Girl]

Great idea! Thank you!!

 

For now, I'm good. Will be scheduling the annual oil change in July and will start looking around then.

 

Appreciate the insights!

 

 

[moshe_levy]

No problem. Good luck. I had a 3-Series once. Best car I ever owned.

 

-MKL

[MT Wallet]

I can't believe I'm going to say this but, I agree with everything Moshe said. Mark it on your calendars. It may never happen again in your lifetime!!

[TEWKS]

Nice twin to your twin!

 

Pat

[Skywagon]

For what it's worth have owned three BMW's bought new. Drove each one to about 135K miles. Two were trouble free. Worst on those two was had to replace a radiator that turned loose...about $600.

 

The other BMW M3...had the air conditioner go kaput about 90k. We replaced compressor, expansion valve, evaporator, drier, etc. Not all at once but as we continued to try and get it working correctly. Spent over $2500 and it never worked right again. Decided to sell it. Bought the wife unit a new Lexus RX 350. First venture with Lexus.

 

Don't know if extended maintenance is the right answer or not..think it depends on the luck of the draw.

 

I like their cars and I bet you will too. Nice looking photo.

[ericfoerster]

Yup, get the warranty. I had the exact same car and one issue with the radio that would have cost half the price of the warranty. They replaced it no cost with the extended warranty and I was happy. The invoice said the radio and labor were 1200, so it's worth it to me.

I would still have that car except 2 deer decided that it was not the right car for me. I bought it after grad school as a gift to myself and the deer did not like it. I miss rolling along at 85 getting 30 mpg with the sunroof open. Now the proud owner of a Chevy 2500 HD that gets thank you letters from Oil producing nations. The nice thing is that deer run from this chunk of steel.

 

Ps...did you find the oil dipstick yet? It drove me nuts not being able to SEE the oil level. I don't know if they ever put it back in the car, but mine did not have one.

[RichEdwards]

Extended warranties are always a crap shoot. I'm 67, have owned numerous bikes and cars in the last 50 years and have never purchased an extended warranty. I have never regretted it and never needed it. Multiply the cost of an extended warranty over those 50 years and I could have purchased quite a few new vehicles with the savings.

[Paul Mihalka]

Extended warranties: They are priced based on the average mileage and average ownership time of a vehicle. If you drive/ride much higher mileage than average and will own the vehicle to the end of the warranty (many don't), you have a good chance of coming out ahead. Like any insurance, the best that can happen is that you never see any of your money back.

[Bologna]

Audi family here and we stick to what the factory offers.

Nice choice!

[tallman]

Looks like it might pull to the right.

Don't worry, TADT.

[Lone_RT_rider]

Looks like it might pull to the right.

Don't worry, TADT.

 

If that thing gives you any issues.....I know just where to park it, and make the right phone call!

[SageRider]

Thanks for the input MKL! Any opinion whether the factory BMW extended would be better than the independent?

Go factory. Independents often go out of business.

[pbharvey]

Thanks for the input MKL! Any opinion whether the factory BMW extended would be better than the independent?

Go factory. Independents often go out of business.

 

That's why I bought the Harley warranty for my Buell! (seriously)

 

Nice car

[hANNAbONE]

nICE sLED...

get the factory warranty too -

[Ken H.]

Well I have to be the dissenter here. Every single consumer advocacy group without exception universally will tell you extended warranties on any product are a bad deal. They are a high profit item for the issuer and only pay off in an exceedingly small percentage of cases. Take the money and bank it in a rainy day fund is a far smarter idea.

[George S.]

How can you state that without knowing the item, the cost, and term involved? While it may vary by cost from one item to another, and may or may not make financial sense, you can't make that blanket comment. Of course, when the cashier at K-Mart offers you a $19 extended warranty on a $30 CD player, you say "no thanks", but there are instances wher a warranty makes sense.

 

Back in the day when color TVs were hugely expensive, my parent's extended warranty paid for NINE replacement picture tubes over several years. Even though it was quite inconvenient to have the set go down those many times, we didn't have to buy another one and they never tried to weasel out of it. How times have changed.

 

My other extended warranties on washer/dryer, refrigerator and dishwasher have saved me many hundreds of $$$.

 

Warranties on cars and bikes need to be read very carefully. The third party ones usually don't cover much else other than a catastrophic engine or transmission failure. If they do cover more than that, they are usually priced too high to be worth it.

[TN_R_Girl]

I

Looks like it might pull to the right.

Don't worry, TADT.

 

Guarantee that with me driving... This car will ride right down the middle (most days!)

[TN_R_Girl]

Alright guys.. Thank you for the advice. I understand that extended warranties on consumer electronics are generally a bad idea; and that opinions will differ regarding larger ticket items like this car.

 

I suspect that a couple thousand up front on a car where the repairs cold easily run into the thousands (especially on the electrics... Of which there is a ridiculous amount here) will give me some peace of mind.

 

While I understand there will be disagreement on this point, let's agree to disagree. Nobody here is being asked to pony up their own $$.

 

Hugs & Kisses!