Extended Maintainence Plan -- Worth It?

[gunbuster]

About to purchase a 2002 BMW 330ci with about 35k miles. It's still covered by the limited warranty until Dec '05 or 50k miles. The BMW maintenence plan (3/36k) expires at the end of this month. I called BMW and they said that I was in a unique position buying this used vehicle. Since it is still < 36k miles, I could purchase an extension to the BMW maintenence program. It'll be about $400-500 to extend it to 4 yr/50k (from service date), or about $1300 to go to 6 yrs/100k.

Given the fact that I plan to own the car for quite a number of years, does it make sense to get the plan? From what I understand, the plan will pay for things such as the oil service, inspections 1 and 2, and things like brakes (incl. pads and rotors), wiper blade inserts.

Is it worth it? From what I hear the inspections can run several hundred dollars. If you oil change, inspection 2 and brake change in the same year it would be more than the cost of the maintenence program.

What do y'all think? I know dealers are an expensive place to get the maintenance done. Can I have an independant BMW mechanic just service the car when the various indicator lights go off?

[catman3]

I will assume you are talking about the cuureny in US. In Hong Kong, we need to pay US 1000/year to extend the cost for the same service after 24KM. We can have an informal dealer to repair the engine oil, filter and gear oil just around US500, but usually they don't have the advanced electronic equipment to check all of the things. So, it seems that you payment is reasonable and valuable.

[MaThGr82]

Yeah it is worth it, ask them how much a brake job costs and you'll see what I am talking about.

http://www.bmw-forums.com/forum/index.php?...topic=23109&hl=

[Italian Saint]

Mos Def worth it, I have it on my 02' 325Ci and to put it mildly anything on a BMW you'd be paying out the nose.

[KMP]

I pay an extra US$80 a month for the extended warrenty which is less than $1,000 a year. That's pennys on the dollar for what I'd pay in real maintenance costs without the extended warranty.