A BMW extended warranty lengthens the 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that protects new BMWs from manufacturing defects. The company offers additional protection up to 3 years/50,000 miles. In this article, our review team discusses BMW’s warranty plans and how they compare to leading third-party warranty options.
Below, we describe the BMW extended warranty, standard BMW factory warranty coverage and your other options for extended protection. If you’re looking for coverage, our research team recommends getting quotes from a few of the best extended car warranty companies. Use the tool below to receive personalized quotes from our top picks.
BMW Extended Warranty Overview
BMW offers three different extended warranty plans: Powertrain, Gold, and Platinum.
| BMW Extended Warranty | Coverage Terms | Does Cover | Does Not Cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 7 years/100,000 miles | Engine, fuel and cooling systems, transmission and drive axle | All-wheel-drive, transfer case and engine induction system |
| Gold | 7 years/100,000 miles | Everything included in the Powertrain plan as well as steering, anti-lock brakes, heating and air conditioning systems | Audio, entertainment and navigation systems |
| Platinum | 7 years/100,000 miles | Everything in the Gold Plan as well as the navigation system, entertainment system, audio system and certain exterior and interior parts | Wear-and-tear items like brake pads and wiper blades |
These plans can be purchased before or after your factory BMW warranty expires. It is generally recommended to purchase an extended warranty plan before the factory warranty expires in case a costly repair occurs shortly after the factory warranty ends.
BMW Extended Warranty Cost
The cost of a BMW extended warranty depends on several factors, including the model, age, and mileage of your vehicle. BMW’s dealerships are free to set their own prices for each customer. According to CARCHEX, if you purchase an extended warranty from BMW directly, it will likely cost you between $1,000 to $1,500 per year. BMW also charges a $50 deductible for any needed repairs.
Has Your BMW Factory Warranty Expired?
Extended warranty coverage only kicks in after the factory warranty expires. It is worth getting to know the factory warranty that BMW provides its customers. It’s possible yours is still active.
Every new BMW includes the following warranties:
- Basic Coverage: 4 years/50,000 miles (covers all components other than normal wear and maintenance items)
- Powertrain Coverage: 4 years/50,000 miles
- Corrosion Coverage: 12 years/unlimited miles
- Roadside Assistance: 4 years/unlimited miles
BMW certified pre-owned vehicles come with the factory warranty plus another year of coverage with unlimited miles.
One weakness of BMW’s factory warranty is that it does not offer additional powertrain coverage beyond its basic coverage. Other luxury brands like Cadillac and Genesis offer this coverage, but BMW does not. For that reason, many BMW owners seek additional coverage through an extended warranty.
Powertrain issues generally occur with older vehicles, and they are notoriously among the most expensive repairs. For example, RepairPal estimates that a rack and pinion replacement on a BMW 528i typically costs between $3,125 and $3,342. Specifically considering an extended warranty to cover your BMW’s powertrain is a wise decision.
Is a BMW Extended Warranty Worth It?
Whether purchasing a BMW extended warranty is worth it or not depends on your individual situation and personal goals.
It is smart to consider purchasing an extended warranty if you cannot afford unexpected $2,000 to $4,000 repairs to your vehicle. For more information on this topic, read our article on whether extended car warranties are worth it.
While an extended warranty for your vehicle may be worth it, we do not believe that purchasing an extended warranty directly from BMW is worth the cost.
Dealership Vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
While BMW’s plans are compelling, our review team believes that reputable extended car warranty companies such as CARCHEX and Endurance offer a better value than BMW’s own extended warranty.
Purchasing an extended warranty for your BMW from a BMW dealership will cost more than an extended warranty from a third-party provider due to BMW’s prestige and brand recognition. An advantage of purchasing an extended warranty directly from BMW is that you get BMW replacement parts whenever your vehicle needs a repair.
However, when comparing BMW’s extended warranty directly to CARCHEX and Endurance, purchasing directly from BMW is probably not worth the additional cost.
CARCHEX and Endurance beat BMW on four extended warranty comparison categories:
- Maximum length of coverage
- Number of coverage plans
- Repair network
- Accessibility of free quote
| BMW Extended Warranty | CARCHEX | Endurance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage Tiers | 3 | 5 (21 contracts total) | 6 |
| Maximum Term | 7 years/100,000 miles | 10 years/250,000 miles | 8 years/200,000+ miles |
| Pricing Availability | See BMW dealer for details | Get free quote online | Get free quote online |
| Repair Facilities | Only BMW dealerships | Up to 30,000 certified repair facilities | ASE-Certified®repair facilities |
Our Recommended Extended Warranty Providers
Endurance and CARCHEX both provide excellent and affordable vehicle protection plans. Endurance was named Best Provider overall by our review team for its top-notch customer service, awards and direct-to-customer business model. Read our full Endurance warranty review to learn more.
CARCHEX was named Best for High-Mileage Cars by our review team and received a high rating because of its strong industry partnerships, national media recognition and high rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Read our full CARCHEX review for more information.
We recommend that you reach out to several providers for free quotes and sample contracts to compare your BMW extended warranty options.
Methodology
The Detroit Bureau collects data from every major car warranty provider to formulate rankings of the best warranty companies. Our in-depth rating system takes into account coverage, pricing, transparency, customer satisfaction and ratings from industry experts. Each provider is given a weighted score in five categories, as well as an overall score out of 10.0.
We recommend auto warranty companies based on these rankings, but we also encourage you to perform your own research and compare quotes to find the best coverage.
