Because BMWs are considered luxury vehicles, they can be expensive to maintain. This makes a BMW extended warranty an attractive option, as it gives drivers peace of mind that their budgets will be protected in the event of a major breakdown. But does BMW provide the best protection for its vehicles?
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at BMW’s extended warranty costs and coverage, as well as the automaker’s factory warranty and average maintenance costs. We’ll also offer recommendations for the best extended car warranty companies in the industry to consider in your search for protection.
The Gist:
- BMW extended warranty coverage from the manufacturer can lengthen your warranty coverage up to a total of 7 years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
- BMW’s vehicle protection plans are known as the Platinum, Gold, and Powertrain Plus plans. Coverage ranges from comprehensive bumper-to-bumper protection to basic powertrain coverage.
- The average BMW’s repair costs are 48 percent higher than the industry average, making a solid case for the need for an extended warranty plan.
BMW Extended Warranty Coverage
BMW’s extended warranty program is known as the BMW Ultimate Protection Program. There are three levels of BMW warranty protection within this program, and coverage terms are available for up to 7 years/100,000 miles. You’ll find coverage levels comparable to powertrain protection, mid-level coverage, and comprehensive, exclusionary coverage.
BMW Extended Warranty Plans
BMW’s Ultimate Protection Program offers three extended vehicle service contracts, known as the Powertrain Plus, Gold, and Platinum plans. In addition to extended warranties, BMW offers additional protection plans and prepaid maintenance plans known as Ultimate Protection and Ultimate Care.
When shopping for a BMW extended warranty, you have the ability to mix and match the company’s protection and maintenance plans with an extended warranty. See the tables and sections below for more information on BMW’s coverage offerings.
| BMW Extended Warranty | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Platinum | BMW’s Platinum plan is comparable to a bumper-to-bumper warranty, and covers most major mechanical and electrical vehicle parts with the exception of a short list of exclusions. |
| Gold | The Gold plan is BMW’s mid-level protection. It offers comprehensive coverage of many major components of your vehicle. However, it lacks coverage for the navigation and infotainment system, which is only found with the Platinum level of protection. |
| Powertrain Plus | The Powertrain Plus plan includes varying levels of coverage for your vehicle’s powertrain, including the engine, transmission, drive assembly, electrical system, cooling system, fuel system, induction system, and all-wheel transfer case. |
What Does A BMW Extended Warranty Cover?
BMW offers consumers transparency by providing information on each coverage tier and the covered vehicle systems. See the table below for a breakdown of each plan:
| Platinum | Gold | Powertrain Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transmission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Final Drive Assembly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transfer Case | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electrical | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cooling System | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fuel System | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Suspension System | ✓ | ||
| Induction System | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brakes and ABS | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Heat and Air Conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Infotainment System | ✓ | ||
| Interior and Exterior | ✓ | ✓ |
*Transfer case coverage only applies to vehicles with all-wheel-drive. Some systems covered with certain plans may only have limited coverage versus comprehensive.
BMW Extended Service Contract Benefits
BMW extended warranties come with benefits drivers often don’t think about, some of which will preserve both your vehicle’s performance level and its resale value.
You’ll receive access to 24/7 emergency BMW roadside assistance services, which include battery jump starts, lockout services, towing benefits, and tire changes. You’ll also receive repairs done by certified technicians that only use 100% original BMW parts.
What’s Not Covered By A BMW Extended Warranty?
All of BMW’s protection plans come with a number of exclusions that are common for most extended car warranties. Some excluded items include:
- Upholstery
- Wiper blades
- Glass
- Bumpers
- Exterior trim
- Tires
- Wheels
- Brake pads and shoes
In addition to the above components, a BMW vehicle protection plan won’t cover damage due to owner abuse and neglect, damage from improper repairs, or damages from car accidents that are typically covered by car insurance.
Additional BMW Protection Products
BMW also offers drivers the option to add several additional warranties to their vehicles. See the table below for more information on each protection product.
| BMW Protection Product | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Lease-End Protection | This can save you from excess wear and use charges at the end of your lease. This waives charges up to $5,000 total for interior and exterior wear and damages such as interior stains, tire wear, chips, dents, and dings. |
| Guaranteed Auto Protection | This protects you from the gap between what your insurance pays and the balance you owe on your finance agreement in the event your BMW is declared a total loss in an accident. |
| Multi-Coverage Protection | This is tire, wheel, dent, windshield, and key protection all rolled into one comprehensive package. It’s great for drivers looking for a total cosmetic and performance protection plan. |
| Tire and Wheel Protection | If your tires or wheels are damaged by a road hazard such as metal, nails, glass, debris, or potholes, BMW will replace them for up to seven years. |
| Windshield Protection | This protection repairs chips and cracks in your front windshield caused by road debris that are less than six inches in diameter. Repairs are unlimited within coverage limits. |
| Paintless Dent Repair | This protects your BMW’s factory paint finish by providing removal of door dings and minor dents no larger than four inches in diameter within an accessible vehicle body panel. |
| Key Protection | This replaces your vehicle key or remote if it’s lost or damaged. Towing services and lockout assistance are also provided if you lock your keys in your car. |
| All Surface Protection | This coverage offers interior and exterior protection in the form of a sealant that’s applied to your vehicle to protect it from bird waste, tree sap, road salt, food and drink stains, and pet stains. |
BMW Ultimate Care
BMW also offers maintenance coverage in the form of Ultimate Care. This is a pre-paid maintenance plan available for all model years 2017 and newer sold or leased by BMW. This plan covers routine scheduled maintenance for 3 years/36,000 miles and covers the following services:
- Engine oil and filter change
- Brake fluid replacement
- Cabin filter change
- Engine air filter replacement
- Spark plug replacement
- Remote control and key battery replacement
- Vehicle Inspections
- Fuel filter replacement
What Does A BMW Extended Warranty Cost?
BMW extended warranty costs are not available on the manufacturer’s website, so you’ll need to contact a dealership to learn more about pricing for your vehicle. However, we found several customer reviews in which BMW owners disclosed the price of their warranties. One BMW owner reported paying $3,800 for 7 years/75,000 miles of Platinum coverage for their BMW 540i xDrive. Another mentioned paying $4,300 for a Platinum plan lasting 7 years/100,000 miles for their BMW 530e.
This is a high price for an extended warranty plan compared to competitors, but it isn’t surprising considering the high maintenance cost of BMW vehicles. Keep in mind that your BMW extended warranty cost will vary depending on your vehicle model, years of coverage, and the particular dealership you visit, and final prices may be negotiable.
Our team’s extensive warranty research has found that the average extended car warranty costs $3,026 in total. This was calculated using quotes from top providers in our industry-wide review. See the table below for a breakdown of average costs by coverage level:
| Extended Car Warranty Type | Average Total Cost |
|---|---|
| Exclusionary | $3,124 |
| Mid-Level | $3,060 |
| Powertrain | $2,893 |
Is A BMW Extended Warranty Worth It?
When deciding if an extended warranty is right for your vehicle, you should compare expected repair costs against the price of your extended warranty. It’s also wise to consider the factory coverage of new vehicles. If you plan to part with your car before its factory coverage expires, it is not usually worth purchasing an extended warranty.
BMW Maintenance And Repair Costs
Like all luxury vehicles, BMWs can be expensive to maintain. According to RepairPal, the average annual repair cost across all BMW models is $968. This is 48% higher than the industry average of $652, which isn’t surprising given that BMW is a luxury vehicle.
Keep in mind that maintenance and repair costs for your BMW may vary due to your location and other factors. Some BMWs models are also more reliable than others, and this will also affect your repair and maintenance costs for your vehicle.
BMW Reliability
See the table below for a few popular BMW models and their reliability ratings:
| RepairPal Reliability Rating | Average Annual Repair Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| BMW X5 | 2.0 out of 5.0 | $1,166 |
| BMW X1 | 3.5 out of 5.0 | $915 |
| BMW 328i | 3.0 out of 5.0 | $773 |
| BMW X3 | 2.5 out of 5.0 | $1,034 |
BMW performed in line with the average in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study℠, with vehicle owners reporting an average of 184 problems per 100 cars. This puts BMW ahead of Jaguar, Audi, Acura, and Mercedes-Benz in reliability. However, RepairPal ranked BMW 30th out of 32 total car brands for reliability, which supports the argument for needing an extended warranty.
BMW Factory Warranty
Before purchasing a BMW extended warranty, it is good to know if your vehicle is still covered by its factory warranty. Below is a list of BMW’s factory warranties and their term lengths. If your vehicle is still under its original factory warranty, you might not need to purchase an extended warranty.
- BMW New Vehicle Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles
- BMW Corrosion Warranty: 12 years/unlimited miles
- BMW Federal Emissions Warranty: 8 years/80,000 miles
- Roadside Assistance: 4 years/unlimited miles
- No Cost Scheduled Maintenance: 3 years/36,000 miles
For more details regarding what is and isn’t covered by a factory warranty, take a look at our complete car warranty guide.
BMW Certified Pre-Owned Warranty
BMW Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles come with an additional 1-year/unlimited-mile warranty that takes effect after the expiration of the vehicle’s 4-year/50,000-mile limited warranty. In addition, BMW roadside assistance protection is included with each CPO warranty.
BMW factory warranty coverage is long compared to other manufacturers, but because repair costs can be so high, a BMW extended warranty may be a good idea to protect your wallet against potentially expensive breakdowns later in your used BMW’s life.
Manufacturer Vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty Coverage
Third-party warranty coverage is worth considering if you’re looking for protection for your BMW. While manufacturer-extended protection plans require your vehicle to be serviced at a licensed BMW dealer, third-party plans allow you to pick the independent, licensed repair shop of your choice for BMW repairs.
In addition, aftermarket providers typically offer a wider variety of coverage options that come with a more extensive list of perks, such as rental car reimbursement, trip interruption benefits, and more. Finally, third-party warranty companies provide free and instant quote tools through their websites, allowing you to purchase an extended warranty from the comfort of your home.
It’s good to note that if you’re looking for repairs done with 100% genuine BMW parts, you may want to stick with a manufacturer extended warranty. Third-party providers don’t guarantee that your vehicle’s covered repairs will be completed with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts like dealerships do.
BMW Extended Warranties: Conclusion
BMW vehicles can be expensive to maintain, meaning an extended warranty is more likely to return value. However, BMW extended warranty contracts are also expensive and must be purchased when you buy your new BMW. We encourage you to consider third-party extended warranty options for your BMW before settling on the manufacturer’s extended warranty offerings.
Endurance, Olive, CARCHEX, and CarShield scored highly in our industry-wide review and are excellent options to start your search with. Gathering quotes from multiple providers will help you to find the best coverage at the right price for your BMWs needs.
BMW Extended Auto Warranty: FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about BMW’s extended warranties.
How We Rate Warranty Providers
Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of extended auto warranty providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a warranty company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:
- Reputation: It’s important that an extended car warranty company is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) score well in this category. Established providers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
- Coverage: Our team of experts looks at the number of extended warranty plans available, as well as term limits, exclusions, and added benefits like roadside assistance. Ratings also take into account the availability of maintenance coverage.
- Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between providers because so many factors impact vehicle service contract pricing. To determine our cost score, we perform a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and plans and consider available deductibles.
- Transparency: Our team evaluates the availability and transparency of each company’s contracts, as well as whether each provider offers a money-back guarantee.
- Customer Experience: We listen to real customer sales calls and comb through reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Warranty companies with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the availability of mobile apps and chat features.
*Data accurate at time of publication.