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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Extended maintenance program available on all new BMW models. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=201315)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Passenger_Side_Rear_in_the_rain.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – April 16, 2009

2009 BMW335d – $43,900 to start with the 6-year/100,000 mile Maintenance Upgrade program costing an additional $1,895.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ. -- To help remove the stigma that BMW’s are ultra expensive to maintain, BMW is offering an extended maintenance plan available across its entire model lineup. The Maintenance Program Upgrade extends BMW's current standard 4-year, 50,000 mile, $0 maintenance cost warranty out to 6-years and 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Vehicle owners can purchase the two-year Maintenance Program extension from an authorized BMW Dealer at any time during the first four years after the vehicle's in-service date or 50,000 total miles, whichever comes first.

MSRP for the extension ranges from $1,395 to $2,995, depending on the model. For a small surcharge, the period to enroll a vehicle is extended through the fifth year of vehicle age or 60,000 total miles.

“BMW is committed to helping North American owners maintain their vehicles properly,” said Alan Harris, Vice President of Aftersales for BMW of North America. “BMW’s Maintenance Program keeps vehicles well cared-for and more valuable in the pre-owned marketplace. Our decision to make the six-year Maintenance Program Upgrade available to purchase for all BMW models makes it possible for more vehicles to remain under the care of an authorized BMW Center for a longer period of time, and that’s the best way to ensure longevity for each vehicle.”

The Maintenance Program coverage stays with the vehicle (rather than the buyer), so a BMW’s second or even third owner can benefit from the extended coverage.

All 2009 BMW passenger vehicles feature BMW Ultimate ServiceTM, a suite of services that includes the BMW Maintenance Program, Roadside Assistance and the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

The BMW Maintenance Program is the only no-cost maintenance program in the industry that covers wear and tear items like brake pads and rotors for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. BMW owners pay nothing for all scheduled inspections, oil changes, brake pads, wiper blade inserts and other wear-and-tear items.

If anything, the program should move BMW towards a lower TCO and overall increased reliability for everyone including those not enrolling in the optional maintenance program.

$1895 extra to extend coverage - warranty and all service - to 6yr/100k may sound like a lot of money. But to the BMW buyer, it's not much different than an option package.
For the 335d:
Premium Pkg - $2650
Sport Pkg - $2150
Cold Weather Pkg - $1150
Metallic paint - $550
Leather seating - $1450
An extra $1895 is mid-pack within these numbers, and amounts to the price paid for fancy wheel rims. To know you can drive the car for six years or 100k and not have to worry about any expenses other than fuel and tires makes this an interesting option.

A note of caution, though. BMW's maintenance standards are a bit less conservative than you'd think. Oil change is based on when the on-board computer tells you to change the oil, for instance, and its parameters often come out to a very long interval, such as 1 year/15,000 miles. (Which, even for the high-quality synthetics that BMW uses, still makes me a bit squeamish.)

The wise BMW owner will forgo the pre-paid maintenance plan, and instead either get an extended warranty, or else save his money, and plan to pay for maintenance above and beyond the BMW schedule - if they plan to keep the car for a long time, that is. (Obviously, people leasing probably won't.)

Mike Miller, the tech editor for Roundel and Bimmer has written extensively on the subject and recommends that people follow the 'old-school' maintenance schedule (i.e., BMW's maintenance schedule before they went to the free 'ultimate service' plan.) A copy of this old-school schedule (along with his own recommendations on maintenance,) can be obtained by e-mailing him directly and asking for a copy at techtalk@roundel.org.

I would post a copy of it here (I'm sure it's out on the Internets, if you want to search,) but he has specifically asked that people not do this, because (a) it is copyrighted, (b) he updates it periodically, and (c) he is quite willing to send a copy to anyone who e-mails him and asks.

I'm actually curious what BMW's typical service interval for things like oil and filter changes on the 335d is - all the more so because diesels are much more sensitive to people not being religious abount maintenance. Wayne, did you get any info on that?

Hi Jkp1187:

___Regarding the Diesel, the AdBlue tank runs out between 14 and 18K miles so it has to go in for that. I do not know much else about the rest of the maintenance schedules other than when I hear of somebody bringing theirs in and the thousand $ maintenenance bill for not much in return.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

A poor man owns a new Bimmer because it's all covered under warranty.

A rich man, on the other hand, owns an old Bimmer.

:)

I would not worry a great deal about the 15k mile oil change intervals. Some European TDI's have an oil change interval of 30k miles using the VW long life synthetic. 15k miles is not pushing it at all if the BMW oil is a good quality synthetic (which I assume it is).

I'll have to ask my sister-in-law what the 50,000 mile fee was. She just traded in her 530 for a 09 Mercedes ML320 so she wouldn't have to pay for it.

If you have to worry about warranty, you shouldn't be buying an expensive car.

When someone threw a yellow brick into my old BMW, it cost me over $1600 to repair. After that I traded it in and the dealer screwed up by not safetying it first. Afterwards they had to pay over $3 grand to safety a 4 year old car. The guy who bought my car had another $2k in service a couple years later. That was the best car I'll ever own and I do regret getting rid of it, but normal wear and tear on a vehicle like that is something which should be taken into account before purchasing.

I would not worry a great deal about the 15k mile oil change intervals. Some European TDI's have an oil change interval of 30k miles using the VW long life synthetic. 15k miles is not pushing it at all if the BMW oil is a good quality synthetic (which I assume it is).

While I'm sure that's true after the car has been broken-in, I would never let the first oil change on a new car go for 15k miles - the possibility of too much wear material floating around in there is too great for me. I'd personally do one at 1.5k then a couple more after that at 5k intervals (followed up by an oil analysis.)

Unless I was leasing of course...in which case, I'd just do whatever minimal effort was required and let it ride.

I don't know if it applies to BMWs, but I know that when my wife got her '08 Escape it had a short interval pre-programmed in for the first oil change. The rest are calculated based on whatever mechanism it uses to determine remaining oil life (based on lubricity).

I don't know if it applies to BMWs, but I know that when my wife got her '08 Escape it had a short interval pre-programmed in for the first oil change. The rest are calculated based on whatever mechanism it uses to determine remaining oil life (based on lubricity).

BMW currently doesn't require a short initial oil change interval for any except its "M" cars (M3, M5, etc.)

If you have to worry about warranty, you shouldn't be buying an expensive car.


Out of warranty, I had a brake caliper seize on my Jaguar XJ6. The dealership wanted $1500 for the repair, and a third party shop was able to do it for $1200. It was a nice car, but nowhere near the cost of maintaining it. I've been very happy with the Hondas I've owned since.

Out of warranty, I had a brake caliper seize on my Jaguar XJ6. The dealership wanted $1500 for the repair, and a third party shop was able to do it for $1200. It was a nice car, but nowhere near the cost of maintaining it. I've been very happy with the Hondas I've owned since.

Good decision. $1200 buys an awful lot of gas for those hondas!

I NEVER buy the extended warranty. I hope my judgment of the product itself supersedes the need for it. It is a proven fact that the value of most extended warranties are never paid back by claims for the purchaser. These companies couldn't survive.