Automotive

Worth getting Global extended warranty on used 2011 BMW X3 with 145k?

Jr. Member
Aug 26, 2012
113 posts
124 upvotes
London

Worth getting Global extended warranty on used 2011 BMW X3 with 145k?

Hi all,

I'm fairly green to the used car market, but have recently honed in on on a decently priced 2011 BMW X3 28i with 145,000km via the dealer. Between bartering and discounts, I've got on offer for $12,700 plus tax and warranty.

It's actually in great shape - Single owner, regularly maintained at the dealer, with no major issues. Physically, it looks to be in great shape. The records show no accidents, and there haven't been any red-flag repairs in the past.

Now my question is, whether I should opt for the extended warranty. I've done a lot of research on the forum, and the general consensus seems to be that they're not worth the price (high resistance to paying for repairs, lots of things in the fine print that aren't covered, and in general it seems that most of these companies try to wring you out to prevent paying). That being said, I've also read about good experiences with these warranties too.

However, given that this is a BMW (albeit, well maintained) with higher kilometers, I'm wondering whether it would be smart to get the warranty in this case (I'm anticipating having to pay $1000/year on average for routine maintenance anyway). The only thing not covered which I anticipate might need replacing in the future are the front brakes (i.e. "wear and tear" parts).

For some base details, I was quoted an extended warranty by the company Global. They offered me the "4-star Ultimate Drive Package", which essentially covers *everything* minus wear-and-tear parts. This would be 4 years/80,000km for $4000. I'm getting a $1500 discount on the car that they've taken partially out of the warranty, and partially out of the car price.
- here is a link to pdf with the fine print http://www.globalwarranty.com/documents ... _CA_GW.pdf
- I've attached an image of the basics that the 4-star package covers.

Any input on whether this would be worth it would be greatly appreciated. I'll be moving away from my home town for a year in the near future, so the peace-of-mind of having things covered should anything go wrong is what's pushing me especially in favour of getting the warranty. Thanks!
Images
  • global warranty overview.png
43 replies
Sr. Member
Oct 16, 2008
546 posts
43 upvotes
Vancouver
I highly recommend grabbing a extended warranty but would never purchase anything except for a 0 deductible manufacturer warranty. If you are looking for a used BMW and want a warranty that’s worth anything you are going to have to buy used at a BMW dealer.
Deal Fanatic
May 4, 2014
5217 posts
7141 upvotes
Toronto, ON
There is absolutely nothing that will ever go wrong on an 8 year old low mileage(145k) BMW. BMWs are bulletproof.

12700 is a steep price, but for that you don't have to worry about spending potentially another 12700 on maintenance and repairs as you would if you were to buy an unreliable car like a Toyota.

Extended warranties usually pay out more than the customer pays because they are not-for-profit organizations. But don't bother to buy it, because again, it's a bulletproof BMW.

None of this is /s. The sun did rise from the west this morning though.
Jr. Member
Aug 26, 2012
113 posts
124 upvotes
London
umm.. ok, I can see the sarcasm.

I know that BMW's (especially used, higher mileage BMW's) will incur larger ongoing maintenance costs than a japanese brand. I was simply asking about people's experiences with extended warranties, and whether its more useful in this scenario to just set aside money purposefully for ongoing maintenance and issues.
Deal Fanatic
Jun 26, 2009
5427 posts
5283 upvotes
GTA
Not the best buy. Usually people "green to used car market" would start with the research. And the research tells you what cars to avoid. Looks like you skipped that step. Buying old BMW to fool others that you can afford BMW never made sense to me. If you have money, buy brand new beemer with warranty or lease it. If you don't have money, buy something reliable with cheaper parts and servicing. But it's up to you. At $4000 extended warranty is crazy expensive, but one major repair will cost that much. And good luck getting reimbursement trom 3rd party after market warranty. They will try to refuse coverage, looking for anything skipped in the car's service history.
Jr. Member
Aug 26, 2012
113 posts
124 upvotes
London
Tommy74 wrote: Not the best buy. Usually people "green to used car market" would start with the research. And the research tells you what cars to avoid. Looks like you skipped that step. Buying old BMW to fool others that you can afford BMW never made sense to me. If you have money, buy brand new beemer with warranty or lease it. If you don't have money, buy something reliable with cheaper parts and servicing. But it's up to you. At $4000 extended warranty is crazy expensive, but one major repair will cost that much. And good luck getting reimbursement trom 3rd party after market warranty. They will try to refuse coverage, looking for anything skipped in the car's service history.
Fair. I mean, I never said I was going for utmost reliability. I've done my research - I like the styling and driving of the BMW much more over its Japanese counterparts, and don't mind buying an older model within my budget, with the expectation of paying more overall for ongoing maintenance. I was just wondering if these extended warranties are worth it, or should I rather opt not to get it and set aside money for issues that crop up.
Sr. Member
Nov 21, 2015
643 posts
388 upvotes
I used to own a '03 BMW 3 Series, now you'd say it's an old BMW and I'm trying to fool others that I could afford a bimmer, but I'm actually not. I gotta be honest with ya, I felt really good driving an old bimmer compared to the regular person driving a 2014 Honda Civic. I kid you not, my car was in mint condition. No rust on the body, drove flawlessly and it was a real head turner (it was slightly modified). Sure, the car only cost me $3,000 and it had very low value but if you saw my car, you'd be surprised... it looked much better than these newer cars (2008-2014). If you know how to take care of a BMW and properly maintain it, you're definitely going to be satisfied. If I had the chance, I would definitely go back to driving the '03, rather than my new car. Old is gold y'all, just be aware of the maintenance with these 'higher-end' cars... BMW in this case. With a newer car you won't have issues... but with an older car, you'll be spending quite a bit on maintenance even if you take care of it like a baby.
Deal Addict
Nov 10, 2018
4735 posts
5331 upvotes
Be sure to read the fine print and understand what is and isn't covered. Even exclusionary policies exclude some high ticket items.
For legal topics and discussions, the opinion, guidance, and thoughts provided are my own and are not considered to be legal advice, in any manner.
Jr. Member
Apr 24, 2018
114 posts
82 upvotes
paying 16700.00 plus tax for an old bmw. what is the deductible on the warranty. do some research on how easy global pays out. run away run away
Jr. Member
Aug 26, 2012
113 posts
124 upvotes
London
FrankW77994 wrote: paying 16700.00 plus tax for an old bmw. what is the deductible on the warranty. do some research on how easy global pays out. run away run away
Well coming from a 2000 accord with 250,000km, this felt relatively new lol

Deductible is $150
Newbie
Jul 4, 2012
54 posts
23 upvotes
OTTAWA
That car should have the N52 which was BMW's mainstream engine at the time. It should be decently reliable. It's BMW's low volume engines that give it a bad rep.

Stay away from that warranty though.
Sr. Member
Oct 2, 2017
850 posts
608 upvotes
I wouldn't do it. We we bought our x3 we got extended warranty from bmw. Then the radiator stuck open so we went to the same dealership for service. The service advisory told us our vehicle was out of warranty and that "those 3rd party warranty people never approve anything". Lucky for us the warranty was from bmw itself. Anecdotally from talking to a few friends who got 3rd party warranties on their used cars, they say they never got anything out of it, global always finds a way to weasel out of repairs.

That aside, 4000 is a lot of money on a 12500$ car. Just buy a newer car that costs 17k instead
I'll see you at the top, cause the bottom is too crowded
Deal Addict
Sep 8, 2017
4695 posts
4968 upvotes
GTA
$16,700 could get you a newer, more reliable car. Or does it have to be a BMW or some other luxury car? Ballin' on a budget...
Jr. Member
Aug 26, 2012
113 posts
124 upvotes
London
derass wrote: $16,700 could get you a newer, more reliable car. Or does it have to be a BMW or some other luxury car? Ballin' on a budget...
Honestly, I just really liked the feel of the X3. I'm looking for a luxury brand, and believe me, I looked into all the typical "reliable" options (RX 350, RDX/MDX,). A fun ride for an SUV was also important, so I looked into a CX5 also. It sounds cliche, but none of them really did it for me. And surprisingly, because a lot of those cars are so reliable I'm finding they hold their value really well, and as result the only ones within my range are older high-mileage ones anyway. I've found there's not a lot of great options in the London area, and unfortunately my job doesn't afford me the time to drive around the province looking for deals. This X3 was reasonably priced, and drives and feels exactly like what I'm looking for.

All those things considered, I honestly don't mind some higher ongoing maintenance costs; in fact, I'm going into expecting to pay more, but I'll take that risk in order to drive something that I love. This car fits within my budget, and I'm just asking if I should buy a warranty, or set the money aside to pay for unexpected/expected costs of ownership. Would it be more practical to pocket the money, used a trusted private mechanic for everything, and hope that by continuing to maintain it closely according to the recommended schedule, I don't run into major issues?

People on this thread seem to be totally averse to buying anything outside of something "reliable". Ya, I've read a lot of horror stories regarding exorbitant costs of maintaining a used BMW/Mercedes/etc. . Is it going to cost me more driving a used X3 over a honda CRV? More than likely, yes. But I hope by taking good care of it, and following the recommended maintenance schedule, I can keep things in check.
Jr. Member
Aug 26, 2012
113 posts
124 upvotes
London
Brian99 wrote: Older German cars are fine. Budget 2-3k/year for maintenance and skip the warranty. Take the vehicle to a trusted "brand- specific" mechanic and pay to have all components checked out. How long do you plan to keep the car?
I'm hoping the next 4 or 5 years
Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 11, 2007
21245 posts
25711 upvotes
GTA








If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Deal Addict
Apr 6, 2008
1807 posts
1168 upvotes
I wouldn't buy an older BMW to begin with, but if you do...throw the $4000 in a savings account. When something comes up, take from that account. Guaranteed you'll end up ahead and you won't have to fight for payment. And let's say an engine or transmission fails, yes you will have to pay out of pocket, but at least you can shop around for the best/cheapest shop, vs going to their approved shop and being forced to pay twice as much...insurance companies aren't charities.
Deal Addict
Nov 10, 2018
4735 posts
5331 upvotes
fusion2k2k wrote: Guaranteed you'll end up ahead
If the OP needs a new engine block, it's far more than $4,000.

The OP's question is like the thread "When do I buy into the stock market". If people actually knew, then well, those people would be rich. It doesn't work like this.
For legal topics and discussions, the opinion, guidance, and thoughts provided are my own and are not considered to be legal advice, in any manner.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Mar 9, 2007
15618 posts
13276 upvotes
Think of the Childre…
DON'T DO IT OP!!!! You'll regret buying a used BMW.....Money pit I tell ya!! Think of the children!!!!

WOULD SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)