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A BMW maintenance plan covers the cost of scheduled maintenance services, but extra coverage may not be worth it for everyone.
Crash Course:
- The cost of a BMW extended maintenance plan varies by model and term length, but we found estimates of around $2,700 for two years of additional coverage.
- BMW owners pay between $1,000 and $1,700 per year for routine maintenance.
- Ultimate Care+, BMW’s extended maintenance package, covers all factory-recommended maintenance services for the duration of the plan.
Staying on top of your manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule is essential to maximizing your BMW’s performance and longevity. Every new BMW comes with a BMW maintenance plan to cover the first few years of scheduled services. However, if you want to extend that maintenance plan, you can purchase additional coverage – either from BMW or from another provider.
Our research team put together this guide to help you understand what’s in your BMW maintenance plan as well as what the company offers in its extended maintenance packages. You’ll also find information about some of the best alternative options for comparison.
BMW Maintenance Plans
Maintenance plans cover the cost of regular maintenance services such as oil changes, tire rotations, and more. BMW includes a maintenance plan with all new vehicles and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles. Under these plans, all repair work must be performed at authorized BMW centers using original BMW parts.
Depending on which maintenance plan you get with your BMW and how long it lasts, it can be worth thousands of dollars in value. Performing recommended services on time is required to keep your factory warranty valid, so the inclusion of a maintenance plan is a major benefit for BMW owners.
BMW Factory Maintenance Plans
BMW has two maintenance plans that come with its vehicles. Which plan your car has depends on the year it was manufactured.
BMW Ultimate Service
If you purchased or leased a model year 2015 or 2016 BMW from an authorized dealer on or after July 1, 2014, your car came with the BMW Ultimate Service maintenance package. This BMW maintenance program covers all factory-recommended maintenance services for the first four years or 50,000 miles of the vehicle’s working life, whichever comes first. This plan is non-transferable.
BMW Ultimate Care
If your BMW is a model year 2017 or newer, its included maintenance plan is called BMW Ultimate Care. Like the Ultimate Service plan, it covers all manufacturer-recommended services while active. Ultimate Care coverage only lasts for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
What Does the BMW Factory Maintenance Package Cover?
BMW Ultimate Care covers all recommended maintenance services. These services may vary depending on the BMW model and year.
BMW Scheduled Services
Your BMW maintenance package includes some or all of the following services, depending on the model:
- Engine oil and oil filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Brake pad and disc replacement
- Wiper blade replacement
- Multi-point vehicle check
- Cabin microfilter(s) replacement
- Remote control key battery replacement (if needed)
- Engine air filter replacement
- Spark plugs inspection and replacement (if needed)
- Standard scope
- Final drive oil (M vehicles only)
- 1200 Mile running-in service (M vehicles only)
For the most thorough and accurate list of recommended maintenance items, consult your owner’s manual.
BMW Maintenance Plan Benefits
The factory BMW maintenance package also comes with a few perks. These include:
- Roadside assistance: This covers emergency roadside services like towing, tire service, and fuel delivery with no mileage limit. It’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- BMW TeleService: With this plan, your vehicle can contact a BMW service center when it needs maintenance as part of the BMW ConnectedDrive program.
Some dealerships may include other benefits with new BMW vehicles. Ask the dealership about the full list of perks included with your coverage to make sure you get the most out of your plan.
BMW Extended Maintenance Plan
When your Ultimate Service or Ultimate Care maintenance package expires, you’ll have to pay for BMW maintenance costs out of pocket unless you extend your coverage. BMW has its own extended maintenance program called BMW Ultimate Care+.
BMW Ultimate Care+ Maintenance Plan
Like Ultimate Care and Ultimate Service, BMW Ultimate Care+ covers all scheduled maintenance services while your vehicle is under contract. This plan is similar to an extended warranty for your BMW in that it covers the cost of mechanical repairs. Like with the factory coverage, all services will be performed by BMW-certified technicians using genuine BMW components.
Owners can choose the length of their coverage terms. BMW offers Ultimate Care+ terms ranging up to four years and 89,000 more miles. With this additional coverage, your maintenance services will be covered up to seven years or 125,000 miles.
You can purchase Ultimate Care+ at any time while your Ultimate Care or Ultimate Service coverage is still active. However, the BMW extended maintenance plan can only be purchased at an authorized dealership.
Extended BMW Maintenance Plan Cost
The cost of extending your BMW maintenance plan with Ultimate Care+ depends on the model of your vehicle and how many years you want to add. We found several reports of Ultimate Care+ 2, which adds two more years to your base plan and brings total maintenance coverage to 5 years/75,000 miles, costing around $2,700.
At this price, you come close to the same cost as individual services at the dealership. However, buying an Ultimate Care+ package also means that you pay a fixed price for services, which can easily go up in cost over the duration of your coverage. If labor rates go up significantly, you could end up saving money overall.
However, this price is significantly more than what you’d pay if you have the same services performed at an independent repair shop. You won’t get service from BMW-certified techs or be guaranteed genuine BMW parts at an independent mechanic, but you’ll likely spend less money than you would with an Ultimate Care+ maintenance package.
Additional Maintenance Coverage From BMW
BMW offers supplemental coverage packages in addition to the Ultimate Care+ maintenance plan. Owners who prefer to spend money up front can cover many of the additional costs of BMW ownership with these service programs.
BMW Tire and Wheel Protection
The BMW Tire and Wheel Protection package covers damages to tires and wheels from road hazards. Damaged tires are always replaced and never plugged or patched under this program. This plan also covers all associated taxes and labor fees for repairs and replacements.
The Tire and Wheel Protection package also includes up to $100 of towing coverage per incident. There are no mileage restrictions to the Tire and Wheel Protection plan.
Owners can also purchase an additional level of protection for cosmetic damages. Under this plan, BMW will perform up to eight cosmetic repairs.
BMW Ultimate Care Oil Services
For $225, you can purchase the BMW Ultimate Care Oil Services plan. This covers three years of unlimited oil changes and fuel filter replacements. However, the plan does not cover taxes and disposal fees.
BMW Lease-End Protection
People who lease their BMW can purchase the company’s Lease-End Protection plan to avoid being charged for wear and tear upon return. The plan waives up to $5,000 in damage and usage fees that would otherwise be charged under the lease agreement. Lease-End Protection has no deductible.
BMW Gap Protection
Gap Protection from BMW is similar to other guaranteed asset protection (GAP) plans from dealerships, lenders, and insurance companies. It covers the difference between what you owe on the vehicle and its assessed value if the car is totaled and you owe more than it’s currently worth.
However, according to BMW, there are many exclusions to this coverage. Be sure to read through the fine print carefully before making a purchase decision.
BMW Windshield Protection
You can also purchase the BMW Windshield Protection plan to cover the cost of repairing cracks or chips in your windshield from road hazards. This plan offers unlimited repairs, which can be done at a BMW repair center or at your home from a mobile technician.
BMW Dent Protection
The BMW Dent Protection plan covers the cost of repairing small dents up to four inches in diameter. BMW uses a special process that doesn’t require repainting afterward, so your car’s finish will look flawless. There is no limit to the number of repairs made under this plan. Similarly to the Windshield Protection package, you can have repairs performed at a BMW repair facility or have a mobile technician come to you.
BMW Key Protection
Like many luxury vehicles, BMWs come with high-tech keys that are expensive to replace. BMW Key Protection covers the cost of replacing lost or stolen keys. This package also covers up to $100 towards towing expenses to the nearest BMW service center, and up to $75 in transportation expenses per occurrence if you’re left without access to your vehicle.
BMW Multi-Coverage Protection
The Multi-Coverage Protection plan from BMW bundles several additional coverage options. This plan includes:
- Tire and wheel protection with optional cosmetic coverage
- Dent protection
- Windshield protection
- Key protection
BMW Extended Maintenance Plan: Is It Worth It?
Extending your BMW maintenance plan may be worth it for several reasons. By prepaying for your maintenance services, you lock in the price of those services, which protects you from rising costs. That could save you money overall and make a BMW maintenance plan worth what you spend on it.
An extended maintenance plan for your BMW could also be worth it if you prefer to spend money up front for a more worry-free ownership experience, similar to what you get from an extended car warranty. You can choose to roll the cost of your Ultimate Care+ plan into your monthly payments to avoid paying for services one-by-one.
BMW Coverage Plan: Extended Warranties
While a BMW maintenance plan can cover the cost of car services you expect, an extended car warranty can cover the cost of repairs that you don’t. After your factory warranty expires, you can extend that coverage to keep yourself protected from costly surprise repair bills.
You can compare free quotes from third-party extended warranty providers to find the best price. We recommend starting your search with two of the highest-scoring providers from our 2023 warranty study.
Endurance: Best Overall
With its robust selection of coverage plans and competitive prices, plus a strong reputation for customer service, Endurance earned the highest score and the award for Best Overall in our 2023 warranty study. The company is one of only a handful of direct providers in the warranty industry, allowing it to offer an easy, manageable claims process for BMW owners.
Keep reading: Endurance warranty review
CARCHEX: Best Reputation
CARCHEX is one of the most established names in the warranty industry. With its thoughtful plan options for higher-mileage vehicles, the company earned this year’s award for Best for Used Cars. Owners of older BMWs may find some of the best extended warranty options for their vehicle at CARCHEX.
Keep reading: CARCHEX warranty review
Compare: Endurance vs. CARCHEX
BMW Maintenance Plans: FAQ
Below are some common questions about BMW maintenance plans and our answers.
Are BMW maintenance packages worth it?
BMW maintenance packages can be worth it, even if you don’t use all the coverage you pay for. You can roll the cost of a maintenance plan into your car payment, meaning you won’t need to pay for services as they come up. This can give BMW owners valuable peace of mind.
How much is a BMW extended maintenance plan?
The cost of a BMW extended maintenance plan depends on the model of your BMW and how many years of coverage you need. One of the most commonly-quoted prices our researchers found was around $2,700 for an additional two years of maintenance coverage.
Does my BMW have a maintenance plan?
Your BMW came with a maintenance plan when it was new. For model years 2017 and older, that coverage lasts for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you’re unsure whether or not you still have maintenance coverage, you can call a BMW dealership and provide them with your vehicle identification number (VIN).
Is it really expensive to maintain a BMW?
BMW vehicles are expensive to maintain, even compared to other luxury vehicles. On average, BMW owners pay between $1,000 and $1,700 per year for maintenance over the lifetime of the vehicle.
Our Methodology
Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best extended auto warranty providers.
- Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, availability, and years in business when giving this score.
- Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car warranty company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account the number of plans offered by each provider, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
- Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations to give this rating.
- Transparency: We consider the transparency of each company’s contracts and the availability of a money-back guarantee when determining this score.
- Customer Service: Reputable extended car warranty companies operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
