BMW Maintenance: Cost, Repairs and Schedule

Two often overlooked costs of owning a motor vehicle are maintenance and repair. Maintenance includes the pre-planned work you do to keep your vehicle operating as it should. Tire rotations and tire replacements, brake fluid changes, brake pad and rotor changes, 12-V battery replacements, and air filter changes are common maintenance costs on modern automobiles. Now that spark plugs are good for as many as 120,000 miles, timing belts last over 70,000 miles, distributor caps are long gone, and there is no more power steering fluid to change, most cars are relatively maintenance-free compared to cars from the days of old.

Repairs are the unexpected and unplanned jobs required to fix a vehicle that breaks after it is out of its warranty period. Real-world examples of common under-the-hood repairs include alternator replacements, starter motor replacements, and AC compressor replacements. Wheel bearing replacements, strut and shock replacements, and ball joint repairs are typical of the additional non-powertrain repairs many cars will require.

Given enough time, nearly every part of every car will fail. In our story, we are going to ignore the end-of-life type of failures and repairs that very old, fully-depreciated BMWs may suffer from. Things like a complete engine failure or transmission failure that could be the final straw in an older car’s long list of pricey repairs before it is retired and recycled. This story will focus on the maintenance and repairs needed to keep a modern BMW vehicle running up to and beyond 100,000 miles.

BMW Cost and Maintenance

BMW was one of the first brands to offer included maintenance with a vehicle purchase. Originally a four-year-long plan, in 2017, BMW changed its plan to include just 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. BMW calls its plan “BMW Ultimate Care.”

Since a meaningful percentage of BMW owners lease their new BMW, and often for a term of about three years, this included maintenance offer makes good sense. It allows a lessee to have a fixed cost of ownership since the new vehicle warranty also covers that span of time.

BMW Ultimate Care - What Is Included

BMW’s three years or 36,000 miles of included maintenance covers the following:

• Engine oil (Including the oil filter)
• Brake fluid (Replacement)
• Vehicle check (Inspection)
• 1,200 mile running-in service (Applicable BMW M vehicles only)

• BMW says that the below work may also be included in conjunction with one or more of the items listed above:

• Standard scope (Procedure)

Additionally, the following when they qualify to be performed:

• Cabin microfilter(s)
• Remote control key battery
• Engine air filter
• Spark plugs
• Final drive oil (Applicable M vehicles only)

BMW Ultimate Care - What Is Not Included

BMW’s three years or 36,000 miles of included maintenance EXCLUDE the following:

• Front and rear brake pads and discs
• Parking brake shoes/linings
• Wiper blade assemblies and inserts
• Engine drive belt

BMW has a long list of other services not covered by its maintenance plan, so consult your owner’s manual for the full listing. Basically, BMW’s Ultimate Care covers oil changes and a brake fluid change during your first few years of ownership or your first 36K miles.

One thing to know about the included maintenance that comes with a new BMW is that it is not transferable. It is just for the original owner to use. Here’s what BMW says about it:

“These maintenance programs are available to the exclusive benefit of the initial purchaser, owner, or lessee of a new vehicle, sales demonstrator vehicle, Aftersales Mobility Program vehicle, or BMW Group company vehicle from an authorized BMW center in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Coverage is not transferable to subsequent purchasers, owners, or lessees. The sole exception to the non-transferability of coverage is that household transfers—transfers within the United States (including Puerto Rico) to members of the household of the initial purchaser, owner, or lessee of a BMW vehicle from an authorized BMW center—will not terminate coverage.”

BMW Recommended Maintenance Schedule

This may sound crazy, but BMW does not offer its owners a recommended maintenance schedule to follow. Heck, there isn’t even an oil dipstick in many popular BMW models. Instead of suggesting maintenance based on time or miles, BMW uses an algorithm in the vehicle’s computer that calculates when it needs service and what type of service is required. The vehicle will display a “Service Required” icon and instruct the owner to schedule an appointment with their BMW dealer when service is required.

We know that isn’t a satisfying answer, so we used online information offered by a few BMW dealers to build out the chart below of what you can expect to do to a BMW X3, the company’s top-selling model.

Service Recommendations by Mileage

*Note that this information may vary based on our vehicle’s usage.

Car Talk has some experience with BMW X3s, having had two in the extended Car Talk family fleet. We had a BMW X3 purchased new in 2014 that was kept for a bit over four years. We found that the engine oil replacement interval was quite long compared to most vehicles. The X3 would usually suggest its oil be changed at around 14,000 miles based on our usage.

When we asked the dealer to replace it early while we were there for other things (and there were a lot of things), they would politely decline, even if we offered to pay. Shortly after we would get the vehicle home, guess what would appear? A change engine oil reminder! It was a frustrating vehicle for us to keep properly maintained and repaired. And our dealer in an affluent suburb of Boston did not offer loaner cars for service visits. The combination of frustratingly frequent repairs, no loaner cars, and tires that cost double what a similar vehicle’s tire would cost prompted us to trade the 2014 X3 away as it exited its fixed-cost period.

Another unusual aspect of the 2014 X3 was that it didn’t require (and the dealer would not perform) a routine tire rotation. This seemed crazy to us, but we never had any trouble with uneven tire wear.

Typical Costs For Routine Maintenance Jobs

What you pay for your BMW maintenance depends on your specific model and, to a large degree, where you have it serviced. Dealers typically charge 10% to 30% more for the same service you would get at a trusted local shop. The guide below is intended to help create a budget for maintenance work commonly done on most vehicles.

Wear Items and Various Inspections

Our chart above lists “Various Inspections & Minor Adjustments” as one of the many maintenance items required to maintain a BMW vehicle properly. These include common sense things like a visual brake inspection, hands-on suspension component checks, visual inspection of hoses and belts, checking that coolant, transmission, and differential oil levels are at the proper setpoints, and re-torquing specific bolts on the vehicle, such as those on the propeller shaft (driveshaft). Most independent shops will do these inspections for a nominal fee. However, dealerships tend to inflate the cost of these inspections and minor adjustments at the 30K intervals. Often to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

Consumable Parts Maintenance For BMW Vehicles

All vehicles have consumable parts that require maintenance and replacement at certain points in the vehicle’s lifespan. There is no set time for many of these, but rather, they are done when needed. Here is a quick rundown of some common items that you should budget for:

• Wiper Blades - Expect to replace wiper blades every 10,000 to 20,000 miles. You can do it yourself or pay the shop double the cost of the parts to have it done. Budget $20 to $50.
• 12-V Battery - Your car’s battery will last from three to six years on average, depending on how hot or cold your area is. Heat kills batteries, and they can also pass away on a cold morning. AAA offers onsite battery replacement for most cars in most areas. Budget $300.
• Brakes - Your brakes will wear out in pairs. Front pair and rear pair. They may all coincidentally wear out at once, but that is uncommon. Budget $600 to $1,000 per pair. This includes rotors, pads, and minor parts, plus labor. Calipers and other brake components fail less commonly.
• Brake Fluid Changes - Manufacturers and all shops will recommend that you change your brake fluid periodically. 30,000 miles is a typical interval. Budget about $200 for this. However, it is also often done during a brake pad and rotor replacement, so you may not need it as often as every 30,000 if you also service the brakes.
• 4-Wheel Alignment - Your suspension undergoes slight changes as your car ages. For this reason, a shop will recommend a 4-wheel alignment at certain intervals. It is also smart to do this when purchasing new tires so that the new ones will wear properly. Budget $125 for this service. It should not be needed more than every 30,000 miles unless you travel off-pavement frequently.
• Tires - Tires can wear out on their own by losing tread, being damaged, or by being too old and suffering from environmental degradation. Budget for tires on a typical mainstream vehicle every 40,000 to 50,000 miles or so, and more frequently for EVs and sporty vehicles. Your budget will depend on your BMW vehicle, but around $2,000 is a typical cost for a new set of run-flat tires, including the mounting, balancing, and disposal fee of your old tires. To maximize the lifespan of your tires, always keep them properly inflated and rotate them when the manual suggests you do so.
• Belts and Hoses - The accessory belt in your engine and the hoses that carry coolant and other fluids don’t have specific replacement intervals, but they do wear out over time. Expect to replace the belts and hoses in your vehicle at least once every 100K miles. Prices vary according to the vehicle and the needed part. Budget $300 per vehicle per 100K miles of usage.
• Transmission Fluid Changes - Many modern vehicles have sealed transmissions meaning they do not require fluid changes. If your vehicle does require a transmission fluid change, budget $650 for this service.

Common Vehicle Repair Examples

Many components that are designed to last the life of a vehicle do not do so. Our chart below includes some commonly repaired and replaced parts of modern vehicles. These should only be a once-per-ownership event. If you find that your vehicle requires multiple repairs of the same type, it may be time to look for a new make and model of car entirely.

Should I Buy a BMW Maintenance Plan?

Buying a pre-paid maintenance plan for any car always has its pluses and minuses. One thing we like about what BMW offers is that you can view the manufacturer’s suggested prices online.

BMW offers a list of plans all sold by your BMW authorized dealer. They include BMW Ultimate Care Scheduled, Ultimate Care+, Ultimate Care Oil Services, and Value Service programs. Each has its own menu of offered services and features. There is a lot to consider, and your dealer can explain the fine details.

How Much Does a BMW Maintenance Plan Cost?

Kudos to BMW for making the pricing of their extended maintenance program transparent. You can simply input your BMW’s basic info like model, mileage, and age, and BMW pops out a pricing matrix for you with multiple options. Your dealer will set the actual price.

Here is one example we created using a 2018 BMW with 45,000 miles on the odometer. As you can see in the chart above, a plan that offers an additional four years of maintenance costs around $4,000. This price seems reasonable if, indeed, all of the required services to keep your BMW running well are included. We suggest scrutinizing the contract.

We also ran the online configurator through its paces pricing out an extended maintenance plan for a BMW 3 Series. As you can see, the sedan’s plans are a bit more expensive than the X3’s plan.

BMW also offers something pretty simple. Once your car is outside of the included coverage timeframe, for $199 you can buy the BMW Ultimate Care Oil Service. For this, you get three years of oil changes. That is a fair deal. Be sure to ask your dealer to show you where it states that you can use the plan at any BMW dealer, not just the one who sells you the plan.

Common BMW Problems and Repairs

BMW is a brand that makes solid, sporty, well-built vehicles. We looked closely at the X3 as an example at both Car Complaints and Consumer Reports. Car Complaints only flagged one year, 2013, as a troublesome year for the model. Consumer Reports flags both 2013 and 2014. However, newer X3s score pretty well on reliability rankings, and we could not find any well-known trouble spots for the model. In fact, the 2023 BMW X3 earns Consumer Reports’ recommended stamp of approval.

Beware of BMW Run Flat Tire Costs

Car Talk has closely tracked the 100,000-mile costs to repair and maintain multiple vehicles. Our data shows that the single most expensive part of maintaining and repairing vehicles over time is tire-related costs.

Here BMW puts itself at a major disadvantage compared to many other brands due to its frequent selection of run-flat tires on many models. While not universal, many BMW models have them, and they are very, very expensive to replace. If a run-flat is actually used to “run-while-flat,” repairs are often not possible due to the design. The sidewall is damaged and gives its life so you can hobble home. One tire may not seem like a big deal, but a half-worn tire that fails may mean buying two tires or four tires to ensure the differentials on an AWD vehicle are not damaged due to differing rolling diameters. So a flat can cost you nearly $2,000 if the circumstances are right.

Run-flat capable tires tend to cost between 25% and 100% more than conventional tires the same size capable of the same duty. There are upsides to run-flats, but they come at a high cost to owners of vehicles fitted with them. Downsides include difficulty mounting and balancing if you swap seasonally to winter rubber, low likelihood of a repair in the event they are used to run-flat, and high replacement costs.

If a BMW you are purchasing new is fitted with run-flat tires, look at the tire brand’s website to see if the tire model comes with any sort of road hazard warranty. If not, consider purchasing road hazard insurance from your dealer. We normally tell people to run from such offers, but if the plan offers to replace the tire and pay 100% of the required cost of replacement regardless of its remaining life, we would consider it. If the plan only offers a prorated reimbursement, skip it.

You may be asking yourself, “Why can’t I just replace a run-flat with a conventional tire?” The answer is two-fold. First, you will now have mismatched tires on a machine designed to be as precise as a Swiss watch. Mis-matched tires are never optimal. On a sporty BMW, they seem like a very bad idea. Second, your BMW has no spare and no tire repair kit. So your car is getting towed if you get a simple puncture after having swapped to conventional tires.

Read more on the Best Tires in the industry here.

Is a BMW Extended Warranty Worth It?

BMW offers a comprehensive new car warranty for the first four years or 50,000 miles. Some specific parts of BMWs have a much longer warranty. For example, the emissions control equipment of all models and the traction battery of the BMW is electric. Obviously, if you lease, do not buy an extended warranty. It makes no sense.

However, if you have purchased an off-lease or a used BMW and the vehicle came with all of the service records, an extended warranty from BMW is worth considering. BMW repairs tend to run higher than a mainstream model. We would start with a BMW-provided extended warranty and compare the cost and value to a highly-rated third-party aftermarket warranty provider like those on this list.

If you are buying a new BMW (not leasing), we would suggest that if you do want an extended warranty you do the following:

• Only consider a BMW-branded extended warranty product.
• Shop it around by calling other BMW dealers from the one you are buying the car from. Prices vary and the product is the same.
• Do not rush to buy the warranty on the day you buy the vehicle.

Our Recommendations

Those who appreciate a well-engineered machine that provides a satisfying driving experience will find BMW has many models to fit the bill. The cost to repair and maintain a BMW will likely be higher than comparably-sized and shaped mainstream vehicles. If you are shopping for a new BMW, budget for the added cost the model will carry once it exits its three years or 36,000-mile included maintenance period.

Our Methodology For Best Warranty Providers

Car Talk has spent the last two years diving deeply into the warranties industry for the benefit of our readership and long-time listeners. Our process for deciding on the best warranty companies is exceptionally thorough, involving in-depth research and our unique secret shopper initiative. We compiled over 50 data points across all reviewed companies to refine and inform our selection process. Car Talk reviewed the following important criteria for each company:

• Consumer Satisfaction: Cross referencing multiple trusted resources to pull our fair and balanced customer reviews.
• Cost: Utilizing our secret shopper initiative, we got comparable quotes across all companies so we can validly compare pricing.
• Coverage and Offerings: Our research team delved into the coverage and offerings for each company, comparing what is available, including extras and discounts.
• Official Ratings: We consulted a wide range of verified review sites to extrapolate a ratings score for each.

Read more on the Best Warranty Companies in the industry here.