After six years and eight months, I am finally out of extended warranty on my 2011 BMW M3 Competition. The M3 has been, by far, the highest-maintenance vehicle I’ve ever owned. How needy was the M3? I’ve owned it for 65,123 miles, 6 years and 10 months, and in that time the M3 needed $43,706 in maintenance and repairs! And yet, I’d do it all over again.
Mind you, I am the second owner of this M3: There are expenses that occurred in the M3’s first 2 years, 4 months and 17,523 miles of service for which I cannot account. And after my June 2013 acquisition of the M3, BMW’s 4y/50k factory warranty and matching-length maintenance plan covered another (guestimated) $8k in repairs and maintenance, which is not included in my $43,706 tab. All I paid for in my first 1 year, 8 months and 26,645 miles of my ownership were tires and alignments.
$43,706! Thankfully for me, the lion’s share of that sum was covered by a Mercury Insurance 5-year/100k-mile platinum extended warranty I purchased in 2015 for $5,077. Mercury dolled out $25,465 to keep my M3 in tiptop shape. (Did you know that warranty companies like Mercury get wholesale pricing on service from the dealerships? The same repairs would have cost me even more if I’d paid them myself!) The remaining $18,241 was paid by yours-truly as I covered regular maintenance and consumables, the warranty’s $100 deductibles on repairs, and the rare warranty-excluded repair.
Oh boy, did I get to know my service advisors well! I found that the trick to a great dealership experience is to find the driving enthusiast on the service team. Charlie of McKenna BMW and Joey of Concord BMW always treated me well, loved chatting about M3s and other shiny metal when I visited, and knew to hold the car wash and sustain from pushing bogus services. I got to visit “my boys” at the dealership more than 25 times, and took the M3 to indy mechanics and tire shops a similar number of times.
Why was the M3 so high-maintenance? What was costing Mercury and me bucket loads of money?
For Mercury, the brunt of the costs revolved around leaks from the engine valve cover gaskets (4x), DCT transmission gaskets (3x), and rear differential seals (4x). These gaskets and seals were serviced 11 times for $11,338. (BMW warranties actually picked up the first round and $3k of transmission and engine valve-cover gasket leaks.) Mercury’s most-expensive single repair was $3,856 for the replacement AC compressor, and they regularly picked up repairs costing $800 and above.
My dollars largely went to tires ($5,886) and oil changes ($2,091). An oil change rings up at a staggering $260, and I elected to change the oil every 7.5k miles instead of every 15k as BMW suggests. (To be fair to BMW, the Blackstone oil analysis suggested there was more remaining life to oil than I was using; the 15k interval is probably fine for normal use.) Four performance tires cost ~$1,400 and many of my tires died prematurely: At the track the M3 chewed up front tire shoulders due to inadequate negative camber; on the street potholes and curbs claimed three tires before their time. (Mercury tire protection assisted me with $415 for tire repairs.)
It is worth noting that the only times the M3 needed towing was because of tire blow-outs; there’s no spare tire in the M3’s trunk. I drove the car into the service center for all other repairs.
My M3 ownership experience should have soured me to high-strung European metal, but perversely the opposite is true! I would absolutely own a high-strung car like the M3 again, so long as I have a warranty as a safety net. The warranty not only gave me piece-of-mind that I wouldn’t be sunk by the nonstop high-dollar repairs, but it also enabled me to take the M3 to the—more expensive—dealership service centers where I was pampered with pleasant service, luxury loaner cars, and free snacks. I came to think of the BMW loaners as my press fleet, and I looked forward to driving and writing about the newest BMW sedans and SUVs. In fact, I am going to miss my “press fleet” so much that I might just buy another high-maintenance luxury car to replace the M3, and an extended warranty too!
Here’s how my ownership broke down (ha!) year by year:
2013 (17,140 miles)
I purchase the 2011 BMW M3 Competition on June 14th, 2013. Prior to my ownership, the original buyer had already replaced the final drive unit under warranty at 14,513 miles because of a grating noise.
I don’t have any significant problems with the M3 this year. I deal with a tire puncture (the tire is patched) and with a slow air leak from one wheel.
Summary of 2013: My cost $0.00.
2014 (27,000 miles)
In January at 27,522 miles, I replace the OEM Continental tires—which I never much loved—with Bridgestone RE-11s for $960. The tire shop fixes the leaking wheel at the same time by scrubbing the mounting surface of the leaking wheel free of loose paint. The shop also flushes the brake fluid for $150, and pulls the alignment pins out of the front struts then realigns the M3 in an attempt to add more negative camber ($220).
My other out-of-pocket costs (28,428 miles) are replacements of the rear trailing arms for $217—they had been damaged when my car was shipped from Texas to San Francisco—and an alignment for $175.
My BMW is still under its complimentary maintenance plan, and at 31,857 miles the service center replaces my spark plugs, differential fluid, and engine oil and filter at no cost.
By December (40,454 miles) I’ve put 13,000 miles, two track days and two autocrosses on the car. The rear RE-11s are replaced with more RE-11s for another $400.
Summary of 2014: My cost $2,122.00.
2015 (41,000 miles)
January of 2015 brings me my first check-engine light. The 4y/50k mile factory warranty covers the replacement of a mass air flow sensor. On February 23rd (44,168 miles) the brake booster vacuum sensor has a fault and is replaced under BMW warranty.
This is all particularly nerve-wracking because the factory warranty and maintenance plan is expiring on February 28th, 2015. In anticipation I do several track days and use up the front pads just in time. BMW covers fresh pads and rotors for the front axle at 42,873 miles. BMW also replaces the cabin air filter.
Forum reports on M3post.com have me spooked about crankshaft bearing failures: I’m not in the mood to risk a $20k engine replacement! I decide to buy a 5 year/100k mile Mercury Insurance platinum warranty with a $100 deductible for $5,077. As expensive as it is, it’s the least-expensive, reputable, bumper-to-bumper warranty I can find.
Now that the factory warranty is over, the maintenance nightmare begins. In June at 45,549 miles, leaks from the rear differential and transmission are discovered. Mercury covers the rear differential axle seal leak for $640 (+$100 deductible), but the transmission repair is not covered because the leak appears to be coming from a hose, and hoses are on the excluded-parts list. Via the M3post.com forums, I connect with the excellent Charlie of McKenna BMW; he secures a goodwill repair for me from BMW. In the repair process he determines it is the transmission oil pan and side seal gaskets that are leaking, not the hoses, and the $1,419 repair only costs me $70.97.
My other out-of-pocket costs for the year are $1,308 for new four new Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, $522 for a 45k service that includes an oil change, power steering fluid and engine coolant flush, and engine air filter, and $40 to clean clattering gravel out of a brake rotor.
Summary of 2015: My cost $2,181.20. Mercury’s cost $640.43.
2016 (51,000 miles)
The new year brings yet another CEL (50,930 miles). This time it’s a VANOS exhaust solenoid which is replaced by Mercury for $732 (+ $100 deductible). In May (53,550) I have another CEL that is caused by an evaporative emissions error. Emissions problems are not covered by Mercury so I’m out $612. Mercury does cover $139 for a faulty USB charging port and $1472 (+$100 deductible) for the broken automated rear sunshade, which is stuck up and refusing to retract.
The windshield is damaged by a rock and replaced for $389.
On maintenance I spend another $271 for an oil change and $51 on a DIY pad and sensor change for the rear brakes.
Summary of 2016: My cost $1,524. Mercury’s cost $2,342.
2017 (57,500 miles)
To start the year off right (58,123 miles) I flush the brake fluid for $100, replace the burnt-out bulb on my daytime running lights for $40, and replace the rear rotors with used OEM steel for $336.
One week later we hit a pothole and tear the sidewall of a front tire. I discover that my Mercury warranty covers tire damage, so it’s $125 to Mercury and $162 to me to replace the Michelin PSS (58,208 miles). The pothole hit has my M3 pulling right, so I buy Firestone’s Lifetime Alignment service for $180 and get the car aligned. I get what I paid for: it takes two visits before the alignment is right.
At 59,470 miles the most annoying M3 problem crops up. From time to time the M3 will erroneously report that the engine compartment is open and that we need to pull over and shut the hood. We endure 1,000 miles at the edge of our seats, waiting for the insistent hood-open bonging to sound and spoil our drive, before this issue is fixed.
In April at 60,244 miles we bring the M3 to McKenna BMW for its 60k service. The hood latch sensor ($180) and a geysering headlight washer ($226) are replaced by Mercury (+$100 deductible). The engine valve-cover gaskets are both seeping oil. I expect Mercury to shell-out for the repair but my crafty service advisor has them warranted for free under BMW’s 80k mile California emissions warranty. Since the tech is already working on the engine, I get a reduced price on an oil change at $223 and an early spark plug refresh for $500. I elect to replace the belts for the AC compressor and water pump for an additional $437.
Sadly, the new hood latch sensor has not fixed the hood-open warnings! It takes two more visits to McKenna BMW before the tech reproduces the sporadic error and tracks it down to a faulty control unit computer (60,618 miles). After some convincing, Mercury approves the $639 repair to replace the associated computer, and they kindly waive the deductible.
Another fix that just won’t take is the valve cover gaskets. By November they are seeping again (but will be dealt with next year).
I spend another $1,095 on Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, two for the rear (63,845 miles) and one for the front (66,471 miles). Since the M3 is mostly commuting and I have a new 2016 Focus RS for play, I have the front suspension camber pins reinstalled for $60 and get the car aligned for free at Firestone (66,471 miles). At 66,900 miles I replace the engine coolant for $194 and ventilation microfilters for $51. The Takata recall replaces my airbag for free.
The M3 is rubbed in a parking lot, scraping the paint of my bumper and wheel, and denting the metal of my rear right fender. Insurance covers most of the repair costs, but I pay $1,400 out of pocket to repaint the rock-chipped front bumper and keyed doors on the right-hand side of the car.
Summary of 2017: My cost $4,817. Mercury’s cost $1,210.
2018 (68,000 miles)
My battery has been giving low-voltage warnings, and after extensive research I determine Pep Boys, of all places, has an appropriate replacement battery for $214 (68,199 miles). Shortly after (68,231 miles) I change the engine oil for $250.
McKenna BMW replaces the leaking valve cover gaskets for the second time, for free, in January (68,231 miles). But then I find them to be leaking again in March (70,330 miles)! And the leaks on the differential seal and transmission pan are back too! At 70,404 miles Mercury foots a $3,319 bill (+$100 deductible) for the many leaks, though it decides to replace the engine timing case gaskets instead of the valve cover gaskets. I pay an extra $21 to have the differential axle seals on both sides replaced.
The problems keep on mounting. A wheel is bent and needs straightening (70,246 miles) for $265, the felt undertray finally succumbs to years of parking damage and is replaced (70,555 miles) for $561. I do a $120 brake fluid flush at the same time. A rear tire is ripped on a curb at 74,542 miles, catalyzing a tow and the installation of two new Michelin PS4S tires for $655 for me and $125 from Mercury’s tire warranty.
At 74,539 miles I have BavPros, a well regarded local indy mechanic, do a thorough $330 inspection of the M3. They replace the blown front-left door speaker for $200 and the engine air filter for $70.
In September, with BavPros inspection papers in hand, I march to Concord BMW (74,618 miles). Mercury covers $487 for a broken headlight washer, $3,856 to replace a leaking AC evaporator, $1,564 to repair the differential axle seal (for the second time!), $307 for a worn rear steering arm and $447 for seeping front sway bar links. I pay another $100 deductible, and I have the dealer change the oil ($263), flush the power steering fluid ($262), and replace some scratched dash trim ($96).
At the same September visit Mercury pays $1,353 for the third (!) replacement of the valve cover gaskets. Concord BMW has a different approach to the repair than McKenna BMW, and it squirts a sealant around gaskets to build a tighter seal.
Does the sealant work? Sort of, the quantity of seeping oil is reduced, but I still see some oil getting past the barrier. I take the car back to Concord BMW in November to have the valve cover gaskets done again, and they politely tell me that some “sweating” of oil is normal and that I should go away.
December brings more problems to head. The steering starts to whine, the carpet in the front footwells is wet after rain, and a tire is curbed, knocking the alignment out of spec and exposing the metal wires which are integral to the tire’s carcass.
Summary of 2018: My cost $3,507. Mercury’s cost $11,457.
2019 (78,662 miles)
In January we address the alignment issue—our fourth Firestone Lifetime alignment. Sadly, within a week, we hit a rock in the road (78,930 miles) and puncture a front tire. A flatbed tow delivers the M3 to Firestone, where two new Michelin PS4S tires are installed for $759, $125 of which Mercury’s tire warranty later reimburses. The M3 gets its fifth Lifetime alignment.
In March (81,399 miles) I’m back at Concord BMW to have the steering whine diagnosed. The rack is replaced at a cost of $1,940 to Mercury (plus a $100 deductible fee for me). I’ve been seeing white dust blowing out of the HVAC vents ever since the AC repair, and so I ask Concord BMW to inspect the system. They tell me the blower motor is dirty and charge me $205 to clean it. I also have the brake fluid changed for $134. Finally, the transmission shift-speed switch on the center console is sticking when fully depressed. The tech diagnoses it as a problem with the leather wrapped console trim rubbing against the button. I decline to replace the trim.
Because of the steering rack change I revisit Firestone in March for a sixth Lifetime alignment!
In April I address some long-standing brake pulsation. The pulsating front rotors are well within their service thickness, but no shop will resurface them since they are cross-drilled. It costs me $602 to install fresh OEM BMW metal (81,455 miles).
I use the opportunity to put in the front track pads and take the M3 to Thunderhill. After the track day I spend another $163 to install fresh Pagid (OEM-ish) street pads (82,288 miles) and $273 on an oil change (82,746 miles).
In May we purchase a Tesla Model 3 as my wife’s new commuter car. The M3 sits for a month and then I decide to make it ready for more track days. I do a DIY cabin air filter replacement for $45 (83,497 miles), then take it to the local indy shop for new rear OEM rotors for $635, replacement parking-brake shoes for $170 and the rear pad wear sensor for $44, then have the tech install the PFC 08 track pads on all four corners (83,504 miles).
The M3 has two lovely track days at Sonoma Raceway, before I flush the engine coolant for $107 and rotate the tires for $50 (84,372 miles).
Summary of 2019: My cost $3,163. Mercury’s cost $2,065.
2020 (84,500 miles)
To start the year right, I do another Sonoma Raceway track day and turn a second personal best lap of 1:56.8. This largely finishes off the shoulders of the front Michelin Pilot 4S tires. A few days later I an emissions CEL (84,696 miles) illuminates. The timing couldn’t be better, because my Mercury warranty is expiring at the end of February!
Back at Concord BMW (84,779 miles) I order a full inspection of the car for $413, hoping to catch anything which might be covered under the Mercury extended warranty before it expires. Catch it does! The emissions CEL is an air sensor problem that is fixed for $779. Sagging hood and trunk shocks are replaced for $368 and $352 respectively. The rear automated sunshade is making loud popping noises when deployed, and replaced (for the second time) for $1,339. Remember those pesky valve cover, differential and transmission leaks? They’re back! The drivers-side valve cover gasket is replaced for the fourth time at a cost of $1,186. The rear diff is leaking for the third time and a new pinion seal does $1,088 in damage. And the DCT transmission gets its third seal service when the mechtronic o’ring, side-cover pan and transmission sump seals are all refreshed for $2,428. I chip-in an extra $191 for fresh transmission and differential fluid. Concord BMW bills Mercury another $210 for rental car coverage, something which probably should have been done the last million times I visited the Concord and McKenna dealerships!
In March (84,981 miles) I have Firestone make good on the tread-wear warranty for my front Michelin PS4S tires. Even though the tires are unevenly worn, with the shoulders worn out but the rest of the tire having good tread, Michelin agrees to discount $100/tire off the MSRP of two fresh PS4Ss. I pay $460 for fresh rubber and get my seventh Lifetime alignment done on the M3.
Summary of 2020 Q1: My cost $1,386. Mercury’s cost $7,749.
Mike's Steering Column 