E90Post
 


TNT Racewerks
 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > Regional Forums > UK > Service packs ~ worth it?



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      11-11-2006, 01:30 PM   #1
red355
Captain
red355's Avatar
England
32
Rep
665
Posts

Drives: RS4 Avant V8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: GB

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Service packs ~ worth it?

I have to make up mind to take a service packs before end November...60 days after registration.

Probably go for the 5 year/ 60,000 miles service for £695 as I fully intend to keep the car for at least 60k. Already done 2,400 in 6 weeks.
Which I think covers the inspection I (19,000) + 1 x Inspection II (38,000) + Inpection I (57,000) ...plus the brake fluid + diesel fuel & particulate filters more ££




So my question: How much do you guys that have run 330D or simillar think those services & items cost?

Certainly its been worth it on our MINI Cooper S..but that was only £100 for 5 years back in 2002..Going to the 18th Nov lunch of the new MCS
__________________
RS4 Avant V8 Misano Red ¦ ¦
Golf GTI ¦ leather ¦

Past¦E92 335D Evolved (but still dull) ¦ Boxster S ¦ E46 328!SE ¦ E36 325! coupe ¦ E30 325! sport ¦ MINI Cooper S
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 06:00 AM   #2
335d coupe
Mike
335d coupe's Avatar
United Kingdom
1
Rep
72
Posts

Drives: Z4M Roadster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Hi red355,

I find myself in a similar dilemma to your self. (Just got the 335d coupe last Tuesday: 350 miles so far. VERY tasty indeed . And that's having come out of a Z4M roadster this last summer........) So: whether to go for the 60K mile service pack or not? It isn't particularly cheap at £700. That money over the next 3-5 yrs is worth £800-850 in real terms. FWIW, even my dealer said its not worth it....... The first inspection at 18-20k miles is only £150. That said, what decides it for me is that I'll probably keep the car for no more than 2 years during which time I'll do 30-35k miles in it. But for you, if you keep the car for up to 60k miles..... then the decision requires a little more careful thought and consideration. The obvious thing to do is to add up all your servcing costs over the coming 60k miles. If that comes to circa £600-800, then the service pack ain't worth it.

As an aside, how is your engine freeing up with over 2k miles up?? I've only done 350 miles but am following my own break-in routine based on a lot of engineering-related articles on the Internet. When I had the Z4M, lots of folks on the Z4um were utterly convinced that the BMW break-in recommendations were NOT the best way to do things. These often-from-an-engineering-background-themselves folks seemed to know what they were talking about and gave a lot of references which strongly validated their assertion that an engine requires a few 10s of miles of gentle treatment and then NEEDS to be regularly revved to 80-90% of available revs (at light loads and for short periods of time) during the 'sweet spot' of 50-300 miles (certainly for petrol engines at least - I'm figuring for more like 1000 miles for a diesel engine). (BTW, I ran in my Z4M in as BMW recommends and by 5K miles it still felt a little sticky and reluctant up at the top end.... it was definately NOT as fast as my delaers demo which had been spanked HARD from mile ONE onwards..... the demo also felt much smoother and sounded sweeter than my own car did...... NO dealer demos get anything other than thrashed from day one.) I also did a lot of reading around about running in big diesel engines both truck and marine e.g. Cummings. The key thing in EVERYTHING I've read is how important it is to constantly vary the revs during the first thousand miles. As a result, I gave my 335d a very gentle time until 50 miles. Ever since, I've had the car in 'manual' mode so that every time I rev the car to 3.5, 4, 4.5 revs in say 3rd or 4th (which I do very frequently - even on the M-way I'll keep varying from 4th to 6th whilst at 80mph), I also make sure that I let the engine breaking slow the car back down which is as key to achieving a good break-in as is the revving (under light loading only) the engine itself. I did a trip of 120 miles each way this last Fri and Sat and I drove the car like that the whole time. I shall keep on driving it like that until it has done 1000 miles. Then I shall soundly THRASH the car to the redline on a very regular basis for another couple of hundred miles just to get everything sweetened up! (I would add that I would NEVER advocate revving an engine beyond half of the available revs until it is thoroughly warmed through.) The car already feels and sounds very sweet and VERY strong...... it pulls HARD from 60-100 in fourth, fifth and damn.... even keenly enough in sixth gear also. I'm VERY impressed . There is a little spot locally (North York Moors) with a tight turn over a bridge and then a short few hundred yards run of uphill to a left-hand turn-off: the Z4M if thrashed to 8K revs in second and third gear would come over the little bridge at 20mph in second and hit 100mph in third by the left-hand turn-off. I cruised round the little bridge in the 335d yesterday and toed it (but not all the way and certainly not past the kick-down point) in 2nd (to 4k revs) & 3rd (to 4.5k revs) and was (comfortably) doing 90mph in 4th past the junction. Deeply impressive.


Mike
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 06:24 AM   #3
Z4 Beemer
Colonel
Z4 Beemer's Avatar
Scotland
83
Rep
2,353
Posts

Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2006 E92  [0.00]
2004 Z4 2.2i  [8.00]
335d coupe, bit off topic... but curious to know why you sold the Z4M Roadster? Would it not only be about 7-8 months old? A dealer up here in Scotland was selling a couple of used Z4M examples (just over 6 months old, only a couple of thousand miles) and they were up for sale at around £7000 to £8000 off new list price

But yeah I remember reading all the info on z4um about breaking in the Z4M and whether to take it gently or just thrash it!
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 06:30 AM   #4
remmib
General
remmib's Avatar
Norway
1566
Rep
29,202
Posts

Drives: 2013 F10 520d M-Sport
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Norway

iTrader: (0)

Nice writeup about your car so far 33d coupe
__________________

F10 520d M-Sport Alpine White | HRE P43SC 20x9+20x11 | Michelin PSS 255/35+295/30 | KW V3 Coilover | M5 Front Sway Bar + M550d Rear Sway Bar | 3DDesign Front Lip | BMW M Performance CF Spoiler | BMW M Performance Diffuser | BMW M Performance Black Grills | BMW M Performance Pedals |
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 06:46 AM   #5
335d coupe
Mike
335d coupe's Avatar
United Kingdom
1
Rep
72
Posts

Drives: Z4M Roadster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer
335d coupe, bit off topic... but curious to know why you sold the Z4M Roadster? Would it not only be about 7-8 months old? A dealer up here in Scotland was selling a couple of used Z4M examples (just over 6 months old, only a couple of thousand miles) and they were up for sale at around £7000 to £8000 off new list price

But yeah I remember reading all the info on z4um about breaking in the Z4M and whether to take it gently or just thrash it!
Yeah....guilty as charged! I know it was (the second half of the post at least) somewhat off-topic (albeit still largely E92-related!), but I just got on a roll

As for your Q. about my Z4M roadster, I bought it as pre-reg for £39K (from Sytner) back in late May. I had the car for 5 months and did almost 6K miles in it. Very enjoyable - if a little uncomfortable for a 45 yr-old 6'4" lad like me!! I managed to quite jammily recoup almost £34K for the car from a dealer who had a customer who wanted a second-hand car to my exact spec. I did one HELL of a lot of phoning around to get the deal with most other dealers talking £31-32K for the car. In fact, my local dealer a coupla weeks ago had an independant dealer emailing them (6 times in one week) with an 06/06 Z4M Roadster with 600 miles up (silver-grey, black leather, good spec inc. NAV) offering it for £31K....... My dealer didn't want it.......the guy who had had it had paid list..OUCH My local dealer has NEVER sold a new Z4M Roadster.... just two ex-demos which have gone for £33-34K real money.... I think that the coupe will likley be much better news second-hand: the roadster - it has to be said - isn't. (Hey, don't flame me for being off-topic again.... you asked!!)

Cheers

Mike
__________________
06/06 Z4M Roadster. Interlagos/Light Sepang/Ally Trim and plenty of toys.
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 07:48 AM   #6
JaredM
New Member
1
Rep
27
Posts

Drives: M3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Mike: Thanks for the run-in tips, I've been wondering about this for when my car arrives.

red355: I'm thinking about the service and service and maintenance packages also. I'm fairly sure I'll be keeping my car for 60k miles and even if I don't I'm certain it'll help come resale because it really will mean fewer costs for a potential buyer.

I'm factoring in the likely increase in service costs (already BMW labour rates are around £100/hr and they are only likely to increase over the next 3-5 years).

One thing I want to know is who actually pays for work carried out under this package: BMW GB or the dealer? The reason this is important is if the dealer is effectively underwriting this package then they *could* be tempted to cut corners which would make me worry whereas if they're claiming off BMW directly they're more likely to do work that needs doing.

The other thing I've found is BMW dealers love to tell you to replace xyz when there may be no perfectly good reason... at least with this kind of package you're protected from some of that BS.

Its a shame tyres aren't included in the service and maintenance package, if they were it'd make it a no-brainer. Actually reading the T's and C's is interesting: They only state tyres are not included in the 5 year service and maintenance option which *could* imply that the 3 year option includes them?
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 07:58 AM   #7
Z4 Beemer
Colonel
Z4 Beemer's Avatar
Scotland
83
Rep
2,353
Posts

Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2006 E92  [0.00]
2004 Z4 2.2i  [8.00]
335d coupe When I said a bit off topic, I meant I was going off topic by asking why you got rid of the Z4M

Glad you are impressed with the 335d though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 335d coupe
Yeah....guilty as charged! I know it was (the second half of the post at least) somewhat off-topic (albeit still largely E92-related!), but I just got on a roll

As for your Q. about my Z4M roadster, I bought it as pre-reg for £39K (from Sytner) back in late May. I had the car for 5 months and did almost 6K miles in it. Very enjoyable - if a little uncomfortable for a 45 yr-old 6'4" lad like me!! I managed to quite jammily recoup almost £34K for the car from a dealer who had a customer who wanted a second-hand car to my exact spec. I did one HELL of a lot of phoning around to get the deal with most other dealers talking £31-32K for the car. In fact, my local dealer a coupla weeks ago had an independant dealer emailing them (6 times in one week) with an 06/06 Z4M Roadster with 600 miles up (silver-grey, black leather, good spec inc. NAV) offering it for £31K....... My dealer didn't want it.......the guy who had had it had paid list..OUCH My local dealer has NEVER sold a new Z4M Roadster.... just two ex-demos which have gone for £33-34K real money.... I think that the coupe will likley be much better news second-hand: the roadster - it has to be said - isn't. (Hey, don't flame me for being off-topic again.... you asked!!)

Cheers

Mike
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 10:48 AM   #8
335d coupe
Mike
335d coupe's Avatar
United Kingdom
1
Rep
72
Posts

Drives: Z4M Roadster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer
335d coupe When I said a bit off topic, I meant I was going off topic by asking why you got rid of the Z4M

Glad you are impressed with the 335d though.
Doh

As for the 335d?

Cheers,

(Paranoid) Mike
__________________
06/06 Z4M Roadster. Interlagos/Light Sepang/Ally Trim and plenty of toys.
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 11:04 AM   #9
red355
Captain
red355's Avatar
England
32
Rep
665
Posts

Drives: RS4 Avant V8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: GB

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Thanks for the responses....I think that the 1st & 3rd services will be about £150 - £200, the 2nd service will be 300-350 and the brake fuild changes about 100. So basically you are not saving much by paying up front.
Does it really help get a better price when trading in?...probably not as much you might like to think.

The question on how is the 335D engine freeing up now its over 2K miles? Th eanswer is it feel very smooth and strong, I reckon it will need another 5K to really feel unburstable.
I was quite gentle with the run in proceedure not giving it any full throttle in the first 1000 miles. I did let the revs increase to say 4500 when the engine was well warmed.
However, As soon as I hit 1000 miles I noticed a change in the way the car felt at the next roundabout. Just more urgent..more alive. Maybe a engine remap is triggered????
I really can't complain about the way it goes or even sounds (for a diesel) ..its not like it is brutal accelleration but it just keeps gathering speed and very quickly.

I drove our Cooper S yesterday which has 45K on the clock and that felt much more urgent but then I look at the speedo and realised I was travelling much slower than I thought. Still fun thou....The 335D is very very easy to gallop alone at licence busting speeds.
__________________
RS4 Avant V8 Misano Red ¦ ¦
Golf GTI ¦ leather ¦

Past¦E92 335D Evolved (but still dull) ¦ Boxster S ¦ E46 328!SE ¦ E36 325! coupe ¦ E30 325! sport ¦ MINI Cooper S
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 01:38 PM   #10
Z4 Beemer
Colonel
Z4 Beemer's Avatar
Scotland
83
Rep
2,353
Posts

Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2006 E92  [0.00]
2004 Z4 2.2i  [8.00]
I'm going off topic again here ... but to be honest I couldn't live with a Z4M on a daily basis. I sat in one at the dealers and the clutch is soooooooo heavy compared to my own Z4 and also the 325i coupe I test drove. That would drive me mad, especially when I do a fair bit of town driving.

Z4B

Quote:
Originally Posted by 335d coupe
Doh

As for the 335d?

Cheers,

(Paranoid) Mike
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 01:43 PM   #11
335d coupe
Mike
335d coupe's Avatar
United Kingdom
1
Rep
72
Posts

Drives: Z4M Roadster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer
I'm going off topic again here ... but to be honest I couldn't live with a Z4M on a daily basis. I sat in one at the dealers and the clutch is soooooooo heavy compared to my own Z4 and also the 325i coupe I test drove. That would drive me mad, especially when I do a fair bit of town driving.

Z4B
The clutch I could cope with. The fact that I couldn't get my seat far enough back and the mega-hard ride, I could not. I still thoroughly enjoyed owning the car though: no regrets here

Mike
__________________
06/06 Z4M Roadster. Interlagos/Light Sepang/Ally Trim and plenty of toys.
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 01:56 PM   #12
Z4 Beemer
Colonel
Z4 Beemer's Avatar
Scotland
83
Rep
2,353
Posts

Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2006 E92  [0.00]
2004 Z4 2.2i  [8.00]
Thats the way I think of my Z4 - I love it to bits, but I just fancy a change. I'm taking the view that the 3 coupe is a different type of car altogether, and I'll hopefully enjoy it for different reasons. As you say, no regrets!
Appreciate 0
      11-12-2006, 03:14 PM   #13
rayb
Enlisted Member
rayb's Avatar
England
2
Rep
46
Posts

Drives: 335i Coupe
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: England

iTrader: (0)

I've ordered the 36 month service pack with my car but reading this thread I wonder if it's worthwhile. Since the car's not due to arrive for a few weeks I might cancel it.
Mike - thanks for the running in info, it was very interesting and useful.

To continue the "off topic" theme. I loved my Z4 and the obvious moved seemed to be to buy a new Z4M. I managed to loan one for a weekend and decided after a day that I just couldn't live with it. It was great fun, but in many ways it's just too focused for me to do a 50 mile trip to work. After trying a number of cars I couldn't resist the 335i Coupe.
For the summer days and so that I can try a few track days I'm also buying a Caterham Roadsport 165 in kit form.
__________________
335i Coupe - Sparkling Graphite/Dakota Black Leather/Brushed Aluminum/19 inch 230's/Sunroof/Heated Seats/High Beam Assist/Bluetooth/10 spkr HiFi/Adaptive headlights.
Mini Cooper R56 - Astro Black
Caterham Roadsport - being built for summer 2007

Appreciate 0
      11-13-2006, 04:05 AM   #14
E92-Mark
Environmental petrol head.
E92-Mark's Avatar
United Kingdom
6
Rep
165
Posts

Drives: 330d Coupé
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bristol, England

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Hi Red,

Sorry for late reply, been off forum for a couple of weeks. (in which time, the neighbour has already scuffed my new car! . Anyway, my dealer also told me you'd probably only break even on the service packs if you really do the miles, and loose money if you're a 12k miler like me. (On diesels, that is)

Mark.
__________________


Currently : 330d SE Coupe, TiAg, Jade Leather Sports seats, HiGloss trim, 17" 188s, 6MT, CA, SunRoof, HBA, Pro Audio, 6CD, Bluetooth & Armrest
Retired : 320d SE E90, SG, Blk Leather, Xenons, Bluetooth
Appreciate 0
      11-13-2006, 05:54 AM   #15
JaredM
New Member
1
Rep
27
Posts

Drives: M3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by E92-Mark
Hi Red,

Sorry for late reply, been off forum for a couple of weeks. (in which time, the neighbour has already scuffed my new car! . Anyway, my dealer also told me you'd probably only break even on the service packs if you really do the miles, and loose money if you're a 12k miler like me. (On diesels, that is)

Mark.
Now I'm really confused... the options are 3 years/36k miles or 5 years/60k miles - both equal 12k miles/year as an average. If you did any more miles I assume you'd fall outside of the service package...?
Appreciate 0
      11-13-2006, 07:13 AM   #16
rayb
Enlisted Member
rayb's Avatar
England
2
Rep
46
Posts

Drives: 335i Coupe
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: England

iTrader: (0)

I think it's 36K (60K) miles or 3 (5) years whichever comes sooner.
__________________
335i Coupe - Sparkling Graphite/Dakota Black Leather/Brushed Aluminum/19 inch 230's/Sunroof/Heated Seats/High Beam Assist/Bluetooth/10 spkr HiFi/Adaptive headlights.
Mini Cooper R56 - Astro Black
Caterham Roadsport - being built for summer 2007

Appreciate 0
      11-13-2006, 10:13 AM   #17
E92-Mark
Environmental petrol head.
E92-Mark's Avatar
United Kingdom
6
Rep
165
Posts

Drives: 330d Coupé
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bristol, England

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
The thing is, the new diesels are going 20-25k miles before the first service. My E90 was reading 24k for first service when I traded it in. So after 3yrs I'd have only had the one service out of it.
__________________


Currently : 330d SE Coupe, TiAg, Jade Leather Sports seats, HiGloss trim, 17" 188s, 6MT, CA, SunRoof, HBA, Pro Audio, 6CD, Bluetooth & Armrest
Retired : 320d SE E90, SG, Blk Leather, Xenons, Bluetooth
Appreciate 0
      11-13-2006, 12:54 PM   #18
red355
Captain
red355's Avatar
England
32
Rep
665
Posts

Drives: RS4 Avant V8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: GB

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
I also spoke to teh local dealer and even he said hardly worth it.
So I had best save my cash and let it gather interest ...or get a DMS remap done...no stop those naughty thoughts
__________________
RS4 Avant V8 Misano Red ¦ ¦
Golf GTI ¦ leather ¦

Past¦E92 335D Evolved (but still dull) ¦ Boxster S ¦ E46 328!SE ¦ E36 325! coupe ¦ E30 325! sport ¦ MINI Cooper S
Appreciate 0
      11-14-2006, 04:48 PM   #19
E92-Mark
Environmental petrol head.
E92-Mark's Avatar
United Kingdom
6
Rep
165
Posts

Drives: 330d Coupé
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bristol, England

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Mmmm, remap...
__________________


Currently : 330d SE Coupe, TiAg, Jade Leather Sports seats, HiGloss trim, 17" 188s, 6MT, CA, SunRoof, HBA, Pro Audio, 6CD, Bluetooth & Armrest
Retired : 320d SE E90, SG, Blk Leather, Xenons, Bluetooth
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:24 AM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST