BMW i8 Extended Warranties. My recommendations for US owners.

[@Wayne1069]

Thanks for this advice. As you mentioned, I am now watching this about 4-5 years from this video (10/2024), and considering an i8. Will definitely look for an extended warranty.

[@jiahaozhang5660]

This is the clearest pronunciation I have ever seen, very friendly to non-native english speakers! Thank you!

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Thank you!

[@tube1923]

Great advice Pat , On ALL my ///M cars and now the i8 i have used the BMW extended warranty , full cover with zero excess... and its proven a money saver EVERY time ( i do 20k miles year ) the i8 costs £1300pa and already BMW have replaced parts to a cost of £2300 AND i had a beautiful new BMW M2 Competition loaner for the duration of the works over 3 weeks....

[@Rattersar15]

Thanks for this, Susan's CPO is about to run out, I need to call and see about getting it extended. We actually just used it about a week ago when one of her tail lights shorted.

[@ChasingTheApex]

That's awesome this is a super high value vid from Pat

[@Evapors]

love how the AC came on right on que!!!!

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Yep! I kept it in there because it's probably louder than anyone elses AC compressor right now

[@ChasingTheApex]

Great intro Pat, and I love the objective reasoning. You outlined the pros and cons quite well, honestly it applies for almost every brand. Especially on a semi exotic

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Thank you! It's tough to put information like this out there. I want to be as helpful as possible without devaluing the car based on one upload. However, I have more to come because I want to better explain some of these issues.

[@ChasingTheApex]

@@PatsGarageOnline I love the attention to detail you have on ownership on your channel from my perspective it's a needed thing,

[@michaelc2254]

Extended warranties are hard on bank accounts too. I have a 2015 i8 and just before the CPO warranty ran out, the dealer quoted me something like $10,000 to extend the warranty. I passed. I recently got a check engine light and it turned out to be the fuel pressure sensor, for which, thankfully, BMW has extended the coverage, so they fixed it for free. While waiting for a loaner, there was a Porsche dealership next door and I took a Taycan Turbo for a test drive. Oh my god, what a car! The acceleration has to be felt to be believed. The car is incredible and I love the looks. Not as flashy as the i8 but that, for me, is a plus. And it comes with a four year warranty and free charging for a couple of years. Pat, you may have scared me right into Porsche’s arms. I love my i8 but you have given me grave doubts. My car only has 11,000 miles, but the image of an exploding compressor gives me chills. Now my bank account is about to take a really big hit and when my wife complains, I’ll use your video as justification!

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca said: No man enjoys a blessing that brings anxiety. It sounds like it is your time to move on and free yourself of the anxiety. Used car values are high right now, so if you are considering another car, right now is a good time to sell the i8 and get the most you can out of it. I wish I would have spent time researching the extended CPO warranties a long time ago. I never thought about talking to other dealers and negotiating a lower cost. You probably could have gotten that warranty for half what they quoted.

[@michaelc2254]

Seneca would do well to stay away from the stock market.

[@jimwelsh844]

Pat your insights are so valuable. Keep it going! Hopefully BMW executives are listening and address the issues that you bring up. By doing so they will be able to strengthen their fan base and advocates; hence strengthen further BMW image and position in the market.

[@dallabill1]

Much appreciated keep doing the good work… Thank you 🙏

[@rdmineer1]

A $200 window AC can run for decades trouble free. The lines are what I consider solid state, no hoses. Why can't an automotive AC be built to the same quality standards, especially in EVs?

[@maniekohn795]

Pat...your video couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for me... I am proactively (and somewhat obsessively) shopping for an i8. Warranty was always non-negotiable...now, thanks to you, more than ever, and it seems like you leaning towards BMW provided vs 3rd party...

[@PatsGarageOnline]

The BMW warranty covers more things than a 3rd party does, and has less restrictions. So, I'd lean towards the BMW policy.

[@maniekohn795]

Ok...will report back to you Sir with my findings and Pat-Armed Experiences marching forward...

[@surajmaharana5257]

Sir please show the BMW i8 roof mechanism please sir🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏A HUMBLE REQUEST

[@Villain2techstuffLorfils]

I have just started to watch your videos and subscribe to your channel, my nephew has a 2016 i8 that I’m going to get from, there’s nothing wrong with it he just doesn’t drive it as much about 3 miles a week, he takes great care if it and keeps it covered when not in use, have you gotten rid of your i8? Do you have any advice on upgrading the drive head unit to a touch screen?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Thanks for checking out my channel. I sold my i8 after 4 years of use and moved on to other cars but my content still helps i8 owners, which I'm grateful for. There are BMW i8 groups on Facebook where some owners have upgraded their drive units to touch and carplay/android auto. But I never did the conversion as I was happy with the stock unit. Check out this group which I help moderate: facebook.com/share/g/P9ggWuiFGnCi64wc/

[@truthhurts3807]

Getting a warranty is protecting your investment it would be the same like title insurance a purchase a property it would be like AAA get the warranty I don’t care if your car is Brand New you get the warranty.

[@xplor8tor5]

Hi, Pat, I've problem with my BMWi8. I get this message when I plug in to charge up "mains power to low to charge" I drove it in sports mode till 9 miles available but plugged in when I got home to find same massage "mains power to low to charge" I have bought a new charger & same issue. Took to neighbours house to charge same issue so not my electricity supply or charger. Please have you got any idea's to help. Many Thanks in advance.

[@PatsGarageOnline]

You may have a problem with the circuitry in the car that is preventing the charging. Sadly, this will require a service center to diagnose it.

[@Bmeri3]

At this point in time, it’s difficult to find an i8 at a reasonable price that still has some type of warranty. Unless you buy the car from a BMW dealer, BMW won’t sell you an extended warranty. As Pat notes, 3rd party warranties are not good enough. So how do you address this issue without tons of extra cash?

[@BAC_Mono]

Thanks Pat for a very useful video. My worry is even if I buy CPO, once it comes time to sell, the price i can get for the car will be severely impacted as the awareness of this hits the used car market. A bit like how older a Porsche 996’s are hard to sell (and there you can get an independent yo rebuild the engine for

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I believe that warranty companies will either no longer cover the i8 after they learn of the risk (this happened with a couple companies who covered prior owners of the i8, but not me, when I inquired just last year), or increase the initial premium for future warranty buyers. However, when it comes time to sell it, if it's still under warranty, that increases the value of the car as the next private buyer will have less risk. That buyer may not care at the time of purchase, but if they watch these videos, that may change their minds. Only time will tell if the i8 matches the history of the 996.

[@jafo06]

when i asked about a bmw platinum plus whatever blahblahblah extended warranty, they told me they wouldn't offer it for me for some reason.. anyone else have any issues with that?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

If you car is out of BMW warranty, they won't offer a BMW branded warranty, but will often try to resell 3rd party warranties. Total Auto Protect and Concord Auto Protect do cover the i8, but you'd have to check out their sample contracts. Links are in the video description for your convenience.

[@nadiyachuhaj608]

Underrated youtuber

[@fritzwalter7603]

Hello Pat good info but probably too late for me. Today I got my i8 back from repair with exactly this problem. The air conditioner has already been filled twice. It is not dense. The evaporator was reportedly renewed. But I don't think so. i don't have any insurance either. It is very swayy one must also trust the workshop very much. And now I wanted to go off now makes the drive problems. The gearbox blocks and stands on N. I'm done I'll try it again tomorrow and hope it goes again. I've had it before, but then it went again. Excuse this poor translation

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I'm sorry to hear about all these problems with your i8. It can be very expensive to have all those things repaired and replaced. I hope you have good luck in the repairs. If not, it's time to sell that i8.

[@fritzwalter7603]

​@@PatsGarageOnline Hello Pat, after another failure of the air conditioner I got a new evaporator installed.They wanted to make a goodwill request for this repair. But I think that the refrigerant was only refilled like 2 times before. I got a written confirmation in a simple letter. How can I see if the part was replaced? I have the feeling that as 2 owners without warranty you are just being ripped off. It does not matter which BMW garage you go to.

[@PatsGarageOnline]

@@fritzwalter7603 if anything was replaced at BMW service centers, there will be a record in the system. You can ask for a copy of all service records at BMW service centers.

[@petercarey6883]

Great upload Pat. So, I guess if I'm already over-extended, I better not consider an Extended BMW Warranty, ergo, I should not even consider purchasing an I8 period!😉 Corvette ownership is looking better all the time.🤭

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Yep, Peter, I'm learning things about this car as it ages. And, it's kind of scary. The only other time I got an extended warranty was for my 97 vette. I never felt a warranty was necessary but folks started complaining about the power seat mechanism having issues. It's plastic and when it started to wear, the seat would rock back and forth. The warranty paid for itself when it happened to me. Then, I had a slave cylinder fail and send brake fluid onto the clutch disc. It also paid for that entire replacement. I got the Z06 clutch installed as well. It was a smart decision. After seeing all the tech in the C8, and it's possible plan to go hybrid, an extended warranty from GM is likely advised for that car, as well.

[@petercarey6883]

I totally agree as to an extended warranty on almost anything new you buy today, especially with all the computerization incorporated into them. Our new high-end cars are declared a "total loss" by the insurance companies so easily these days for physical damage alone, because to replace those parts is so expensive IF they're even available and then there's not a whole lot of body shops that can even install those parts. But, if one is in the enviable position that of buying a new car every two or three years and will not exceed the manufacturer's maximum mileage warranty, then an extended warranty would not be worth the cost. If, let's say you purchase a new C8, or even a loaded up Chevy Suburban for even BIGGER $$$ and it's going to be your forever car, hell yes buy that extended warranty! In reality, the odds are you will make use of it sometime during your life-time. The car after 15 years, or whatever year and mileage it's reached, might very well look like the day you drove it off the dealer's lot, but due to a massive computer failure, it just decided not run. Yes, I said "IT decided not to run." The damn computers are completely necessary to run the car and while doing so they are constantly talking to one another. This "talking," or communicating or however you want to describe it, even continues while the cars are asleep in your garage at night. Okay, that's fine, but we have no idea what they're talking about! 🤔 Then fifteen years down the road, or even five years, the architecture changes dramatically and just further compounds the problem. So maybe the "old guys," i.e., the old computers just decide to quit and retire!😉 Save the Wave🙋🏼‍♂️

[@PatsGarageOnline]

@@petercarey6883 I agree 100%. I remember having a cow when the C5 had 13 computers. There was even a computer in each door! I thought, this is nuts for 1997! I had no idea what was in store. Now, the manufacturer can even disable certain features if they're not happy. If you decide to rebuild a salvage Tesla, they can turn off high speed charging. We're losing control, slowly, and it appears most people are OK with that as long as they have something cool that makes them happy or turns heads. I'm worried about the future.

[@petercarey6883]

Well said Pat, very well said!

[@michaelheathcote9488]

I'd like an i8, and do keep my eye on the BMW UK used car Web site, available from just over £40k for an early car, complete with a years BMW warranty. I don't think our UK BMW warranty is as expensive as the US, certainly it was £1k per year only 2 years ago. Wouldn't consider buying one out of the BMW dealer network.

[@PatsGarageOnline]

In the UK, warranties are very inexpensive compared to the US. I envy you for that.

[@adityadarbar2221]

Hi Pat, thank you for this informative video. This is extremely helpful. I have just purchased warranty after watching this video form the BMW dealership here in Las Vegas. They did say they only sells one type of warranty for i8. Is it true? I got 4 year additional with 75k miles. Whatever comes first.

[@dallabill1]

Good day Pat hope all is well what’s the name of the third party warranty that you recommended previously, sorry I lost the previous conversations information?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I'm no longer recommending 3rd party warranty companies by name.

[@tomhanhart5921]

I feel sorry for everyone who had to deal with expensive repairs. And it‘s surely good and important to point out, that the i8 has the potential to become an expensive hobby. Mine has already over 70k miles and is out of warranty but I drive it very rarely. My savings would allow for one or another bigger repair and luckily there is a major i competence center just a few minutes from my home and I let the car check and maintain more often than necessary there, just to be sure it‘s all right. Ultimately, I don't think the i8 is much more prone to defects than other cars. The reports of errors are not unusually high in comparison e.g. to my previous Z3. But the influence of the type of use (daily use, frequent excessive demands on performance) is certainly no less high than with other cars.

[@ducky_garage]

Hi Pat, I love all of your video. I want to own an i8 but from what I see from all of your video it worry me about owning an i8. My friend have a car that have a low mile 2014 i8 with 14k mile and his warranty is over. He take very good care of the car and only dealer service. I'm planning to take the car off his car but are very worry about all of the problems in have mention in all of your video. It seem like owning an i8 is a ticking time bomb. Please give me some input. Thank you.

[@mansafitness3399]

Hello pat, thanks lot your value time for us, i just wanted to know this kind major problem still not updated they 2019 - 2020, new cars still have this problems ? Because i love to have BMW i8, some of videos i have seen they say no any problem, some of say there is many problem, Thanks pat,

[@PatsGarageOnline]

From folks who have had these problems, they've asked if the replacement new parts will be better. The answer from their service center was no. It appears that things will go wrong after 5-6 years on all models.

[@abc-ov4oh]

My i8 isn't eligible for a bmw factory warranty, do you recommend any 3rd party warranties?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I can't recommend any of them. Please be sure to read the fine print in their contracts before buying anything. They reveal a lot of information about your obligations and what they don't have to cover.

[@teletubbypo318]

Hi pat, I picked my i8 up today and it has comfort access but for some reason the lock and unlock button on both the digital and normal key are not locking my car,. Also the tyre pressure monitoring sign keeps popping up when I start the car saying it can’t detect tyre pressure. Can you let me know how to fix these please?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

If the keys will not lock or unlock the car, but you can actually start and drive the car, there's got to be something wrong with the communication between the keys and the car. This would require diagnostic by a mechanic. The tire pressure monitoring system requires that both the module in the car and the modules inside the wheels are working correctly. You can go into the iDrive, Settings, vehicle info and attempt to reset the tire pressure there. But if it does not work then that's also going to require electronic diagnosis to determine what the actual problem is because it's impossible to troubleshoot without that.

[@teletubbypo318]

Pat's Garage Online thanks for the quick reply pat! I’ll try get that sorted, a bit frustrating since I just picked this car up and it’s from a bmw official dealer

[@jerryrn5571]

Which company has the best and fair price warranty for the BMW I8? Thanks

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I can't recommend any of them. Some want the car to be completely stock with OEM parts, will only cover a portion of the labor rate, and will not cover parts that would be costly to repair in the i8. Always read the fine print in all sample warranties. If not, you'll be throwing a ton of money away buying a warranty that won't fit your needs.

[@iainjohnston4929]

Good video Pat! So I wonder how the extended warranty insurance companies actually make a profit? They have the statistics of i8 failure, not us and they’re not run as a charity. Statistically you will ALWAYS be worse off with any privately operated insurance - otherwise the company’s that run them wouldn’t exist. This is the case for any insurance cover.

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Precisely. I believe that if you fail to follow their service contract perfectly, on your end, it's the perfect opportunity for them to pull the plug on it and benefit financially.

[@dallabill1]

How much normally would it cost to get an extended warranty?

[@allanrobbins5584]

Excellent analysis. Initially I thought this vehicle isn’t really much more than a sexy Toyota Prius and no one is afraid to own them off warranty. But in reality BMW reliability is not in the same ballpark as Toyota and this vehicle is much more complex. Even compared to the typical exotic you have way more complexity and parts. Two transmissions, 3 electric motors, turbo chargers, electronic control modules and CPU’s up the wazoo etc. What’s going to happen to prices when they all get too old for BMW warranty? Eventually selling mine and getting a newer one on warranty will no longer be an option. And with BMW moving to all electric ala Tesla will there be any more hybrids? Unlikely.

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I agree, 100% and creating this and future videos to talk about the i8 concerns I'm having is potentially going to hurt values. However, I think it's important to make sure that future i8 owners, who may sink their entire life savings into this "car of their dreams" are aware of what they're getting into. Many manufacturers have incorporated complex technologies very well. As time goes on, we shall see what happens with the i8.

[@COCOPUFF904]

I used an Extanted Warranty named ENDURANCE My personal experiences great 👍 I found it signed up and used it in 2011 on My Porsche Cayenne S , Few years later I used it for my Audi A4, and I currently used it on My Bmw 320i x drive. Before I went to different duty station only available in United States 🇺🇸ENDuRANCE. Never had a hybrid with them so maybe terms are different.

[@BobbyBrown-gj9jp]

Pat what's gone wrong with the car since you did this video?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Nothing. I sold it in June 2021

[@penapocasangre]

Great content. How much did you pay for the extra warranty?

[@rdmineer1]

If it's so good it's worth $60+ should not need any warranty at all.

[@istvankerekes7164]

Thanks Pat!

[@MacMoodyOM]

Hi pat here in the UK if the car has been modified with engine maps etc the warranty would not stand. Does the more expensive US warranty also cover modified cars?

[@PatsGarageOnline]

You always risk having some or all of the warranty voided when you make modifications to the car. In the US, we're protected by law against a complete void of the warranty. In other countries, they have different laws, so even putting on aftermarket tires will void the entire warranty.

[@MacMoodyOM]

@@PatsGarageOnline Good to know Pat. I follow your channel enthusiastically, like to see how you get right in there and tackle so many different aspects with informative vids. I am in the market for an I8 currently have a AM V8 Vantage, but the complexity and issues appearing are making for worrisome reading. All the best with the A/C warranty repair. You are a fantastic asset to the i8 community.

[@pavellagunas]

Pat, don't you think that working on your own car, making modifications and posting to youtube will void your warranty for any major repair? Most warranties are pretty strict about only having service done by certified mechanics. And even small modifications could result in a claim denial. Large claims will typcially require an inspection and i could easily see a large claim being denied because some warranty rep found your channel. 😥

[@ضرغامنورك]

Hi there, I'm 20 years old planning to buy an used bmw i8 because i can'tbuy new one for 100k as my first car Is it worth it? Buying used i8? Can i tune the engine of the i8 to more powerful ones? is it possible? Like 5-6 cylinders. Thanks for your help.

[@PatsGarageOnline]

The car is very well tuned, and it's not possible to squeeze much more power out of it. I would be very wary about buying the i8 as a first car. My latest video about the AC Compressor addresses a huge concern. Please join the Facebook group for the BMW i8. Lots of folks have posted there about modifying the car and the information you see will be very helpful in making your decision to buy the i8. facebook.com/groups/bmwi8group

[@ضرغامنورك]

@@PatsGarageOnline Thank you!! You're a king

[@dallabill1]

Do you have any third party warranty in mind that you can recommend in NYC?

[@hassanelbardei8836]

Did you find a warranty company for your I8? I’m looking for one myself.

[@SN-ff5ee]

hi Pat! Great video. I have actually had this exact question as CPO cars are dwindling, any specific third part warranties companies you heard of that you think would work with this car? (which doesn't exclude some of the stuff you warned against)

[@PatsGarageOnline]

Thanks! From feedback I got from others, Concord Auto Protect seems to be the only 3rd party company that will cover the i8 pretty well, but will refund your premium if you violate the contract by over-modifying the car. Others keep your money.

[@pavellagunas]

Many credit unions in the US have a "Members Choice - Mechanical Repair Coverage" with different trim levels that will cover the i8. I had it with the highest trim that covered almost everything (including hybrid system) except the nomal wear and tear stuff and hybrid battery. Hybrid battery is 8yr/100k miles from factory so I would expect those to fail shortly after being out of warranty.

[@SN-ff5ee]

@@pavellagunas thanks, that's a great idea. do you know of any in particular in the northeast that have that option or how to find ones that do short of cold-calling?

[@pavellagunas]

@@SN-ff5ee Do a google search for "members choice mechanical repair" and see if you find any credit unions in your area.

[@hassanelbardei8836]

@@SN-ff5ee Did you find a warranty company for your I8? I’m looking for one myself

[@DoctaM3]

Solid content!

[@Evapors]

i'm living proof!

[@PatsGarageOnline]

You spoke the truth! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5CVl4SHptCEY7M

[@gnice2127]

Very informative

[@fireburn1512]

Money Pits if ya Ask Me...

[@ddog220001]

How much did you pay for your dealer extended warranty

[@PatsGarageOnline]

I offered 25 percent less than the retail price and they accepted.

[@ddog220001]

Just so I know how much wash the total price?

[@charleylandan3612]

That information will be classified as each dealership has different prices. You probably could be paying less then pat. Or more then pat. Thus is the reason he’s not answering that. Just know you can negotiate

[@brandonnonya3680]

It's a secret

[@rdmineer1]

And if you don't have a lot of money, because of payments that come with the i8, don't buy a BMW!

[@PatsGarageOnline]

So true. I get so many messages from people who bought an i8 because it was their dream car, and then have to spend tens of thousands getting repairs done that the previous owner ignored in order to dump the car.

[@truthhurts3807]

Get the extended warranty.

[@charleylandan3612]

Gulp hahaha