2013 128i almost out of warranty

[IndyRed128i]

So my beloved 128i just hit 49k, which means the warranty is about to expire.

With that said, given that the car has been well maintained, what kind of repairs should I expect in the next 25K or so miles? Part of me wants to get the warranty, but part of me feels like the car is pretty solid and this would be a losing proposition, as the after market warranties have tons of fine print.

Side note, I had some time to kill, and was looking at the 2017 230i's that I could get into, but despite the better tech, it just feels sorta bland

All that being said, what do you guys think:

1. Keep the 128i and risk it with no warranty
2. Buy an aftermarket warranty.
3. Trade in the vehicle on a new BMW with a warranty

[Gray_Panther]

Keep the 128i. Just do scheduled maintenance. There are threads here on what should be maintained and when. Take to indy shop as the maintenance is not complicated.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Keep the 128i. Just do scheduled maintenance. There are threads here on what should be maintained and when. Take to indy shop as the maintenance is not complicated.

Agreed the 128's are pretty bulletproof for the most part. Much more so than the 135's. The money you'll spend on a new car or aftermarket warranty won't be worth it unless you're very hard on the car, in which case I'd suggest the warranty.

[EndOfAnEra]

With the 128i there's not much to go wrong. Before I owned my 135i I owned a 07 328i E92 for almost 2 years. It had the reliability of a Honda Civic or Toyota Camry, nothing ever failed on me.

There's a chance of the electric water pump failing soon, but besides that all you really need to worry about is routine maintenance. I say keep your 128i

[Hops128i]

If you prefer the 128i, then definitely keep it. Not sure what might happen in the the next 25k for repairs, but just from what i've gathered on the forums, maybe small chances for the water pump, valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket. My 2010 is getting close to 80k, and i haven't had a single issue, although i am mentally prepared for those i've listed.

One thing i do regret is not replacing the struts and shocks sooner, not at 75k! I really should have done this at 50k, the car feels so much better now.

Also, don't assume indy's are always cheaper, last summer i called around to pre-emptively replace my battery, at a very conveniently located indy quoted me $600! It ended being a DIY for about $200 with a OEM battery, but i later saw a special at the dealer about $200.

[WDE82]

I will probably be buying a water pump and thermostat to keep around after 50K. It's going to go out in my ownership, so why not be ready for it? I could install it immediately and not even lose a day. That's all I can think of for the 128i. Everything else seems to be oil leaks or other things that won't leave you stranded. No worries here.

[rho123]

I am in the same boat. My 128i warranty is about to expire in July and have asked the same question. So far I have had to replace the OFH gasket leak, a key fob and replace the PDC module (due to water in the truck). I am expecting another OFH leak and water pump replacement within the next two years myself. I am leaning towards saving the money spent on warranty and find a good indy shop.

[NorthernDancer]

Keep the 128 and do not get the warranty.

[Lucky1]

I have 118,000 miles on the odo. You'll be fine. Some things I had to replace since I was at your mileage are:

-Spark plugs
-Driver side door lock actuator
-Driver side window regulator
-Battery
-Crankshaft position sensor
-Tires (both winter and summers)
-Fluids: power steering, coolant, rear diff, transmission (6MT), oil regularly
-Air conditioning refrigerant

Not that scary particularly if you're no longer making car payments.

I'm planning on keeping this car a long time.

[IndyRed128i]

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

Keep the 128 and do not get the warranty.

Thats the same conclusion I have come to!

Was quoted nearly $5,000 for the warranty and partial maintenance package from the dealer. Think I will just set that money aside for potential repairs

[Bimmer-Bob]

Just from reading the forum, as well as my own personal experience, I think you should be prepared to repair/replace one or more of the following during the next few years: battery, oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gasket, eccentric shaft sensor, spark plugs/coils.

A lot of people talk about the inevitability of early water pump failure with these cars, just because it's a BMW, but I don't think I've seen too many threads from 128i owners actually experiencing failure. I guess time will tell.

All in all, I think the risks/costs of long-term ownership of this car are pretty low, considering the level of performance.

[WDE82]

I mean the electric water pump is a pretty sure failure as far as automotive failures go.

[IndyRed128i]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Just from reading the forum, as well as my own personal experience, I think you should be prepared to repair/replace one or more of the following during the next few years: battery, oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gasket, eccentric shaft sensor, spark plugs/coils.

A lot of people talk about the inevitability of early water pump failure with these cars, just because it's a BMW, but I don't think I've seen too many threads from 128i owners actually experiencing failure. I guess time will tell.

All in all, I think the risks/costs of long-term ownership of this car are pretty low, considering the level of performance.

Thanks for the detailed response here!! Lucky for me, I got the front rotors and pads, and the rear pads replaced at 49k miles under the warranty because I was feeling some vibration. I also got the spark plugs changed and 1 final oil change covered at 47k so I think I should be good for a least a while

Only thing that has disappointed me so far is the tire life. I had the rears replaced at 29k, and now, at 49k they are in the yellow. The tires were rated for 65k, but all the tire shop I purchased them from is offering is a discount on a new set of rear tires.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by IndyRed128i

Thanks for the detailed response here!! Lucky for me, I got the front rotors and pads, and the rear pads replaced at 49k miles under the warranty because I was feeling some vibration. I also got the spark plugs changed and 1 final oil change covered at 47k so I think I should be good for a least a while

Only thing that has disappointed me so far is the tire life. I had the rears replaced at 29k, and now, at 49k they are in the yellow. The tires were rated for 65k, but all the tire shop I purchased them from is offering is a discount on a new set of rear tires.

What tires were they?

And no, they aren't "rated" for 65K miles. They may be warrantied for that length and that doesn't include staggered setups. Usually staggered setups or non-rotated setups get a half length warranty. If you didn't rotate your tires, then the rears will wear to the wear bars around 20-25K miles on a 500 treadwear rated tire.

[IndyRed128i]

Originally Posted by WDE82

What tires were they?

And no, they aren't "rated" for 65K miles. They may be warrantied for that length and that doesn't include staggered setups. Usually staggered setups or non-rotated setups get a half length warranty. If you didn't rotate your tires, then the rears will wear to the wear bars around 20-25K miles on a 500 treadwear rated tire.

Falcon Pro G4.
Not the top of the line, but considered a solid tire that generally has decent life without sacraficing performance.

[WDE82]

So is your car staggered? If not, did you rotate them?

May also get an alignment. A bit too much toe will cause the tires to wear out quite quickly.

[IndyRed128i]

Originally Posted by WDE82

So is your car staggered? If not, did you rotate them?

May also get an alignment. A bit too much toe will cause the tires to wear out quite quickly.

Nope, not staggered, and I have rotated them.

I also got an alignment done last December. I appears this vehicle just burns through tires quickly(Although only 20k for rears still seems too short.)

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by IndyRed128i

Nope, not staggered, and I have rotated them.

I also got an alignment done last December. I appears this vehicle just burns through tires quickly(Although only 20k for rears still seems too short.)

If you're calling them the rears then I don't understand your rotation. If the fronts and rears are so different then you didn't rotate often enough.

[IndyRed128i]

[QUOTE=WDE82;21763966]If you're calling them the rears then I don't understand your rotation. If the fronts and rears are so different then you didn't rotate often enough.

The rears swapped side twice(which is what my old bmw SA recommended), but after I found out that was BS on BMWs part, the wheels had one complete rotation.

Either way, it's only 20k miles we are talking here, so I thought I was being pretty liberal with as many rotations as I did.

[WDE82]

Swapping sides won't help much. That's why you get 25k out of them. That's what RWD cars do to rear tires. Only swapping front to rear will extend their life. Swapping left to right is a waste of time.