I'm hoping to keep my Mini for a while but I have a feeling that I'll blow through the 4 yr/50K warranty in about 2 years given as much as I drive. I'm considering an extended warranty since from everything I read, repairs on these cars are almost obscenely expensive. I know I have a few years to look around and find something but I'm curious to see what others think.

Is the one offered directly by Mini the best bet for an extended warranty or are there any other companies you guys recommend?

Also, do any of them cover the convertible top?

 

I have an extended warranty. Just bought it 5 years 100K miles. Covers wear and tear, gaskets and seals, and almost every else . It is exclsuionary type of warranty with $100 deductible. I considered the MINI Warranty however MINI likes to start the warranty on the in-service date meaning if you buy a 6 yr 100K what happens is that you only have 2 years of warranty left when the factory warranty expires. The warranty I bought gives me 5 years from NOW, the contract date, and a full 100K mileage. Wear and Tear is NOT covered with the MINI warranty. Also it is mid 3K which is much.
Just make sure you check the administrator's BBB rating as well as the AM Best Insurance Co backing rating. Keep your selections at A to A+ for safety.

 

Cool. What company is yours through?

 

I bought mine through Paragon Motor Club. The administrator is AAGI (American Auto Guardian) A+ and backed by Banker's Insurance Co. A rated by AM Best. I was given two choices 6 Yr 72K OR 5 Yr 100K

There is a 30 day and 1,000 miles wait, but that is OK since my factory warranty expires in August. The dealer where I got the MINI sunroof replaced and the timing chain done, was pushing a company called Millennium but I never heard of them, among other reasons.

 

Thanks for that info. I checked out their website and it looks better than most that I've seen. Do you mind if I ask how much your warranty was?

 

Is that an additional 5 years or 100,000 or just 5 years from purchase.

 

From what I saw on their website, it's 5 years/100K from the time you buy the warranty.

 

I insure my Mini through Geico and have their "mechanical breakdown coverage". It costs $60/year and covers all breakdowns. The catch: $250 deductible per incident. So it's for the big stuff, not the tiny stuff I could pay for myself. It's good for up to 100,000 miles.

It's a great deal, imo.

 

It may vary depending on your mileage and whether it is a JCW, S, or base.
I paid $2145 for 5 years 100K of coverage, 100 deductible, 20% down, and 12 interest free payments. I have not received the contract as of yet to scrutinize but I have a good feeling. Just make sure you get the contract where the administrator is AAGI (American Auto Guardian)

Important to note, wear and tear is covered and seals and gaskets.
Also you could also ask for a better price. Everything is negotiable.

Hope that helps.

 

I think extended warranties are a tough decision. I would think if it doesn't cover wear and tear items then it isn't really worth it. I went back and forth on whether or not to and ultimately decided not. The amount I've spent on repairs vs the cost of the warranties I considered is definitely less btw I'm at 108k. Once I decided against the warranty I just made sure that I kept money saved and I kinda set a threshold for what I was willing to spend, if it costs over X time for a new car. I think the peace of mind is the real value. But I'd really look into that previous posters coverage cuz I think the wear tear coverage makes it well worth it.

 

I love reading posts like this. As a new mini owner it's a little unsettling reading all of the nightmare posts about all of the breakdowns and problems people have complained about while still at relatively low mileage. It's good to hear about 100K+ mileage minis that have been reliable.

I'm also going to start looking into other options like mechanical breakdown insurance through my own insurance company and also AAA looks like they might have something like that too.

I definitely want to end up with something though given how expensive these cars are to fix.

 

I considered AAA for a plan, but found them to be very expensive.
Other than the one, I purchased, some highly rated companies are Warranty Direct, and Easy Care. AAA was well over 3K from what I remember. Both of the other plans are excellent but pricey.

 

definitely need to research this, my factory warranty runs out in February. anyone else have anecdotal experience to share with us?

 

AAA just quoted me 3,716. Thats alot. Also I already signed with Paragon Motor club for much less. There is usually 1000 mile 30 day wait once you sign on. Also some contracts give you a better price if you have at least 3months on the factory warranty, so shop earlyand keep some factory warranty still on. It worked for me. Mine expires in aug 2011.