How Does BMW Roadside Assistance Work?
BMW’s complimentary roadside assistance is good for four years from the purchase of a new BMW and six years for a certified pre-owned model.
Written by Natalie Todoroff
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
BMW provides free, 24-hour roadside assistance for four years from the purchase date of a new model and six years for a certified-pre owned one. Under their policy, you’ll even be covered if someone else was driving your vehicle!
Picture this: it’s late at night, you’re behind the wheel of your Beamer, and suddenly you blow a tire. You’re stranded, stressed, and probably starting to panic a little. That’s exactly why BMW includes roadside assistance as part of their warranty package.
From flat tires to tows to loads of problems in between, BMW Roadside Assistance is designed to deal with emergencies head-on.
But, a car warranty doesn’t last forever. When your complimentary BMW Roadside Assistance is up, you’ll have to carefully weigh whether you should continue with their services or go elsewhere.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversHow does BMW Roadside Assistance Work?
Whether you purchase your BMW brand new or used, it will include roadside assistance for at least a couple of years. For new models fresh from the dealership, you’ll enjoy four years of roadside assistance. Certified pre-owned models have a slightly longer warranty period of a generous six years.
You can call on BMW’s roadside assistance program in all fifty states, Puerto Rico, and in Canada 24/7, 365 days a year. BMW roadside assistance is available to anyone driving your car. So, if you lend your BMW and they end up needing a tow, they’ll still be able to use BMW roadside assistance.
Here’s what their program includes:
- Battery jumpstarts
- Tire changes
- Lock-out services
- Accident towing
- Collision towing
- Delivery of fuel or other operating fluids
- Phone access to their Master Technician Team
- Help to get you a rental car
- Arrange hotel reservations
- Personalized trip routing
As you can see, BMW Roadside Assistance is truly designed with you in mind. They’re able to offer end-to-end support from the moment you break down.
Like with any contract, you can’t overlook the fine print. As helpful as BMW’s roadside assistance services are, they do come with some limitations. Reimbursement for lodging, meals, and a rental car is capped at $1,000 and can only be used in the first five days following a breakdown.
And, in order to qualify for these benefits, the incident must occur 100 miles or more away from your home.
How to use BMW Roadside Assistance
There is a slew of ways to get in contact with BMW’s roadside assistance:
- Call their toll-free number 1-800-332-4BMW (1-800-322-4269)
- On your BMW ConnectedDrive infotainment screen, go to the BMW Assist menu and select BMW Roadside Assistance
- If you subscribe to BMW ConnectedDrive, push your car’s BMW Assist SOS button
If you or someone else was injured in a
car accident
, the first order of business is to call 911. Once medical help is on the way, document as much of the damage as you’re able to. Take pictures and videos, as they’ll come in handy when you need to file an insurance claim. What if my BMW warranty expired?
Even after your BMW’s warranty expires, the German luxury automaker still offers roadside assistance with their BMW Powertrain Plus, Gold, or Platinum Extended Warranty Plans. On top of roadside assistance, these plans also come with:
- Engine and fuel services
- Transmission and drive axle services
- Anti-lock brake services (Gold and Platinum only)
- Heating and air conditioning services (Gold and Platinum only)
- Navigation, audio, and infotainment system services (Platinum only)
Another fine print item to be aware of: the services listed above will only be covered by your BMW’s extended warranty if they are performed by an authorized BMW dealer.
Is BMW Roadside Assistance worth it?
Naturally, BMW Roadside Assistance is completely worth it while your car is still under warranty—you can't do much better than free! Once it’s time to get serious about finding new coverage, though, you’ll have to take cost into consideration.
BMW’s extended warranty plans will run you between $1,000 to $1,500 a year on top of your insurance policy and other car-related expenses. If that’s in your budget, great! If not, don’t panic, there are other (cheaper!) ways to get roadside assistance.
Alternatives to BMW Roadside Assistance
It may sound a little strange, but you can actually get roadside assistance from your cell phone company for around $5 extra a month. Not every cell phone provider offers this, though, so do a little research before committing to this idea.
You can also add
towing and labor coverage
to your car insurance for around $20 a month. It’s a cost-effective way to get access to roadside assistance, but keep in mind that you may need to purchase comprehensive
and collision coverage
as well. MORE: Collision vs. comprehensive car insurance
How to save money on BMW insurance
Whether you call it a Bimmer, Beamer, or Beemer, one thing’s for sure: it’s no cheap car. But, just because you’ve paid more upfront for a luxurious set of wheels doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on getting it insured.
Enter
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FAQ
Is BMW’s extended warranty worth it?
BMW’s extended warranty is an excellent option if you’re comfortable paying the additional $1,000 to $1,500 expense each year. If that’s out of budget, you’re better off checking if you can get roadside assistance through your cell phone carrier or by adding towing & labor coverage to your car insurance policy.
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