Much have been said about BMW's pathetic 2 year warranty but it isn't as bad as it sounds. My friend's car had his air cond compressor konked after the warranty period but during BSRI. In this instance,BMW determined that the item suffered from a premature failure hence, replaced it on goodwill basis. I've heard of other cases too where this goodwill was extended to owners where the item was deemed to have failed 'prematurely'
Moral of the story, don't be afraid to ask or argue your case or at least request that the item be considered for a full warranty replacement even after expiry of the warranty period, especially when you still have a valid BSRI