Extended Warranty and Maintenance Plan

[billford]

On my 2014 FFH, I plan to get the 7 year Premium Care extended warranty plan, because of all the electronics and I plan to keep the car.

 

I am not sure about getting the maintenance plan. The 7 year maintenance plan includes 14 service visits.

 

Does anyone have the maintenance plan? Do you think it was worth it?

[hybridbear]

Be sure to check Flood Ford online for pricing. Don't be suckered in to paying the high dealer prices. Don't forget that the hybrid components are covered for 8yrs/100k miles (10yrs/150k miles in CARB states).

 

What is covered under the maintenance plan? Those plans are usually a rip off though...they're based on paying high dealer prices (~$40) for an oil change rather than paying $20 to do it yourself or to cut out a coupon for a local shop.

[Texasota]

I'm not an advocate for or against, but Consumer Reports does not recommend extended warranties:

 

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/07/is-it-worth-buying-an-extended-car-warranty/index.htm

[GrySql]

My last experience with a Ford ESP Warranty on my Expedition paid me back 5 fold.

The last and final $1,200 warranty repair at 97,000miles was icing on the cake.

 

If we were talking about a Kia Soul or Toyota Corolla an extended warranty may not be justified, but we're not.

This FFH is one of the most technological and complicated vehicles in it's category.

I expect to drive my FFH well past the basic Ford Warranty period and believe buying an ESP Warranty is prudent planning, I just bought mine this week.

For anyone thinking of purchasing an extended warranty there is a Surcharge if your car has over 12,000 miles. Meaning, it costs less if you buy before 12k miles.

 

I looked at the Maintenance Plan and decided against it as too costly. I have a friend that has a car repair shop and he does my scheduled maintenance much cheaper than Ford.

Edited February 23, 2014 by GrySql

[billford]

 

 

I looked at the Maintenance Plan and decided against it as too costly. I have a friend that has a car repair shop and he does my scheduled maintenance much cheaper than Ford.

I also think the maintenance plan is costly.

 

The maintenance plan covers engine belts (the 2014 FFH does not have an engine belt), bulbs (excludes headlight bulbs or led lights), brakes/rotors (can't see the FFH going through brakes and rotors with regen braking), air filter (easy to change yourself), cabin filter ( seen how to do it on utube), shocks ( not sure how often they need changing on late model vehicles, my old car had 30 year old shocks)

 

Basically, the cost would be for oil changes, coolant, trans fluid, wipers, spark plugs.

 

I think that the fluid changes and wipers would be cheaper to get replaced without getting the plan...but I could be wrong...

[hybridbear]

I also think the maintenance plan is costly.

 

The maintenance plan covers engine belts (the 2014 FFH does not have an engine belt), bulbs (excludes headlight bulbs or led lights), brakes/rotors (can't see the FFH going through brakes and rotors with regen braking), air filter (easy to change yourself), cabin filter ( seen how to do it on utube), shocks ( not sure how often they need changing on late model vehicles, my old car had 30 year old shocks)

 

Basically, the cost would be for oil changes, coolant, trans fluid, wipers, spark plugs.

 

I think that the fluid changes and wipers would be cheaper to get replaced without getting the plan...but I could be wrong...

The FFH doesn't call for replacing spark plugs until 100k plus miles. It also doesn't call for changing the eCVT fluid until then. And I think the first coolant interval isn't until somewhere around there as well. Since oil changes are suggested at 10k mile intervals, you wouldn't get many oil changes out of it either. The FFH won't need brake rotors/pads until 100k plus miles for most owners. If you have a high brake score you could possibly go 150k-200k miles without replacing brakes.

 

You could potentially do much of that maintenance sooner, and I probably will do some of those things sooner, but I doubt that the Ford plan would pay for you to do extra maintenance.

Edited February 23, 2014 by hybridbear

[Va2014HyTi]

The FFH doesn't call for replacing spark plugs until 100k plus miles. It also doesn't call for changing the eCVT fluid until then. And I think the first coolant interval isn't until somewhere around there as well. Since oil changes are suggested at 10k mile intervals, you wouldn't get many oil changes out of it either. The FFH won't need brake rotors/pads until 100k plus miles for most owners. If you have a high brake score you could possibly go 150k-200k miles without replacing brakes.

 

You could potentially do much of that maintenance sooner, and I probably will do some of those things sooner, but I doubt that the Ford plan would pay for you to do extra maintenance.

 

Ditto. Since the maintenance plan is almost always an across the board sell by the dealer, the amount they sell it for does not come close to what the FFH maintenance would cost if you do it smartly. I declined (though I tried talking them down from their price) and am SO HAPPY that I did once I settled in and read the maintenance requirements. As hybridbear states above, this car has very little maintenance compared to other non-hybrid/Fusion cars in the years (and # visits) that the maintenance plan would cover.

[Wingmn]

Thank you for posting that 12k mile fact, I was going to wait just a little longer, but im at 11,2k so, thanks!

 

 

My last experience with a Ford ESP Warranty on my Expedition paid me back 5 fold.

The last and final $1,200 warranty repair at 97,000miles was icing on the cake.

 

If we were talking about a Kia Soul or Toyota Corolla an extended warranty may not be justified, but we're not.

This FFH is one of the most technological and complicated vehicles in it's category.

I expect to drive my FFH well past the basic Ford Warranty period and believe buying an ESP Warranty is prudent planning, I just bought mine this week.

For anyone thinking of purchasing an extended warranty there is a Surcharge if your car has over 12,000 miles. Meaning, it costs less if you buy before 12k miles.

 

I looked at the Maintenance Plan and decided against it as too costly. I have a friend that has a car repair shop and he does my scheduled maintenance much cheaper than Ford.

[Howie411]

My dealership has a powertrain for life program, but it requires you to get an Oil change every 6k miles even though the FFH only needs one every 10k, sort of a shady tactic if you ask me.

[Daniel Ward]

I just bought my FFH a few days ago, and this forum saved me about $1,200 on the ESP and maintenance plan! Thanks to you all! I sent an email to the finance guy the day after I bought it with the flood ford pricing, and got him to kick his price down CONSIDERABLY. Thanks to you all!

[Wingmn]

Well, ordered my premium care ESP off of Flood today. $100 deductible, 7 yr 125k miles. I have 11k miles already, and bought my FFH used :). $1580 was my price. I feel good about it, all that tech can't last last forever, that's why I bought it.

[Texasota]

An interesting video clip on extended warranties:

 

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3309180803001/is-it-worth-it-to-buy-an-extended-warranty-for-your-new-car/?playlist_id=921261890001#sp=show-clips

[mjr0483]

I know the maintenance plan isn't cheap, but if you use all of the components wouldn't it pay for itself?

I know the dealer 30k, 60k & 90k schedules can't be cheap either.

[Wingmn]

Anyone who purchased the ESP from flood ford, how can you check if your coverage is active? I received my "contract" via email, but nothing else, was wondering what others have seen.

[murphy]

Even when purchased from your dealer the only thing you have is the contract document. I suppose you could ask any Ford dealer to check your ESP status.

 

It's a shame that it does not appear on the owner.ford.com web site.

[Hybrider]

All you have to do to confirm if your ESP is active is to go to this Ford ESP link below (easy to google too with "ford esp"; first link), and proceed to search for the price of the ESP plan you would like (or already have), and it will ask for your VIN. Once you plug in the VIN, it will say you already have a plan if your VIN is in the ESP computer system.

 

BTW, I did get mine for a really good price through FloodFordESP.com.

 

http://owner.ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Owner/Page/ESPPage

 

If you already have an ESP, it will say something like this:

Our records indicate you have existing ESP coverage on your vehicle. Please contact your dealer with any questions you may have concerning your service contract.

 

The Ford ESP site above gave me this message above within a day or two of purchasing my ESP from FloodFordESP.com.

[acdii]

I guess mine isnt in it as I got all the way to entering the name fields and no message.

[GrySql]

That Ford Owners link does not show or tell me anything about my ESP Plan from Flood Ford.

I found it, as you mention, one has to use Ford's ESP 1-2-3 purchase procedure and when you get to 3rd part it says you have an ESP Plan.

Good info, thanks.

Edited May 12, 2014 by GrySql

[acdii]

Did you have to put your name info in to get that?

[GrySql]

I have a Ford Owners account with my VIN and data.

Sign in: Find the Warranty and Service plans> ESP > Find the Plan that's right for you > Use the 1-2-3 planner > Step 1 - Get Quote (pick any plan) > Step 2 - (my VIN and State were filled in, I completed the blanks) > Step 3 - this is where it tells me: Our records indicate you have existing ESP coverage on your vehicle.

 

Edited May 13, 2014 by GrySql

[acdii]

OK I have to contact my dealer then since I bought a 4 year 125K mile ESP and I did not get that notice when I got to step 3.

[PoohBaby]

I bought the Maintenance Plan through the dealer. Could I have bought it from other dealers for a cheaper price like the ESPs???? If so, can I cancel it and get my money back so I can buy it with another dealer? AND lastly, does the cancellation reduce my monthly payments to my auto loan?

[thavil]

PoohBaby - The Maintenance Plan and ESP are two different things. The Maintenance Plan is prepaid oil changes and scheduled services. ESP is the extended warranty. You can buy ESP from a different dealer but the Maintenance Plan is dealer specific. If you cancel either plan, the refund will go directly to the balance of your loan and will not reduce your monthly payment unless you refinance.

[corncobs]

And just to add to thavil's comment a lot of people think that maintenance plans are just a rip off especially with a car that needs oil changes every 10k.

 

So far at almost 24k mile I have spend $203 for all maintenance (first oil change was free) and they recommended a wheel alignment ($75) during the last service which it needed.

 

Without the alignment $128 for 24k beautiful miles not bad and probably cheaper than the plan.

Edited June 15, 2014 by corncobs

[PoohBaby]

I bought the maintenance plan. When you say dealer specific, does that mean that I can only do my maintenance at the dealer that I bought the plan from originally? Or can I do my maintenance at any ford dealer?