Ford Maintenance Protection Plan (worth it?)

[legacy40k]

I'm getting a new focus SE manual. I've already decided that a warranty isn't worth it. It's a lot of money for "what ifs"

The Ford Maintenance Protection Plan however does seem like a really good deal (at least if you plan on regularly maintaining your vehicle) It covers everything in the scheduled maintenance as laid out by the vehicle guide, and can be done at any dealership in North America. From what I can gather, you do save a fair bit of money in the long run.

I just want to get a second, third or fourth opinion before I go ahead with it.

It's going to cost me $2300 for 6 years.


More info here:
http://www.ford.ca/partsservice/pdf/new2012/ESP_FMPPBrochure_E.pdf

[poedua]

I'm getting a new focus SE manual. I've already decided that a warranty isn't worth it. It's a lot of money for "what ifs"

The Ford Maintenance Protection Plan however does seem like a really good deal (at least if you plan on regularly maintaining your vehicle) It covers everything in the scheduled maintenance as laid out by the vehicle guide, and can be done at any dealership in North America.

From what I can gather, you do save a fair bit of money in the long run.

I just want to get a second, third or fourth opinion before I go ahead with it.

It's going to cost me $2300 for 6 years.

How much do you figure you can save ?

Beyond that, not sure why you'd go to 6 years since the Focus only has a 3 years / 60000 km basic warranty...once the 3 years are up....just find a ( usually ) cheaper independent mechanic / shop to service your car.

For that matter, you could have a cheaper independent mechanic service it from day one - you don't need to use a dealer for maintenance service...it won't void your warranty..

Remember, dealerships push Prepaid Maintenance Plans because it is profitable for them to do so - i.e. pushing ' up sells '.....


" plan holders that return to the dealership to redeem their plan elements also purchase incremental retail service about 90% of the time. In addition to the increased visit frequency, those plan holders are spending an average of $128 per visit for incremental retail service upsell products and services.........enhances opportunity for alert advisors to upsell additional services for healthier repair orders."

You're being led to the slaughter...IMHO. ;)

http://www.drivingretention.com/prepaid-maintenance-produce-customer-retention/

[legacy40k]

I figure oil changes is almost $500, Windshield Wipers (3) is probably about $450 (and that's only if I changed all 3 once/year, this covers twice I think) Break pads and rotors is probably $300-$400, though not as sure on that. No idea how much shocks cost, or transmission fluid changes costs, but those are included as well. So are spark plugs and tire rotations. light bulbs it's hard to say, maybe $50? no idea on cabin air filter cost, or coolant change.

I don't know what some of the services it covers costs, so it's hard to figure out how much I'd save.

[poedua]

I figure oil changes is almost $500, Windshield Wipers (3) is probably about $450 (and that's only if I changed all 3 once/year, this covers twice I think) Break pads and rotors is probably $300-$400, though not as sure on that. No idea how much shocks cost, or transmission fluid changes costs, but those are included as well. So are spark plugs and tire rotations. light bulbs it's hard to say, maybe $50? no idea on cabin air filter cost, or coolant change.

I don't know what some of the services it covers costs, so it's hard to figure out how much I'd save.

So, you have to run some numbers and do some detailed homework comparing Fords PPM costs, to Ford's standard costs and to what an independent shop might charge you to see if it reflects a savings or not.

Beyond that, you have to negotiate the $2,300 down as well...a 50% discount would seem about right.

[legacy40k]

You're being led to the slaughter...IMHO. ;)

http://www.drivingretention.com/prepaid-maintenance-produce-customer-retention/

And that's why I want other peoples thoughts on it :)

Thanks!

[ragincanadian]

It's easy to lowball an estimate of how much you will spend but it is not strictly a financial question. What would you pay for peace of mind? Knowing that these things will not be an unexpected out of pocket expense? Spending a few bucks now may or may not, probably not, put you ahead of the curve but at least you won't be behind the curve.

I've got a good plan on my lease F150. I pay nothing other than the monthly payments. *it's a work truck, I know leases suck
The Mrs has an 8 year plan on her fiesta.

Worth every penny in my opinion. But then I am a salesman too and can convince anyone of anything, including myself.

[legacy40k]

I'm not really worried about "peace of mind" since it's scheduled maintenance. It's all about the $$. Supposedly a transmission fluid change is really expensive? And that's included. Unfortunately a battery replacement is not.

[poedua]

I'm not really worried about "peace of mind" since it's scheduled maintenance. It's all about the $$. Supposedly a transmission fluid change is really expensive? And that's included. Unfortunately a battery replacement is not.

It's included, but you're still having to pay for it....so you have to look at price an independent shop might charge for the same transmission service.

But a transmission service is a good example. In my previous vehicle, a transmission service recommended by the manufacturer was simple drain and fill every 50,000 kilometers where they remove about 30% of the fluid with 30% new fluid. So you leave still driving away with 70% old fluid till your next service. And the fluid itself was only about 30% synthetic. Instead, I took it to an independent shop where, for not much more, I had a 100% fluid exchange done with a fluid that was virtually 100% synthetic and met factory spec. My manufacturer also didn't call for my spark plugs to be replaced for close to 150,000 km - but they had some wear and carbon build up on them at 80,000 km so, at my mechanic's suggestion, I had them changed. I also had a carbon cleaning service and a throttle body service done at 80,000 km - neither of which are required by the manufacturer. I also used a better grade of oil ( a Group 4 synthetic ) than what the manufacturer recommended and changed the oil based on fixed km intervals which are usually earlier than oil changes required by the on board oil change minder.

The point being, $2,300 is a lot of money, and it's only in your best interest to take some time to really run the numbers to see if it's really cheaper for you and if it's strict adherence to the minimum manufacturer recommended maintenance procedures / milestones is in your best interest or not in the long run.

[legacy40k]

Thanks for the information. I'll give it a pass unless they'll give it to me for $1500.. Breaks, Oil changes and Transmission fluid changes and wipers would probably come to at least $1500 over the 6 years, let alone the shocks.

[poedua]

Thanks for the information. I'll give it a pass unless they'll give it to me for $1500..

Sounds like a plan.


Breaks, Oil changes and Transmission fluid changes and wipers would probably come to at least $1500 over the 6 years, let alone the shocks.

Don't recall replacing my shocks within 6 years time.

[legacy40k]

Don't recall replacing my shocks within 6 years time.

I haven't either, but I should have! I can feel the car rock on the suspension when I hit the breaks.