I have a 2009 Ford Focus that I bought when I graduated college. In just over 2 years I’ve managed to put just over 34,000 miles on it. I’ve been lucky so far and had no problems that I’ve needed the warranty to cover so far. My question is whether I should invest in one of Ford’s extended warranty plans. I don’t suspect I’ll put another 34k miles on it in the next two years but I will continue to drive it several times a year on business lengthy trips and home is only 300 miles away so I’ll definitely hit the road around the holidays. Beyond that it’s in town driving. Would anyone recommend the warranty?
No. There are 2 things you can do that are much more beneficial than an extended warranty.
- Sock the extended warranty money into an interest bearing account and forget about it unless needed.
- Maintain the car religiously and this often means at odds with factory recommendations. Many factory recommendations are designed more to give the appearance that your car does not need as much maintenance as it actually does.
(Transmission fluid change intervals is a big one. That should be done every 30k miles.)
I second OK’s advice, and would add that if it seems worrisome to you not to have some kind of warranty, get AAA for those long trips. That way, if anything does happen (which most likely won’t be covered by a warranty, anyway), you can get a free tow to a place that can fix it. AAA has saved me (gotten me off busy highways)more than once. You should also visit the dealer now and then to make sure that any recalls are taken care of.
Save the dollars, enjoy the ride.
Chase
Is It Worth It To You To Spend Money On "Peace Of Mind " For Something You May Never Need ? Are You A Chronic Worrier ?
Some people spend extra money buying insurance to cover everything. I do a little of it myself. If you would feel better and the warranty isn’t ridiculously expensive then consider it, but it is probably not as wise as saving as OK4450 has suggested.
The best thing you could do for the car, besides the maintenance that OK has suggested, is to pop the hood once a week and check all the fluid (car’s life-blood) levels. It takes minutes and will catch many minor problems before they become major. I don’t know if you already do this or know the proper techniques. Get help if necessary. I check fluids on several cars each week and this provides my peace of mind.
Another thing is to read your Owner’s Manual (if you haven’t). This probably sounds boring, but read a few pages each day and become familiar with everything.
CSA
I don’t care who covers the extended warranty…they are a gamble…and MOST of the time it’s the underwriter who wins…
Put the money in the bank instead. You’ll be much better off.
Agree with the above. But if you still want one, only get a Ford warranty. Demand to see the paperwork before you sign, dealers will sometimes sell third party warranties which are often worthless.
No. My old boss used to call extended warranties “free money”. That should tell you what they are worth to the unsuspecting buyer.
No. It is possible that something expensive could break, but very unlikely. Use the money for something else or save it.
Given your rapid mile accumulation this will be a short window a warranty will actually be in effect. Some over time your chances are lower of hitting a issue.
I think extended warranties that fully cover a vehicle are really good in the long term if you put limited miles on. Then you catch those gremlins that at 7-8 yrs.
Some of the dealers I worked for showed an extended ADP warranty on the dealer add-on window sticker and the running joke was that ADP was the abbreviation for “Additional Dealer Profit”.
Waste of money stick it in your own car fund, then when your car does vreak down you have it or have a downpayment for a new car.