Buying Ford Premium Maintenance Plan

[Zman11]

Hi,

  I am getting ready to buy a Ti Energi and noticed that in addition to the the Extended Warranty there is also an Extended Maintenance plan. Is it worthwhile?

 

Thanks

 

 

[Russael]

Depends.  It can be convenient to 'prepay' for all of your maintenance, but I don't think you get much of a discount.  Secondly, the maintenance on a Fusion Energi is MINISCULE.  Oil changes are 10k motor driven miles or once every one to two YEARS.  Coolant doesn't get flushed until the 6 year mark (or 100k miles).  Transmission doesn't get serviced until 150k miles...  about the only thing that gets maintained is the air filter (the cabin one and the vehicle one).

 

So no, I do not feel a maintenance plan on a vehicle such as this one is worth it.  To see the maintenance schedule, you can go download the owners manual and that's all in there.  I was pretty baffled by how little this car needs.  I'm used to 3k oil changes, 30k transmission fluid changes, 3 year coolant changes (this one will happen after the first coolant change on the Energi - each subsequent one is 3 years).  Now, this car may need to visit the dealership once every 2 years (well, for my case since I don't drive much... I use it almost exclusively as an electric car), so I wouldn't do the maintenance plan.

 

However, I'm definitely all over an Extended Warranty (Ford Premium Care).  I'd suggest looking at Flood Ford or Anderson and Koch, since they seem to offer the warranties at prices that nobody else is even willing to match.

[shaggy314]

I agree, if I wasn't offered it as a consideration for the nonacceptance of the $750 coupon, I wouldn't have gotten it for the reasons Russael gave, there just isn't all that to do the first 3 years.

 

Likewise, I agree with the extended warranty on this complex new car. I got the 7 year, 100k, with $100 deductible at the Flood Ford price but instead where I bought the car. He was polite and verified the price and met it. Had he not matched it, I would have waited a year or so and bought it from Flood Ford. On a new model as complex as this, ~$1200 is worth the 4 years and 64,000 extra miles.

Edited June 17, 2013 at 08:06 PM by shaggy314

[Zman11]

Thanks everybody. I will look into the extended warranty.  My commute round trip is 14 miles so I don't expect the ICE to be running that often. Are there any issues with it not running often or giving it a change to warmup the engine when it does.

[murphy]

The software in the car will take care of the engine. 

When it determines that the ICE needs to run to burn off gas to keep it from becoming stale, or for any other reason, the engine will run and you will not be able to prevent it from running until it completes its cycle.

[Russael]

To reinforce what Murphy has said, the car has a 'Fuel Maintenance Mode' and an 'Oil Maintenance Mode' that will periodically run the engine as needed to keep it lubricated, and to eventually use up an entire tank of gas (down to 1 gallon) over an 18 month period.  I'm waiting for the car to do that with me since my round trip to work is 12 miles, and as picked up the car 3 weeks and 3 days ago, I have not yet run the gas motor.

[shaggy314]

 I have not yet run the gas motor.

 

Go floor it on the freeway, you and it need the thrill of 'damn the car has some pickup.'

[Russael]

Go floor it on the freeway, you and it need the thrill of 'damn the car has some pickup.'

Flooring it costs too much money. ;)  Used to do that with my 5.4L Expedition (loved the sound and for such a tank, it moves decently).  Frankly, I think this car has made me even MORE conservative.  I keep trying to get a higher 'score' (better MPGe numbers). :)

[shaggy314]

Flooring it costs too much money. ;)  Used to do that with my 5.4L Expedition (loved the sound and for such a tank, it moves decently).  Frankly, I think this car has made me even MORE conservative.  I keep trying to get a higher 'score' (better MPGe numbers). :)

 

Oh not ALL the time... but, you know, once a quarter or so.

[foxx409]

Buyng a fusion enegi TI and was looking at the plans from flood ford esp and they don't show a drop down for the energi only the hybrid has anyone who has the energi purchased from flood ford esp.

[larryh]

I purchased from Anderson and Koch.  The rates are the same for all models of the Fusion. 

Edited June 22, 2013 at 07:13 PM by larryh

[foxx409]

I was told by the dealer I'm buying from that there is a hybrid version and a energi version

thats why when i look at flood ford esp they only show the hybrid?

[larryh]

The Ford ESP has only one rate for all models of the Fusion.  That includes the gas, hybrid and Energi models.  You are selecting the correct drop down box when choosing fusion/flex inc. hybrid. Your dealer is misinforming you if they told you that there are different rates for the hybrid vs the Energi.

Edited June 22, 2013 at 07:27 PM by larryh

[foxx409]

OK thanks i wasn't sure.

What can i say i think they are looking for a bigger profit cause i am buying the car on the X-plan.

Edited June 22, 2013 at 07:31 PM by foxx409

[larryh]

I told my dealer about the prices for the ESP plan available via the internet.  They didn't want to match that price and wanted to sell me a different one from Wells Fargo.  That plan had different prices for the different models.  There are multiple dealers available on the internet that you can select from to buy the Ford ESP.

Edited June 22, 2013 at 08:13 PM by larryh

[Zman11]

I finally got mine a couple of days ago. I decided to get it elsewhere right after the finance guy said, if you don't get it know your car will be considered used so the ESP will cost more. He was also pushing the maintenance plan talking about oil changes, brake pads being covered even after telling him my commute is only 12 miles and did not expect to have to change oil for a while and brakes lasting a long time. He also tried to sell me LoJack. Had to tell him about the Ford Mobile App :)

[jeff_h]

I finally got mine a couple of days ago. I decided to get it elsewhere right after the finance guy said, if you don't get it know your car will be considered used so the ESP will cost more. He was also pushing the maintenance plan talking about oil changes, brake pads being covered even after telling him my commute is only 12 miles and did not expect to have to change oil for a while and brakes lasting a long time. He also tried to sell me LoJack. Had to tell him about the Ford Mobile App :)

 

The only difference in getting the ESP plan after purchase is that if you do not get it within the first year of service, it is $100 more - at least that's how it is on the Flood site, where I've purchased 3 of them and getting #4 soon.  Sounds like your guy may have been stretching things a bit in order to make a sale.

[shaggy314]

I got my buying dealer to match the Flood Ford price, but I went in with Flood and A&K's pricing, completely not expecting them to go for it. :-D

 

It's my understanding you can get ESP anytime in the first year or was it the original warranty, one of them... nothing about it being used. If you look at Flood, they allow you to put in the mileage, so you could see if they charge different.

Edited July 7, 2013 at 06:04 AM by shaggy314

[http]

Buyng a fusion enegi TI and was looking at the plans from flood ford esp and they don't show a drop down for the energi only the hybrid has anyone who has the energi purchased from flood ford esp.

 

 

The Ford ESP has only one rate for all models of the Fusion.  That includes the gas, hybrid and Energi models.  You are selecting the correct drop down box when choosing fusion/flex inc. hybrid. Your dealer is misinforming you if they told you that there are different rates for the hybrid vs the Energi.

 

foxx, larryh is correct, there is only one rate for the Fusion that includes hybrid and Energi.  I bought a Flood Ford ESP for 7 yrs, 75K mi. at a price my dealership could not match.  After quoting me $3.995, I showed them the Flood price (we actually went to the web page) at approx. $1,100.  They said their cost was $1,300 and they seemed pretty pissed that Flood undercut them.  I declined the dealer's offer, went home, and bought the Flood policy.  They have your VIN, so they know exactly what car is on the policy.

 

I went out to look at the Flood site to check what I was saying here and the site is offline right now.  I don't know if they are down for maintenance or if something else is going on.

[shaggy314]

foxx, larryh is correct, there is only one rate for the Fusion that includes hybrid and Energi.  I bought a Flood Ford ESP for 7 yrs, 75K mi. at a price my dealership could not match.  After quoting me $3.995, I showed them the Flood price (we actually went to the web page) at approx. $1,100.  They said their cost was $1,300 and they seemed pretty pissed that Flood undercut them.  I declined the dealer's offer, went home, and bought the Flood policy.  They have your VIN, so they know exactly what car is on the policy.

 

I went out to look at the Flood site to check what I was saying here and the site is offline right now.  I don't know if they are down for maintenance or if something else is going on.

 

Their cost isn't that high. That said, there are a couple variables so you have to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. You have the waranty level (3 options), the time (4-7 years), deductible ($0 - $200), and the distance max (up to 125k max mileage). That said, my $1165 (prem., 7 year, $100, 100k) was told to me to cost my dealer $1075 and that I was getting it for less than what they charge in-house employees which was cost + 10%. I told the finance guy I had TWO internet quotes for the same price and yes, he had started at (iirc) $2495. He commented that it was so exceedingly rare people shopping around vs. just trying to get him to lower the price a bit.

Edited July 7, 2013 at 06:06 AM by shaggy314

[http]

We did compare apples to apples.  I even went online at the dealership and asked them to match Flood's price.  First the finance person checked it and she called over the sales manager. They both said not only was that below their cost, but the sales manager said she would be on the phone to Ford the next day.  It might have been an elaborate act, but they seemed genuinely pissed.

 

I see Flood is back online today.  The correct option is "Fusion/Flex including hybrid".  My cost for 7 yr. 75K, $100 deductable was $1,030.  My dealer claimed that their cost was somewhere around $1,300.

[larryh]

I received a similar response from my dealer I bought my car.   But I would think that all dealers would pay the same price.

Edited June 25, 2013 at 01:20 AM by larryh

[http]

I received a similar response from my dealer I bought my car.   But I would think that all dealers would pay the same price.

 

I would have thought the same, but apparently there are 2 or 3 price levels for volume dealers or dealers get incentives for selling X number of ESPs.  My dealership is a high volume dealer and they could not understand how were being undercut by Flood.

[TX NRG]

I was going to buy online from Flood based on learning about them here and researching the cost. My finance manager quoted me an end of month deal of $2300 for the Premium ESP 72mo/75k/$100 ded (down from $2695!) and I said I wasn't interested. He printed off more forms then asked why I refused the ESP. I told him I found it for much cheaper online and would purchase it there later if interested. He almost choked when I told him only $760. He checked with his manager, and they matched the price to my surprise.

[http]

I love it.  They were going to give you a special "deal" for only $2,300 but later agreed to $760.  That's a new definition of the meaning of the word "deal".

I continue to be amazed at the markup on these contracts.