I can't believe I walked out of the dealership with an ESP and DuPont protection package. I've never bought it before, although I did buy the DuPont protection for the last car...but somehow the dealer talked me into it.

Anyways, I buy the '07 MMH with 0% on the Employee A Plan along with a bunch of rebates ($655 moonroof discount+additional $500 A Plan Discount)... They even went $500 below A Plan (to beat a local competitor)... If I were in the military, owned a Sable, graduated college and was disabled somehow I could have been eligible for like $2K more, but that was not the case...barring all that I think I got a good deal.

Anyways, we get to the financing...and I'm saying no to everything... Then I get talked into the DuPont exterior paint and interior protection for 5 years plan. They tell me they'll do it for $299 for A-planners...so I figure with 3 small kids, and 0% over 60 months it works out to a <$5/month...fine it's worth it.

We get to Ford ESP (extended service plan) talk, which I've never taken before. He tells me the standard waranty is 3/36k. I decline. He tells me that usually the price for a 5/60k plan is like $1350, but since I am on A-plan he tells me it's $845 for the ESP Premium Care...which is like $14 a month it's worth the added security when the original warranty runs out. He gives me the standard, you know 1 time in the shop could easily top that $845, and being it's a hybrid there are a lot more electrical stuff in there to worry about and not all mechanics can work on them. I sort of follow that logic, and since they gave me $500 below A-plan, I thought well that paid for most of it.

Here is my question for all of you savvy buyers out there, should I have declined the ESP and taken the savings and run? Or was it good insurance for what may come later? I figured in reality, I paid $422.50 for the last 2 years of the warranty ($845/2). The dealer tells me that within 30 days I can call him and he can take the plan off, and the plan is completely tranferable and could be a selling point later.

My wife thinks I should call him tomorrow, cancel and get my money back. She was looking at the warranty and she says most of the stuff is already covered at 5/60k, including roadside assistance...and some stuff even goes to 8/100k.

After reading all this, tell me how bad I got ripped off, or give me some relief in thinking that I didn't get totally taken to the bank.

 

I would have passed on the paint/interior protection b/c I'm sure there are way too many "exceptions" and regular washing/waxing and a spray on interior protectant are just as good.

I'm not opposed to the extended plan as long as it is truly bumper to bumper. The Hybrid warranty 8yr/100k only covers the battery pack and electic motors....there are plenty of other hybrid-related components that are not covered. 3/36 is such a short warrant in my mind. I bought a 5yr/100k when I got my Explorer and also my Grand Cherokee. The Explorer one came in handy even with a deductible of $100. I would wait until 3-4 little things went wrong, pay the $100 and get them all fixed. The Jeep one I bought online after getting the vehicle and saved a ton of dough. Many legit dealers will sell factory service plans online for a big discount. I never ended up needing the ESP on the Jeep as i sold it after only 2 1/2 years but it was a huge selling feature since I was competing for buyers with dealerships offering warranties on their used vehicles.

I say see if you can cancel the Dupont deal and then search online to see if you can get a better deal on the Ford ESP. If so, cancel and buy it there. There is a chance the A plan deal will be cheaper than any online prices so in that case I say stick with it. (I am not referring to an "aftermarket" plan like Warranty Gold. Rather, there are certified Ford dealers who offer to sell Ford ESP plans online at steep discounts).

 

Tim:

Can't cancel the DuPont thing, it's already sprayed on...so I'm pretty sure they would say I am on the hook for that one.

I'll have to go over the policy a little more...but from what the dealer guy says it is a comprehensive bumper to bumper policy, and supposedly he has to sell it at cost for A-planners. Showed me the book on the ESP, although he could very well have 2 books.

You bring up an interesting point about shopping around the ESP. I'll try that. Just out of curiousity I wonder if there are others who bought the Ford ESP, how much did you end up paying for it?

Thanks...

 

I just checked for myself (2006 MMH w/ AWD and 9800 miles in PA) and the ESP Premium for 5yr/60k with $100 deductible is:
$1045 - www.fordwarrantys.com
$1235 - www.ford-extended-warranty.com ($1085 after $150 rebate)
$570 - www.myfordwarranty.com (can this be right???)
$985 - www.fordesps.com

For a 2007 MMH it is:
$880 - www.fordwarrantys.com
$1120 - www.ford-extended-warranty.com ($970 after $150 rebate)
$570 - www.myfordwarranty.com (can this be right???)
$985 - www.fordesps.com

This one didn't require a model year so I don't know how it applies:
$870 - www.discountfordwarranties.com

I might have to give the dealer behind myfordwarranty.com a call....

 

Tim:

Wow thanks for putting that together... I wasn't even sure where to begin, hopefully others can use this information as well.

I like that $570 rate, I wonder if I call him on that and I tell him I will cancel if he would at least match it? Guess it doesn't hurt to ask and $275 is nothing to laugh at, that's a lot of gas.

All the dealers are closed on Sunday's so I guess I'll call him tomorrow.

-Jinho

 

Tim, thanks for the info on ESP. I turned it down on the '07 I just bought, but these rates are much better than the dealer offered, and I'm now reconsidering.

Any thoughts on which level of ESP coverage and what term would be the best value for a AWD FEH with no options?

 

I would go look at the details of each plan and see what is covered. Today's vehicles have so many computer and electronic components I'd want to make sure they are all covered. At $570 I don't know that I could pass up that offer. $570 plus the $100 deductible seems like a deal (and the $0 deductibe price isn't bad eaiter). I figure any problem that crops up is almost always $200-300 so two problems in two years and it pays for itself.

 

Tim:

Interestingly when I put my data in, it actually came out a little bit higher, but what I did see is that for $845 I could get the 6/75k - $100 deductible...which adds one more year for the same price. With my luck though, no matter how much I buy I'll probably have a problem crop up at 6 years + 1 month.

Hopefully when I talk to the dealer tomorrow they are will to match this online deal.

I'll tell ya how it goes. Thanks.

 

Ok I talked with the dealer, passed on the information, and he agreed to match and honor the 6yr/75k ESP PremiumCare deal.

Thanks so much, now I am very pleased since it essentially doubled my stock coverage. Like you said, 2 visits and it definitely will pay for itself.