A dealer maintenance plan you shouldn't buy, actually saved me $$

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 11/03/2014 at 18:51 • Filed to: None

0

7

About a year ago, I bought a '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee as my winter vehicle. I bought the dealer maintenance plan, even though I shouldn't have. Now that winter is approaching, I've been catching up on maintenance, and this stupid maintenance plan is turning out to be worth it.

I bought my Jeep at a Kia dealership. They really sold their maintenance plan hard. Normally I'd never buy it, but they kept chopping the price until it was only $260. I'd easily spend that much on oil changes, so I said screw it and bought the plan.

This weekend I planned to get my "free" oil change at the Kia dealer then go to the Jeep dealer for several things including transmission fluid. After the oil change, the Kia dealer told me my oil and transmission pans were (possibly dangerously) rusty. They quoted me $537 to replace the oil pan, and $194 for the trans.

I then went to the Jeep dealer. Since they were doing the ATF, they could replace the trans pan for no additional labor cost, just $52 for the part. Score.

But, the Jeep dealer quoted me $723 for the oil pan. I called an independent shop who quoted me $608 for the oil pan. Without the maintenance plan, I never would've thought to go to the Kia dealer for service, and gotten that lower $537 quote on the oil pan.

So I hate to say it, but the stupid dealer maintenance plan, which I was already going to break even on after 6 or 7 oil changes, saved me another $71-186 on the oil pan depending on where I would've ended up taking it to be done.

Oh, and the Jeep dealer also said the front pinion seal is leaking and the serpentine belt is pretty worn. Their quotes for those things were much more in line with the independent shop, but I'll still probably ask the Kia dealer about them just for kicks.

FalconHoon > Textured Soy Protein 11/03/2014 at 19:01

0

I would be a little concerned that the Kia dealership didn't spot an oil leak and a worn belt. Assuming the integrity of the place that pointed them out.

Textured Soy Protein > FalconHoon 11/03/2014 at 19:07

0

I get what you're saying, but in their defense, the Kia dealer was only doing an oil change and a cursory inspection. Whereas the Jeep dealer, I asked them to inspect the oil & trans pans, plus they were changing the trans fluid and fixing a busted windshield washer pump. So they probably did a more thorough inspection than the once-over that the Kia dealer did for an oil change.

FalconHoon > Textured Soy Protein 11/03/2014 at 19:28

0

In end it is you're call. Though I would definitely expect a worn belt and an oil leak to come up in the briefest of inspections

Textured Soy Protein > FalconHoon 11/03/2014 at 19:57

0

There's no oil leak. It's a front differential pinion seal leak. Serpentine belt though...that's right out in the open. The other possibility is the belt's not that bad and the Jeep dealer is trying to get me to buy stuff that's not super urgent.

FalconHoon > Textured Soy Protein 11/03/2014 at 21:24

0

Still, even a basic safety check would reveal a leaky diff wouldn't it?

Lol, not that I have much experience with mechanics, only time I've had a mechanic work on my car was when my fuel pump failed as I pulled into work, and only because the mechanic was across the road.

Saying that all my cars have been simple Falcons and Commodores (except for that one dastardly skyline) and if I couldn't do it, Mechanic Azza could.

Ramble ramble lol

biker > Textured Soy Protein 11/04/2014 at 10:35

0

well when I bought my Jeep Cherokee, the oil pan was "dangerously rusty" however it didnt leak a drop for almost 2 years, until a mechanic friend was around while I was changing oil & had to pick on the rust flakes with his finger nails prying them off, low & behold it started a leak, very tiny at first, 800 miles to a quart, & vehicle didn tuse oil, until time to change oil, & I was trying to find an oil pan, it was very hard, as mine has the rare 4 cylinder, then all the sudden I lost over 1/2 quart while at work, & had to park it until I could find an oil pan. finally replaced & been fine.

I also had to replace my front axle seals & universal joints in the front.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > FalconHoon 11/04/2014 at 11:06

0

The JGC pinion seals from that era are shit. Pretty much anyone who sees them knows they leak, but not fast enough to be a problem. Mostly they just rust proof the diff housing and if you check your fluid level when getting an oil change it isn't a problem.

/Former owner of a 96 JGC