Are Ford Maintenance Plans Worth It? [Know Before You Buy!]
When you see a Ford commercial, they always advertise the Ford maintenance plans that are available but don’t tell you any information about them. So, the question is: are the Ford maintenance plans worth it?
Are Ford Maintenance Plans Worth It?
Ford maintenance plans are not worth it. The overall cost of the plans, especially the plan that offers the most coverage, is typically more than the cost of the repairs without the plan. Also, the coverage often ends before the maintenance that it covers is required, so money is wasted.
More information about the Ford maintenance plan is below.
What is the Cost of the Ford Maintenance Plan?
Unfortunately, the exact cost of the Ford maintenance plan is impossible to get at this time because you need to get a quote from a Ford dealership.
The exact cost of the plan will vary depending on where you live, how old your Ford vehicle is, the vehicle’s trim package, and the vehicle model.
However, Ford vehicle owners have claimed that they paid about $2,000-$3,100 for their Ford maintenance plan. Plans can cost more, but keep in mind how much it costs to maintain your Ford vehicle every year and how long the Ford maintenance plan lasts.
On average, it costs $775 every year to maintain and repair a Ford vehicle. However, that cost will vary depending on how old your Ford vehicle is, where you live, and the repair shop you take your car to
How Long Does Ford’s Maintenance Plan Last?
Ford’s maintenance plan lasts for 6-8 years or until your vehicle has been driven 60K-150K miles, whichever comes first. If you are not the original owner of a Ford vehicle, but the previous owner paid for the Ford Maintenance Plan, they can transfer it to you.
In general, the Ford Maintenance plan covers 24/7 roadside assistance, but it only covers $100 of the towing fees.
The roadside assistance also covers $1,000 worth of your travel costs while your car is in the shop, as long as it isn’t in the shop for more than 5 days, helps when you run out of fuel while on the road, can assist you when you get locked out of your car, and helps out when you need to change your tires.
If your car is in the repair shop because of a broken or faulty part, you will only have to pay $30 every day so you can still run errands and go to work while your car is unusable. However, the maintenance plan will only cover the major costs for 10 days.
If it takes more than 10 days to repair your car, you are out of luck and will be stuck with the cost of the rental car.
The Ford maintenance plan makes it so you only have to pay for the deductible when you have your car repaired. However, it doesn’t apply to all repairs as it is only applicable when repairs covered by the maintenance plan are done.
Which is Better: Maintenance or Service Plan?
The Ford maintenance plan is called the Ford Protect Extended Service Plan, so the maintenance plan and the service plan are the same thing.
However, there are different plans to choose from, and information about them is included below.
The PowertrainCARE plan is the cheapest plan, but also the most basic. It mainly covers repairs done on the powertrain system, although it does cover some engine repairs.
In total, it covers 29 different repairs.
The BaseCare Ford maintenance plan is the next most expensive plan. It covers 84 different repairs, but it covers repairs to components that are important to your safety while driving.
The ExtraCARE Ford maintenance plan is slightly more expensive than the last plan, but it covers more repairs. In total, it covers 113 different repairs.
The PremiumCARE Ford maintenance plan is the most expensive plan available, but it covers nearly everything in your vehicle.
It covers more than 1,000 different repairs, which is one of the reasons why it is often the recommended maintenance plan. The PremiumCARE Ford maintenance plan covers repairs and replacements for the following:
- Oil changes
- Filter changes
- Multi-point inspections
- Tire rotations
- Brake pads
- Brake linings
- Shock absorbers
- Struts
- Spark plugs
- Clutch discs
- Engine belts
- Engine coolant hoses
- Engine coolant clamps
- Engine coolant o-ring seals
- Wiper blade replacements
- Internal engine components
- Steering components
- Air conditioning components
- Heating components
- Alternator
- Starter
- Fuel pump
- Power windows
- Mirrors
- Door locks
- Sunroof
- Power seats
- Reverse camera
- GPS
- Keyless entry
- Anti-theft system
Overall, the PremiumCARE plan is considered the best one, and this list doesn’t even include everything that the plan covers the cost to repair. However, because it only is valid for about 6-8 years, it is not worth it for most Ford vehicle owners.
Can I Cancel Ford Premium Maintenance?
You can cancel the Ford Premium Maintenance plan if you were the one that purchased it and cancels it within 30 days of putting the plan in place. If you bought the Ford vehicle second-hand, and the previous owner had the maintenance plan in place, you won’t be able to cancel it.
Also, if you have done any maintenance to the vehicle, you can’t cancel the Ford Premium Maintenance Plan.
However, you won’t receive a full refund, even if you cancel the maintenance plan within 30 days.
You will be charged a $25 cancellation fee, although the exact cost of the fee varies by the state that you live in.
If you decide to cancel the Ford Premium Maintenance plan more than 30 days after you put it in place, you won’t get your full refund or only be charged the $75 cancellation fee. The mileage of your vehicle will be factored into the amount of money that you are refunded.
Overall, the Ford maintenance plans are typically not worth the cost, but you should consider putting one in place if you think your vehicle will need a lot of maintenance or repairs done before the plan runs out.
Get a quote from your local Ford dealership, and determine if any of the plans are worth the cost to you.