Value of buying Ford's extended warranty?

[2damax]

Just purchased my second 2013 C-Max Hybrid SEL today.  My daughter has the other one at college.  I liked it so much, when I brought my wife's Transit Connect in for an oil change, I asked our friend, a Ford salesman, if he would contact me whenever he got a used C-Max (given the $10,000 depreciation over the first two years, I was not interested in a new one).  One came in Saturday and I bought it today.  The financial guy tried to sell me on an extended warranty.  My daughter's vehicle had 100,000 miles warranty extended by a different dealership (also in our area) which had the vehicle Certified to extended the warranty. This guy said my vehicle has a 60,000 mile, 36 month basic warranty which runs out in 12 months (Carfax was in agreement).  I could buy an extended Premium Warranty good for 8 years (6 more years) and 125,000 miles for about 3 grand (bottom line price without loan). When I asked about the 100,000 mile extension on my daughter's C-Max, he said they didn't have time to Certify the vehicle I was buying, that it would add to the cost (about $500), only extend the warranty on the drive train and make the price renegotiable.  I took my time declining.  I was most concerned about the possibility and cost of hybrid battery replacement.   I checked a website on line tonight which stated that Ford warranties hybrid batteries for 100,000 miles.  I am looking to verify that now, and the cost of replacement - including installation and core credit, if any, from Ford.  I have seen Prius battery replacements quoted at $3000 - over $4000 total price (I have owned 2 Prius over the last 13 years - 2002 and 2007), and the C-Max hybrid battery pack is $3500 just for the parts  That might justify the extended warranty, if there isn't already a 100,000 mile warranty on the hybrid battery pack.  I can still purchase the extended warranty (but not financed).  Is a 6 year/125,000 mile extended Premium Warranty worth 3 grand up front? Any opinions about this?

[plus 3 golfer]

...Is a 6 year/125,000 mile extended Premium Warranty worth 3 grand up front? Any opinions about this?

IMO, no.   Paying $3 k for an additional 25 k miles of coverage for unlikely events is theft. :)  But if one can't "sleep at night" worrying about potential high expenditures (has a low risk tolerance), an extended warranty may be the answer.

 

"Your vehicle’s unique hybrid / electric components are covered during the Hybrid / Electric Unique Component Coverage, which lasts for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first. • The following hybrid parts are covered during this extended coverage period: high-voltage battery, hybrid continuously variable transmission, Inverter System Controller (ISC), DC/DC converter, high-voltage battery connector, battery pack fan assembly, thermistor probe, Hybrid Battery Pack Sensor Module (HBPSM), Battery Energy Control Module (BECM), and the PHEV onboard charger."

 

See the Key Life Tests.  This may help you decide. ;)  Can't compare Prius nickel-hydride HVB with C-Max Li-on HVB.

 

"Ford's confidence in lithium-ion is based on so-called Key Life Tests. The tests predict that the working capacity (y-axis) of lithium-ion batteries (green line) will be greater over a high-mileage lifetime (x-axis) than that of nickel-metal hydride (yellow line). Past field data for nickel-metal hydride (blue dots) has shown that the testing results are conservative -- that is, batteries generally do better in the field than they do on tests."

(Source: Ford Motor Co.)

Edited August 26, 2015 by Plus 3 Golfer

[Kelleytoons]

I agree with Plus 3 -- AND it's always worthwhile to remember that the insurance business is BIG business, and those guys always make money.  They are the Las Vegas of the business world -- the percentages work in their favor and only the very rare and few folks who suffer the extraordinary set of circumstances can "beat the bank".

 

Save your money.

[hybridbear]

Just purchased my second 2013 C-Max Hybrid SEL today.

Is the car still covered by the 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty? If it is, look at Flood Ford or Anderson-Koch Ford for ESP pricing. Their prices are much lower than what your dealer will charge.

[stevedebi]

Just purchased my second 2013 C-Max Hybrid SEL today.  My daughter has the other one at college.  I liked it so much, when I brought my wife's Transit Connect in for an oil change, I asked our friend, a Ford salesman, if he would contact me whenever he got a used C-Max (given the $10,000 depreciation over the first two years, I was not interested in a new one).  One came in Saturday and I bought it today.  The financial guy tried to sell me on an extended warranty.  My daughter's vehicle had 100,000 miles warranty extended by a different dealership (also in our area) which had the vehicle Certified to extended the warranty. This guy said my vehicle has a 60,000 mile, 36 month basic warranty which runs out in 12 months (Carfax was in agreement).  I could buy an extended Premium Warranty good for 8 years (6 more years) and 125,000 miles for about 3 grand (bottom line price without loan). When I asked about the 100,000 mile extension on my daughter's C-Max, he said they didn't have time to Certify the vehicle I was buying, that it would add to the cost (about $500), only extend the warranty on the drive train and make the price renegotiable.  I took my time declining.  I was most concerned about the possibility and cost of hybrid battery replacement.   I checked a website on line tonight which stated that Ford warranties hybrid batteries for 100,000 miles.  I am looking to verify that now, and the cost of replacement - including installation and core credit, if any, from Ford.  I have seen Prius battery replacements quoted at $3000 - over $4000 total price (I have owned 2 Prius over the last 13 years - 2002 and 2007), and the C-Max hybrid battery pack is $3500 just for the parts  That might justify the extended warranty, if there isn't already a 100,000 mile warranty on the hybrid battery pack.  I can still purchase the extended warranty (but not financed).  Is a 6 year/125,000 mile extended Premium Warranty worth 3 grand up front? Any opinions about this?

The dealer gives some mis-information. The basic warranty is 3 years, 36K miles. The hybrid parts (electric and CVT) have either an 8 year or 10 year warranty (depends on the state), and either 100K or 150K mileage.

 

There are a considerable number of threads on this topic. It depends on your level of risk.

 

I will be buying an extended warranty at 34K, if at that point I believe I will keep the car. The cost for the 125K / 7 years is about 2200 on the Internet (200 more with first day rental), at zero deductible. You can buy online if you are not living in Florida. I plan to take the quote to my dealer and they will match the cost. For me, I always buy the extended warranty until the auto loan is paid off.

 

Note that the warranty can be turned in for whatever mileage and years have not been used.

[Swamp45755]

Weikert Ford in Lake Wales Florida is offering me the extended warranty for 1200 dollars for 6 years and 100000 miles. Seems like a good deal to me, one repair can cost over 1000 bucks!