How many here have purchased a service contract?

How many options are available and how much?

When are they offered?

What is the "break even" number? (the amount you would pay without buying a contract for service)

Can these contracts be purchased on a "used" Crossfire?

What, if any, maint. can be done by YOU without taking the car in?

 

With my negotiations for my Crossfire I got the dealer to give me an extended warranty below their cost and yet keep my price at MSRP. They told me that the 7yr/70,000m bumper-to-bumper extended warranty cost them about $1400-$1500 with a $100 deductible. I got it for $900.

As far as voiding the warranty, I had asked the dealer about making changes or adding aftermarket stuff and they told me I could do the following without voiding; Window tint, different tires/wheels, different paint and supercharger kit. But, modifying the chip may cause the warranty to be voided. Not that I did any of these things (yet) but you never know what kind of changes to make in the future.

I felt that since this car is a first year production car their is no garantee that three, four years from know they are still making them so an extended warranty was the right thing to do for peace of mind and wallet.

Have a good new year.

 

I bought a service/maintenance contract with my Crossfire. It was $1,600 and pays for all scheduled maintenance (ie... oil changes and all scheduled services). The manual calls for oil changes every 7k miles. With my maintenance contract they change the oil every 5k miles and I've already paid (up front) so I don't have any out of pocket expences. For me, it makes life a little easier. I also don't have to wait for the car. I drop it off and get a rental for the day.

 

I would not worry to much about the car being new and there by any nastys. Although the body is new most of the important stuff, engine, rear end and tranie is merc slk and has been around for 7-8 years. All the bugs have been worked out and may give you more piece of mind.

 

A rental car for scheduled maintenance comes with the purchase of the car whether one purchases an additional maintenance plan or not.

 

With apologies to those that may have bought one, maintenance contracts are just another way to skin the customer. I have not read an automotive publication that promotes them. The manufacturers warranty covers everything I'm concerned about, and being automotively inclined, I take care of all of the routine required maintenance myself.

 

CCrossfire.... We are talking about Maintenance programs... (Routine maintenance... ie... Oil changes and scheduled services) not Extended Warranties. All The Maintenance program does is save you a couple of bucks over the duration of the program. Basically whay I've done is pay for my regular maintenance up front. Following the scheduled maintenance schedule (except my program does oil changes every 5k not the 7k the manual recommends) I will break even at about 45K miles. My program runs to 70k. It's also transferable.

 

Actually dvader was talking about an extended warrenty that he purchased for $900, a good deal if actually needed. I did mention that I do most of the routine maintenance (oil/filter etc.) myself, a practice I have followed for years. Down side is having to transport the used oil to the recycler, but thats a small price to pay for a job done correctly. Best regards - Bob

 

I agree about doing your own oil. I do my own on my Explorer and my Ranger. But since I got a good deal on the Maintenance program for the Xfire, I thought... Why not, let them do all the services on it? It's not an easy thing for me to let someone else do the maintenance, but I'm learning.... :lol:

Have a Great one - Wes

 

If you plan on keeping your crossfire for more than 3 years a service contract is a good idea.IF the A/C goes or the ABS has a problem one repair might pay for the contract.Mercedes Benz's have failures too!

 

Thanks, crossfiretech.... This is the first time I bought a vehicle and the service contract looked attractive. Every other car I've ever bought I wouldn't even consider such a thing.

 

Does Chrysler offer a service contract on the Crossfire? When I picked mine up the paperwork guy was trying to hustle a third party contract, which I will never buy under any circumstances. In my haste to get the torture of taking delivery of a new car over, and with the 3/36 BTB coverage included, I elected not to ask about a Chrysler service contract. I have a Chrysler service contract on my 300m and have been generally satisfied with the outcomes on that one.

 

Information on Chrysler Service Contracts is at: http://www.servicecontracts.chrysler.com/index.html. After you select the plan you want, the website suggests you print the results and take it to your dealer. Hope this helps!

 

Thanks, got all the answers. Amazing thing is that my dealer never pimped the Chrysler plan.

On a side note, I absolutely hate the car buying process. It took about an hour and a half to get into my Crossfire from the time I got there. The salesman glandhanding, the paperwork, the inevitable pimping from paperwork guy, etc.. Does anybody actually enjoy the experience? I think if the Marquis de Sade were alive today he would be proud of the new car delivery process.

 

krusty,

I've never enjoyed the car buying experience either, however I must say with the Xfire, it was not bad at all. It may have been the fact that I did my homework and knew how much I would pay. I wasn't buying a car because I needed it.

The night before we went to the dealer at Baseline and Rural. They lost the deal because we were $400 apart. They followed me out the door telling me to sleep on it and come back the next day. I did and showed him "my" new Crossfire when I went to pick up my Jeep at the service dept. You can imagine the reaction I got from them with #2815 sitting in the parking lot. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

The next day before I went to pick up the Jeep I walked into Superstition Springs Chrysler-Jeep at 9:00 sharp. At 10:30 I drove off the lot.

When the salesman greeted me, I asked him to come along so he could get credit for the sale, but I wanted to go "straight" to the sales manager. I was not going to play the going back and forth game trying to agree on a price.

I politely but firmly told the sales manager I wanted to buy the only SSB Crossfire sitting his on lot and gave him my written offer which I prepared the night before. The offer included how much I wanted for my for my '98 Honda Prelude, which was paid for. I told him there were three other dealers within 30 miles that I wanted to visit if he did not want to accept my offer. I gave him 15 minutes to come back with a yea or nay.

He came back a few minutes later with his hand out and accepted my offer. I thought it to be a good deal. I offered him $22,000 plus the $12,000 credit for my Prelude. The total came to $34,000 which was right at MSRP minus the transportation charges. The deal was $900 less than the other dealer wanted.

Needless to say... I've been smiling ever since. 8)

PS: Sorry about the OT post.