Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

George, was thinking that but didn't know if being overly cautious. Think I will take a wait and see attitude.

[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

while the rear suspension parts were done as previously posted - not the front- parts ordered.

Tuesday the check engine light came on--parts ordered -will be done on the same repair order.

Ok today is Thursday (what a week) and first drive goes to 4000 rpms before first shift ( and big clunking sound) and here comes the big E over the D5 in the odometer panel).

The week from hell continued!
As I dropped the car off, the passenger side door lock stopped working. They replaced passenger side door switch and actuator on the same work order. I do think I need to have a Bird under warranty. Will hunt for a '04 or '05 that I can get a warranty issued for.

Tranny still not fixed correctly. Picked it up Friday and returned it within 5 minutes. Sat all week-end. Inquired Monday and was told "Ford Garage" (computer system ) was down and they couldn't inquire as to the fix.

[94mcd]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Bill, just renewed my ESP Premium Care with Lombard Ford. My 2004 with 79,000 is good until 2020 and 128,000 miles. If you get a 2004 and want the ESP with Premium Care ,you need to buy one with less than 80,000 miles on it.

[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Bill, If you get a 2004 and want the ESP with Premium Care ,you need to buy one with less than 80,000 miles on it.

Thank you Pat that is good to know.

[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

The week from hell continued!

Tranny still not fixed correctly. Picked it up Friday and returned it within 5 minutes. Sat all week-end. Inquired Monday and was told "Ford Garage" (computer system ) was down and they couldn't inquire as to the fix.

The week from hell might soon be the month from hell! O.k. it is now the next Friday. Wednesday they finally got the beast on the rack and were talking to Ford Corporate. I'm of course asking why their defective GARENTEEED tranny isn't just taken off and a new one installed. No, corporate wants then to tear it down and explain what's wrong. o.K. They tell me it's the throttle body (huh??!!) and parts ordered and will be done by Thursday. Obviously didn't happen so Here it is Friday. Ok it's the valve body (makes more sense to me!). Good news they finally figured it out. Bad news-none available after a nationwide search (C'mon you Be BSing me right). Ok just take one out of one of those remaned units just sitting there. Sure hope I get the top down by June.

[RustyFrye]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Maybe its time to get a new one and sell off some of those cool mods (at a low price to one of the amusing, but cheap, friends you have met at a TBN event.... ) just to get rid of them and remove all remembrance of the agony you are currently experiencing. Things like the saddle boot for example.. ... I'm just sayin'...

[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Yes definitely worth the cost!
May 14th update:

remanufactured transmission was torn down by Ford garage and they replaced the valve body assembly which had a definite tear in the assembly. Running and shifting just fine.

Total major items replaced under warranty:
8 cops
all front and back suspension parts (anything with deteriorated rubber)
replaced transmission (three year-unlimited miles warranty)

Minor replacements
Thermostat
Passenger side door lock assembly.
Heated seat switch

Was looking to move up to an '04 or '05 to keep under warranty. New thoughts is to stick the $2000 in a envelope to use if anything else goes after the Sept warranty expiration. Looked at a Merlot with 60K miles and to buy warranty and move up was the better part of $5000 (trade offered was terrible). Think I'll stand pat. As a member (it was in Gregese) said you know what you have, major repairs are done and a replacement Bird might just be a new crap shoot.

[Leroy]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

I extended my o4 last year for 5 years and 48K with a $50.00 deductible for $1833.00. I'm covered till 08/2019. Lombard Ford gave me the best deal. My Ford dealer wants to put in a new A/C compresser, says it's leaking oil, I haven't had time to take it in yet. The air works fine still. Money well spent I think.

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[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Yes definitely worth the cost!
Total major items replaced under warranty:
8 cops
all front and back suspension parts (anything with deteriorated rubber)
replaced transmission (three year-unlimited miles warranty)

Minor replacements
Thermostat
Passenger side door lock assembly.
Heated seat switch

Thanks to the highway patrolman who set up the flare and waited for the tow truck to come yesterday. At the Ford garage - seems like a fuel issue. Thinking I may soon have as many $ in Ford repairs as I did to buy the car. All repairs have happened after 90,000 miles.

My advice if you have a 2004 or 2005 for which you can get an ESP--BUY IT.

If you have a 2002 or 2003 approaching 90,000+ miles and no ESP--SELL IT!

[Quickdraw]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Thanks to the highway patrolman who set up the flare and waited for the tow truck to come yesterday. At the Ford garage - seems like a fuel issue. Thinking I may soon have as many $ in Ford repairs as I did to buy the car. All repairs have happened after 90,000 miles.

My advice if you have a 2004 or 2005 for which you can get an ESP--BUY IT.

If you have a 2002 or 2003 approaching 90,000+ miles and no ESP--SELL IT!

You are still covered by the ESP though , right?

[2K2BIRD]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

My advice if you have a 2004 or 2005 for which you can get an ESP--BUY IT.

If you have a 2002 or 2003 approaching 90,000+ miles and no ESP--SELL IT!

I agree with the first statement, but never really have understood the second.

Instead of saying SELL IT - I'd say - FIX IT when necessary and continue to enjoy your car. Just about any repair you can do to the car costs way less than the price of a new car or even a nice used one that has anywhere near the head turning appeal of our Thunderbirds.

Now if someone just wants a new car and can't have both, I can understand that logic, because I've used it many, many times. But getting rid of a car you like just because you can't keep an extended warranty on it isn't very logical in a purely economic sense.

[wcoates]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Harry and Paul surely wasn't a serious statement but obviously shouldn't have made the statement at all. Wasn't even upset as Harry you are correct the ESP is still in place. (Expires the day we pull back home from South Dakota).

Seriously I am pleased I have the ESP as this was the first and only warranty I have ever purchased. My message while intended to be tongue in cheek was in review easily taken as serious due to the circumstances.

As I was thinking of looking for a '04 it was you Paul who got me off that approach as you advised ( correctly) that major items were repaired and a newer younger vehicle was a shot in the dark. My message was really get ready for repairs to your higher mileage cars to avoid the frustration and expense of repairs. I intend to have the grey ghost 'til I can no longer drive - better than any GM convertible I've ever owned.

The ESP originally cost close to $2000. My plan (and the message I should have given ) is that I will set up a self insurance program to take care of future repairs. Simple plan-$2000 in a hidden envelope to be forgotten about until needed. Car better than any and the friendship/site experience is also better than any I've been associated with. Sorry if I've offended anyone as this is obviously the first time I've spoken (or fat fingers on keyboard) before brain engaged. Yeh-right another stupid-facetious remark.

[2K2BIRD]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Bill, I only posted this because you are not the first (or the last) I'm sure that has said this very thing. I can think of at least one member (okay, it's Leroy) that seems to be counting down the days to when he'll sell his car based on the fact that his ESP will run out. To me that sounds less like a Thunderbird enthusiast and more like an extended warranty enthusiast.

Since your car is a daily driver the equation may be a little different for you, but for most of us the cars are toys for weekends and trips. Even with you car being a daily driver, once the warranty is gone it should still be relatively inexpensive transportation for you for several years since you are practically getting the car rebuilt under the ESP. But even if this stuff had happened over the next year when the warranty is gone - no one can buy a new car for the price of these repairs.

My other fear is that if a majority of TBNers get rid of their car because of ESP going away, then we won't have our old timer friends around to spare with on the site and travel with to events and beyond.

I wasn't so much calling you out in your moment of frustration as I was discussing the attitude in general that the sky will fall if the car isn't covered under an ESP. I believe they are a great thing and had one as long as I could, but it is not the deciding factor as to whether I keep the car or not.

[007Cruiser]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Here's how I feel on this subject. When you buy a warranty, you're paying in advance for a major repair that may never happen. I keep my money and pay if it happens. In most instances I never pay. The rule of thumb that I've heard about making a repair says to make the repair if the cost is less than half of a car's value.

[11TH GEN]

Re: Has Your Extended Warranty Been Worth the Cost?

Ford's ESP is certainly not the only company out there that will completely cover these cars. There are several others just as comprehensive at about the same cost that Ford stores accept and you don't have to worry about the car being ten years old.