[Patrick]

Has anyone done any maintenance agreements? Dealer wanted $414 for 3 years, 30k mile agreement.
1) I am not certain we will be under 30k miles in 36 months
2) I assume there's a 3 year, 36k mile plan also.
3) It looks like the maintenance for the first 3 years is almost entirely inspections and 1 replacement of the AC filter. Not sure what they would charge for these inspections a-la-carte... I don't know that they know yet either.

Thoughts?

 

[HeyChris]

Hard Pass...

Cabin filters are typically a DIY. Other 'main' items would be tire rotation and brake pads...

But it'd be a No Thanks from me.

 

[Patrick]

Brake pads are under regular warranty though , its literally inspections and HVAC filter.

 

[JayEM]

And it's an EV, so it almost certainly won't need the brake pads replaced in just 36,000 miles.

I can't imagine the car needing anywhere near $414 worth of maintenance for the first 3 years.

My i3 gets brake fluid replaced every 24 months, and everything inspected every 24 months. In 42 months it's been in for exactly 1 service.

 

[n6nl]

 

[Tucson John]

Has anyone done any maintenance agreements? Dealer wanted $414 for 3 years, 30k mile agreement.
1) I am not certain we will be under 30k miles in 36 months
2) I assume there's a 3 year, 36k mile plan also.
3) It looks like the maintenance for the first 3 years is almost entirely inspections and 1 replacement of the AC filter. Not sure what they would charge for these inspections a-la-carte... I don't know that they know yet either.

Thoughts?

For what ever dumb reason, I bought a maintenance agreement for my new 2015 Camry. It was a bad idea since it did not save me much money, plus I ended up having Toyota do all the maintenance on time alone even though the miles were significantly lower than that interval. If I did not have the maintenance agreement, I certainly would not have had the maintenance done by time.

So I look at the maintenance agreements as being handcuffed to the dealer. You will lose money unless you have all the maintenance done and you drive the normal 12K miles a year.

 

[MrShnatter]

I'm new here. Curious if anyone has looked at Subaru warranty / maintenance agreements for Solterra vs. a comparable size ICE model. Curious which is more expensive - that would show what Subaru thinks of ongoing costs. The computer / electronics in the Solterra has to be expensive if something happens to it.

But there's less fluids / parts for maintenance for the Solterra. But they do list a tractor battery coolant!? Fill the freon every 8 years. Yeah, I guess that might be needed in an ICE also.

 

[JayEM]

I'm new here. Curious if anyone has looked at Subaru warranty / maintenance agreements for Solterra vs. a comparable size ICE model. Curious which is more expensive - that would show what Subaru thinks of ongoing costs. The computer / electronics in the Solterra has to be expensive if something happens to it.

But there's less fluids / parts for maintenance for the Solterra. But they do list a tractor battery coolant!? Fill the freon every 8 years. Yeah, I guess that might be needed in an ICE also.

I would never consider buying a maintenance agreement on an EV, there's so little maintenance required (and I don't find Subaru's ongoing maintenance costs to be prohibitive, even for ICEs). I might be persuaded to purchase an extended warranty, if I was concerned about long-term ownership costs, but that's not something you need to commit to on day 1. I've had 2 extended warranties, and have never collected on either of them what I paid for them. But both I bought for peace of mind, so there's that. The second of the two, I was able to get most of the purchase price refunded because I sold the car less than a year after the extension took effect - but "they" collected interest on my money for 2.5 years before I sold the car.

The powertrain warranty on the Solterra is 5 years/60,000 miles (basic warranty is "just" 3 years/36,000 miles. Battery pack is 8 years/100,000 miles.

 

[ammika13]

I bought it only because it came with a 750 dollar credit for a new Subaru and my wife is getting a new one soon, so I paid same price, in theory I should be making money but who knows

 

[WeirdBal]

I bought it only because it came with a 750 dollar credit for a new Subaru and my wife is getting a new one soon, so I paid same price, in theory I should be making money but who knows

I took this same offer. Bought the service contract for $500 because it gave a $750 credit towards a future purchase, applied it when my wife also got her Solterra, so made $250 off it. Did not get the service contract for hers. The finance guy was honest about it when I asked, gave me the service prices for regular maintenance and saw it was more expensive with the contract, but said we shouldn’t pass up free money if we were about to buy another car from them.

 

[MrShnatter]

@JayEM yes - peace of mind. That's why we got the extended warranty. It's my wife's car / she's going to keep it a while.

Me with my honda civic, outside the warranty, I'll deal with simpler issues / drive with a window that won't go down, etc. I'll kluge a fix. but for her, let's do it right : )

And the mainenance plan - me being me, I change the air filters on the civic before an oil change. Skip tire rotations some times, change my own wiper blades. For her.... do it right.

And for those that know how dealerships work...

Are customers with the extended warranty / prepaid maintenance viewed as more valuable to the dealership? The guy won't need to upsell the customer on wipers, air filters,etc. that someone handy could take care of themselves. I prepaid for those things, so yeah, mr. dealer. do it.

And for things that break 'yeah, the power motor on that window died. Since you don't have the extended warranty, It will cost $$$ to fix. Should we do that for you sir?

Someone that has the extended warranty will say 'sure! Fix it!'.

That was my perception - They won't have to upsell me, or wonder if I'll have this or that fixed if there's no cost to me at that time because of the maint agreement or extended warranty. They get money for the work and the customer doesn't pay more. Win Win?

So I was really annoyed after the fact when my wife brings her outback in for 30K? service to a subaru dealer. The dealer says 'we recommend..... an air filter that was going to be replaced free at the next service but we'd have to pay at that point. AND 'we recommend' an injector cleaning for $150 or so?!

I got distracted on the filter is supposed to be free because we have the maint agreement. and missed when injector cleaning was needed (over 100K typically, right?).

The car didn't have any performance issues. And certainly didn't mention anything about that to the 'advisor'.

The car had been there several times before - previous main service and replace windshield that got a crack (they took MONTHS in covid to do it / find the leak we had afterwards).

We felt soooo betrayed. We haven't been there again.

So am I wrong to think we are viewed as valuable to a dealer that they would be more straight with us, not play games with us?