Maintenance plan on Protege5?

It sounds like a good deal ... I would like to know about the tire replacement portion of the agreement ...... read that part of the contract carefully .... The maintenance cost is at full price at $569.00 ... I would like to know if they replace the tires with the same brand & model or "comparable" ...... the original Dunlop's (very good tires) are about $170.00 each ..... (retail) ...

; I recently purchased a 2003 Protege5. The dealer offers lifetime tire ; replacements *IF* I have all of my routine maintenance done at the ; dealer. So, I went ahead and signed up for a 3 yr 36K maintenance plan ; for $569. The price seems pretty steep, but I think that it should pay ; off if I get a set of free tires when the original ones wear out. Am I ; right? ; The tires on the car are P195/50 R16.

Does that plan actually pre-pay all your scheduled maintenance for three years? If so, it's probably worth it right there, with the tires being a good bonus.

Oil changes alone at my dealer, every 3k miles for 36k miles comes to $360. Then add in the more expensive scheduled maintenance items, and I'm paying at least $569 for service over 36k miles.

Just make sure that the tires are at least as good as the ones that came stock.

I signed up to one of those maintenance plans for "tires for life" cost's me an extra $10.00 each month or $720 total.

The maintenance plan only included oil changes for free, and I had to bring my Mazda MPV in every 7,500 miles for each service. 30k mile service says it is going to run around 500 bucks so I haven't gone yet.

I think with hindsight I would rather just do my own maintenance, cause I have the ability, and buy my own tires.

-- Dan

"Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it" - George Santyana

Yes, the agreement states that the

"...tires will be replaced with the same brand and size (comparable tire if the OEM tire is not available) when all 4 tires are at or below the tread depth of 4/32". Your vehicle must have 100% of the manufacturer".

The OEM tires are Dunlop's. Three more questions:

2) If OEMs are not available, what would be considered "comparable" tires?

dooker wrote:

Find out how much replacing the tires with the same make/model/size would be (you can try tirerack.com for prices -- add about $20 per tire for mounting and balancing). Try to find an estimate on how long the tires will last. And check the wording of the tire deal on what replacement tires will be used.

Look in the owner's manual for the manufacturer's service schedule and call around for prices on each of the services listed. From that you'll be able to figure out how much the maintenance should cost, and whether the tire deal is worth it.

; The OEM tires are Dunlop's. Three more questions: ; ; 1) is is safe to assume that "replacement" includes labor costs?

Ask the dealer. It depends on the contract.

; 2) If OEMs are not available, what would be considered "comparable" tires?

Any of the major brands, depending on the model. I like Dunlop, Michelin, and Pirelli best.

; 3) How many miles should I expect to out of these tires?

Check your owner's manual folder, there should be a brochure for the tires that came on the car. It'll tell you what you can expect in performance and longevity out of the tires.

; Yes the maintenance includes: ; * Lube, oil and filter every 3 months or 3K ; * 15 point inspection every 3 months or 3K

The inspection should be included in the oil change interval, since the car's going up on the lift anyway, and most of the inspection items don't require the removal of any parts or covers.

; * Coolant system flush every 18 months or 18K ; * Tire rotation every 6 months or 6K ; * Transmission service every 30 months or 30K

So, you'll get one tranny service. 30k, though? Which of the three transmission options do you have?

The 4-speed sport mode auto tran w/ovedrive

; Yes the maintenance includes: ; * Lube, oil and filter every 3 months or 3K ; * 15 point inspection every 3 months or 3K

The inspection should be included in the oil change interval, since the car's going up on the lift anyway, and most of the inspection items don't require the removal of any parts or covers.

; * Coolant system flush every 18 months or 18K ; * Tire rotation every 6 months or 6K ; * Transmission service every 30 months or 30K

So, you'll get one tranny service. 30k, though? Which of the three transmission options do you have?

One would not wear out the set of tires within 36,000 miles !!

Remember these are performance tires ..... less tread depth ... softer compound ....