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Are Car Maintenance Plans Worth the Cost?

11/29/2019

 
​Buying a new car is an exciting time.  When you are sitting at the dealership, the salesman may try to offer you many other products for your vehicle and it is hard to make a quick decision on what you really need.  A car maintenance plan is an option that your salesman may try to convince you to purchase.

What is a Maintenance Plan?

If you are offered a vehicle service plan, ask for specifics about what that plan is.  Many dealers use that term for both extended warranties and car maintenance plans.

A car maintenance plan covers services that the vehicle’s manufacturer recommends be completed to keep the car running in optimum condition.  These things could be oil changes, filter replacements, and tire rotations.  Dealerships have learned that offering maintenance plans can be a very profitable revenue stream for their business.

​These plans are prepaid and can be very valuable to have, but you need to carefully consider what is covered and what you would pay out of pocket compared to the cost of the plan.  Always read all of the fine print details, and if you don’t understand the contract, consider having an attorney explain it to you.  

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The Positives of Purchasing a Plan

Dealerships rely on their service departments for a large part of their income.  By selling car maintenance plans, they are guaranteed that their department stays busy.  These plans are prepaid and often offer discounts on the services you will need.  Remember, though, that what sounds too good to be true often is, and you still need time to think about whether you actually need the maintenance plan.  Do not let a sales person talk you into something that may not fit your needs.
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For example, the average cost of an oil change in South Carolina is around $30.  Assuming you change your oil as recommended, or about every three months, that is $120 a year.  Tire rotations are about $40, and it needs done once a year.  Filter costs vary, but you may plan on about $100 for filters a year.  If this is your plan of maintenance, you will be paying about $260 a year in car maintenance.  (You also need to check your car’s owner’s manual for recommended maintenance.)  If you can get a car maintenance plan for less, it may be worth it.

The Negatives of Purchasing a Plan

Before you purchase a plan, carefully read your owner’s manual.  These can often be found online if the dealership doesn’t have one.  See what maintenance the manufacturer recommends.  Some dealers still use outdated information to try to convince customers to purchase the plans. 

An example of this would be that new vehicles require very little maintenance.  Many cars will go for more than 5,000 miles (instead of 3,000) between oil changes.  This reduces your out of pocket expenses.  Many manufacturers now state that your vehicle will only need significant servicing every 30,000 miles.  If you don’t drive much, a car maintenance plan is probably not a good option for you.

Also, once you purchase the plan, you will have no options about who services your car.  Unless you decide to pay out of pocket, you will have to take your car to the dealership for services.  If you aren’t happy with their service, you have no options.  Another thing to consider is that the things that do wear out quickly, such as wipers and brake pads, are not usually covered by maintenance plans.

​The dealership may also sell the plan according to their schedule of maintenance and not what is recommended by the manufacturer.  If you drive often in extreme heat or cold, oil changes may be recommended more often, but your dealership may not take these conditions into account, and you will have to pay for the oil changes yourself.

The Final Cost

​If you decide to purchase the car maintenance plan, be sure to pay for it in full and do not add it to the total of your car or you will be paying interest on the plan, just like the purchase price of the car.  To make the best informed decision, make sure to find out exactly what is covered and compare prices of those services to the total cost of the plan.

What are the most common types of consumer complaints in south carolina?

8/24/2018

 
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​What do you think are the most common types of complaints that consumers file with the government? Everyone has frustrating experiences with housing, health insurance, and other industries, but some South Carolina residents might be surprised (or not) to learn that vehicles are the number one complaint category in the state. According to the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA), about 19.5% of their cases in 2017 revolved around cars – used cars, repairs, and credit issues were some of the biggest problems. In fact, cars make up the majority of complaints nationally, too.
 
But vehicles have only become a problem for consumers in recent years. "As the economy continues to rebound, more consumers are becoming active in the marketplace, especially purchasing vehicles," according to SCDCA Administrator Carri Grube Lybarker. South Carolina has protected consumers for years, though, as the state introduced a lemon law in 1989 to prevent the sale of defective cars (along with vans and small trucks – as long as they are passenger motor vehicles). Under the lemon law, consumers who purchase a car and find that its defects cannot be repaired are entitled to a refund. In order to get that refund, a South Carolina resident would have to participate in an arbitration procedure with the manufacturer (free of charge to the consumer) and if that process  doesn’t help, only then can the purchaser go to court.
 
The SCDCA’s job is to ensure the auto industry complies with these minimum requirements, especially in regards to flood-damaged cars which are often sold to people who have no idea of the car’s history. Indeed, the SCDCA addressed 105 violations of motor vehicle advertising laws and issued several fines in 2015, leading to justice for wronged consumers.
 
Have you ever had issues with a car you recently purchased? Were you able to resolve them through the dealer or manufacturer, and if not, how did you deal with them?

Podcast Guest/The Car Chick

5/24/2018

 
I was a guest on the podcast by The Car Chick (which is all about car knowledge for women and smart men) recently where we talked about the lemon law, what it means, and more. You can find more podcasts and much more information at www.whoisthecarchick.com. 
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Top Tweets of may

6/9/2016

 
For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter, I'd like to share some of my top tweets for May:

U.S. Supreme Court Affirms Privacy Rights in SpokeoDecision
https://lnkd.in/dFSKxvB

Appeals Court Rejects Accord and Satisfaction Argument in Lemon Law Case
https://lnkd.in/dmi6ymy

The CFPB Just Took a Huge Bite Out of Predatory Lending http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-bland/the-cfpb-just-took-a-huge_b_9847266.html … via @HuffPostPol

Dangers of payday loans

4/7/2016

 
Though I shared this article on Twitter, but I wanted to share it here as well because it's an important topic! 

Scott Tucker's Payday Loan Scam Spotlights Industry-Wide Lending Abuses

In case you missed these

4/1/2016

 
As you know, I share important links and posts on Facebook and Twitter. Here are three you might have missed last month:

Tyson Foods Loses Bid to Reverse Worker Class Action in U.S. Supreme Court
The war on consumer protection
Fla. judge spikes IABA suit against insurers; magistrate recommends dismissing steering claims

Stay informed here and by following me on Twitter @MoskosLaw. 
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