PSA: MOPAR is ENDING the sale of Lifetime policies for the foreseeable future, on November 30 2018! More details here.
I’ve talked to multiple colleagues in the car industry that weren’t aware that Chrysler had resumed offering lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty extensions. They were as shocked as I was. But, it appears that the option came back up around the middle of last year, so it isn’t that old of an option.
Many remember Chrysler, in a desperate effort to stay afloat before the 2009 bankruptcy, offered a standard limited lifetime powertrain warranty on all their cars. It was non-transferrable, but could be upgraded to a lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty.
Now, it appears, Chrysler is offering it again. This time though, the warranty is strictly an add-on… for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM vehicles. It isn’t standard, however. But, the good news is, the offering is available on both new and used cars this time around.
Today, you can buy a Mopar Lifetime Warranty on any gasoline-powered Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM or Fiat (yes, Fiat too) that is less than 48 months and 48,000 miles old. You may be able to purchase one on a Certified Pre Owned car after that, at the time the vehicle is purchased. Ask your dealer for details before buying any car, however. Give them the VIN, and make sure you can get the warranty you want… before buying any used car.
Also, Chrysler offers three tiers (of lifetime coverage) that stretch from a lifetime bumper-to-bumper, down to lifetime powertrain-only coverage. I would strongly suggest splurging for the full/comprehensive policy, otherwise you may have a car with a great powertrain… and no air conditioning. Or a car with some blown sensor that isn’t on the powertrain component list, and you’re stuck paying out of pocket for.
These warranties aren’t cheap. I’ve seen quotes as high as $3,700 and $3,900. I’ve also seen them dip into the low $2,000s.
There are a few exclusions, but they are pretty reasonable. Viper, Hellcat, and (sadly, more recently) the Alfa Romeo 4C are excluded. But all other SRT cars are qualify. As mentioned above, gasoline-only. No diesel, hybrid, or electric cars qualify either.
Update: Quick update – FCA has stopped selling lifetime warranties to pre-owned SRT vehicles. Dealers may still be able to write one up on a certified or new car, you’d have to check with them… I’m a bit too busy at the moment. Lifetime remains available for all non-SRT cars aside from the Alfa Romeo 4C. And yes, Dodge R/T’s still qualify, including R/T Scat Pack models, which are basically last generation’s SRT 6.4L V8 in today’s body. Sorry, 6.4L Scat Packs seems to fall under SRT territory – no lifetime for you, either, though I really don’t understand why as that engine is really reliable.
Important: Whatever you do, don’t take your car to the track if you buy this, without explicit written okay from FCA… Racing is excluded from the standard warranty, I suspect any track use at all would give Mopar cause to void the extended warranty.
Is it a good deal?
Actually, it can be an amazing deal. Chrysler is betting that you won’t keep the car and run it into the ground. They’re betting you’ll either sell the car after the average five-to-seven years… or you’ll get it into an accident. If the car is wrecked, Chrysler wins big. And, the average driver gets into an accident every seven years. If the car is written off, so is the warranty.
But, there is the potential for a major payoff. If you drive the car more than the average driver, let’s say 20,000 miles per year, you hit 100,000 miles within five years. 200,000 miles within ten years. And, you will be well up there in miles if you buy a car with 30,000 miles on it to begin with.
But, there’s the rub. Cars are lasting a lot longer today… Chrysler knows this. The only major components that really break down often (and are expensive) are the transmission, water pumps, air conditioner, etc. Most of the components that break are actually not that expensive to fix, especially with Mopar’s negotiated rates that dealers have with Mopar to begin with. You think Mopar pays the same you do at the dealership for repairs? Nope…
Finally, the last picture of the equation that favors Chrysler, is the writeoff amount. If your 250,000 mile Charger is only worth $6,000… they aren’t going to pay $8,000 to swap out your blown engine. They, at most, will cut you a $6,000 check and send your car to the junkyard.
In other words, Chrysler is asking you to put up about $3,000 to $3,500 of your money, betting that you’ll either sell or wreck your car with only a grand at the most of repairs redeemed. If not, they’re hoping you’ll junk the car. And, if all else fails, they’re holding their breath that you’ll be one of the few customers that waits until the car is almost worthless to actually tap the full amount.
The big gamble for Chrysler is if many of these cars start to break down, in the 100,000 to 200,000 mile range. That’s where the consumer wins big. Chrysler can’t fall back on the cash-out value since these cars can easily still be worth five figures… such as a loaded Chrysler 300 Hemi AWD or Charger R/T.
Conclusions
So, is it a good deal for you? If you’re a high-mileage driver, if you run cars into the ground, and selling a car is something that never crosses your mind… it’s a great deal. GM and Ford may want to take notice, since this deal is tempting enough to woo me from the competition, over to Mopar.
Full Disclosure
Since writing this article in 2013, I’ve purchased a 2015 Chrysler 200S, and locked in a Lifetime Mopar Maximum Care contract. I paid $2,600 for the warranty, and it was a CPO (so it has a 7 year, 70,000 mile powertrain policy too). I also purchased a wheel and tire policy for seven years from Mopar (far better than the dealer-offered policy).
Had it not been for the Mopar Max Care Lifetime policy, I would have gone with a much older car, probably from GM (either a Saab 9-3, Chevy HHR SS, or a Pontiac G8 GT). I’m very happy with my purchase, and plan to drive the car to 300,000 miles. I may even pay for certain repairs myself if they exceed the write-off amount of the vehicle down the road, but by that point, autonomous driving may take over.
Right now, with the FCA cars beating even BMW cars in the small-offset safety tests (that’s right, a 2015 200S has much better IIHS safety ratings that a BMW 3-series of the same age), my game plan is to lock in cars today… and wait for autonomous driving to truly kick in. The Mopar Lifetime policy is perfect for that plan.
Performance Parts
Mopar replied to a letter of mine confirming that Magnuson-Moss rules do not apply. Adding something as simple as a third-party Cold Air Intake (CAI) can void your lifetime policy.
Florida & North Carolina Residents
Side note for folks living in those two states. Your Mopar Lifetime service contracts can be transferred by state law. It is unclear how many times they can be transferred, as some North Carolina policies say they can only be transferred once. On older cars pre-bankruptcy cars (those with the Lifetime Powertrain Warranty), the powertrain components will be excluded – on newer (FCA) cars, powertrain coverage will be retained.
As discovered on this thread, it is very important if you live in FL or NC, to only buy a policy from a dealership in your home state. This is because it appears that Mopar is only allowing transferability if both the car and the policy, were purchased/transferred in the home state. If you buy from an out-of-state dealer, your policy may not be transferable later.
There are a couple of things I’m not clear on transfers, like how many times they can be transferred, but it is definitely an option only in those states. And, as far as I am aware, it does not appear that you can simply “net” lifetime transferability by purchasing the policy from a dealer in the state… again, the car, and the policy, have to be bought in-state.
Names on Policy
One more important addendum. When you purchase the policy, you have to put names on it. Even if the vehicle is titled to a company for commercial use (which is allowed – with a few exceptions), an actual human being must be on the Mopar lifetime policy.
That said, Mopar does allow you (only at the time of purchase) to place a second individual’s name on the Max Care policy. This person does not have to be on the vehicle title. This is important, because it’s basically life insurance. When you die, the lifetime policy literally dies with you. So you may want to put the policy in the name of a spouse or child, that will ideally take ownership of the vehicle after you pass on.
It’s common for people to pass vehicle’s on to their children after a decade or so of ownership. Even if your child is only a few years old, it’s not a bad idea to put their name on the Mopar policy when you buy it, to make sure they can inherit both the car – and the lifetime coverage someday.
This article has been updated over the years, as the requirements for Mopar lifetime warranties have evolved and simplified a bit.
PSA: MOPAR is ENDING the sale of Lifetime policies for the foreseeable future, on November 30 2018! More details here.
will the bumper to bumper life-time also cover power train and all mechanical parts as the maximum 5000 warranty
I have this warranty on my SRT challenger.
I wouldn’t purchase a peice of bubble gum from these people. They participated in a very deceptive act with a local dealership, when I submitted the vehicle. Because the dealership sells this to their customers for them they sided with them. Instead of refuse nding it to its rite full place .
A hidden gem? More like a piece of coal. My car has been in and out of their dealer service centers for almost an entire year, and the problem that has been misdiagnosed repeatedly is still not fixed. I have lost countless hours (well, not countless; I have extremely accurate records of lost work time and so far I have lost over $20,000 in billable time alone, not counting out of pocket travel expenses getting back and forth to their dealerships), the service managers are argumentative and counterproductive; one of them actually refused to speak with the Chrysler master mechanics and closed the case the day it was opened by Case Management and the other one insists the loud whining noise that everyone hears (including two Chrysler Case Managers) was fixed and does not exist. Today I took it to a transmission repair shop and they heard the noise immediately, diagnosed the problem, and said they could fix it.. When I told them the Jeep dealer had already replaced the rear differential twice, they laughed and said anyone can replace a part but if it’s not done correctly it won’t solve the problem.
I have a Life of the Car Maximum Care warranty. That means Chrysler has to fix this car until I sell it or until I die. They are trying desperately to get me out of this car and into a new one and have offered me inside pricing + $5000 but that still leaves me with a $650/month payment, which I am not willing to assume. The warranty cost me $3000; I expect them to honor it and to fix this car properly. Both service managers have told me to buy a new car (like it’s their business?) and I’m wondering if they are deliberately not fixing it so I will throw up my hands and make Chrysler’s problem my own. Frankly, something smells rotten in Denmark and in fact, without making an accusation, it appears that Chrysler Customer Care and the dealers are colluding.
I should also mention that my car has an unusually low trade in or resale value because there is a carfax that shows an accident where all four airbags went off. That is accurate. Of course, it should be noted that the REASON for the accident is that the car, a Certified Pre-Owned purchased at a “Five Star Dealer” was sold with every item checked off, meaning that it had passed their supposedly rigorous inspection prior to sale. That said, less than a month after I purchased the car, I skidded on a damp road and was unable to stop; I was not speeding, I had plenty of time to stop, and the car just slid on the road with the ABS brakes locking up. When the insurance company and the body shop inspected it, they determined that the tires had unacceptably low tread, and contacted the dealer, who without hesitation replaced all four tires.
I have told Chrysler that I will take this car to any other competent dealer because the two they have out here – one of whom no longer even sells Jeeps – are completely inept and have not, in more than ten months, been able to correct the problem. While that would seem like a logical solution, Customer Care has discovered that no other dealership will touch the car citing poor workmanship concerns by one of their own dealer. I said I would have it done by an independent mechanic that I know and trust, but they are refusing to authorize that repair because they are “afraid they won’t use factory parts,” a specious and self serving argument since the front differential they just put in unnecessarily was a discontinued part; they actually had to rebuild the existing one using pieces from who knows where.
Chrysler has transferred me from Case Manager to Case Manager. The one who called me tonight – Kelly Sadler – managed to get me angrier in less than five minutes with her inappropriate attitude and tone of voice that I have been in the last 6 months. She seems to think that offering to have me buy a new car is the solution to the problem and I agree…it is the solution to CHRYSLER’S problem, not mine.
I have written documentation on everything, and will be contacting the Department of Consumer Fraud and an attorney. Chrysler has left me no alternative. I want this car fixed IN A TIMELY FASHION and if not, I will sue every single person I have dealt with as well as the dealership that sold me the car, wasted 8 months of my life, the second dealer that effectively called me a liar when I said the noise is still there, and Chrysler, for breach of contract.
wow, I just went back to the dealer and bought the warranty and now read this
Jim, you can cancel the Mopar warranties within 30 days and get a full refund. However, my experience – and most experiences with Mopar Max Care have been different from Barbara’s.
I am not saying Barbara’s experiences are false in any way – and I’m happy to help her with any additional advice I can give, but most people have had much better experiences with Mopar, including myself.
It sounds like Barbara’s issues are more related to her dealer, than to Mopar warranties. The dealer should not be afraid to service her car, and most aren’t.
As I explained to Barbara – she can take the car to a third-party mechanic and Mopar will pay for the repairs provided she gets pre-approval. I haven’t heard back to see if she attempted that, but I’m happy to help if she does write back in.
Can you get your car worked on at any dodge dealer within the United States? I am looking at a truck right now and they say that they can not sell me the warranty. Any info is greatly appreciated.
Mopar Max Care policies are valid at all Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/RAM dealerships in the nation.
The reimbursement rate is the same as in-warranty work. I’ve never heard of a dealership outright refusing to work on any car with a Mopar policy.
Some dealerships don’t sell Mopar policies – typically because they make more money selling someone else’s warranty. I frankly don’t understand the logic behind that, because if someone wants a Mopar warranty… it translates into more business for that dealership’s service department.
Smart dealerships sell local customers Mopar warranties nearly at cost. Then they know you’ll bring in the car for nearly every minor issue, raking in the bucks for their service department.
Yes..anywhere in the U.S I have (2) 2008 T&C’s and have them fixed anywhere my old girls decide to . I absolutely love these warranties.
So, how did it all end up?
These are great warranties but beware. I had a lifetime warranty on the powertrain and had a 2008 Durango in for service due transmission issues. The dealer worked on the vehicle and did not perform any repairs on the transmission. When the transmission failed 3 months later they refused to honor the warranty. Chrysler voided my warranty and wanted $4000.00 to replace the transmission. Excuse given–You did not present a Chrysler voucher to accompany your request for your 5 year powertrain inspection–Chrysler does not provide a voucher and the dealership does not provide a voucher–no voucher no warranty—they basically transformed a lifetime warranty into a scam. You asked for the inspection–no voucher –no inspection–voided warranty–too bad so sad.
@Brian – Yes, that is a known issue with the OLDER policies. A lawsuit is actually in the courts right now on that topic.
But to be perfectly clear, that 5 year inspection rule does not apply to ANY lifetime policy for a 2011 or newer vehicle.
If it’s 2011 or newer, you don’t need to have it inspected every five years.
Barb,
A) What car is this, the new Cherokee?
B) Why don’t you quit taking the vehicle back, save all the service records and claim the vehicle under lemon law (since your vehicle came with a warranty, any vehicle with an expressed warranty is eligible for lemon law)
C) Why don’t you try a new dealer? Just because their all Chrysler dealer’s doesn’t mean they all do the same job, furthermore you don’t have to go to where you bought it
What was the diagnosis with the rear end of your car? I have a 2012 Dodge Journey with rear noise, they replaced the rear differential in January but I am still having noise and slipping upon turning.
Mopar Extended Warranties can approve a non-FCA dealership working on your car. However, it requires pre-approval.
I would definitely try all FCA dealerships (even a Fiat dealership), before going to a shop that is not Fiat-Chrysler linked.
In Barbara’s case, my concern would be that Mopar might claim that the non-FCA mechanic added to the problem, or caused damage, and then create ambiguity to deny a claim later on.
I doubt it is a new vehicle, so the Mopar warranty is the only lever at this point.
I have been shafted by Dodge. I purchased the warranty in Sept. 2012. I paid $5,000. A balooned price, and am not able to get anything fixed. No dealer wants to suffer the cost to fix my problems. Most recent is the air flaps on the grill. The motors have broken not allowing for the flaps to open. Now the engine fan races all the time and I am getting about 24 mpg on my 2013 Dart! Not impressed with Dodge anymore!
@Ernest – If a dealer refuses to do the work, Mopar is required to coordinate finding another dealer with you that will do the work. If they can’t find a dealer, they’re obligated to pay your local dealer’s higher amounts.
Since it’s driveable, how far have you gone looking for a dealer? Have you contacted Mopar for help?
And how far before it becomes too burdensome to be viable? And where is that written?
I don’t have a Mopar contract to read off of, but it’s basic insurance law. Insurance companies must pay what the market commands for repairs or remedies (unless there’s a cap in the contract – I don’t believe Mopar lifetime policies have a per-repair rate cap beyond the vehicle’s total value).
If no FCA dealer in the area is willing to do the work, at the rates quoted, Mopar has to offer you an alternative resolution. You can enter binding arbitration with Mopar to compel this, typically. At that point, the insurance company (in this case, Mopar) will often capitulate.
It sounds like you should first spend more time with Mopar customer service. Try to get a supervisor to own this situation and resolve it with you directly. If you haven’t yet. Calmly explain to them directly the situation, and that you can’t find any FCA dealer locally to perform the work.
Do not get angry, no matter the stress. Tell Mopar that you need your warranty rights to be honored, and that they need to provide a resolution. Send a demand letter if that fails. Then enter binding arbitration. If they refuse, call a lemon law attorney. You can often get legal fees if they do not honor arbitration clauses, and a good lemon law attorney may take the case on contingency if it has to go to trial (they almost never do).
They may locate a non-FCA dealer to do the work. That’s fine… but I would avoid taking the car to a non-FCA mechanic, unless and until Mopar wants you to. You should document the full name, date, and time they say that. That way, if someone later blames the non-FCA mechanic for damaging the vehicle, you won’t lose your warranty rights.
At this point, I would advise you not having the dealer work with Mopar. Talk to Mopar direct, and ask them to find an FCA dealer that is willing to perform the work at their rates.
If that falls through, you can enter arbitration and seek to have Mopar to buy back the car from you – but it is time consuming, and not ideal. It’s very rare that it ever comes to that.
I have had to have a company buy a car back before myself, based on the service contract, so I can’t say it’s unheard of.
Clarification: I said something that inferred that if the repair cost exceeds the value of the car, that your car will be junked.
Which is kinda correct, but I want to clarify completely. In the event your repair exceeds the NADA blue book value of the car, Mopar can (and likely will) cut you a check for the blue book value of the car – and then terminate the warranty.
You do still keep the car, but it’s then out of warranty, and you have to dispose of it or fix it with your own money. This applies to all Mopar extended warranties… but impacts the lifetime warranty the most.
For lifetime warranty holders, later in the warranty you may have to get tactical. For example, if your car depreciates to $3,000 – but is in good shape – you may not want to file a claim on the transmission if it fails… assuming the repair cost is above $3,000. Instead, you may want to opt to have it replaced with a used one out of pocket. Then the car would still get lifetime warranty repairs for any component/incident worth less than $3,000 – and you would put off having to replace the car for year(s).
I don’t know where people get their info but as far as I’m concerned the place I go to is very worried about online reviews so they try to help you. I got the car in 2 times to fix the sunroof under the original warranty but I also bought the lifetime. Both times I got a replacement car. I drove around everywhere without putting miles on my car while they had mine. They eventually got it fixed but not 100% since it makes a little sound but its not even noticeable. Every service will not be 100% so stop complaining. If you are saying that they won’t cover it under warranty then this in my case is not true. I also did an oil change which is free for lifetime at that dealer. So all in all I paid somethink like $5 for oil change, DMV and all the other repairs. By the way I noticed that they checked and filled up all fluids and also changed the wiper at no cost. When I was on vacations I got a call from Chrysler asking my feedback on the issue. What else do you need from a manufacturer? Who else offers a lifetime warranty? By the way buy the warranty online at a fraction of the cost…I went to the dealer saying that they should give it to me for $2,500 and they were laughing as they said they pay close to double! I got it for $2,300 and went back to them with the contract…lifetime $100 deductible. Also read and follow service schedules on the user manual. No need to fall in the dealer’s trap who want you there every 6 months. First Jeep service is at 20,000 miles – change cabin filter. Also a tip is that even if you do your own maintenance e.g. change the cabin filter the warranty will still apply. By law they can’t force you anymore to go to a dealer for a service. Just keep the receipts. The actual dealer told me that. And don’t forget you can always make a complain to consumer protection and believe me that threat always works
I’m looking at a 2013 Dodge Ram Sport Model and dealer is not wanting to sell me a Lifetime Warranty for some reason. I find that odd myself. It is Certified but what does that really mean since it past the 3 yr. 36,000 mile warranty. You just pay more for something that’s not covered. The truck has 39,000 miles on it right now. Where did you find your Lifetime Warranty for $2,300 at. I need some input please.
First, is the in-service date for the vehicle less than four years? Just because it’s a 2013 model year, doesn’t mean it wasn’t built in 2012, and may be just beyond the 48 month period.
I would call Mopar Vehicle Protection sales directly at 1-888-240-2709 and have them run a quote based on your truck’s VIN. They will tell you exactly what is available for your car today, and how long you have to decide on a lifetime plan.
Just an FYI, FCA has begun excluding the catalytic converter from Mopar Lifetime warranties. If yours covers it or not depends on when it was written. It appears this change went into effect either in late 2015 or early 2016.
I can understand why FCA is excluding this part on lifetime warranties, since it is a part that is designed to eventually require replacement – albeit, 10-15 years after the vehicle was first put into service… not to mention, it’s one of the most expensive things to replace on an older car, that doesn’t total it out.
Stumbled across this doing research on the lifetime service contract I bought on my PT cruiser in 2008.
I paid $1500 extra for the LSC on a $21,000 car and have followed the service manual religiously. The car now has 160K miles and the LSC (with $900 of deductible) has saved me $7000 in repairs. The lifetime power train warranty has saved me an additional $6000… So $13K in total, between the two.
The dealership has always been very considerate of the LSC (no reason not to, they still get fully paid for the work) and I’ve been VERY satisfied with my decision to buy it in the first place.
There’s a web site dedicated the vehicle (it’s a little behind), you can find it by searching on “continual car.”
Updated the article with transferability notes for Florida & North Carolina residents. Also added a link to the Mopar letter about performance parts.
Was at my local dealer today asking about the lifetime warranty. I asked about performance parts and they were clear that third party parts will not be covered but will not void the warranty on other parts unless the third party part can be shown to have caused the failure of another stock part. Also they said that Mopar branded performance parts are covered under the Lifetime Warranty. This is what the finance guy at the dealership said. He said they get this question a lot and they clarified this with Mopar and that is what they came up with. Is there any confirmation out there of this?
I recently got more (written) confirmation/clarity from Mopar on this.
Mopar performance parts that do not start with a “P” will not void the Mopar extended warranties, provided they are installed by an FCA dealership.
Parts that begin with a “P” are excluded because they are not designed for on-road (in other words, racing-only) use.
The dealer-installed part is obviously something to be aware of. I presume that gives FCA an out if you didn’t install a Cold Air Intake properly and the engine later fails.
I would be interested in any updates to what you think of the warranty Chris.
Does the warranty contract give the dealer or Chrysler any “outs”? Such as what you mentioned they can give you a check instead of fixing the blown engine?
The policy doesn’t cover cosmetic, rattles or noise issues… but that’s standard for all extended service policies. The Mopar Max Care is pretty much a standard service contract, just with lifetime coverage (and the transfer prohibitions).
There was, on the old factory Chrysler powertrain lifetime warranty, a requirement you have the car inspected (for free) every 5 years (within about 90 days), and that was a big gotcha back in the day. A lot of people lost their lifetime coverage because they forgot to take it in and get the car checked out.
But importantly, Mopar dropped that requirement post-bankruptcy when they relaunched Max Care in 2011 or so, as a standalone lifetime policy. So that only applies to the older lifetime powertrain warranties. (That inspection is still required on older cars, many people drive the car to the dealership on literally the first day of the inspection window).
Does the current contract give Chrysler the option of a Kelly Blue Book buy-out instead of a repair?
Yes, as noted in the article. That isn’t a Chrysler thing, by the way. Any extended warranty or service contract will always give the provider the option of totaling out the car for fair market value.
I don’t think the Mopar contract defines a specific blue book, I think it simply says fair market value. This may be something you have to arbitrate if it becomes relevant.
I really haven’t heard many people that have had their cars bought back by Mopar under the rule. Usually this happens with real lemon cars that are in the shop weekly, for valid reasons, that just keep happening.
Post-2010 cars are holding value better than ever before – largely because cars are now lasting more than an average of 15 years. So it will be a very long time before an engine or transmission replacement would exceed the value of the car.
Good points. Thanks for your input!
Buyout instead of repair:
My car is under the 2008 contract -which is still valid- not the current one.
But I’m CERTAIN the new contracts include a $25 buyout of the contract (or something similar) if your repairs are > the blue book value of the car.
It’s an actuarial method to be able to definitively declare what the end-value of all outstanding contracts are at any point in time.
It keeps the company from having to pay an infinite amount for infinity.
Article has been updated with a new section, at the end, called “Names on Policy” – just wanted those who are following via comments to know!
I just want to add my two-cents to this conversation. In February of 2009, I purchased a new Jeep Compass and the extended lifetime bumper to bumper warranty. The vehicle has over 270,000 miles on it and I could not be happier with the vehicle and the savings that have come with the warranty. That warranty has covered things I never dreamed would be covered, as well as some high end things like the transmission and a/c. I wish I had bought the warranty for our Dodge Grand Caravan, because it has been such a good thing with the Jeep. The only downfall with the warranty is that the ‘free loaner’ while your vehicle is being serviced stops at 167,000 miles and there seems to be a slight tendency to schedule your service out later if they can.
While looking for info on the Mopar Maximum Care Lifetime Plan, I came across your blog (a very interesting read) and would love to hear your opinion.
Having purchased a new Jeep Grand Cherokee last year, I’ve been receiving the promotions for the vehicle protection plans, and I’m on the fence about whether one would be right for me.
I don’t see much point in purchasing anything less than the lifetime plan, but due to my driving habits, don’t know if it would be likely to pay off.
My driving history is atypical. I keep a vehicle for a long time, but don’t put many miles on it. I kept my last car for 15 years but only put about 35,000 miles on it (and didn’t need any majorly expensive service).
Now that I’m retired I drive even fewer miles per year. I’ve had my Jeep for 15 months now and only have about 900 miles on it. But since this is my first vehicle that is jam-packed with tons of sophisticated electronics, I fear that this might be what is most likely to fail first. (And I have no idea how expensive it is to service the electronics.)
So, the question I’m facing is this; for a vehicle like mine, and a driver who doesn’t expect to put a lot of miles on it, does it make sense to buy the Lifetime Plan or take my chances and pay for repairs out of pocket?
Thanks.
With modern cars it’s age, not miles, that kills cars. Also where you live matters too. States with extreme heat or cold (snow or temps above 100 degrees) for more than a month out of the year, tend to have more seasonal wear.
That actually can be greater if the car isn’t running, since cooling or heating some components just doesn’t happen as much.
The big question you should ask are: A) Would you like to keep this car in 15 or 20 years? and B) Do you have someone in your family that you would like to have this car (or would benefit from it)?
If the answer to at least B is yes, then certainly make sure their name is the secondary name on the Lifetime Max Care policy. If you have a grandchild – it’s not a bad idea to consider that self-driving cars may not be as advanced in a decade or two as we hope – and it might make an excellent starter vehicle for someone else… with a lifetime warranty for them to enjoy.
Hi everyone, in case you were subscribed to this article’s comments for updates… I have some bad news. MOPAR has decided to halt sales of Lifetime vehicle service contracts – effective November 30.
More details can be found here: https://www.christopherprice.net/mopar-is-ending-lifetime-extended-warranties-on-november-30-4228.html
I got one off these warranties on my 2013 Ram 1500. It was lifted and had 20X12.5 wheels and 35 inch tires on it. Have it at the dealership today with the wheels pitting, and am being told that the warranty will not cover a part that was not original to the truck when it came off the assembly line.
They replaced these same style wheels in 2014, I though with a new set, but all they did was talk a set off another truck they had on the lot. We will see. This is bull crap if it doesn’t.
The lifetime MOPAR policies do not cover wheels and tires. They have a separate Wheel & Tire Protection Plan, which is very low priced versus some rivals.
I’m only posting to make sure others understand that this isn’t a Lifetime warranty question. The wheels are considered like tires, shocks, brakes, struts, and are your responsibility to replace wheels that you add separately.
Now, the lifetime Mopar warranty will cover Mopar parts that you add (provided they are listed as covered). A good example would be something like a Remote Start Kit. If the antenna in the vehicle stops working, and that module has to be replaced, the replacement parts and labor should be covered by the Lifetime Max Care policy.
These wheels and tires were put on by the dealership before I bought the truck. I would figure a bumper to bumper warranty would cover the wheels, sense they put them on. I have spent nearly $100,00 at this dealership in the last 13 years. If they dont want to take care of me, I’ll go to a Chevy.
Dealer installed parts are always a case-by-case thing. Always have been, always will be.
In the case of wheels, this is why Wheel & Tire protection plans have become ubiquitous, and frankly, not that expensive. Most people never file a claim on them, so they’re dirt cheap. A few hundred dollars can net you 5/6/7 years, and then covers any wheels and any tires you put on them.
That isn’t a Mopar vs GM thing. It’s just how the whole industry handles it today. What I’m saying is, you would probably have had the same experience with GM. Dealers don’t really profit on new cars like they used to.
Ever since the bankruptcies, the dealers got cut down to basically razor-thin profits. All it’s made on is the trade in, used cars, and the service department. That’s where dealers make money today.
Thanks for the information. They did not offer that wheel and tire package when I bought the truck. Hopefully the wheel company will trade them. Thanks again.
Christopher – Any advice for someone who’s taking a CPO 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee overseas (I’m a US Defense Contractor going to Germany)? I’m told my Manufacturer’s warranty is voided once I leave the US.
Thanks!
I don’t know if it’s voided, but it may not be honored while abroad. Meaning if you have something catastrophic, like engine failure, you might be stuck shipping it back to the states.
Ideally since you’re in the defense business, you can make the case to the local FCA dealer rep in Germany should you have any trouble.
But yes, this is one of the things auto makers do to pressure people to leave their old cars behind – and buy new ones.