Extended maintenance value with looming needs

[mjposner]

My car has just shy of 30k miles, and is at the dealer for the 30k check. I go off maintenance in November. I tried to get a spark plug change, but rep told me I had 6,300 miles to go.

My free maintenance expires 11/19/15, and I will likely only drive about 3,500 more.

So given that I will need the spark pugs changed mid February and brakes by mid-may, is it worth it to pay 1 year / 25,000 miles $1,605.00?

I am looking to keep car until fall 2016 (hope to do ED on a new M2 or M4 in September 2016)

Thanks

[mjposner]

Another alternative is do nothing and trade car in to dealer with 45k needing service and see if it affects trade in value??

[dparm]

Unless something radical happens and you find yourself driving an insane number of miles over the next year, it's not worth it. Indie shops + buying your own parts online will be well under the $1600.

What will the car really need in the next year? Plugs, an oil change, and maybe an air filter change? I figure that's maybe $300-400 in parts and maybe another $300-400 in labor at an indie shop. Heck, you can do all of those services yourself if you've got basic mechanical skills. Even if you're nervous about an indie shop or can't find one, the dealer would probably only charge you 3 hours of labor for all of that (figure maybe $150/hr)...still well under $1600.

[kb9uwu]

Sounds like you need to put 6,300 miles on your car before November. Let me know if you need any help with that.

[buddalun]

Originally Posted by dparm

Unless something radical happens and you find yourself driving an insane number of miles over the next year, it's not worth it. Indie shops + buying your own parts online will be well under the $1600.

What will the car really need in the next year? Plugs, an oil change, and maybe an air filter change? I figure that's maybe $300-400 in parts and maybe another $300-400 in labor at an indie shop. Heck, you can do all of those services yourself if you've got basic mechanical skills. Even if you're nervous about an indie shop or can't find one, the dealer would probably only charge you 3 hours of labor for all of that (figure maybe $150/hr)...still well under $1600.

You don't seem to be accounting for the brakes the OP may need. This will be a significant cost to consider whether done at an indie or dealer, potentially making the maintenance more valuable.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by buddalun

You don't seem to be accounting for the brakes the OP may need. This will be a significant cost to consider whether done at an indie or dealer, potentially making the maintenance more valuable.

I dunno, the brakes on these cars last a LONG time. I don't know if he's tracking it regularly, or doing high speed panic stops on a daily basis, but hitting 50k on stock brakes is quite easy.

FWIW, my car is at 61k and the brakes are still nice and thick front/rear.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by mjposner

So given that I will need the spark pugs changed mid February and brakes by mid-may, is it worth it to pay 1 year / 25,000 miles $1,605.00?

I am looking to keep car until fall 2016 (hope to do ED on a new M2 or M4 in September 2016)

Thanks

if you can ensure you will get the brake change (rotors and pads and fluid), then it's around break even vs you buying the OEM parts and taking it to indy. Again you have to do the brakes though.

last time I checked all the parts alone come in at around $1300.

[4corners]

Plugs are $150 in labor. Brake pads are all you'll need for a long long time and they aren't that much. Keep it and drive it more.

[Disturbed]

Drive it....put over 350mi on mine today.