Is Free Maintenance Worth It?

Some car dealers offer free maintenance, up to a certain number of years or miles, on new cars. When you shop for a new car, evaluate whether free maintenance makes sense. Make sure you know exactly what is and is not covered. For example, while all manufactures cover oil changes, some manufacturers cover brakes while others do not. Then evaluate what you will save, based on what items and services are covered. (The average program will save between $300 and $500.) Then consider whether taking the car to the dealership for routine maintenance is convenient; if you buy a car from a manufacturer whose nearest dealer is an hour away, the travel time and inconvenience might not be worth the maintenance cost savings.