What is a Maintenance Plan?

When shopping around for an extended service contract, or extended warranty, you may come across something known as a maintenance plan. But what exactly is a maintenance plan and how does it differ from an extended warranty? These are questions that are asked by many consumers. This article will answer those questions and hopefully make you more knowledgeable about maintenance plans.

What Is a Maintenance Plan?

A maintenance plan is a plan that will pay for your regular maintenance items such as engine oil and filter changes, tire rotations, break inspections, and more. The amount of services that a maintenance plan will cover depends upon the level you choose. They can range from the basic service like oil and filter change, tire rotation, and fluid level check, all the way to all filter changes, inspections of several systems, and car rental. There is an upfront cost, but usually the initial cost of a maintenance plan is less that what you would spend if you paid for the regular services one at a time.

How Does A Maintenance Plan Differ From an Extended Warranty?

An extended warranty will cover the cost of repairs if a covered part fails due to a manufacturer defect or workmanship. It will not cover the cost of scheduled maintenance items. A maintenance plan will cover the cost of scheduled maintenance, but will not cover the cost of a mechanical failure.

Having a maintenance plan can not only save you money, but it can also help you to maintain the validity of your factory warranty and extended warranty, if applicable, by helping you to keep up with your scheduled maintenance. So, now you know what a maintenance plan is and how it differs from an extended warranty. When you come across the term next time you will know exactly what you are looking at.