Are Pre-Paid Maitenance Plans Worth Buying?

This basically covers all of your regularly scheduled maintenance, up to a certain mileage - usually 3 years/36,000 miles. It includes oil and filter changes, tire rotation, and mechanical checks.

The plans do not include normal wear and tear items such as brake pads or tires.

In most cases, it's not worth purchasing these pre-paid plans unless you really like the convenience and peace of mind of not having to budget for maintenance down the road.

First of all, most people will end up skipping or missing at least one scheduled maintenance interval - and dealers count on this as extra profit since it's already paid for up front.

If you're considering purchasing one of these plans, you should see exactly what's included and what it would cost if you paid out of pocket each time you brought your car in for maintenance.

If there isn't a decent savings involved, you should just pass on it.

Keep in mind that this plan is completely negotiable. Whatever the dealer quotes you, knock off half and counter-offer with that as your starting bid.