ft. worth was bad on 121 going into downtown from 820. when we moved here i had a 2000 accord with 16 in rims (big tires). within 2 months i had two tires that had bulged out at the sidewalls so i went ahead and bought a new set of tires. it's not like i wasn't avoiding them. but you swerve to avoid one and you run right into another one or you've got someone on both sides of you so you're nice enough to not side swipe the guy next to you. glad i don't work in that area anymore. since then, they've repaved the entire highway but it's a couple of years too late. that could've saved me a set of tires for my accord.

 

I purchased the wheel/tire protection plan too, on my last car I had two separate instances where I damaged wheels within a two year period, never flats but the wheels were shot. I figured at a couple hundred per wheel it was worth the insurance, but I negotiated mine down to $260 from $400.

 

make sure them nails go kinda close to the side wall in order to get new tires

 

Since I was planning on adding my 19" aftermarket wheels/tires to my new G, I was concerned as I never seriously considered this insurance before.

Reading the fine print on mine...it covers aftermarket wheels/tires. All for $360? SOLD!

I bought it and hope I never have to use it. Yes it is gravy to the dealer but with one wheel costing more than the coverage, I viewed it as worth the money.

Speaking of gravy to the dealer, you should see the margins on the extended warranties. I am working on a finance package for an auto warranty comapny now and it is almost obscene at the money made on them!

 

jimstuy,

This may offer some people "peace of mind" but overall this is a bad investment.

When was the last time you totally trashed a factory wheel? And even if you did, more than likely it would be the result of an accident, which would be covered by your insurance.

Yes, you may get a flat, but flat repairs are relatively cheap and can be done at any tire retailer. If the tire needs to be replaced, you can get a new tire including mounting and balancing for around $250 - $275 - which is still less than the $400 they are charging for this 'so-called' Tire and Protection Package"! Also, you need to read the fine print to see if when they replace a tire that it is not prorated based on tread wear. Note that if you have the Tire and Wheel Package, these are summer tires anyway which will probably not last more than 18 months, depending on your mileage.

Bottom line, this is nothing more than the dealer attempting to make additional (100%) profit off of your purchase. Sure, the people that purchased this package (and others as well) have filed claims, and are taken care of without question. But I am willing to bet that the percentage of people that never have any problems and have paid "$400 a pop" for this protection is far greater than those that have benefited from the protection. Again, I stress – this is pure profit for the dealer.

As has been stated by others in this thread, this is usually presented by the "Finance Guy (or Gal)" where they feel they have your full undivided attention, and “will make one last ditch effort to “empty your wallet any way they can”. Just think about it – by the time you get to this point, they have already made lot money on the deal. Don’t let them fool you with their “I am giving you a great deal” crap! Or “my Sales Manager is going to be mad when he/she finds out that I gave you this great discount! – Whatever!!)

When I bought my G, I didn't even let the guy finish his pitch - I just said no thank you - I don't want any of your packages. He was not happy, but in the end I had peace of mind!

Regards,

 

I've scuffed a couple of my wheels against the curb.

 

I didn't buy it for my car. I've been driving on relatively expensive rims for years and I've never had a need for it. I could see it more for the tires then the wheels but even still thats never come up for me. In the future when I buy tires from another shop either then infiniti, most of those places will cover "road hazards" and crap like that. The bottom line is I have doubts that'll be worth it. At best you'd probably only break even. Who knows, **** happens. I'm taking a chance.

 

gstais said it all.... totally not worth it.... its icing on the cake for the dealership.... and they make $hit loads of money on all finance deals.... tirerack.com sells similar warranty for $10 a tire.... so why pay dealer $400???

 

because it's covering tires AND wheels with no deductible. and for oem 19's you're limited to fewer places which means finding them at a really good price could take time or you could pay premium at the dealer.

 

Bigd2k6,

Who said that the wheels were 19's? If you get the Sport, or the Tire and Wheel Package on the Journey, you get 18 inch wheels. I believe the G37 will have 19's but right now that is a non-issue since the car is not out yet.

Again the chances of a wheel being damaged to the point where it needs replacement is pretty remote (IMHO). In all the years I have been driving (and that's a long time!) , I have never had to replace a wheel due to damage. As for the tires, you would have to replace two tires in a 3-year period (due to an unrepairable flat or sidewall puncture) just to break even.

I stand by my initial comments that any of the dealer packages are not simply worth the money. This includes the extended warranties, paint and fabric protectant, maintenance packages, and on and on ad nauseum.

Bottom line - these packages are nothing more than clever marketing programs to convince you (the buyer) that without these add-ons, you may compromise the performance, the paint and finish, and/or the overall longevity of your vehicle. In the majority of cases (except maybe for the extended warranties) these accessories are typically not worth the paper they are printed on. Even worse, they will tell you that the price of the package is significantly discounted versus what you have to pay for the same work later on.

The one flaw with this approach is simple. As the passionate buyer, you are not going anywhere. That's because you are finalizing the deal and signing contracts, while the Finance person is making their sales pitch. They quote statistics and try to tell you that if you decline, that you may be sorry later on. They play on your emotions, and hope you will bite. But in any other situation, where you are looking to spend a large sum of money, you will do your research and comparison shop. But you can't do that here, because you are essentially being held captive by the dealer, and your burning desire to drive home in your new car!

As for the dealer, they literally salivate at the prospect of making an additional profit margin on each deal (sometimes significant) over and above the profits they have already made - i.e. including your trade-in.

Regards,

 

i got it and i keep my certificate/receipt in the glove just in case i do use it

 

Got it for my car. Girlfriend banged one of the rims on a curb. I got a new wheel and tires. Plan = 500 -- new rim = 751..

The real kicker is that I didnt even buy the protection plan until after I bought the car and the wheel got messed up and it takes a month after u purchase the plan before you can actually use it.

 

I bought this as well.
I've been driving SUVs and Trucks with tires that can handle the potholes of New England (Not to mention the rediculous roads of Auburn, MA )... I'm not angry, really.

Where was I... Oh, but my wife has been sucked into 2 different potholes which have ruined rims. (in Auburn, MA )
These things fill with water when it's raining and they become invisible.

Anyway, she talked me into buying the package, which includes 60 months of roadside assistance (which better come quicker than 8 hours if I need it)

Dealer wanted $795, which I laughed at.
Got him down to $395.

Did anyone get paperwork, or a brochure, or anything that made them feel like they just bought something?

I got nothing.

 

Yep, got a nice pink receipt that I keep in the manual book thingy.

 

On my R32 I lost two $350 PS2s in one night and bent two wheels on a piece of metal the good ol city of Atlanta left in the road. It was a sunday night w/o any traffic and it was slightly raining. They had the descency of leaving it RIGHT at the apex of the turn too so I barely saw it much less try and react to it. Then lets not forget the trannies fighting outside my car as I waited until 3am for the tow truck to come get us (I called at 11pm). Needless to say, I got the warranty...