Sky_free, what's your fuel economy while towing?
Area13, I hear ya. With the complexity of the electronics and all, on a vehicle costing over $40k that I would keep for at least 200,000 to 250,000 miles (I drive 20k+ miles/year), I believe I could easily win the extended warranty "gamble" with a lifetime max care contract.
I have always wanted a diesel. Probably because my father had several diesel vehicles that he thought highly of, including a Peugeot and a VW Rabbit... plus there was the White Freightliner and the John Deere 4310 (I put many hours on the latter). I figured out that if I could average 17 mpg while towing (I tow a cargo trailer every day for work, roughly 6x12 enclosed box, and my TT is 7x16 and under 3k lb), I could save nearly $1000/year on fuel.
On the other side of the equation, I definitely want 4WD, and the diesel 4WD Grand Cherokee requires ordering the Luxury Group II package (which I otherwise don't want). This plus the diesel will raise the (invoice) cost about $4000 vs. a non-luxII hemi. (Edit: the Lux II requirement has been dropped by Jeep.) Then there is the whole DPF (diesel particulate filter) thing with its attendant regenerations. And the diesel requires special low-ash synthetic oil, which is currently not carried in stores (not a huge issue, but it makes me give pause).
What is worse, I learned just yesterday that the lifetime max care extended warranty is NOT available for the diesel vehicle! The best I could get is 120k mile coverage on the diesel GC. This exposes me to considerably more financial risk when the vehicle ages; the very time I would most want the coverage is the time after it ends. Let's face it, if an aged turbo goes south it will cost a pretty penny.
My Highlander was very economical to maintain until the past 9 months. I that short time it has had 7 (count 'em, SEVEN!) fluid leaks needing repair, and the bill for all those fixes came to over $3000.
The Mopar Max Care lifetime coverage includes gaskets, seals, and even hoses. But not diesel-equipped GC's. Hmmmm.
