While doing some digging online yesterday, I came across the BG Lifetime Protection Plan and a breakdown of how to qualify and remain eligible for coverage. There are two plans that differ slightly and start at 0-36,000 miles or 36,001-75,000 miles. This is the base coverage plan that is started by your free oil change (if you own a 2010-2011 Saab) offered at participating Saab Service Centers.
I also dug a little further and found a complete breakdown of the program and how to maintain your coverage and put that into a pdf format. I sent this off to SPNA and was told that the info I have is the same that they have and that it is in for final approval before being sent out to the dealer network which means it could change a little but this is the coverage as noted from the BG information I could find.
It is important to note that the SPNA team is about 20 between the main office and the warehouse. All of them are one person operations. In other words, a marketing and comm’s department run by one person. Another person is the IT department, etc. One person doing it all for each area of the operation. Trying to stay lean and cost effective as they start-up.
Sit back and read it at your leisure, there is lots to read. I hope this helps.
Lifetime BG Protection Plan
To maintain protection:
Service interval: 30,000 miles (50,000 km)
Engine service interval: 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Fuel service interval: 15,000 miles (25,000 km)
Lifetime BG Protection Plan covers only components serviced by BG products.
Lifetime BG Protection Plan coverage:
Plan 1:
Initial service performed within
0-36,000 miles (0-60,000 km)
Plan coverage:
Up to $4,000 USD per service interval on:
Fuel System
Engine
Drive Line
Brake System
Cooling System
Power Steering
Up to $2,000 USD per service interval on:
Automatic Transmission
Plan 2:
Initial service performed within
36,001-75,000 (60,001-120,000 km)
Plan coverage:
Up to $2,000 USD per service interval on:
Fuel System
Engine
Drive Line
Brake System
Cooling System
Power Steering
Up to $1,000 USD per service interval on:
Automatic Transmission
Now the meat of it all and what is important to anyone thinking this could take the place of a warranty. If you have or are considering a warranty, I would say to keep it or to look into buying one because there is still more to cover then what the SAAB Secure will cover. This is a great plan that as long as you do proper maintenance, you will have some coverages that up to now you did not. Click the photo below to read all that is covered and what is needed to maintain coverage (this document was created by myself not SPNA).
Jiffy Lube is near $100.00 for a synthetic oil change for most cars (more if the crankcase takes more oil) so $120.00 from a dealer—-while steep—-doesn’t appear to be highway robbery. I’ve found independents who do these for under $80.00 too.
I am really not complaining, just stating a point. I have been going to the same quick lube place for years and they do Mobil 1 synthetic in all my vehicles. They charge $70 for a full service Mobil 1 change on my NG 9-5. I get mine changed every 5000 miles unlike the dealers 10,000 plus recommendation. I am glad to see the added coverage available.
Thanks Jason, things are starting to come into focus which is really encouraging. I too look forward to hearing more about the extended coverages that will be offered.
Do they realize the oil/engine service interval on the NG 9-5 is 10,000 miles – not 7,500?
this program is a BG program so BG sets the interval and it applies to more then just Saab so it probably makes it easier to just use a set interval for all cars.
I can’t imagine leaving oil in a crankcase for 10,000 miles. I’ve never done that and don’t plan to.
I also don’t believe most oil filters are designed to handle those kind of intervals.
Do you think SPNA will ever offer a complete coverage plan?
Not for free I do not. They will offer at reduced prices.
Good!
BG warranties only cover failures of INTERNALLY LUBRICATED PARTS. So, when your cylinder head gasket starts leaking, it is NOT covered. NO seals or gaskets are covered. The odds of you having an internal engine or transmission failure is slim if you do your fluid maintenences at 30k intervals, so there is little to no risk for BG to extend such coverage. It SOUNDS good in theory, but in practice it really doesn’t provide you with much coverage.
That might be true—-but at least it gets you thinking about performing the fluid changes/maintenance. And there’s always a chance that an internal part will go bad for some reason and at least you then have a possibility of having a major repair covered. If it’s a non-issue, maybe every fluid manufacturer should offer the same warranty they do. Also—-I think with or without this warranty, even if it’s a gimmick—-the BG chemicals are top shelf and worth having in your car.
This is why I have stated here and in other threads that if you have an extended warranty, keep it. Also, there are extended warranties that will be offered at Saab dealers for competitive pricing. The BG plan is good in that it will keep your car in great condition because you follow a strict service schedule and if you buy an extended warranty, this will continue long after the warranty is done. The BG plan may have limitations but in most cases it would at least cover part of the repair bill.
I’m still disappointed in GM’s lack of response. This seems like a token program that allows them to say they’ve done something, hoping Saab owners will give up/go away. Didn’t Castrol do something similar? Though of some value, I think it’s more of a benefit to BG than Saab owners.
This program has nothing to do with GM though, GM washed their hands of Saab and turned their backs on the customers. They made themselves look like they were good guys by offering the balance of warranty being covered on 2009 and older but this was always in place as GM was supposed to be paying Saab/Swan for warranty work on GM sold Saabs.
Why the heck would SPNA make an announcement without actual details. Ridiculous. Where is the info about the “other” warranty plans?
Checked in officially to see if any warranty product would be replacing CPO’s… Answer is no…
In the last years of SAAB in Canada, we didn’t have this program and I still find it confusing. CPO’s use to be backed by a warranty company and I believe in the past it was GMPP but I never had the program so I have not been able to find anything out on it. If it were just backed by SWAN, it wouldn’t be what I’m use to in warranties. If it were backed by a warranty company then we would have to find out who they were and then see why it is not covered anymore.
So I’m confused. Is this free? Is there a paid, “upgraded” warranty coming, also? Is my dealer really going to know about it? And by “my dealer,” I mean a dealer that used to sell Saabs, in which half the employees have probably come and gone since then.
What about the interim – will one have to prove they’ve stuck to a certain schedule in the past year?