Piston Slap: A Faltering Ford’s ESP?

Monday, March 17, 2014

Piston Slap: A Faltering Ford’s ESP?

Mark writes:

Sajeev–

I'm sure you've fielded similar questions in the past, but in the spirit of basic cable, here's a potential re-run: I have a 2012 Mustang V6 with the performance package & a 6-speed manual. It's coming up on 26k miles, so I've got 10k miles and/or about 9 months before the 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty expires. The car has had a couple issues covered under warranty so far, with the biggest one being a new steering box at about 15k miles. A nearby Ford dealer will sell me a Ford factory warranty (not an aftermarket roll of the dice) to basically double the 3/36 coverage for about $1200.

That comes with a $100 deductible, and if I sell the car before the warranty expires, I can have the unused portion refunded to me. Normally I wouldn't consider buying an extended warranty, but I've had just enough trouble with the car up to this point, and read enough horror stories about the MT82 gearbox, to make me think about it. I'm really not sure how long I'll keep the car, but I do like the idea of having that warranty security blanket as long as I do. What's your take?

Sajeev answers:

Nothing wrong with revisiting a classic! We've previously said that "scary" Euro-metal needs an extended warranty, provided you shop around for the best price. And that less scary metal might not benefit from any warranty, even the factory one with fancy Lexus loaner cars and plush Lexus lounges. So why not discuss in terms of Ford's ESP plan?

This commonplace, low value Ford product (unlike the Lexus and BMW) is not an easy vehicle to armchair assess and judge. Aside from the well known MT82, will an "unmodified" Mustang have significant failure in the next 72,000-ish miles and 3-ish years? I am guessing not. And will the MT82 survive under the V6′s less aggressive torque curve and your shifting behavior? That's entirely possible.

Back to the unmodified part: assuming you aren't skirting warranty issues with an non-stock engine tune (that pushes the boundaries of "safe" aftermarket air-fuel ratios) or aftermarket suspension bits, etc. you aren't likely to break anything large enough to justify the cost of the warranty.

My gut says no, don't get an extended warranty. Instead get a local mechanic that you trust, and use places like Rockauto and eBay for getting spares. But if the peace of mind suits you, stick with the factory (i.e. Ford ESP) warranty and shop around: perhaps you can get it for less by emailing dealerships across the country.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you're in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.