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I agree. I've been COD for two years, and every year I get flyers for discounts on service if its done in the month of August. It costs $50 to $75 dollars. Its definitely cheaper than the contract.I
I'm curious....How common is it for a burner, especially a relatively new burner to break down? I can understand if your burner is older that getting the contract might be wiser but I'm thinking the $100 bucks or more you save each year early on is worth it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottzilla
My burner is 3 years old and yes, I dumped the contract and saved a bunch of money. IMO, oil companies charge .60-1.00 more per gallon for the contract.
Yes, a tuneup is important and can be done for $75.00.
I don't think you can make that general assumption. The oil company I use has three service techs (they are a small family run company). Between the three of them they have close to 100 years of experience. Don't know how you can say that some guy moonlighting from his regular service job will perform better when you call him at 2am to come fix your old boiler.
No where in my reply did I make any mention of "some guy moonlighting from his regular service job" - so I have no idea what you are talking about there.
If you get peace of mind from paying a premium for your oil in return for access to 100 years of combined repair experience available to you then that's certainly your right. However, in MY life's experience - things that are thrown in for "free" as an inducement to do business with a particular company or person are seldom the same quality as going out and purchasing them independently - this was the crux of my original reply.
For those of you who have gone the COD option, where do you get your service from?
I've read of people saying they call a service tech... where do you find them from, is there someone you'd recommend?
I've also seen someone suggest getting a service contract from a company... as in purchase COD oil but get an annual service contract from one of the oil delivery companies?
for those that pay COD, how often do you get fillups? and is it safe to assume that a fillup is between $500-$600 a pop? a friend of mine just told me that she has budgeted contract with petro for $350/month. that seems a bit high to me. she says if it works out that she's overpaying, she will get a credit, but if that happens, it's usually only a hundred or so.
for those that pay COD, how often do you get fillups? and is it safe to assume that a fillup is between $500-$600 a pop? a friend of mine just told me that she has budgeted contract with petro for $350/month. that seems a bit high to me. she says if it works out that she's overpaying, she will get a credit, but if that happens, it's usually only a hundred or so.
I've been using COD for 8 years and counting with a 20 yr old furnance. Yes, I have a a guy who does moonlight on the side to work on my furnance. He is great & have been very reliable. If not, I have a few backups in case. Yes, if I have to pay more for so call emergency calls, the money I saved from COD would MORE than cover it ....and then some.
The drawback with COD is that I measure my oil tank with a oil stick. Honestly, its give me a control & confidence when I need oil & how quickly I am burning it. More times then not, I actually save money. For example, if I do a full fill in January, I am 90% sure I can make it to without another fill for rest of the winter. In my experience, there is a general pattern of getting a better price. I would say right before the first cold spell and summers are usually good prices. fyi, I am a hands on type & it makes me very comfortable to be sort of hands on knowing how things are going
My neighbor who is on contract complains that oil companies fill up whenever they feel like at their schedule. Of course he pays whatever market price which is his biggest gripe. The customers are contractually guarantee XX amount of fills. Of course oil contracts has its own appeal which people here have pointed out.
^^ When in a contract the companies deliver oil based on what the outdoor temperatures have been. The last thing they want is for a customer to run out of oil... Think about it. And when you are on a contract you are more than likely locked in at that price for the entire contract, it doesn't swing.
Maybe your friend only has a service contract and pay market price for oil? If so that makes no sense, let him know.
Maybe your friend only has a service contract and pay market price for oil? If so that makes no sense, let him know.
I typed without a detailed explanation. The complaint was the big fill right at end of the season. So my neighbored complained about a 2 thousand dollar bill at end of march which irritated him.
Our "new" oil burner quit on us from the very first winter and has done every year since. Usually it's a clogged something, but last year it was the motor. You must get it cleaned every year... Even if it is new.
As for a contract, we had one, that first year. When the heat went out at 3:00am one night, the serviceman didn't show for about ten hours. We stopped the contract and found a great guy who even came one New Years Eve when it was zero degrees outside. He actually left a party for us. So, why tie yourself to a high price for oil to get crappy service?
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