What Exactly Is The Jeep Wave Program & Is It Really Free?

If you're a Jeep owner, you may already know about the secret wave shared between those who drive one the company's many beloved 4x4 vehicles. Whether you're a Jeep owner who indulges in the infamously, and intricately hierarchal "wave" or not, you should probably check into the manufacturer's new Wave Program, which doesn't have much to do with the affectionate car-to-car greetings at all. Rather, it's an intriguing new customer care plan promising worry-free and cost-free automobile service to any Jeep owner who qualifies for enrollment.

Started in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the company's WWII-era founding, the Wave Program promises free essential vehicle maintenance services like oil changes, tire rotation, and other needs to Jeep owners who sign up. The program even offers no-charge same-day vehicle rental for routine maintenance visits and 24/7 roadside support for the duration of the manufacturer's 5-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Such allowances make signing up for the Wave Program a no-brainer, which is probably why the manufacturer is automatically enrolling customers when they purchase a new vehicle. 

Despite sounding a little too good to be true, on paper the Wave Program looks to be a legitimate deal for anyone interested in purchasing one of the company's 4x4 vehicles. There are, however, a few notable catches that come with being a part of the program, including how long the program remains free for Jeep owners.  

Even as Jeep's Wave Program offers free enrollment to owners, there is a limit to how long the free service visits last, with the company capping the no-cost portion of the plan at two or three years depending on the make of your vehicle and when it was purchased. While that may be a bit of a bummer to some, it's also safe to assume a lot of consumers in the market for a new car would be happy with a couple of years worth of free oil changes, let alone the other perks of the program, which reportedly includes getting preferential treatment when bringing a vehicle in for service at a qualified dealership.

It's worth noting that your Wave Program coverage does not have to end when your free service window closes, with the manufacturer reportedly offering the chance to extend at a cost of $150 per year. There is, however, one other notable caveat to enrolling that may rub those with an affinity for classic Jeep vehicles the wrong way, which is that automatic enrollment in the program is available only for makes in the 2021 model year or later. Despite that restriction, some makes from the 2016 to 2020 class may also qualify for owners willing to pay for coverage.

As an intriguing option for multi-Jeep households, it seems there is no limit to how many vehicles you can enroll in the Wave Program simultaneously. So, if you're a true blue Jeep family, your whole crew can be covered for a couple of years free of charge assuming they're driving qualified vehicles, and that's some peace of mind you cannot put a price on.