I'd consider other options. The Blue Star has serious design and quality issues, which they have not corrected. They continue to have electronic ignitor problems, and their QA on the production is lacking. The cooking on the stove & in the oven are a delight, if you're not struggling with one of the problems. And if you do, imagine what finding a qualified serviceman is like! I've done this dance with Blue Star for more than 6 months, since the delivery of my stove. Love cooking on it, but wish I'd asked a few service people what they thought. Repeatedly I've been told "Wolf" from people who take these puppies apart & fix 'em all day. I've never cooked on a Wolf, and was hell-bent on a nice white stove. It's pretty, but the quality is lacking for the price point.

Hmmm. I hope it's not my job as OP to resolve all of this! :-) Actually, in my original post, I wasn't concerned so much about price. I HAD a price on a bid that was TOO good, so I took it back to the dealer and accepted another (higher) bid. The first erroneous bid was followed by two more incomplete bids before I ended up with one that "added up", figuratively speaking. The bid process, and the not-so-thorough follow-up had me questioning whether or not it was wise to proceed with this local dealer even though my preference is almost always to do "local". Of course I want a good, fair price, but I really, really want this process to go as smoothly as possible. You have all helped me have a better understanding of my local dealer's perspective, and have also made some great suggestions for how I can manage my concerns (and my dealer) and proceed. Thank you! @Sayde: I'm glad you like the little logo with me. Maybe when I get to know my local dealer (manager this time!), I will find him/her to be like yours! @Peter: You remind me of how I once (foolishly!) told a friend from Wales how much I liked his English accent! For me... I think United Kingdom accents and beer (ale?) are many and varied..., but they are all GOOD! @avidchef: I have a certified dealer in my metroplex, one four hours north, and one six hours south. I have been to lots of other appliance showrooms near me as I evaluate other products, but none have a Bluestar on their floor. I don't know where the uncertified dealers would be hiding, but I don't want to go that route anyway. Regarding the Bluestar custom paint: I went to a "meet the rep" event, and I did get a certificate for free custom paint when I asked. The rep did not mention it, but was responsive when I asked. @Stooxie: I guess I haven't worn my economics hat in a while... You're right, this range is not a commodity. I haven't been a real vendor. But, years ago, in my other life before my now teenagers were born, I was a sw systems engineer on a new development for a large unix platform project. The project required a strong database. We looked at several vendors, but the two top contenders for us were Oracle and Informix. There was little cost differential between the two. In the end, what tipped the scales (heavily) was the difference in attitude between the two vendors and the warm-fuzzy we collectively felt regarding the level of competence and customer service we thought we would get from each vendor. Informix was an easy choice! We shared a long and lucrative (for both of us) relationship. The warm-fuzzy mattered. What I was trying to figure out here was: 1) how do you decide if you have a warm-fuzzy regarding an appliance dealer, 2) does the warm-fuzzy regarding the dealer even matter if you are very confident in the actual product and the customer service of the manufacturer (as I think I am with Bluestar), and 3) if the warm-fuzzy DOES matter regarding the dealer, do I have it? I'm on the learning curve in the appliance world, but y'all have educated me some on 1 & 2, and given me tools to figure out 3. I don't expect to ever mess with a mega-databse again, but I totally expect to spend the next 20+ years getting to know my handsome 48" Bluestar range with its cool little logo! Thanks, everyone, for your help!

Extended warranties are basically an insurance policy. Nobody would offer it if they didn't make money off of it some how. What that means is the cost of an extended warranty is always more than the average cost of repairs for an item. That may sound like an argument against it but it's not. Just like insurance, it's when you need it that it pays off. It's also an added piece of mind for those who don't want to deal with repairing things themselves. Things to watch for with regard to extended warranties are: 1. Make sure you understand the terms of what's covered. Wear and tear items are sometimes not covered which can lead to you fighting for coverage. 2. Look for repair vs replace terms. In some cases they specify that they will repair up to a certain percentage of cost and then replace only up to that percentage of replacement value. That means they'll buy you a new one if the old one cost too much to repair but you might not get an identical item. 3. Find out who does the repairs and what the turn around time is. Warranty repairs (extended or otherwise) might be low on the priority list for the repair shops since they don't get immediate payment. 4. Make sure you don't have another way to extend the manufacturer warranty. Bluestar "White Glove" install is one example. Credit card companies might also offer warranty extensions. Ask around. It's free to sign up for a new CC that offers an extended warranty on purchases so that might be a way to save a few bucks. I was offered a "refundable" extended warranty by my dealer which meant if I didn't make any warranty claims, then I'd be refunded my warranty cost. Ask about these types of programs as well.

I have the 6" SS guard and after several years of cursing it, found that as long as I wipe down any grease or splatters after cooking I avoid the PITA charing I used to have to deal with. I have glass tile behind the guard - on one hand I think the island trim gives you the advantage of extra clearance with some pans on those back burners, on the other hand I would risk cracking the glass tile. Sorry - didn't answer your question, but I have the 22k burner in back and it is possible to keep that SS char free and not be a neat freak.