Thread: Extended Warranty @#$%s

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Is it just me or do others have my problem.
I really enjoy working on my old vehicles (play)--but not my work truck or my wifes daily.(work)
Truck needs a front wheel bearing and has a ext warranty So I took it to the dealer to find out " Only Wheel bearings in front wheel drives are covered not in 4x4s" And The service manager knows They only get my truck when its free. At least Work is too slow so I've got the time ( just no income to pay for it)

I think with todays technology companies have figured out another way to shaft the public with extended warranties,for example back in the late 60's I worked in the Sears Auto Center it was not unusual for a 3 year battery to last 6 years or more or Kenmore washers to last over 30 years.A couple of years ago we bought a Kenmore washer and dryer within a couple of weeks after they were one year old,guess what? both of them broke down,we replaced them with GE's and bought the dang warranty, they will be one year old this week and the dryer is acting upJust picked up the Kenmore vacuum last week (1 year old) rotator brushes quit working.Most car batteries always seem to quit about the time they go from free replacement to "pro-rated warranty" Go Figure!

Those extended warranty folks are in the insuance biz..They are therefore nothing but common criminals who steal money..

Originally Posted by Daffy427

Those extended warranty folks are in the insuance biz..They are therefore nothing but common criminals who steal money..

Amen, brother. Extended warranties aren't worth the paper they're written on.

For the most part extended warranties are without merit, especially when buying one for something new. Occasionally they might pay off but that is rare. Of course, if it gives you peace of mind than maybe they are a good thing, assuming of course that the broken part is covered. You got to read the fine print!!

I have gotten extended warranties in the past, and when they went unused I stopped getting them. But a few years ago, I purchased a rather expensive used car with about 59,000 miles on it. The original warranty was about to expire, so I purchased a 2 year 40,000 mile extended warranty. So far that extended warranty has cost me $895 for the warranty and $150 in co- payments on repairs. Doesn't sound good until you see the other side. In those 40,000 miles the dealer has put out over $7000 in warranty repairs for a new transmission, new alternator, new front and rear differentials, head gaskets, and several other things. I now have practically a new car.

Bob, it's nice to hear a success story about extended warranties. My experience has not been so fulfilling.

Several years ago, I had an oil pump fail on a Honda on which I had purchased an extended warranty from Honda at the time of purchase of the new car. The failure occurred on the freeway, so by the time I got the car pulled over, a rod knock had developed and the motor was toast. Honda had sold the warranty to a third party who refused to honor it. Rather than get involved in a lawsuit which would have become an expensive and protracted affair, I purchased a low mileage motor from a boneyard, installed it and went on my way.

The sour taste of this affair was still in the fore of my mind when it came time to purchase another new vehicle, a Nissan Quest. In the finance office, I went round and round with the officer and refused to buy the extended warranty. The General Manager was called in to try to close me. I told him that if he could put in writing that the warranty would remain a Nissan warranty and not be sold to a third party, that I would buy it. Of course, he could not. That warranty is a negotiable instrument that can be sold at the will and whim of the manufacturer. I left the dealership with my new Quest, sans the extended warranty to take my chances down the road. That turned out to be one of the best vehicles I have ever owned. I sold it several years later with 195,000 miles on the clock, original engine and transmission intact. Engine oil changed every 3000, transmission fluid changed every 20,000 (by me).

Tech, glad to hear you have had good luck with the Nissan. I had an extended warranty with a 1980 Honda, but luckily never had to use it. Sold the car at 165,000 miles, with the only problem being the heater which wasn't covered anyway.

The car that I had a good experience with is my Subaru Outback Limited. I still have it and drive it every day. Now has 135000 miles and plan on keeping it until the it falls apart around me, or at least 4 more years, whichever comes first. It gets all of it's routine service, by me, and is driven about 100 miles daily.

Last time I bought an extended warranty it was for a CRT rear projection TV (58 inch). I was concerned about the possibility of a lamp failure ($400 each plus labor). That unit is now 5 years old, never a moment of downtime, and a wasted extended warranty ($200). Next time no extended anything. They just don't pay.

And now the bearing has been backordered.

Had extended warranty on wifes Bravada trans started to go so I called them Seems because the car had a trailer hitch the warranty was void "The car came from the factory with the hitch" Go figure. We never towed a thing with it either.

At my age with 2 heart attacks, I don't think about buying extended or lifetime warranty's. They might last longer than me .......LOL
BradC

another problem with are econemy who wants to buy a car that dealers wont even waranty. rims, ehaust, air filter and hitches come on void waranty come on. im still getting calls 0n my 01 mustang for xtended waranty and they couldt help me with a cracked intake plneum when it was 2 yr old because of exhaust and and air filter. just a legal way to get paid.

I purchased the "Bumper to Bumper" extended warranty with my Chrysler van last April. Chunk of change! Then after some problems with them getting me a second door key (which they wanted to charge me $200) and the trailer hitch which was part of the deal, I was told to never come on the property again! When I asked if this meant they would not honor their warranty, I was told no.

Originally Posted by mach1joe

I purchased the "Bumper to Bumper" extended warranty with my Chrysler van last April. Chunk of change! Then after some problems with them getting me a second door key (which they wanted to charge me $200) and the trailer hitch which was part of the deal, I was told to never come on the property again! When I asked if this meant they would not honor their warranty, I was told no.

I'd at least fire off a scathing letter to the Chrysler CEO, telling him that this is my last Chrysler purchase. That's the part I left off of my post and I have never looked at another Honda. Our good luck with the Nissan led to Sharon purchasing an Infinity (high end Nissan). So far, it's a good car too.

after i had written the check and paid for my new toyota the sales manager tried to pressure me into buying an extended 2 year warrenty for 2 thousand bucks plus a paint and protection coverage for 500 bucks .. i said " man .. iv`e already paid for the thing .. give me my car and let me get out of here .. he assured me that even brand new cars will break down from time to time .. ..

Extended warranties are like playing poker; your betting against their hand, and they are usually holding the better cards.

We bought a slick new Pontiac Gran Prix GTP in '97, and got the full tilt warranty package, "just in case"; we hadn't had a domestic for several years because of quality issues, so we were a bit skeptical, but that car just appealed - no, it screamed "wow" - took us back to our youthful days of hot cars on the street. Well, it lived up to it's appeal, and we loved driving it. But, at about thirty thou, it started leaking from every possible orifice, leaks were not covered on the warranty, and I couldn't keep the loose fasteners tightened fast enough, so after another couple of years and some twenty thou more miles, I took it to the dealer and asked how much to take care of the mess. Yikes!! 3500 bucks, give or take. They would have to remove the whole drive train package to get at the rear valve cover and head gaskets and transaxle seals. So, we hung our heads in sorrow, and went across the street to the Toyota store and traded our hot rod in on a Granny car. That warranty was just a waste of money; it only covered the big stuff, and the big stuff never gave us any trouble. I never was any good at cards.