Again: New car extended warranties

[freedomatlast]

+1 Cancel all of them.

 

[brett]

I bought a 1997 Camry XLE new. Dealer wanted me to spring for a $1000. extended warranty.

I drove the car until last year. Over 200K miles. Never spent that on repairs, other than normal wear and tear, over 18 years. My son has had the car for the past year. Does not burn or leak any oil. Drives like a top.

Just regular mtce including changing all fluids according to the manual.

So glad that we did not spring for the extended mtce. My friend, OTOH bought a Ford van and decided to go for the extended warranty. In his words....it was a bargain. At the end of the five year period the only thing that did not fail was the steering wheel. He dumped it the month before the expiration of the extended warranty.

 

[Nodak]

I think generally people are right about not buying an extended warranty. This last car was the first time I bought the warranty; it's a car i really like but it was first year of production so I took the chance.

 

[Moemg]

Not to hijack the topic but I think you are selling your wife short . Most women when widowed rise to the occasion and handle car repairs . How hard is it to have an oil change or tires replaced ? The thing I needed when my husband died was " What are all those remotes for and how do I get the DVD player to work ? I would ask your wife what she needs and you may be surprised .

 

[aja8888]

Not to hijack the topic but I think you are selling your wife short . Most women when widowed rise to the occasion and handle car repairs . How hard is it to have an oil change or tires replaced ? The thing I needed when my husband died was " What are all those remotes for and how do I get the DVD player to work ? I would ask your wife what she needs and you may be surprised .

With the assets my wife would be left with, there would be more than enough new "helpers" coming by to assist her in meeting all her new needs. Plus, the garage will still be full of my tools!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

These are ALL insurance policies of sorts. They are never a good deal and if you can't afford the basic maintenance or actual replacement cost insurance, then you shouldn't be buying a brand new car.

Sent via mobile device. Please excuse any grammatical errors.

 

[REWahoo]

I'm a fan of only one type of car extended warranty - the added mfg. warranty that comes with the purchase of a certified used car. I bought a used 2015 car with three years remaining on the new car warranty, and the certified qualification added another year/12,000 miles to the bumper-to-bumper coverage.

 

[Texas Proud]

aja, that was my point. My purchase price to start was $28831 for an XLE. Zero down. I drive out of the dealer and total the car. How much is covered by insurance? In your case, you invested a sizable down payment. So how much of that down payment was at risk? I put zero down, so my $28831 value car is worth what? $24-25000 ? I'd be out $3-4 grand. Maybe I'm looking at it in a different manner.

Are you getting it less than sticker


My boss had a new car for maybe a month before someone T boned him and totaled it out... in the mid 30s.... the insurance company paid sticker plus the add ons he had.... since he had paid less than sticker he made a profit....

It is now a myth that cars drop a big % once you drive them off the lot... I have seen many times where people were listing used cars about the same price as new when you get it cheap and have incentives on it...

 

[Texas Proud]

I wouldn't buy any of the items mentioned. The reason to buy a toyota, honda etc is to avoid this. CR did some research and most people never use the extended warranty, in particular toyota, honda and subaru owners

Are Extended Warranties For Cars Worth It - Consumer Reports

35K miles maintence is probably nothing more than a few oil changes. First major service is probably more like 60 or even 100K miles.

+1 Cancel all of them.

+2... I think all items you listed are not worth the cost...

You will be surprised how DW will be able to do things after you are gone... (well, not really since you will not be here to see)... remember, she can always go and buy a new car if this one starts having troubles.... my sister did....

 

[pb4uski]

aja, that was my point. My purchase price to start was $28831 for an XLE. Zero down. I drive out of the dealer and total the car. How much is covered by insurance? In your case, you invested a sizable down payment. So how much of that down payment was at risk? I put zero down, so my $28831 value car is worth what? $24-25000 ? I'd be out $3-4 grand. Maybe I'm looking at it in a different manner.

So you have $4k at risk for a few years. Let's say the likelihood of your totaling the car and being out the $4k is 1% a year (and that is probably high... how many cars have you totaled within the first 3 years of owning them?)... the expected loss is $40/year so $800 is a ripoff IMO. Cancel it and go with the $24 a year from your insurer if the gap really worries you.

+3 on the other stuff... cancel it all and get your money back....you bought a good quality car with a good warranty and the refunds of these extras gives you a $4,500 repair fund if you do have a problem.... that will pay for a lot of repairs. Think of it... you paid for $4,500 of extras after carefully negotiating for a $29k car... that's 16% more.

We bought a new car recently and were ushered into the F&I guy's office for the closing process.... he went over the same crap... I finally got nasty with him and told him that while I appreciated that he needs to go though his spiel that I wasn't buying any of it so let's just finish up.... and he did.

I did ask him on the road hazard coverage that if I had say 10k miles on the tires and cut a sidewall whether they replaced just the tire that was cut or all four and he conceded that the package would just cover one even though to keep the manufacturer's powertrain warranty in-force I would need to replace all four (AWD vehicle) so that seemed useless to me.

 

[Bamaman]

Johnnie: Run, not walk back to that dealership and get them to rewrite that contract before Toyota Credit or Southeast Toyota's captive finance company cashes it. The reason you're buying a Camry is the rock solid reputation mechanically.

You have fallen prey to a fast talking "Business Manager" and he's simply "hit a home run" on this deal. Cancel all the add on's, including Gap Insurance, as all their programs are overpriced. Be prepared to meet some resistance and/or they will try to talk you into keeping part of the coverage. Don't fall into their trap.

It's a shame that Toyota has never purchased Southeast Toyota Distributers and their affiliated companies. Although Jim Moran has left this earth, his children still have these companies. They fly a fleet of Gulfstream Jets and have some of the largest superyachts in South Florida. And it all came from ripping people off on worthless add on's, like undercoating (in FL?) paint sealants and mud flaps. They also rip off all the dealerships in the southeast that have to purchase cars through them.

 

[pb4uski]

^^^^ good advice from and industry insider.

 

[Danmar]

I'm a fan of only one type of car extended warranty - the added mfg. warranty that comes with the purchase of a certified used car. I bought a used 2015 car with three years remaining on the new car warranty, and the certified qualification added another year/12,000 miles to the bumper-to-bumper coverage.

Agree. I once bought a one year old "certified used car" with 3 years left on the warranty. They put another 3 years on it (I think). Still have the car but if is now out of warranty. No issues or claims.

 

[kgtest]

extended warranty is too much money and not worth it.

When you call to file a "claim" they ensure you've followed the dealers strict maintenance schedule and that the part in question is failing due to normal wear and tear.

For instance, my exhaust pipe was rattling and it was very annoying. The pipe was bent and causing the rattle...the warranty company would not cover it since it was a bent exhaust pipe.

I paid $60 to have some backyard mechanic weld me out of that problem...no more annoying rattle.


I did have a recall where the torque converter got replaced. I am gonna make sure to bring the car back at 90k miles and have them double check that torque converter. With the 6speed transmission it puts a lot of ware on that part. It failed me at 50k miles already and the dealer replaced it for free after arguing a bit with the master mechanic.




FYI I cancelled my extended warranty after they fought that first attempt to file a claim. It wasn't easy cancelling, had to fax a form with both DH and I signatures, then call the warranty company and finance company a cpl times to ensure 1. they cancelled and 2. they removed the remainder of the warranty cost from the loan with the finance company. They did and it reduced my loan by a few monthly payments when I canceled.

 

[pb4uski]

Agree. I once bought a one year old "certified used car" with 3 years left on the warranty. They put another 3 years on it (I think). Still have the car but if is now out of warranty. No issues or claims.

I bought my truck as a CPO vehicle... at the time it was a year old and had 20k miles and the COP extended the 3/36 to 3/39 (or something like that).

In any event, we needed to replace the head gasket at just over 36k miles that was an expensive repair ($3k as I recall) and I thought it was going to be on me but the dealer said it was covered by that extra 3 months on the CPO..... whew!

 

[aja8888]

Ripoff of the month award!

2012 - 2015 VW Passats (gas and diesel models): Heater core (behind the dashboard) is clogging up under 40,000 miles (typical). It's been determined buy VW that the solder flux used by the heater core supplier to make and install the core tubing in the core housing is not compatible with the G13 coolant VW uses in these, and all other, models. When the core clogs with coagulated muck, the heat stops and the cabin stays cold.

Now, one would think this is a standard "warranty" item and those with the very expensive "extended warranties" would also expect coverage. Correct?

Not happening! Those "warranties" cover failed parts. The core did not fail, it's merely clogged with foreign matter! Guess who has been shoveling out upwards of $1,200 to have the heater core replaced with a new core that has the same problem? You guessed it - the owners!

Interestingly, VW has put out a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on the proper way to change out the heater core. That TSB is for the dealership mechanics to follow. No recall is planned because recall are pretty much ordered by NHTSA for safety-related issues.

Give you a warm feeling for warranties in general (original or otherwise)?

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

That confirms my prejudice toward Volkswagen. Excellent designs defeated by shoddy execution.

 

[freedomatlast]

I bought my truck as a CPO vehicle... at the time it was a year old and had 20k miles and the COP extended the 3/36 to 3/39 (or something like that).

In any event, we needed to replace the head gasket at just over 36k miles that was an expensive repair ($3k as I recall) and I thought it was going to be on me but the dealer said it was covered by that extra 3 months on the CPO..... whew!

I'm very curious as to the make, model and engine that needed a head gasket at just over 36,000 miles.

 

[Texas Proud]

Johnnie: Run, not walk back to that dealership and get them to rewrite that contract before Toyota Credit or Southeast Toyota's captive finance company cashes it. The reason you're buying a Camry is the rock solid reputation mechanically.

You have fallen prey to a fast talking "Business Manager" and he's simply "hit a home run" on this deal. Cancel all the add on's, including Gap Insurance, as all their programs are overpriced. Be prepared to meet some resistance and/or they will try to talk you into keeping part of the coverage. Don't fall into their trap.

It's a shame that Toyota has never purchased Southeast Toyota Distributers and their affiliated companies. Although Jim Moran has left this earth, his children still have these companies. They fly a fleet of Gulfstream Jets and have some of the largest superyachts in South Florida. And it all came from ripping people off on worthless add on's, like undercoating (in FL?) paint sealants and mud flaps. They also rip off all the dealerships in the southeast that have to purchase cars through them.

We have the same problem with our Toyota distributor, Gulf States Toyota.... years ago every Toyota had paint sealer, etc. etc. on them... there was no way to get a Toyota without all this valueless crap put on them.... way back when, when I was looking to buy one I did not know about this and thought I could go to another city... silly me...


I looked it up and these are the only two distributors!!! Looks like the rest of the country does not have to deal with a middle man taking extra money from your pockets...

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

It's a shame that Toyota has never purchased Southeast Toyota Distributers and their affiliated companies. Although Jim Moran has left this earth, his children still have these companies. They fly a fleet of Gulfstream Jets and have some of the largest superyachts in South Florida. And it all came from ripping people off on worthless add on's, like undercoating (in FL?) paint sealants and mud flaps. They also rip off all the dealerships in the southeast that have to purchase cars through them.

"Jim Moran the Courtesy man." Dad bought a 1957 Fairlane from Moran when he was just hitting it big in Chicago many years ago.

 

[pb4uski]

I'm very curious as to the make, model and engine that needed a head gasket at just over 36,000 miles.

Chevy Colorado 5 cyl - Volvo design IIRC - I would not read much into my instance as I think it was an isolated instance as I haven't heard of a consistent problem with those engines and head gaskets. Otherwise has been very good truck mechanically and we have 120k miles on it... 84k since the head gasket was replaced .... rust... a whole different story.

 

[freedomatlast]

Thanks

 

[wolf]

Even considering your motivation, I would not buy any of these, especially at those prices. You would just be putting extra profit in the dealer's pocket.

Could not agree more. OP, do not let your emotions make your decisions.
Cancel all 4 items. And put the savings I the bank.

 

[VFK57]

I purchased extended warranty on almost all cars we purchased since 1991(Ford Taurus, Chevy Astro, Chevy Malibu, Toyota 4Runner and Lexus ES350). The cost varied from earlier purchased warranties for $900 and the last one at $1,700 for Lexus). Our extended warranty repair cost never exceeded $900 so far (sitll have it on the Lexus). Maintenance depend on where you do it, many good shops could do it for much lower cost than the dealer.

 

[Texas Proud]

Chevy Colorado 5 cyl - Volvo design IIRC - I would not read much into my instance as I think it was an isolated instance as I haven't heard of a consistent problem with those engines and head gaskets. Otherwise has been very good truck mechanically and we have 120k miles on it... 84k since the head gasket was replaced .... rust... a whole different story.

I have a friend who had to have the engine replaced after about 5,000 miles... it was covered under warranty.... Pontiac Grad Prix.... he is up into the 60s right now and his second engine is starting to have problems... he does take care of them, so it is not lack of maintenance....