Extended Warranty?

[RBolton]

Regardless of the product, if you purchase an extended warranty or service contract, only consider one offered by the manufacturer of the product. After market warranties are a gamble at best. As stated they will most likely be out of business or refuse to pay as agreed when needed. I do not know if Airstream offers or backs their own service contract.

At my new car dealership I only sell the service contract offered and backed by the manufacturer of the new vehicles I sell. I do not sell an after market service contract and I do not allow my service department to get involved when a service customer has an after market warranty. They will do the repair and bill the customer. It is then up to the customer to collect from the after market warranty company.

Extended warranties or service contracts are no different than any other insurance product. They are only as good as the company backing them. They provide the owner with repair coverage in the event of a break down and sometimes these repair bills can be catastrophic - several times the price of the contract. They also provide peace of mind that in the event of such an occurrence, the repair bill will be paid, as well as towing and in some instances trip interruption protection (hotel accommodations) and alternate transportation.

We all carry insurance on our cars, homes, trailers and even our lives. Just because we have never gotten to take advantage of them do we consider them not necessary. Especially in the case of someone with life insurance. I've never seen anyone mad because they didn't die, and thus wasted all that money on life insurance.

If you have the means and/or the will power to sock away funds to cover future repairs or if you're handy enough to do the repairs yourself then maybe you don't require a service contract. But, if you can find a reputable warranty provider and an equally reputable repair facility, like the idea that future repairs needs are taken care of and can afford the coverage then perhaps you are a candidate for a service contract. When financed with a purchase it may only raise the monthly payment by $15 or $20 dollars.

I can sell a 7 year plan on a $30,000 vehicle for about 7% of the price of the car. That's a bargain compared to extended warranties on electronics and appliances. I laugh and walk away from these also. Roger

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

As they say in the RV industry, "And the band played on."

The greatest thing they are good for amoung many owners, is "what a huge dent it made in their check book, with little to no real aid."

The entended warranty insurance companies are also very good at denials and short changing repair shops.
Jack. Would you do it again?

Andy

Andy,

I turned down the offer for the extended policy. My point was that here are my first two out of pocket repairs, and even if I had taken out the policy, neither item would have been covered.

Jack

[Kevbo10]

wow, some excellent advice here. thanks, kevbo